College Fantasy Football: Week 9 Waiver Wire Gemstones

As I sit down to write, I still cannot believe that UConn lost a third road game in OT, and that both Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech have better records than LSU and Texas. College football always provides fantastic outcomes and narratives throughout the fall. Every season, it is the absolute best to follow.

In our favorite alternative-reality hobby, the unexpected rise of QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), RB Kewan Lacy (Mississippi), and WR Skyler Bell (UConn) has left many CFF coaches pleasantly surprised. Their journey from underdogs to CFF All-Americans, leading their teams to winning records and a possible playoff appearance, is a narrative that keeps the CFF season thrilling. With the postseason on the horizon, Chris Battistel and I help readers pinpoint these unexpected gems on the CFF waiver wire…Let’s Go!

Week 9 CFF Waiver Wire

Quarterbacks

Cameran Brown, Georgia State (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 3%
Total Fantasy Points: 161
FPPG: 20.1
PFF Grade: 83.4

When a quarterback scores over 100 Fantasy Points (FPs) in three games, the player has obtained my attention. Cameron Brown has been on a roll in the past three weeks at the helm of the Panthers’ offense. His recent performance against South Alabama last Thursday, where he produced 40.3 FPs with four touchdowns and 241 passing yards while adding 67 rushing yards, is a testament to his current fantasy upside. During the three-game stretch, he has scampered for 193 yards and two scores, which gives Brown a high floor as a fantasy performer.

In high school, Brown only suited up on the gridiron for one season. At 6-2 and 226 pounds, the redshirt junior enrolled at West Georgia (Division II) as a prospect in 2022 and played two seasons on campus. Afterward, he transferred to Texas Tech for the 2024 season and landed at Georgia State last January.

To open the current season, TJ Finley and Brown were rotating at quarterback for the Panthers. Brown got all the snaps behind center two weeks ago and has dazzled on the field in back-to-back outings. Georgia State is off in Week 10, but the final four games are smooth sailing for Brown and the offense, promising exciting opportunities for future success in CFF matchups.

Notebook: “I only played one season at quarterback in high school. Even to this day, I am working to keep my mind sharp so I can perform at my best. Coaches have done a good job of helping me understand when to pass and run. They have helped me develop,” Brown stated in a pre-game interview before the contest against South Alabama (georgiastate.com). 

Tucker Kilcrease, Troy (Battistel)

Fantrax Ownership: 7%
Total Fantasy Points: 142.5
FPPG: 20.4
PFF Grade: 67.1

Tucker Kilcrease may not have thrown a touchdown this weekend, but that didn’t stop him from putting up over 20 FPs. Kilcrease produced with his legs, and at this point in the season, as CFF coaches start to gear up for the playoffs, he is the type of player needed on rosters. His 20.4 fantasy points per game (FFPG) is a bit skewed. While he has registered some level of production in every match for Troy this year, if you calculate only the games he has started, that number jumps to 27.7, a seven-point increase in output which would slot him into CFF QB25.

Troy has Arkansas State lined up this week before heading into a bye in Week 11. Quarterbacks have fared quite well against the Red Wolves. Georgia Southern’s JC French threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one in Week 9. Dual-threat quarterbacks, in particular, have found great success against this defense. Outside of the Braylon Davenport outing, opposing quarterbacks have averaged over 25 FPs.

Looking ahead, which is crucial for fantasy managers this time of year, Kilcrease’s playoff schedule features three favorable matchups that could make him a potential league-winner once the dust settles. Old Dominion, Georgia State, and Southern Mississippi close out the year, and there isn’t a single matchup where Kilcrease should be on your bench. With such promising opportunities, Kilcrease could be the key to your team’s success.

Honorable Mention Quarterbacks

Evan Simon, Temple

Fantrax Ownership: 13%
Total Fantasy Points: 221.3
FPPG: 27.7
PFF Grade: 81.5

Conner Weigman, Houston

Fantrax Ownership: 28%
Total Fantasy Points: 218.9
FPPG: 27.4
PFF Grade: 73.7

CFF Diehards on Fire!

With many teams on bye in Week 10, who is the best emergency pickup at quarterback?

• Evan Simon, Temple: 2%
• Conner Weigman, Houston: 64%
• Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech: 16%
• Cale Hellums, Army: 18%

“Kyron Drones: A perfect post-hype sleeper, but that schedule might scare most CFF coaches off.” @aceholesrule

“Houston plays West Virginia in Week 10, and the Mountaineers are allowing 28.69 ppg to opposing quarterbacks.” @ProbascoLuke

Running Backs

Jayvon Ducker, Temple (Battistel)

Fantrax Ownership: 18%
Total Fantasy Points: 125.8
FPPG: 15.7
PFF Grade: 82.4

One of the reasons I love college fantasy football is that you can still find a running back quietly averaging 22.7 FPs over the last three weeks sitting on waivers. In NFL fantasy, there is no chance. After one week of elite production, those players are gone faster than a $200 television on Black Friday.

Jeyvon Ducker has been shredding defenses lately. From Week 7 onward, he ranks as the CFF RB2 in total FPs and the CFF RB1 in FPPG among backs who have played three games. With nineteen targets on the season, a career high, Ducker carries the load for the Owls, commanding 57% of the team’s rushing attempts and 58% of the running back targets. He has become a steady producer who deserves to be rostered.

Looking ahead, Temple faces East Carolina and Army, both tougher matchups that could limit overall offensive volume, especially with Army’s time-of-possession style. After that, the Owls draw Tulsa and North Texas, which are more favorable. It is not the most enticing rest-of-season outlook compared to someone like other teams, but Ducker’s workload keeps him essentially matchup-proof. Understanding the strategic implications of these matchups is key for CFF managers.

Jordon Davison, Oregon (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 18%
Total Fantasy Points: 103.7
FPPG: 13.0
PFF Grade: 84.0

The Oregon backfield has been a Gordian knot for CFF managers this year. The tide may have turned in Eugene, OR. Coach Dan Lanning and the staff need to fast-track Jordon Davison to the top of the depth chart after logging back-to-back games with 100 yards rushing. At 6-0 and 236 pounds, the freshman packs a punch and clearly can handle the workload down the stretch of the season.

A Californian, Davison ranked as the No. 1 running back in the state and was a four-star recruit. Last year, he captured the California High School Player of the Year by MaxPreps and the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the Trinity League. A playmaker, he amassed 3,499 all-purpose yards and 46 touchdowns. In 2025, he exceeded 20 FPs twice and produced double-digit points in three consecutive games. He has scored a whopping 10 touchdowns and reached the end zone in 7-of-8 games. The schedule is not easy down the stretch, but Davison is a possible pickup for CFF managers in need of a running back.

Notebook: After the victory over Wisconsin, Davison said, “It’s been pretty easy. I feel like I was prepared. It’s been a blessing to gain the coach’s trust, especially as a young guy, and having other guys in the room that feel they can trust me out there on the field with them.” (goducks.com)

Moving up the record books.@Jord0n2 joins Royce Freeman as the only UO true freshmen to reach 10 rushing TDs in a season.#GoDuckspic.twitter.com/4I4Kz6kesT

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) October 26, 2025

Harlem Berry, LSU (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 26%
Total Fantasy Points: 36.9
FPPG: 4.6
PFF Grade: 66.5

LSU and CFF diehards have waited to see Harlem Berry accumulate more touches out of the backfield for the Tigers. On Saturday, the freshman ball carrier lived up to expectations coming out of high school, dashing for 59 yards and a touchdown. In the past two weeks, he has earned more carries with 20 and totaled 114 rushing yards. The eye-ball test confirms all the hype last fall and into the spring.

In the Class of 2025, Berry ranked as the No. 1 running back prospect in the nation and was a consensus five-star recruit. As a senior, he rushed for 2,178 yards and 41 touchdowns and was named Louisiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year. In every game, he dashed for over 100 yards, while averaging more than 12 yards per carry. As a pass catcher, he made 20 catches for 340 yards and four scores. Berry might be in a timeshare with Caden Durham for the remainder of the year. Nevertheless, he warrants a deep look for the remainder of the campaign.

Notebook: “I think (Harlem) lives up to the billing of the best running back in the country because of his instincts as a running back. He’s a natural runner of the football. He sees things that you just don’t coach, and the great backs just have that natural, uncanny ability to see things on the move. He is terrific,” Coach Brian Kelly stated (lsusports.net)

Honorable Mention Running Backs

Quinton Jackson, Rice

Fantrax Ownership: 11%
Total Fantasy Points: 118.9
FPPG: 14.9
PFF Grade: 71.8

Kendrick Raphael, California

Fantrax Ownership: 24%
Total Fantasy Points: 124.8 
FPPG: 15.6
PFF Grade: 72.2

CFF Diehards on Fire!

After nine weeks, who is the most impressive freshman running back in college fantasy football?

• Bo Jackson, Ohio State: 31%
• Nate Sheppard, Duke: 16%
• Caleb Hawkins, North Texas: 40%
• Jordon Davison, Oregon: 13%

“Nate Sheppard for me. I like his running style. He will only continue to improve.” @aceholesrule

“It has to be Caleb Hawkins. He currently ranks 12th in the NATION in total yards per game with 120.7. The Mean Green staff trusts him in the red zone with 17 carries, and he has seven rushing touchdowns along with a receiving score.” @ProbascoLuke

Wide Receivers

Isaiah Sategna, Oklahoma (Battistel)

Fantrax Ownership: 44%
Targets: 69
Fantasy Points: 135.8
FPPG: 17.0
PFF Grade: 72.8

While many fantasy managers reached for Deion Burks in drafts late this summer, it was Isaiah Sategna who caught the attention of incoming transfer quarterback John Mateer. Outpacing Burks in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns, Sategna has earned every bit of your FAAB dollars with three straight games of double-digit targets. Over the last three weeks, all against SEC opponents, he has averaged 18.5 FPPG, turning in a breakout campaign at the most crucial stretch of Oklahoma’s season.

Operating as the CFF WR29 in the year, there is no reason his role should change as the Sooners continue their push for the College Football Playoff. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle’s history of producing slot receivers has continued with Sategna. He’s a speedster who can slice up defenses underneath or stretch the field, as shown on his 76-yard touchdown against Ole Miss.

This week’s matchup with Tennessee has all the makings of a shootout and another potential double-digit target day. The Vols’ defense is allowing 28 ppg, and slot receivers facing Tennessee have averaged 16.6 FPPG over the last three weeks. In that span, Arkansas’s Rayen Sharpe and Kentucky’s Kendrick Law both posted season-best performances. Sategna’s volume and versatility make him a must-start for the rest of the season.

Notebook: “(Isaiah’s Mom) was a sprinter who ran in the Olympic Games for Jamaica. I was an NCAA decathlon champion. So, you couple the athleticism with the speed, now, you have Isaiah out there doing some great things. We’re very proud of him,” Mario Sategna, Isaiah’s Dad, proudly voiced a couple of weeks ago (oudaily.com).

Parker Kingston, BYU (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 9%
Targets: 53
Fantasy Points: 129.4
FPPG: 16.2
PFF Grade: 71.1

Both the national media and college football fans need to pay closer attention to the undefeated, Top 10-ranked Cougars. BYU overcame a 14-point deficit in the second quarter on the road to defeat Iowa State and improve its record to 8-0 atop the Big 12. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier plays like an upperclassman, guiding an offense averaging 433 yards and 36.3 points per game. Of course, the playmakers have benefited, and WR Parker Kingston has quietly put up prodigious stats over the past month.

Kingston injured his hamstring on the first day of training camp in the summer, which limited him at the beginning of the 2025 campaign. In the first two games, he only made four receptions, averaging a minuscule 3.0 ypc. Finally healthy, the redshirt junior has exploded in the last four games for BYU. He has produced nearly 25 FPPG with three 100-yard performances and four scores. In the hot streak, he has earned 33 targets and logged 20 catches.

The 5-11 and 185-pound speedster excels in the short area out of the slot with an aDOT of 10.7 and yards per route run of 2.76. After the catch, the redshirt junior excels with elusiveness and vision. According to PFF, he has accumulated 238 yards after the catch, averaging 7.0 per catch. Kingston will continue to thrive in the Cougars’ passing game and is worthy of adding to your CFF roster over the final month of the season.

Notebook: “I was out literally all of fall camp. I came back the first week. I didn’t feel like myself for the first two and a half weeks of the season. I feel like my first game was ECU, honestly. Those first two weeks, I didn’t really play much and was coming back from injury,” Parker uttered earlier in the year (deseret.com).

Ronnel Johnson, Missouri State (Battistel)

Fantrax Ownership: 1%
Targets: 44
Fantasy Points: 63
FPPG: 9.0
PFF Grade: 61.0

After being nearly non-existent over the first three games of the campaign, Ronnel Johnson has come alive over the last four. He saw just nine targets through the opening three weeks, but that number has jumped to 32 over the previous four. During that stretch, Johnson has averaged a solid 14.82 FPPG, and that number climbs to nearly 20 over his last two outings. With back-to-back games finding the end zone, Johnson has locked himself in as the primary pass catcher for the Bears. While his production has recently seemed touchdown-dependent, his recent usage spike makes him a strong Flex option moving forward.

Missouri State doesn’t have a bye the rest of the season, and next up is Florida International. The Panthers rank 126th in passing yards allowed, which sets up well for Johnson and the Bears’ passing attack. Over their last three games, slot receivers facing the Panthers have averaged 12.9 FPPG. That presents an appealing floor with real boom potential, given how vulnerable this defense has been to inside receivers.

Looking further down the stretch, the Bears have a manageable schedule with Liberty and UTEP following FIU. Those are decent matchups, but it’s the semifinals and finals that make Johnson enjoyable. Missouri State faces Kennesaw State and Louisiana Tech in those rounds, both favorable spots to roll with him. As risky as it may feel to trust a Missouri State player in your championship push, Johnson offers volume worth chasing at a 1% ownership.

Cameron Dorner, North Texas (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 3%
Targets: 41
Fantasy Points: 99.3
FPPG: 12.4
PFF Grade: 81.6

I could not believe the offensive outburst the North Texas aerial assault put on display Friday night. QB Drew Mestemaker became just the twenty-second quarterback to eclipse 600 yards passing in a game with 608 yards on 37 completions. He also established an American Conference record for aerial yards. Mestemaker spread the ball around, and three receivers totaled over 100 yards receiving, including Cameron Dorner, who snatched seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Dorner played for three seasons at Shepherd University (Division II) and earned Second Team All-PSAC East last year with 52 catches for 702 yards and five scores. Moved to North Texas in the offseason, the senior playmaker has garnered more targets as the campaign progressed. In the past three games, he has 22 targets for 17 catches, 263 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Grab Donner off the waiver wire for the stretch run of the 2025 CFF campaign.

Notebook: “Cam is an extremely good route runner, really twitchy at the line of scrimmage, and has great hands. We’ve seen him make catches when he has his body in all kinds of different positions,” coach Eric Morris stated two weeks ago (dentonrc.com).

“I believe the other North Texas WR (Cameron Dorner) isn’t a bad option either…one who is seeing double-digit targets has a high hope for production, and touchdowns during the last few weeks of the season.” @OutofRhythmFant

CMON @cameron_dorner 🤯

📺 ESPN2#GMG🦅 https://t.co/28NhOL0Y5h pic.twitter.com/lEwPb1EkKS

— UNT Football (@MeanGreenFB) October 24, 2025

Honorable Mention Wide Receivers

Kajiya Hollawayne, Temple

Fantrax Ownership: 1%
Targets: 46
Fantasy Points: 109.6
FPPG: 13.7
PFF Grade: 72.9

Tight Ends

Brody Foley, Tulsa

Fantrax Ownership: 29%
Targets: 33
Fantasy Points: 105.2
FPPG: 13.1
PFF Grade: 73.3

I have not featured many tight ends in this year’s weekly waiver wire column. However, Brody Foley needs to be picked up by CFF coaches. For the season, the Tulsa tight end is the CFF TE4 with over 100 FPs. In the past two weeks, he has earned 16 targets and converted the opportunities into 12 catches for 167 yards and three scores, producing over 24 FPs in both contests.

After a bye week, the Golden Hurricanes play favorable matchups against Florida Atlantic and Oregon State, which will provide plenty of targets for Foley, who has ascended to the top of the aerial assault at Tulsa.

CFF Diehards on Fire!

Who is your favorite longshot (over +1,000 odds) Heisman candidate after nine weeks?

• QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech: 49%
• QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia: 2%
• RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame: 39%
• QB Jayden Maiava, USC: 10%

“KING ME! I picked up Haynes King as my dark horse before the season started. Such a tough player.” @aceholesrule

“Gotta be Haynes King. He is leading this Yellow Jacket team to an 8-0 record, first place in the ACC, and a No. 8 ranking in the AP poll. Circle their last game against Georgia!” @ProbascoLuke

CFF All-Americans: Week 9

• QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech: 51.2 FPs
• QB Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech: 48.4 FPs
• RB Quinton Jackson, Rice: 51.8 FPs
• RB Mark Fletcher, Miami: 32.9 FPs
• WR Javon Nicholas, Charlotte: 39.7 FPs
• WR Denzel Boston, Washington: 38.8 FPs
• WR Kajiya Hollawayne, Temple: 36.5 FPs
• TE Brody Foley, Tulsa: 28.6 FPs
• Flex KJ Duff, Rutgers: 36.1 FPs

CFF Player of the Week: Haynes King, Georgia Tech 

In good hands with Haynes 🤝#StingEm 🐝 pic.twitter.com/Vq34FVvsOD

— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 26, 2025