College Fantasy Football: Week 3 Waiver Wire

I’d like to know how many college fantasy football fans had UConn-Southern Mississippi and LSU-Mississippi on a split screen on Saturday night. For sure, I was one in a very small faction. Luckily, the Huskies opened a huge lead in the second half, and I switched my attention to the Tigers and Rebels. A terrific evening of enjoying football with an adult beverage. Even if it is a small number nationwide, it’s fun to think CFF diehards like myself are relishing these memorable moments.

While relaxing and thinking, I also concluded that, aside from rooting for the Huskies and players in my CFF starting lineups, Lane Kiffin and Bill Belichick are this year’s villains and riveting anti-fandom. Both coaches lost close games yesterday, and I went to bed happy. It will be a pleasure if both of them keep losing this season, and I look forward to North Carolina traveling to UConn later in the fall. Of course, readers are here to find options in the CFF free agent pool, not listen to my rants. Anderson Brookhart, Steve Jackson, and Thomas Johnson join me to scour the waiver wire for players to pick up…Let’s Go!

Week 3 CFF Waiver Wire

Quarterbacks

Tayven Jackson, North Texas (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 12%
Total Fantasy Points: 75.8
FPPG: 25.3
PFF Grade: 90.1

Some waiver-wire quarterbacks produce one big box score out of nowhere. Others give us a reason to believe in their future. Tayven Jackson is starting to look like the latter.

Yes, Jackson did just erupt for a career-high 483 passing yards and 3 touchdowns on a staggering 57 attempts against Texas State. He completed 43 passes, the second-most in a game in North Texas history, and helped the Mean Green score 35 points. Sure, the game script helped. I am not going to apologize for asking a quarterback to throw the football 57 times. That is the kind of problem CFF managers want.

The former four-star recruit arrived in Denton with 16 career starts, including 10 last season at UCF, but entered the offseason viewed as a bridge quarterback. The talent was never the question. After four schools in five seasons, Jackson may have finally found an offense willing to let him sling it.

The immediate schedule creates an attractive buying window. North Texas hosts Houston Christian, travels to Tulsa, and welcomes Charlotte before a bye. At only 11% rostered, Jackson offers immediate streaming value and the chance to become much more. Sometimes a bridge quarterback gets you to the other side.

A Mean Green answer 😮‍💨

Tayven Jackson BALLING: 39/49 | 414 YDS | 3 TD

UNT 35 | 42 TXST pic.twitter.com/A3o2StyuID

— USA Sports (@usasports) September 19, 2026

Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 29%
Total Fantasy Points: 66.6
FPPG: 22.2
PFF Grade: 69.8

As a curmudgeon in my 60s, I’m naturally skeptical of five-star quarterback recruits. In my lifetime, I have seen countless young men anointed as the next coming of John Elway fall flat on their faces in college. Nevertheless, I am always willing to embrace greatness when my eyeballs see it. On Saturday, Jared Curtis showed elite arm strength and undeniable athletic skills, and he convinced me he can play at this level immediately.

The fantastic freshman made his first start of the season against North Carolina State and completed 20-of-34 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns. He also scampered for 64 rushing yards on 12 carries, producing 38.5 Fantasy Points (FPs). In three games, he has posted a 4:2 TD-INT ratio, rushed for 87 yards, and scored twice. Curtis is clearly steering the Commodores’ offense ahead and is likely to help CFF diehards as the season progresses.

At 6-3 and 230 pounds, Curtis was a consensus five-star prospect by the major recruiting services and became the highest-rated recruit to enroll at Vanderbilt. Last year, he earned Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year honors after throwing for 36 touchdowns and leading his team to a state championship. During his career, he passed for over 9,500 yards, rushed for more than 2,100 yards, with five career 100-yard rushing games, and totaled 48 rushing touchdowns. In the next two weeks, Curtis faces major tests on the road against Auburn and Georgia, but the athletic tools are there for him to succeed.

Notebook: “I think what we have clarity on now is this gives us the best chance to win. And I think with Jared, it’s understanding the potential and the positive long-term outlook. But what he showed on Saturday was that he’s ready for this now,” Coach Clark Lea stated (si.com).

Kalieb Osborne, UConn (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 24%
Total Fantasy Points: 100.6
FPPG: 33.5
PFF Grade: 92.5

I would normally not feature a player twice in three columns. Yet many readers (and CFF coaches) didn’t rate Kelieb Osborne highly enough, and he remains available in far too many leagues. I expect his ownership to double over the next few days after last Saturday’s performance. Against Southern Mississippi on the road, he scored 37.9 FPs on 214 passing yards, 32 rushing yards, and 4 total touchdowns, two rushing and two passing.

It was the second time this season he produced over 37 FPs, and he has exceeded 20 in all three games, ranking as CFF QB16 with over 100 total fantasy points. He is also the fifth-highest-graded QB by PFF after three games, ahead of Darian Mensah (92.3) and Devon Dampier (90.2). Over the next three weeks, the Huskies travel to Miami (OH), host Syracuse, and play Temple on the road before their bye week. All are enticing matchups for the dual-threat playmaker wearing Navy Blue and White.

Notebook: “Osborne demonstrated a poised game, settling in and playing well despite the potential for the game to speed up at the quarterback position. As a tremendous athlete, he was one of the best players on the field. The aim is to allow such players to get comfortable and play freely after the ball is snapped, without overloading or complicating things for them beforehand so they can play fast,” coach Jason Candle stated after the Week 1 victory (norwichbulletin.com).

Honorable Mention Quarterbacks

Jaden Craig, TCU

Fantrax Ownership: 25%
Total Fantasy Points: 83.2
FPPG: 27.7
PFF Grade: 82.6

Giovanni Lopez, Wake Forest

Fantrax Ownership: 37%
Total Fantasy Points: 107.3
FPPG: 35.8
PFF Grade: 81.4

CFF Diehards on Fire!

Quarterback turnover is always a factor in CFF leagues: Who ya got this week on the Waiver Wire?

• Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt: 33%
• Kalieb Osborne, UConn: 34%
• JC French, Cincinnati: 10%
• Tayven Jackson, North Texas: 23%

“I will take the 5-star who was named the best high school QB in the country. Anchor Down” @CFF_Jacko

“Tayven Jackson for me. Big Fish, small pond guy averaging 30 PPG when he doesn’t play Indiana. I’ll take it!” @aceholesrule

Running Backs

Benjamin Hall, North Carolina (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 7%
Total Fantasy Points: 41.7
FPPG: 13.9
PFF Grade: 69.2

Benjamin Hall may have just played himself into the role of Bobby Petrino’s next bell cow. After dealing with an injury in Week 0 and seeing limited work in Week 1, Hall finally received a meaningful workload Saturday against Clemson, turning 18 carries into 130 rushing yards while adding a 15-yard reception and a receiving touchdown. More importantly for fantasy purposes, Hall accounted for 55% of North Carolina’s running back carries, giving us our first real indication that Petrino could lean on him as the clear lead back.

Petrino has a track record of giving his featured running back plenty of opportunity. Petrino fed his lead back in Fayetteville the last two seasons, and he’s looking to do the same in Chapel Hill. Jaquinden Jackson totaled 149 carries for 790 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, while Mike Washington followed that up with 167 carries for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. Hall now has a chance to follow the same blueprint at North Carolina. His 18-carry performance against Clemson is especially encouraging considering it came in just his third game of the season after a slow start due to injury.

The schedule also sets up nicely for Hall to build on this performance. North Carolina has an easy ACC schedule remaining, aside from Notre Dame and Miami. If Hall continues to command 50% or more of the backfield work while maintaining a role in the passing game, he has a legitimate path to becoming one of the more valuable running backs in this offense. The 130 yards are what will get everyone’s attention, but the 55% carry share is the number I’m watching most closely.

Sam Brown, Temple (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 13%
Total Fantasy Points: 34.6
PFF Grade: 68.7

Sam Brown the Fifth made the other four very happy on Saturday. Sometimes the waiver wire isn’t about finding a new starter. It’s about finding a starter who finally got healthy. Brown missed Temple’s first two games, opening the door for Keveun Mason to emerge as a productive option. Then Brown returned and immediately reminded everyone why the Owls brought him home from Rutgers.

Making his season debut, Brown piled up 109 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns while adding 3 receptions for 27 yards. More importantly, Temple trusted the veteran in scoring situations. Brown found the end zone twice on the ground, added a receiving touchdown, and accounted for three of the Owls’ six touchdowns in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Toledo.

The Philadelphia native spent four seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Temple for his final year of eligibility. At 6-1 and 215 pounds, Brown brings size and experience to the backfield. While Brown and Mason split the workload evenly with 15 carries apiece, the production wasn’t particularly close. Brown turned his opportunities into 109 rushing yards and three total touchdowns, while Mason managed 49 rushing yards and failed to find the end zone. Temple’s coaching staff trusted Brown with the money touches from the moment he returned. Three touchdowns in your season debut is certainly one way to reclaim your RB1 spot.

Damon Ferguson, Jr., Pittsburgh (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 20%
Total Fantasy Points: 49.4
FPPG: 16.5
PFF Grade: 73.8

I opened my weekend watching Syracuse-Pittsburgh on Thursday night. Unfortunately, the game didn’t hold my attention, as both teams were slowed offensively, and the Lions-Bills quickly became more interesting. Nevertheless, I did notice Damon Ferguson running the football, and he impressed me with a nice 32-yard scamper to the outside for a touchdown. A true freshman, I spent Friday viewing tape of Ferguson and decided that he needs to be featured in the waiver wire column this week.

With Ja’Kyrian Turner sidelined since the opening game (and likely out in Week 4 as well), Ferguson has earned carries quickly and capitalized on the opportunities. Against Syracuse, he had 10 totes for 102 yards and the aforementioned score, totaling 18.3 FPs. In all three games, he has produced double-digit FPs while rushing for 183 yards, catching 8 passes for 51 yards, and scoring three touchdowns—a striking beginning to his collegiate career and productive fantasy season.

At 5-11 and 190 pounds, Ferguson earned a four-star rating by 247Sports as a high school recruit and was a two-sport star on the gridiron and track. During his high school career, he rushed for 2,951 yards with 36 touchdowns on 266 carries. As a junior, he was the 200-meter and 400-meter champion in Maryland (3A North Region). He recorded blazing times of 10.7 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.3 seconds in the 200 meters. His track speed translates to the gridiron, and he blasts off once in the open field. It is imperative to acquire difference makers before other CFF competitors recognize the fantasy potential. Ferguson might be one of those guys as the season progresses.

Notebook: “There are some guys that when there are two or three defenders, when you’re making a cut, they slow down without pads on, and there are some kids that just don’t slow down. From the first day we put pads on, Ferguson is that kid. He’s not afraid. It’s not too big for him. He plays like he’s supposed to,” offensive coordinator Kade Bell said (pittsburghpanthers.com).

Torrance Burgess, Texas State (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 12%
Total Fantasy Points: 43.9
FPPG: 14.6
PFF Grade: 83.7

Texas State is a fantasy gold mine, plain and simple. Brad Jackson and Beau Sparks won leagues for many owners last year, and based on the last two weeks, another star may be emerging, this time in the backfield. Week 1 was nothing to write home about for anyone on Texas State, as they were held to 7 points and under 100 yards rushing.

Over the last two games, the story has been completely different. Burgess has registered over 8 yards per carry (ypc) against UTSA and North Texas, for a total of 360 rushing yards! All of that without a touchdown, even with rushes of 65 and 76 in each game. On top of that, he is averaging 13.5 attempts a game, which is nineteenth in FBS through week 3. Davian Jackson is a concern to vulture both touches and touchdowns, but I am betting on Burgess.

If you aren’t sold yet, I saw a chart from one of my favorite followers on Twitter, Greg Brandt (@devywarehouse), that has me salivating. When plotting Elusive rating vs. YAC/A (Yards After Contact per Attempt), can you guess the 2 running backs separating from the rest of the field in the vaunted upper-right quadrant (aka Positive Island)? Torrance Burgess…and Jadan Baugh. I rest my case.

Texas State RB Torrance Burgess Jr. yesterday

🏈 25 CAR
🏈 214 YDS

Texas State defeats North Texas 49-35 pic.twitter.com/n1s5pBFUHz

— Rafters (@RaftersHQ) September 20, 2026

Nolan James, Notre Dame (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 29%
Total Fantasy Points: 55.2
FPPG: 18.4
PFF Grade: 78.7

Winning in college fantasy football means changing course when needed based on new information and facts. During the first 10 quarters of the season, Notre Dame’s ground game seemed to be stuck in neutral. Then, in the second half of the Michigan State game on Saturday, the Fighting Irish began moving the ball on the ground. Nolan James took command of the backfield duties and finished with 121 yards on team-leading 26 totes, scoring 20.8 FPs. To open the 2026 campaign, James has darted for 169 yards and scored three times, and caught 7 passes for 73 yards and a score.

Notre Dame has aspirations for a National Championship this season and must find a rushing game to complement QB CJ Carr. After three weeks, James looks like the best option in the backfield. The 5-10, 215-pound sophomore is a three-star recruit from New Jersey. In 2024, MaxPreps named him New Jersey High School Player of the Year, and he amassed 5,911 all-purpose yards and 45 touchdowns as a high schooler. As a freshman, he saw action in four games and tallied 14 carries for 37 yards, breaking free for a season-best 15-yarder at Arkansas. Spring and summer reports said James looked great, and he finally showed his skills over the past weekend. He should not remain on the waiver wire any longer in CFF leagues.

Notebook: “Yeah, I think Nolan is a hard guy to defend. We can use him in a lot of different schemes just like we could use a receiver. And when we have the opportunity to get him matched up on linebackers, that’s going to play in Notre Dame’s advantage every week,” Notre Dame Quarterbacks/Pass Game Coordinator Gino Guidugli stated (fightingirish.com).

Honorable Mention Running Backs

Javion Kinnard, San Diego State

Fantrax Ownership: 2%
Total Fantasy Points: 50.9
FPPG: 17.0
PFF Grade: 73.6

Aiden Flora, Iowa State

Fantrax Ownership: 11%
Total Fantasy Points: 55.1
FPPG: 18.4
PFF Grade: 84.1

Matthew Fuller, South Carolina

Fantrax Ownership: 25%
Total Fantasy Points: 68.5
FPPG: 22.8
PFF Grade: 66.1

Wide Receivers

Justin Bowick, Oklahoma State (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 13%
Targets: 24
Fantasy Points: 62.1
FPPG: 20.7
PFF Grade: 73.3

Through the first few weeks of the season, the consensus receiver to own in the explosive OK State offense was Wyatt Young. However, we didn’t know who would emerge on the outside, since Young plays out of the slot. Well, we have our answer. Bowick has commanded 19 targets over the past two games and leads his team with a 20% target share.

While that number might seem low, Drew Mestemaker is attempting 28.5 passes a game, the eighth-most in the country. Volume won’t be an issue for Cowboys’ receivers this year. Bowick leads the Cowboys in targets per game, and last week he made the most of it, gaining 178 yards on 9 catches for a blistering 19.8 ypc. A strong volume profile, chunk plays, and one of the best QB prospects in the country who is going to throw it 30 times a game? You had me at hello, Mr. Bowick.

Bad man Bowick

🤠 9 catches (career high)
🤠 178 yards receiving (career high)
🤠 2 touchdowns

IN THE FIRST HALF pic.twitter.com/hZxsISCX1a

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) September 20, 2026

Legend Glasker, BYU (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 38%
Targets: 12
Fantasy Points: 66.2
FPPG: 22.1
PFF Grade: 89.7

Legend Glasker is quickly becoming one of the most exciting freshmen in college fantasy football. Through three games, Glasker has seen 12 targets and six rushing attempts, turning those limited opportunities into four total touchdowns. He has been an efficiency monster, averaging 24.5 yards per reception and 7.0 yards per carry, showing just how dangerous he can be whenever BYU gets the ball in his hands.

The BYU coaching staff clearly sees the same explosiveness. Head coach Kalani Sitake said after Glasker’s 153-yard performance against Colorado State, “He can do that all the time,” while adding that receivers coach Fesi Sitake knew how to use Glasker from the moment they recruited him and that the staff knew he was going to be “something special.” Fesi Sitake previously said Glasker had “solidified his spot” with the first-team offense before the season and praised his talent, work ethic, and ability to pick up the offense.

The biggest appeal here is that BYU doesn’t need to give Glasker a massive workload for him to produce. He has already scored four touchdowns on just 18 combined rushing attempts and targets, and the coaching staff is actively looking for ways to get the ball in his hands. With his explosiveness and increasing role in the offense, Glasker is the type of waiver add who could turn a handful of touches into a massive fantasy performance every week. Don’t be surprised if his usage heavily increases in conference play.

Notebook: BYU head coach Kalani Sitake stated that “Legend can do that all the time. I think (WR coach) Fesi Sitake knew right away, when we were recruiting him, how to use him, and we knew he was going to be something special. I told you guys, and I kept saying it. I’m really glad that Legend is growing up really fast. The growth that I’ve seen from him since fall camp, is amazing. The sky’s the limit for him. So I’m just going to tell him to stay humble. He works hard, and he deserves everything that’s coming his way.” (heraldextra.com).

Micah Gilbert, Notre Dame (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 6%
Targets: 15
Fantasy Points: 44.1
FPPG: 14.7
PFF Grade: 74.5

I can’t believe that I am featuring two Fighting Irish players in this week’s waiver wire column. But I always follow targets, and Micah Gilbert’s 9 on Saturday caught my attention and earned him a spot in the column along with his teammate Nolan James. It is also nearly impossible to ignore 170 receiving yards while generating 25 FPs versus the Spartans. The only missing element in the breakout performance was his inability to reach the end zone, but touchdowns will come if he continues to earn a plethora of targets.

In 2026, the 6-2, 205-pound junior has made significant strides as a playmaker and has already set career highs in every statistical category with 15 targets, 13 receptions, 251 receiving yards, and 19.3 ypc. Coming out of high school, Gilbert was graded as a four-star prospect and ran track and field and played on the hardwood in addition to his gridiron success. As a senior, he recorded 1,200 receiving yards and 10 scores and earned first-team all-state honors in North Carolina. Not all players pop immediately in college, and some need more time to develop—Gilbert looks like one of those prospects who finally reaches expectations after working hard and being committed to getting better.

Notebook: “Huge. Just being able to go out there and make those plays with the confidence, the coaching staff, the quarterback. CJ (Carr), being able to make those passes to me, having the trust in me, it’s a huge confidence boost. I was excited to come up as the first call. I just trust myself a lot, and I was excited to be able to go out there and make that play,” Gilbert said of the 61-yard catch on the first play of the game (irishsportsdailey.com).

Chris Durr, Maryland (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 31%
Targets: 36
Fantasy Points: 74.6
FPPG: 24.9
PFF Grade: 79.6

This week was the tipping point for Chris Durr, who came on strong versus UConn with a 10-103-1 stat line. I was on the fence about recommending him after that performance, knowing that Maryland receivers can be feast or famine. Well, he followed that performance up with a 12-109-2 stat line against a significantly stronger opponent in James Franklin’s revamped Virginia Tech.

On top of those impressive stat lines, he was targeted a whopping 27 times over those 2 games, and through 3 games this season he is commanding a 29.3% target share, a top-25 rate in the country. Maryland will likely find themselves in passing positive game scripts throughout the rest of their Big 10 schedule, and I want a piece of Malik Washington’s favorite target.

Davian Jackson, Texas State (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 25%
Total Fantasy Points: 62.2
FPPG: 20.7
PFF Grade: 69.3

Speedy freshman with RB/WR eligibility and 4 touchdowns on Saturday? You had me at hello. Davian Jackson’s four-touchdown explosion against North Texas will grab the headlines, but the breakout didn’t come out of nowhere. One week earlier, the Mississippi State transfer handled 18 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown against UTSA. He has now scored a touchdown in all three games of his young college career. The workload and scoring opportunity were already trending in the right direction before Saturday’s eruption.

Against North Texas, Jackson scored three times on the ground and caught another touchdown to seal the win. Two of those scores came from a yard out, which caught my attention. Freshmen usually have to earn the coaching staff’s trust near the goal line. Jackson already appears to have it. The final touchdown showcased his track speed. A former 10.7-second 100-meter runner, Jackson bounced outside and disappeared for a 57-yard score that sealed the game.

There is one catch. This is not Jackson’s backfield yet. Teammate Torrance Burgess Jr. just posted 214 rushing yards in the same game. Nevertheless, a freshman with growing volume, goal-line opportunities, verified track speed, and RB/WR eligibility deserves a long look on the waiver wire. No, he’s not scoring four touchdowns every week. But I’ll happily bet on speed, opportunity, and versatility.

Tyrell Henry, Wisconsin (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 2%
Targets: 33
Fantasy Points: 57.5
FPPG: 19.2
PFF Grade: 90.1

Tyrell Henry quickly established himself as one of the most heavily targeted receivers in the country, and his performance Saturday only reinforced that. Henry hauled in 14-of-16 targets for 160 yards and a touchdown while commanding an absurd 62% target share. Even more encouraging, Henry has led Wisconsin in targets in all three games this season and is averaging 11 per game.

That volume is exactly what you want from a waiver-wire receiver. Henry isn’t relying on a big play or touchdown to produce—Wisconsin is consistently funneling its passing game through him. With 33 targets through three games, Henry has already shown that this isn’t just a one-week spike in usage, and his combination of target volume and production gives him a very high weekly fantasy floor.

Honorable Mention Wide Receivers

Ed Small, TCU

Fantrax Ownership: 29%
Targets: 26
Fantasy Points: 60
FPPG: 20
PFF Grade: 76.5

Maguire Anderson, Florida International

Fantrax Ownership: 20%
Targets: 32
Fantasy Points: 66.4
FPPG: 22.1
PFF Grade: 77.9

CFF Diehards on Fire!

Who is the top target on the CFF waiver wire this week?

• Nolan James, Notre Dame: 34%
• Davian Jackson, Texas State: 17%
• Chris Durr, Maryland: 39%
• Justin Bowick, Oklahoma State: 10%

“Y’all are too late to get Nolan James. I drafted him everywhere.” @CFF_Jacko

“Nolan James for me! Been on him since the summer. I think he will eat for the Irish weekly.” @aceholesrule

CFF All-Americans: Week 3

• QB Michael Hawkins, West Virginia: 49.9 Fantasy Points
• QB Braden Atkinson, Oregon State: 49.7
• RB Kendrick Raphael, SMU: 40.8
• RB LJ Martin, BYU: 37.5
• WR Sean Wilson, Delaware: 39.5
• WR Justin Bowick, Oklahoma State: 38.8
• WR Keenan Jackson, North Carolina State: 37.2
• TE Luke Reynolds, Virginia Tech: 28.7
• Flex Adam Mohammad, California: 36.9

CFF Player of the Week: Michael Hawkins, West Virginia

Michael Hawkins Jr. SHINED vs. no. 25 Virginia in Charlotte

🔺190 Passing Yards
🔺5 TOTAL TDS
🔺123 Rushing Yards

Highlights🎥@WVUfootball pic.twitter.com/knYP9PPkkR

— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) September 20, 2026