In the second part of the College Fantasy Football running back series, I take a deep dive into the Cum Laude tier (13-24) of CFF ball carriers available in drafts this summer.
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CFF RB Profiles Part II
Cum Laude
Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
Team Offense (Rank): 430 ypg. (26)
Rushing: 202 ypg. (17)
Scoring: 33.1 ppg. (28)
PFF Grade: 79.3
2025 FPPG: 19.4
In January, I was convinced that Nicholas Singleton would declare for the NFL Draft and broke down a ton of tape on the Nittany Lions’ ball carrier. The junior playmaker surprised me, and many Draftniks, when he decided to remain on campus for another season. College fantasy footballers rejoiced that Singleton would remain in college in 2025.
In school history, Penn State has produced Heisman-winning RB John Cappelletti (1973) and a plethora of other notable runners. After three seasons, Singleton already ranks among the best at State College: He is fifth all-time in rushing touchdowns (32), eighth in rushing average (5.8), tenth in rushing yardage (2,912), and twelfth in rushing attempts (499). He also has scored 41 career touchdowns: 32 rushing, eight receiving, and a kickoff return.
In 2024, Singleton recorded his second 1,000-yard season with 1,099 yards on 172 attempts, averaging 6.4 yards per carry (ypc), and 12 touchdowns. He added 41 catches for 375 yards and five scores. He paced the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (1,805) and ranked third in yards from scrimmage (1,474). As a true freshman in 2022, Singleton kicked off his college career with 1,061 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. At 6-0 and 224 pounds, the senior is one of the top-rated backs in the upcoming NFL Draft, and CFF fanatics can roster—and scout—Singleton at the same time in 2025.
Notebook: “We’re walking off (the field), and the Fighting Irish players are celebrating because they’re going to the national championship. We just lost, we’re going home. It was that moment, seeing everybody walk into the locker room, obviously sad. I couldn’t end my career in college like that. It was a big part of me coming back,” Singleton said in an interview during late June (si.com).
HE IS GONE!!! 💨
Nick Singleton breaks away and gets the TD for @PennStateFball! pic.twitter.com/yZMkgFPbhj
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2024
Bryson Donelson, Fresno State
Team Offense (Rank): 340 ypg. (106)
Rushing: 98.2 ypg. (123)
Scoring: 26.1 ppg. (81)
PFF Grade: 73.9
2025 FPPG: 8.4
The Bulldogs rebuilt the coaching staff over the offseason after failing to average over 30 points per game for the first time since 2017. Enter coach Matt Entz (former coach at North Dakota State) and offensive coordinator Josh Davis, who guided the South Dakota State offense to over 35 points per game last year. The program clearly wants to return to its high-scoring roots, and Entz and Davis can lean on a veteran offensive line to open holes for the ground game.
As a true freshman last year, Bryson Donelson finished second on the Bulldogs in rushing with 462 yards on only 77 carries. He suited up in 12 games and started the final three for Fresno State. Against Colorado State in the final game of the regular season, Donelson flashed his upside with 140 yards and a score on 12 carries. He finished the crusade with a season-high 15 totes for 82 yards and a touchdown against NIU in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Donelson is in a prime spot to produce an abundance of fantasy points this season.
Notebook: “It’s like a running back’s dream. This offense, the whole team loves it. I think we’re all going to buy into the new system, and I really think it’s a good system, too,” Donelson said (kmph.com).
Jonah Coleman, Washington
Team Offense (Rank): 391 ypg. (61)
Rushing: 129 ypg. (100)
Scoring: 23.4 ppg. (104)
PFF Grade: 86.3
2025 FPPG: 15.8
Two years ago, Washington reached the National Championship Game before losing to Michigan. Afterwards, the coaching staff and many players left the program, leaving the Huskies in a rebuild scenario. In his first season, new coach Jedd Fisch guided the Huskies to six wins. Despite the lack of victories, Jonah Coleman found enough holes to ramble for over 1,000 yards.
Coleman was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and saw action as a true freshman at Arizona. In 2023, he led the Wildcats in rushing with 892 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 5-9 and 228-pounder transferred north before the 2024 season and also paced the Huskies’ backfield on the ground. He gained 1,053 rushing yards on 193 attempts, scored 10 times, and secured 23 passes for 177 yards. The junior was named Third Team All-Big Ten. Coleman is a valuable second running back on CFF rosters.
Notebook: “I know where I want to be and I know the goals that I’ve set for myself are high, so in order to do what I did, I had to make some sacrifices. I had to change the way I eat and change the way I sleep, and spend extra time on things that I usually don’t. It was something I committed to,” Coleman asserted in May (dailyuw.com).
Waymond Jordan, USC
Team Offense (Rank): 437 ypg. (23)
Rushing: 145.3 ypg. (82)
Scoring: 30.2 ppg. (51)
PFF Grade: n/a
2025 FPPG: n/a
While coach Lincoln Riley is better known for his passing game acumen, the Trojans’ leader has provided very good fantasy production out of the backfield over the past three campaigns. Woody Marks, MarShawn Lloyd, and Travis Dye all excelled for CFF diehards since 2022. The USC backfield is one of the better units to find a CFF starter, and Waymond Jordan is the next ball carrier at the top of the depth chart entering training camp.
Jordan, a JUCO transfer from Hutchinson Community College, shone throughout spring practice and skyrocketed up CFF rankings in the past two months. A four-star recruit, the newest Trojan runner was rated as the No. 1 JUCO back last winter. As a sophomore, Jordan earned the 2024 NJCAA DI Football Offensive Player of the Year, leading the Blue Dragons to the championship. He scampered for 1,614 yards on 218 carries (7.4 avg.) with 20 touchdowns. He concluded the campaign first at the JUCO level in yards, yards per game, and touchdowns. Confident in Riley’s eye for running back talent and his offensive scheme, I have selected Jordan in numerous drafts since March.
Notebook: Jordan pronounced that “With the transfer portal and everything going right now—and the new JUCO rule with years of eligibility—the JUCO route is good for players. If you think your talent is higher than what you’re getting recruited for, or if you get under-recruited, I suggest going to JUCO. As long as you go out and ball, someone’s going to find you.”
Quinten Joyner, Texas Tech
Team Offense (Rank): 463 ypg. (9)
Rushing: 166 ypg. (61)
Scoring: 37.6 ppg. (4)
PFF Grade: 80.5
2025 FPPG: 7.7
Sometimes, vibes are so blaring that astute college fantasy football fanatics cannot ignore the drumbeat. Quinten Joyner shined at the same high school as Tahj Brooks, who became the Red Raiders’ all-time leading runner last year, and Joyner transferred from USC to Texas Tech in the offseason. Considered a four-star prospect, Joyner was a three-sport athlete playing baseball and competing in track and field in high school. He sprinted a 10.99 in the 100 meters and posted a 45-8 shot put in 2021. He was ranked as the No. 4 running back and No. 89 player in the country as a recruit.
Joyner enrolled at USC and spent the past two campaigns in the City of Angels. As a Trojan, he dashed for 603 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 81 carries and snatched 13 passes for 96 yards and a score. Elusive and slippery, he forced 32 missed tackles, which accounted for 333 yards after contact. In order to improve the ground game and open holes for Joyner, coach Joey McGuire dipped into the transfer portal and plucked valuable O-linemen, including freshman All-American Cash Cleveland from Colorado. Joyner steps into a very good situation to produce fantasy points and exceeds 1,000 yards and double-digit scores for the Red Raiders in 2025.
Notebook: “I think you can really see him developing into the three-down back we thought he would be. Some of the things he can do out of the backfield as a route runner make him a real mismatch, and obviously he’s pretty special with the ball in his hands,” running backs coach Garret McGuire said (lubbocklonline.com).
Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech
Team Offense (Rank): 425 ypg. (35)
Rushing: 187 ypg. (32)
Scoring: 28.9 ppg. (55)
PFF Grade: 67.9
2025 FPPG: 16.2
Up to this point in the draft season, I am clearly overweight with Jamal Haynes on my rosters. I have let the Yellowjackets’ playmaker fall as far as the seventh round in CFF drafts, and he still remained on the board. I could not pass up the value and acquired Haynes. Of course, he is a little more valuable in 1-point. PPR-scoring formats. Nevertheless, I am selecting him in all league settings.
As a high schooler, Haynes was a three-star recruit and tagged as the No. 24-ranked athlete in the country and No. 55-ranked prospect in Georgia. At 5-9 and 190 pounds, the speedster kicked off his college tenure as a receiver and took a redshirt season in 2021. The next season, he saw limited action but did not record any stats. In the following offseason, he changed positions to running back and blasted off for CFF coaches.
In 2023, Haynes earned 174 carries and accumulated over 1,000 yards rushing and 20 catches for 151 yards while scoring eight times from scrimmage. He collected Third Team All-ACC as a running back and honorable mention all-purpose performer, and captured the 2023 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl MVP. In 2024, Haynes endured a concussion and a shoulder injury, which limited his touches. He darted for 944 yards rushing and nine scores. He added a career-high 28 receptions for 166 yards and three touchdowns. I am always seeking opportunities when composing a CFF roster, and Haynes is a lock for over 200 touches if healthy.
Notebook: “It’s truly no adjustment, just me being part of the player I am. Just being able to know all of the offense and being able to be that versatile guy that can go split out wide and also come back into the backfield and just being available for the offense and being able to make plays,” Haynes stated (ajc.com).
🗣️ 68-YARDS JAMAL HAYNES TD@Jamalhaynes16 runs in his second touchdown of the day to secure Georgia Tech's 41-34 win over the Tar Heels@GeorgiaTechFB | @GTAthletics | #StingEm 🐝| @cpisecurity pic.twitter.com/bWXdhlMla9
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 12, 2024
Nate Frazier, Georgia
Team Offense (Rank): 405 ypg. (51)
Rushing: 124 ypg. (102)
Scoring: 31.5 ppg. (38)
PFF Grade: 79.7
2025 FPPG: 10.4
For decades in my life, Georgia produced NFL running back prospects second to none in college football, and I selected many on my CFF teams: Knowshon Moreno, Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley, Sony Michel, and D’Andre Swift. Sadly, a Bulldog ball carrier has not surpassed 1,000 yards rushing since Swift in 2019. Will coach Kirby Smart continue to rotate runners in the backfield and frustrate CFF coaches?
Sophomore Nate Frazier has the talent to end the dreaded RBBC approach taken by Smart over the past five seasons. At 5-10 and 210 pounds, Frazier was graded as a four-star prospect, ranked as the No. 58 prospect nationally, No. 2 running back, and No. 4 prospect in California coming out of high school. He was selected to play in the All-American Bowl. He also ran track and recorded personal bests of 10.58 in the 100 meters and 21.62 in the 200 meters as a high schooler.
As a true freshman last year, Frazier led the Bulldogs in carries with 133 and rushing yards with 671, and he scored eight rushing touchdowns. Appearing in 13 contests and making three starts, he was a SEC All-Freshman Team honoree. Looking at the talent in the Georgia backfield, Frazier is the most skilled runner and most likely to pace the team in carries. I am more than willing to bet that Frazier becomes the first Georgia runner to smash the 1,000-yard barrier since Swift.
Notebook: In March, Frazier reflected on his freshman season: “I’m appreciative of everything that happened for the snaps (last year). I just remain humble and just continue to work. I know there were a lot of areas that I needed to grow…I just knew that I needed to work harder and just grow and get better at anything I possibly could.” (ugasports.com)
Justice Haynes, Michigan
Team Offense (Rank):286 ypg. (129)
Rushing: 157 ypg. (73)
Scoring: 22 ppg. (113)
PFF Grade: 75.3
2025 FPPG: 9.5
When Alabama-Michigan played in last year’s ReliaQuest Bowl, I wanted to scout the Wolverines’ backfield with Kalel Mullins and Donovan Edwards jetting to the NFL. At the time, Alabama’s Justice Haynes was in the transfer portal and not officially enrolled in Ann Arbor, MI. On January 3, the Wolverines announced that Haynes would wear the Maize and Blue in 2025.
Coming out of high school in the Class of 2023, Haynes was a five-star recruit who was the No. 29 overall player, No. 3 running back, and No. 2 player in Georgia. As a senior, he scampered for 1,695 yards with 23 touchdowns, nine receptions for 239 yards, and three additional scores. He committed to the Crimson Tide and played in every game as a true freshman, contributing in the backfield and on special teams. He toted the ball 25 times for 168 yards with two touchdowns, earning a varsity letter.
Last year, the sophomore started six games and carried the ball 79 times for 448 yards with seven touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 99 yards. In the victory over Missouri, he was named Offensive Skill Player of the Week after scampering for 79 yards and a touchdown on eight attempts. At 5-11 and 205 pounds, Haynes signed a nice NIL deal and has a partnership with Loom Juice, a health-conscious company. During the offseason, he has been working on upgrading to a healthier diet and is ready to take on a huge workload in coach Sherrone Moore’s pulverizing ground game.
Notebook: “Everything is discipline-oriented around there. We train differently from anyone else in the country. We work harder than anyone in the country, and we’re all about running the ball and stopping the run. That’s what we pride ourselves on, and that’s ultimately what led to my decision. I knew they were going to value the running back position, and I knew I could thrive in the offense,” Haynes remarked (maizenbrew.com).
Trey Wisner, Texas
Team Offense (Rank): 438 ypg. (21)
Rushing: 159 ypg. (71)
Scoring: 33 ppg. (29)
PFF Grade: 80.8
2025 FPPG: 14.5
In 2024, Trey Wisner moved up the depth chart for the Longhorns after not reaching double-digit carries in any of the first three games of the season. Against Mississippi State in the fourth contest, the sophomore garnered 13 carries, and in the final dozen games, he earned over 13 attempts in every outing except one. When the season concluded, the Longhorns’ ball carrier rushed for over 1,000 yards on 226 carries, corralled 44 passes for 331 yards, and scored six times. The 6-0 and 194-pounder posted over 20 FPs in four games and exceeded 10 FPs 11 times.
As the offseason progressed, updates on teammate Cedric Baxter—who suffered LCL and ACL tears last year and missed the entire season—indicate that the coaching staff is going to be cautious with Baxter. As a result, Wisner’s CFF ADP has risen as he looks poised to lead the Texas backfield in touches again. Wisner was ranked No. 28 at running back in the country and No. 68 overall in Texas as a three-star recruit in high school. He also competed in track and field. I concur with the industry and moved Wisner among the Top 20 CFF running backs in 2025.
Notebook: “The thing I’m working on the most is making safeties miss in the open field. A lot of my runs last year could have hit home, but I wasn’t really comfortable sticking off one foot and making a safety miss in the open field,” Wisner stated in March (on3.com).
TRE WISNER DOING HIS BEST BIJAN IMPRESSION🔥🤘🏻
🎥: ABC pic.twitter.com/gKnEJ6PpPu
— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) October 12, 2024
Chip Trayanum, Toledo
Team Offense (Rank): 370 ypg. (86)
Rushing: 116 ypg. (108)
Scoring: 28.3 ppg. (64)
PFF Grade: 73.7
2025 FPPG: 3.4
In full disclosure, I am not a big proponent of selecting Chip Trayanum in CFF drafts this summer. Yet, I see the argument in favor of taking him at his current Fantrax ADP. In 2025, Toledo is one of the favorites to win the MAC and return many key members of the offense. In 2023, the Rockets ranked 16th in rushing before falling to 108th last year. In order to rectify the team’s weakness, coach Jason Candle grabbed Chip Trayanum from the transfer portal.
Toledo is the fourth program that Trayanum will don a college uniform since graduating from high school in 2020. He previously wore the colors of Arizona State, Ohio State, and Kentucky. His most productive tape occurred as a member of the Wildcats in 2021, rushing for 402 yards and six scores. Afterwards, he transferred to Ohio State but earned only 100 carries for 465 yards in two seasons. Last year, Trayanum joined the Kentucky Wildcats but saw limited action due to injuries. Will he finally blast off as a reliable fantasy producer in 2025? I have my doubts and am reluctantly willing to pull the trigger on the Rockets’ runner in the fourth round.
Notebook: In 2024, Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan offered a breakdown of Trayanum: “He’s a big, physical back with a ton of experience, a guy that’s played a lot of football and is tough to bring down.” (247Sports.com)
Kamari Moulton, Iowa
Team Offense (Rank): 329 ypg. (117)
Rushing: 197 ypg. (24)
Scoring: 27.7 ppg. (72)
PFF Grade: 68.6
2025 FPPG: 5.6
Over the past decade, Iowa has not rolled out an exciting or high-flying offense, which has finished among the bottom teams nearly every year. Yet, the Hawkeyes have produced good CFF tight ends and running backs despite an archaic approach. In the last 10 years, three ball carriers exceeded 1,000 rushing yards: Akrum Wadley (2016 & 2017), Tyler Goodson (2021), and Kaleb Johnson (2024). In 2025, Kamari Moulton is next in line to dominate the backfield carries in coach Kirk Ferentz’s ground game.
At 5-9 and 197 pounds, Moulton has a much different style than Johnson, but will thrive behind one of the better offensive lines and blocking schemes in the nation. A preseason All-Big Ten player, C Logan Jones anchors a line with three returning starters and three seniors blasting holes for the backs. Last year, Moulton started two games and played in all 12 for the Hawkeyes. The junior earned 84 carries for 473 yards and scored three times. A three-star recruit from Florida in 2023, Moulton leads Iowa in backfield touches and becomes a weekly CFF starter this season.
Notebook: Mouton is excited about playing in the Hawkeyes’ run scheme: “Everything is coming a lot smoother. It’s becoming more fun. To be in the second year of the system, I know and understand things. It’s learning the how-tos of the system. Now, I can just enjoy the process.” (kcrg.com)
Antwan Raymond, Rutgers
Team Offense (Rank): 383 ypg. (71)
Rushing: 175 ypg. (45)
Scoring: 28.9 ppg. (55)
PFF Grade: 72.4
2025 FPPG: 10.1
The first time I can recall Rutgers as a Top Twenty program transpired in 2006. The Scarlet Knights began the season with eight victories and hosted Louisville on a Thursday night on ESPN. It is one of those regular-season games that I will never forget, as both teams entered the game undefeated. Louisville opened a 25-7 lead in the second quarter before Rutgers stormed back with 21 unanswered points to win behind RB Ray Rice, who scored twice and rushed for 131 yards. Unfortunately, Rutgers lost the next week at Cincinnati.
Coach Greg Schiano guided the Scarlet Knights to the memorable evening (and season) in 2006 before leaving the team in 2011. He returned to guide the program for a second stint in 2020. Since taking over, Schiano has orchestrated a ground game that has flourished with fantasy goodness in the backfield. Isaiah Pacheco and Kyle Monangai have been productive: Monangai recorded back-to-back 1,200-yard campaigns in the past two seasons. As a true freshman last year, Antwan Raymond backed up Monangai and played in 10 games with two starts. He toted the ball 100 times for 457 yards and eight touchdowns and paced all Big Ten true freshmen and ranked fifth among P4 runners in rushing yards.
A Canadian, Raymond moved to Florida and suited up at Clearwater Academy in 2023. A three-star prospect, he was ranked as the No. 26 running back. He finished his final high school season with 233 carries for 1,884 yards and 22 touchdowns, posting nine 100-yard rushing games and surpassing 200 yards four times. At 5-11 and 205 pounds, the sophomore ball carrier will battle CJ Campbell for carries in Schiano’s ground game—astute CFF coaches will draft both Rutgers’ ball carriers in 2025.
Notebook: “Antwan really came on late and we’re very excited about how he finished the year. But now it’s about consistency. There’s no more sneaking up on anybody. It’s no more being the guy behind Kyle,” running backs coach Damiere Shaw voiced in the spring (app.com).
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