2025 College Fantasy Football Rankings (Final Pre-Season Update!)

In 2024, the college fantasy football hobby took a giant leap forward in popularity and participation. The industry gained a massive boost from the return of EA Sports College Football after an 11-year hiatus, and large CFF Best Ball Tournaments took flight for the first time. The number of people seeking college fantasy football rankings, information and insight skyrocketed.

In the past, I have usually waited until mid-March or later to publish the first CFF player rankings. Yet, it is clear that CFF Best Ball leagues and drafts are already taking place on Fantrax, and it is a great time to kick off the 2025 campaign—spring practices are just around the corner and the transfer portal is closed until April 16, 2025.

Over the last two weeks, I put together the rankings to help diehards and newbies navigate the large player pool in college football. Of course, changes will be made as new information comes out and depth charts are updated. For now, enjoy my fellow CFF diehards.

2025 CFF Positional Breakdowns

Quarterbacks

In my humble opinion, the quarterback position is the deepest at this time in the process. I am very excited about the top six in the rankings (LaNorris Sellers, Cade Klubnik, Blake Horvath, Arch Manning, Avery Johnson, and DJ Lagway) and would like to acquire at least one of the elite signal callers. In the second tier (7-15), I have nine players ranked and will seek to acquire two of the top 15 if one of the quarterbacks falls outside of the first seven rounds of a draft.

When building a CFF roster, acquiring a quarterback who can produce over 40 Fantasy Points (FPs) in any given game is such a tremendous boost to weekly victories and winning a championship that it is difficult to pass up. I do not like to take a flier on two quarterbacks, hoping that both become CFF stars. I would prefer to draft one stud, another solid weekly contributor (16-30 in my rankings), and embrace risk only while selecting a third quarterback with upside.

CADE 👏 KLUBNIK 👏@CadeKlubnikQB ran 50-YDs for the TD to give the No. 20 Tigers the 24-20 lead @ClemsonFB | @ClemsonTigers | #GoTigers
pic.twitter.com/X4Dx8GtDo7

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 16, 2024

Twitterverse on Fire!

Who is the most interesting quarterback as a fantasy player to transfer teams in 2025?

• Fernando Mendoza, Indiana: 12%
• Devon Dampier, Utah: 32%
• Thomas Castellanos, Florida State: 11%
• John Mateer, Oklahoma: 45%

“Outside the box on this one. For me, it is Fernando Mendoza. I think he fits like a glove in his new offense, and he brings many happy returns to those CFF players who select him.”

@aceholesrule

“I agree with Mitch (@aceholesrule). It’s Fernando Mendoza for me!” @FFPeeblesChamp

“Beau Pribula of Missouri is my write-in candidate.” @MatthewWVogt

“John Mateer! If he puts up 85% of those numbers—800-plus rushing yards and 44 total touchdowns—from last season with Wazzu, he will be in the Heisman talk.” @TheCFBNation

“It’s Devon Dampier for me. That Utah schedule should give him plenty of opportunities for splash games.” @CffDfs

“I think the player that has the most chance of improving his stock/fantasy output with his transfer is Thomas Castellanos. Mendoza is a close second. While the other two should put up fantasy relevant points, they’re likely to regress to some degree.” @eliotmays

“Devon Dampier was a beast this past season through the air and on the ground. Now, he follows his offensive coordinator Jason Beck to Utah, which returns a huge part of the offensive line that averaged almost 200 yards per game. Dampier could be a fantasy gem! Add in most key pieces with the addition of Wayshawn Parker at running back and a brand-new receiver room…sky’s the limit for Dampier.” @_NinoBrown_

Running Backs

In the past, I preferred to anchor my college fantasy football squads around two superstar running backs. At times, even selected three ball carriers in the first four or five picks of a draft. Looking at the player pool across all the positions, it appears that getting two stud running backs in the first three rounds is a solid strategy in 2025.

In the two drafts that I have participated in so far, runners flew off the board quickly. In one, I acquired Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh and Jahiem White, West Virginia while in the other Bryson Washington, Baylor, and Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo anchored my rosters. Until the value of the Top 10 running backs evaporates, I will employ the same game plan in upcoming drafts.

SPEED: 💯 #HailToPitt | @fastboidez pic.twitter.com/eTVjle6481

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) February 15, 2025

Twitterverse on Fire!

With so many running backs changing programs, who will have the biggest fantasy impact among the quartet below in 2025?

• Eli Sanders, USC: 5%
• Justice Haynes, Michigan: 48%
• Wayshawn Parker, Utah: 6%
• Quinten Joyner, Texas Tech: 41%

“Quinten Joyner for me. I had high hopes Joyner would fill in where Woody Marks left off at USC, but the landing spot in Lubbock is a soft one. I believe that 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns is on the horizon.” @aceholesrule

“Justice Hayes could get a ton of volume at Michigan this season. Whether it’s Keene or Underwood at quarterback, the Wolverines will look to establish a run game to ease the load at the start of the season. Hayes averaged almost 6 ypc in 2024, but wasn’t given much opportunity with only six carries a game. Look out for a massive workload and production…” @_NinoBrown_

“I voted for Justice Haynes over Quinten Joyner. CFF diehards will not see the same workload at running back from Texas Tech this season while Michigan will still feed their ball carriers well.” @UW_Purple_Reign

“I went with Justice Haynes—the opportunity in Michigan is undeniable. I still like Justin Marshall, and he’s no slouch back there. Eli Sanders at USC could find himself in a role where he’s catching a ton of passes, but I could easily see Haynes in the mid-double digit touchdown range.” @FFChrisB

Wide Receivers

The first three rounds of drafts last year provided more busts than stars. Freshman became the best fantasy value among CFF receivers in 2024: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, Ryan Williams, Alabama, Cam Coleman, Auburn, Emmett Mosley, V, Stanford, Nick Marsh, Michigan State, T.J. Moore, Clemson and Bryant Wesco, Jr., Clemson and all made an impact for their programs and CFF managers. Unfortunately, the aforementioned sophomores are no longer under the radar and are sought after playmakers.

In 2025, there are many old faces in new places—Easton Messer, FAU, Chase Sowell, Iowa State, De’Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi, Kevin Concepcion, Texas A&M, Kevin Coleman, Missouri, Nic Anderson, LSU, Dane Key, Nebraska, Devonte Ross, Penn State and many more. CFF diehards must assess the fantasy value of all the wideouts in their new environments.

In the opening three rounds of a draft, acquiring a Top 10 wide receiver appears to be a good decision in order to build a CFF roster. An elite fantasy producer provides weekly scoring with a high ceiling in any game. In the second mock draft, I waited too long to grab a receiver and embraced too much risk—I would like to avoid this conundrum in the future.

.@EmmettMosley6 is in for 6⃣ on fourth and short in the red zone! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/wF2KeR1ctM

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) November 29, 2024

Twitterverse on Fire!

Among the following four receivers, who will take the biggest leap in fantasy production in 2025?

• Makai Lemon, USC: 14%
• Cam Coleman, Auburn: 37%
• Carnell Tate, Ohio State: 35%
• Emmett Mosley, Stanford: 14%

“It’s Cam Coleman SEASON in 2025: In his last three regular season games, Coleman finished with an absurd 22 receptions, 306 receiving yards and six touchdowns. New QB Jackson Arnold has to be considered an upgrade over Payton Thorne.” @CffDfs

“Emmett Mosley for me. He is going to be a Top 5 receiver…going to be strong as nails.“ @aceholesrule

“Welcome to the Makai Lemon show! Lemon led the USC WR room in targets, receptions and yards. He was a special teams threat and was a swiss army knife on offense. He played like what the Trojan faithful wanted Branch to play like. He should play in the slot a ton again this season with Lane and Strachan on the outside and continue to be a short/intermediate killer. Lemon developed a connection with Maiava down the stretch as well!” @_NinoBrown_

Tight Ends

CFF managers were spoiled last year with true difference-makers at tight end: Harold Fannin and Tyler Warren posted all-time stupendous seasons but are now off to the NFL. Among last season’s Top 10 TEs, only three return to campus. The position currently looks uninspiring from a fantasy perspective. I waited until the eighth and ninth rounds to dip into the position and feel good about the potential fantasy upside.

Twitterverse on Fire!

Who is your top tight end to target in CFF drafts before spring practices kickoff?

• Arlis Boardingham, BGSU: 19%
• Tre’Dez Green, LSU: 28%
• Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon: 15%
• Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt: 38%

“Kenyon Sadiq and Tre’Dez Green have the potential for higher ceilings, but my vote goes toEli Stowers, especially in a one-point PPR. QB Diego Pavia and him have the band back together, and you simply know what you’re going to get.” @eliotmays

“Max Klare, Ohio State.” @cffmwachsman

“With the head coach leaving Bowling Green, I’m out on Arlis Boardingham, but Tre’Dez Green could take a huge leap with Mason Taylor gone. He is an athletic freak and at 6-7, he screams red zone target all day. Green has the ability to be everything we wanted Kyle Pitts to be.” @_NinoBrown_

“Tre’Dez Green for me. Coach Brian Kelly’s tight ends are always targets in my book.” @aceholesrule

2025 College Fantasy Football Rankings