College Fantasy Football: Week 6 Waiver Wire

After Saturday’s games, I realized it is time to shout out the outstanding class of freshman receivers who have made an immediate impact on college fantasy football rosters this season. I am consistently amazed at the skills and production of Oregon State playmaker Jesse Legree, who is second among all receivers with over 200 Fantasy Points (FPs), trailing only All-American Jeremiah Smith…Wow!

Yet, let’s not forget the impact of Legend Glasker, BYU; Kenny Darby, Kentucky; Trent Mosley, and Kaydon Dixon-Wyatt, USC; Resean Jones, Boise State; Jack Foley, Wake Forest; and Carson Clark, San Jose. All 7 of these young men have stepped onto the gridiron and beaten upperclassmen from the first day of training camp and well into the regular season. If any are available on readers’ waiver wire, it is time to acquire them. Of course, there are other players also available this week, and Anderson Brookhart, Steve Jackson, Thomas Johnson, and I help readers zero in on players in free agency…Let’s Go!

Week 6 College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

Quarterbacks

Goose Crowder, Troy (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 5%

Total Fantasy Points: 130.9

FPPG: 26.2

PFF Grade: 69.2

Last week, Troy dominated Southern Mississippi on the ground, rushing for 437 yards, the most by a team since Army rushed for 481 in 2016 against North Texas. Goose Crowder scampered for 145 yards, which was a career high, and two touchdowns on 17 carries. It was the most rushing yards by a Troy quarterback since Mike Turk (190) against Portland State in 1987. His two rushing touchdowns marked his first time scoring twice in one game.

Among FBS quarterbacks, Crowder’s yards are the eighth-most this season and the seventh-best against an FBS opponent. He is one of four quarterbacks this season to throw for more than 225 yards and rush for over 140 yards in a game, joining an elite group: LaNorris Sellers, Michael Hawkins Jr. and Avery Johnson.

Regrettably, Crowder has endured many injuries during his college tenure and never started more than 8 games behind center in any campaign. In his sixth season, he is currently healthy and clearly has the experience and skills necessary to succeed. While PFF has not graded Crowder highly, I am more concerned with statistical production and fantasy points. So far, he has led Troy to three victories in five games, throwing for over 200 yards four times. He has posted a 9-4 TD:INT Ratio and rushed for over 200 yards and two scores. With only Sun Belt opponents left on the schedule, Crowder looks poised to perform well over Troy’s final 7 games.

Notebook: Troy coach Gerard Parker praised his quarterback earlier in the season: “Goose is playing poised and confident, and he’s smiling. He just is confident and healthy. His body is moving looser, and his feet are better, giving him the confidence to escape when he can, and he’s being smart about doing it. My job is to challenge him…He handles success and adversity the same way.” (troymessanger.com)

Trey Owens, Arkansas State (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 8%

Total Fantasy Points: 139.2

FPPG: 23.2

PFF Grade: 84.1

After transferring from Texas to Arkansas State in search of a bigger opportunity, Trey Owens is beginning to show why he can be a productive fantasy quarterback. The move to the Sun Belt has given him a chance to take control of the offense, and his production since conference play began has been impressive. Owens has averaged 29.8 fantasy points per game (FPPG) during that stretch, demonstrating both consistency and the ability to put up big numbers.

Owens exploded this week for 418 passing yards and 4 touchdowns, plus 28 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. The passing yards are especially encouraging because they show the kind of volume and downfield production that can fuel strong fantasy performances. His rushing contribution adds another valuable scoring avenue, giving him a higher fantasy ceiling than a quarterback who relies exclusively on passing.

The most encouraging part of Owens’ recent stretch is how comfortable he seems in Butch Jones’ offensive system. After transferring from Texas, it was going to take time for Owens to adjust to a new program and build chemistry with his receivers. Now that he has settled in, the results are starting to show, with his production climbing as conference play gets underway. If he continues to develop in the offense while maintaining this passing volume, Owens will be a productive CFF signal caller.

Broc Lowry, Western Michigan (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 31%

Total Fantasy Points: 122

FPPG: 20.3

PFF Grade: 74.3

Last season, Broc Lowry carried Western Michigan to a MAC championship. Now that MAC play is back, so is Broc. Fantasy managers looking only at the season-long stat line might miss what’s coming. Last year, Lowry was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 1,803 yards while rushing for a school-record 963 yards and 14 touchdowns. Once conference play began, he became one of the Group of Five’s most dangerous fantasy quarterbacks.

The signs are already back. Over his last two games, Lowry has accounted for 575 total yards and 5 touchdowns. Last week against Kent State, he threw for 257 yards and three scores, plus 52 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground.

More importantly, he’s completing nearly 68% of his passes and has thrown just one interception all season. September was about surviving Michigan and Boise State. October is where MAC quarterbacks start paying the bills. Some people celebrate the return of pumpkin spice season. CFF Sickos celebrate the return of Broc.

Notebook: “Lowry is a dual-threat guy. Coming out of last season, they utilized his legs quite a bit, and I think most people would have said that’s the strength of this game. They are opening up more than they did last year. They’re more balanced than last year, and he can hurt you with his arm. He plays within their system that gives him a lot of opportunities to be successful. He doesn’t make mistakes,” Rice coach Scott Abell said after the Owls’ loss against Western Michigan (atheroost.com).

🎥: Homecoming domination in K-Zoo.

Broc Lowry accounted for four touchdowns as Western Michigan rolled past Kent State, 38-7, to improve to 2-0 in MAC play.

@WMU_Football | #MACtion https://t.co/BEL9gwZW5i

— MACtion (@MACSports) October 11, 2026

Aidan Chiles, Northwestern (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 33%

Total Fantasy Points: 144.2

FPPG: 28.8

PFF Grade: 81.2

I play in some crazy-deep leagues with 30+ man rosters. Three weeks ago, I needed depth at quarterback, with 3 weekly starters, and picked up Aidan Chiles off the waiver wire for a minimum cost. I started him in Week 6 because of byes and injuries and was ecstatic when he produced over 30 FPs for the second time this season, passing for 272 yards, rushing for 32 yards, and totaling 4 touchdowns, 3 passing and 1 rushing.

In Power 4-only leagues, Chiles shouldn’t remain on the waiver wire any longer, and teams should consider him in full FBS formats this week. He is CFF QB38 on the season and has produced over 24 FPs in 4 of 5 games for the Wildcats. His only poor fantasy performance came against Penn State (11.8 FPs), when Northwestern pummelled the Nittany Lions on the ground with 413 rushing yards and 2 runners surpassed the century mark.

New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has turned the offense around at Northwestern—the Wildcats average 35.4 points and 437.4 yards per game and are 4-1. In the next 2 weeks, Chiles faces Michigan State and Rutgers, which are both tasty matchups.

Notebook: “I’ve known Aidan since he was in high school; he’s a Los Angeles kid…Went to Oregon State and played as a true freshman, which is rare. And then played two years at Michigan State, so the one thing he has, besides his talent, he’s played 30+ games of Power 4 football…Aidan’s been in hot water, so you’re not guessing on what you’re going to get,” Kelly stated in August (northwesternroundtable.com).

Honorable Mention Quarterbacks

Jackson Gutierrez, Navy

Fantrax Ownership: 6%

Total Fantasy Points: 133.7

FPPG: 26.7

PFF Grade: 66.8

CFF Diehards on Fire!

The quarterback waiver wire is thinning out. Who is the best signal caller to grab this week?

• Aidan Chiles, Northwestern: 46%
• Goose Crowder, Troy: 5%
• Jackson Gutierrez, Navy: 35%
• Broc Lowry, Western Michigan: 14%

“Broc Lowry for me. Classic example of a small-school player struggling in September and flourishing for the rest of the season.” @aceholesrule

Running Backs

Tylik Hill, Syracuse (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 6%

Total Fantasy Points: 48

FPPG: 12

PFF Grade: 75.6

This one is a deeper cut, but running back is slim pickings (especially in P4-only leagues), and I pay attention when a ball carrier averages 17 rush attempts and 100 yards per game. Hill has played only four games this year, starting strong against New Hampshire in Week 1, then breaking off a 55-yard run on his second carry in Week 2 against California. He pulled up with a hamstring injury, went to the injury tent, and we didn’t see him again until the overtime classic against UConn, where he managed 28 carries for 140 yards (definitely some overtime inflation here, but he still ripped off a 30-yard explosive).

Last week, he was efficient on high volume again: 23 carries for 118 yards (5 yards per carry), plus a 48-yard explosive. The only thing holding down Hill’s scoring so far is that he hasn’t gotten into the end zone yet. I bet the variance will even out down the stretch, and we’ll see Hill put up some truly monster stat lines. Oh, and if we are talking about offenses with opportunity, Syracuse averages 83 plays a game this year, good for #1 in all of FBS. Hill is a league-winner gentleman; I can feel it in my plums (shoutout to Ashley Schaeffer BMW).

Dominic Kelley, Nevada (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 20%

Total Fantasy Points: 87.9

FPPG: 17.6

PFF Grade: 76.7

Kelley wasn’t on my CFF radar until I noticed a competitor I respect put him in a lineup against me this week: Luckily, I still won the matchup despite Kelley scoring 25 FPs. He rambled for 99 yards on 22 totes, scored a touchdown, and caught one 21-yard pass for a score. It was the second time this season that he produced over 20 FPs. He opened the campaign with a 27.2-point performance against Western Kentucky on September 5.

In the other three games, Kelley reached double-digit points in each contest and has rushed for 440 yards and 4 touchdowns. He has also caught 7 passes for 69 yards and a score. A three-star recruit in high school, the Wolf Pack sophomore appeared in 9 games last year but carried the ball only 23 times for 60 yards. At 5-11 and 215 pounds, he is a between-the-tackles courier and is taking advantage of his opportunities this year. The CFF waiver wire is sparse in the backfield, and Kelley is one of the runners to pick up this week.

Notebook: Coach Jeff Choate described Kelley’s running style: “Dominic is a tough, physical runner between the tackles. He’s good in pass protection. And he’s a threat out of the backfield.” (nevadasportsnet.com)

Jaziun Patterson, Michigan State (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 8%

Total Fantasy Points: 68.4

FPPG: 11.4

PFF Grade: 76.6

Jaziun Patterson has a massive opportunity after Cam Edwards’ season-ending injury, and he’s already capitalizing on it. Before the season, Patterson made his mindset clear when Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald told him he would likely be the 1B behind Edwards. Patterson’s response? “I don’t care who you bring in. I’m gonna play and make a difference.” That confidence is now turning into fantasy production.

Patterson stepped into an expanded role after Edwards went down against Nebraska, finishing that game with 16 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown. This past week, he took another step forward, exploding for 17 carries for 93 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, plus three receptions for 26 yards and a receiving touchdown. That’s 119 total yards and four touchdowns, showing the workload and versatility that makes a running back a weekly fantasy difference-maker.

The opportunity is especially appealing given the schedule ahead. Michigan State won’t face Ohio State or Indiana the rest of the way, giving Patterson a more manageable path to continued production. With Edwards out for the season and Patterson already proving he can handle an expanded workload, he has a high weekly floor.

TJ Engleman, East Carolina (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 4%

Total Fantasy Points: 70.9

FPPG: 14.2

PFF Grade: 77.0

Running backs aren’t supposed to keep the starting job when the former starter comes back healthy. TJ Engleman apparently didn’t get that memo. Ashton Gray opened the season as East Carolina’s RB No. 1, handling 32 carries across the Pirates’ first three games. Then Gray got hurt, Engleman got his opportunity, and the backfield never looked the same.

Over the last three games, Engleman has rushed for 99, 129, and 136 yards while averaging more than 9 yards per carry. The former backup has made the most of just 40 carries, turning them into 364 rushing yards. Here’s what really caught my attention. Gray returned against Rice last week. Normally that’s when the backup goes back to being second in the pecking order. Instead, Engleman out-carried Gray 14-5, turned those opportunities into 136 yards and a touchdown, and remained the backfield’s most explosive player.

The timing couldn’t be much better. East Carolina faces UAB Thursday night, and the Blazers haven’t stopped anyone on the ground lately. UAB has allowed at least 225 rushing yards in its last three FBS games, including 230 yards and three touchdowns against Memphis last week. Engleman is averaging more than 9 yards per carry over his last three contests. That’s a dangerous combination. Most waiver-wire running backs are volume bets. Engleman is a talent bet. He appears to have stolen the top job for the Pirates, and only 4% of Fantrax leagues have noticed.

Week 6 Performance

RB TJ Engleman – ECU

• 136 Rushing yards 1 TD
• 9.7 ypc
• 2 rec 10 yards https://t.co/OTh3kd8yd9

— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) October 10, 2026

Honorable Mention Running Backs

Messiah Burch, Buffalo

Fantrax Ownership: 7%

Total Fantasy Points: 68.2

FPPG: 11.4

PFF Grade: 77.7

Wide Receivers

Isaiah Mizell, Arizona (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 6%

Targets: 26

Fantasy Points: 78.9

FPPG: 13.2

PFF Grade: 76.4

Another low-ownership player I imagine will skyrocket after last week’s performance. But is it sustainable? Absolutely, it’s sustainable. First, look at Arizona’s WR room. There may not be a more injured group in the country. Pass catcher No. 1 Tre Spivey was ruled out for the season a few weeks ago, and coming into this week, the next two players on the depth chart, Chris Hunter and Gio Richardson, were ruled out. Both suffered leg injuries in the Cincinnati game.

In a true next-man-up situation, Isaiah Mizell shined against WVU, turning 6 catches into 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. Now, we can’t expect that stat line every week, but let’s not forget this offense and QB produced silly stat lines with Tet McMillian. Noah Fifita may be the longest-tenured starter in FBS, and he’s been phenomenal this season. Arizona averages 300 passing yards per game and 9.1 yards per completion, both top-15 numbers in the country.

With a decimated receiver room, I want the guy who Fifita trusts, and as of last week, it appears to be Mizell. Obviously there are risks here, especially if Richardson and Hunter recover quickly, but I see Mizell as the top option in one of the country’s best pass offenses. Grab him and enjoy watching Arizona hang 40 points on opponents week in and week out (disclaimer: they do have tough matchups against Texas Tech and TCU, but I think the Arizona passing offense may be matchup-proof).

Notebook: “Holy smokes, Isaiah Mizell. I’m really proud of him. He was going to be ready for his opportunity,” coach Brent Brennan said after Saturday’s game (cbssports.com).

HAVE! A! DAY! 72 yards to the house for Mizell 😮‍💨

📺 TNT https://t.co/qMDC1fCdiP

— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) October 10, 2026

Hunter Summers, Arkansas State (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 2%

Targets: 38

Fantasy Points: 87.8

FPPG: 14.6

PFF Grade: 76.5

Hunter Summers is emerging as the next featured receiver in Butch Jones’ offense, stepping into Corey Rucker’s role. Rucker finished the 2025 season with 1,032 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Replacing that kind of production is no easy task, but Summers is beginning to show he can handle the increased workload.

Summers has recorded at least 7 targets in each of his last three games, and he broke out big this week against South Alabama. He caught 9 of 10 targets for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns, showing the big-play ability and scoring upside fantasy managers want. Over six games, Summers has caught 29 passes for 408 yards and 3 touchdowns, putting him on pace to become a major part of the Red Wolves’ passing attack.

The recent target volume is especially encouraging. Summers is no longer just a big-play option; he’s earning consistent opportunities in the passing game and turning them into production. With 254 yards and three touchdowns in his last three games, he’s already establishing himself as one of Trey Owens’ top targets.

Mario Sanders, Southern Mississippi (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 15%

Targets: 41

Fantasy Points: 107.4

FPPG: 12.5

PFF Grade: 73.7

I watched the UConn-Southern Mississippi game on September 19 and noticed Mario Sanders had 11 targets. I made a mental note to myself to keep an eye on the Golden Eagles’ receiver. The following week against Tulane, he scored 22.9 FPs on just 5 targets and reached the promised land twice.

Last Tuesday, I tuned in to the Southern Mississippi-Troy game for another glimpse of Sanders. Despite losing to the Trojans, the Golden Eagles scored 34 points, and Sanders shouldered a heavy load in the aerial assault. He caught 8 passes for 102 yards and another 2 touchdowns on 10 targets. He also threw a 75-yard touchdown pass on a trick play on the second play of the second half, totaling 39.2 FPs. This season, he is CFF WR23 with 107+ FPs on 28 receptions for 404 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The redshirt senior transferred to Southern Mississippi from Illinois last winter after two seasons there. In 2022, he enrolled at Iowa Central Community College and did not play. In 2023, he was named NJCAA All-American First Team and ICCAC Offensive Player of the Year. He led the NJCAA in receptions with72, tied for the national lead in receiving touchdowns with 12, and ranked third in the nation in receiving yards with 942.

On the field for 91.6% of snaps for the Golden Eagles, the 5-10, 191-pounder plays mostly in the slot (89.9%), has quick feet, and averages an impressive 10.1 yards after catch per reception. The Sun Belt schedule isn’t daunting, and at 1-4, Southern Mississippi will likely play from behind and throw often. Sanders will get plenty of targets, and enticing matchups will make it easy to slot the Golden Eagles’ maven into lineups.

Southern Miss comes out firing 💥

Mario Sanders II with the trick play passing touchdown to AJ Little 🔥 https://t.co/D2mA8IqbtZ

— Oliver Hodgkinson (@hodgkinsonsport) October 7, 2026

Justin Stevenson, North Texas (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 21%

Total Fantasy Points: 108.3

Targets: 43

FPPG: 18.1

PFF Grade: 74.5

Last week, I took a victory lap on Tayven Jackson. Today, I’d like to introduce you to the guy benefiting from all those touchdown passes: Justin Stevenson. Everybody rushed to add the quarterback. Nobody bothered picking up the receiver who is CFF WR5 nationally over the last two weeks.

The touchdowns will grab everyone’s attention, but the volume showed up first. Stevenson posted a 10-catch, 122-yard performance against Texas State back in September before he ever became a waiver-wire darling. Since then, he’s developed into one of the most reliable weapons in North Texas’ passing attack. Over the last two weeks alone, Stevenson has hauled in 14 passes for 172 yards and four touchdowns, including a 13-target, nine-catch performance against Charlotte.

Stevenson spent three seasons bouncing between Wyoming and Utah before finally finding a home in Denton. He’s already posted career highs with 33 receptions, 453 yards, and five touchdowns. Here’s the catch: North Texas is on bye next week. Good. Pick him up anyway.

Keenan Jackson, North Carolina State (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 35%

Targets: 38

Fantasy Points: 97

FPPG: 16.2

PFF Grade: 71.1

This week, I’m focusing exclusively on P4 pickups for my compatriots trying to make a late push for a playoff berth in P4-only leagues, and, honestly, to challenge myself to dig deep for some gems. Let’s start with CJ Bailey’s favorite target, Keenan Jackson. First off, let’s talk about opportunity. The more plays a team runs, the more chances players have to score. Common sense, right? Well, NC State’s plays per game have jumped significantly this year, from 66.9 in 2025 to 73.2 through the first 6 games. Even more notable, over the last 3 games the Pack has run 77.7 plays per game, a top-10 pace for 2026. So, Jackson has significantly more opportunity in this NC State offense. That volume has created a nice floor for Jackson’s production, which hasn’t gone for less than 10 points since Week 0.

Unfortunately, he’s only had one 20+ point performance in that span, when he exploded for 3 touchdowns against Vanderbilt. As always, touchdowns are a variable we can’t fully account for, so we want to target players in opportunity-rich environments (targets and pace) and project their production moving forward. Jackson leads the Wolfpack in  Targets per game, target share, receptions, and yards.

Additionally, through this week’s matchup with Wake Forest, NC State has scored at least 30 points in every game since Week 0. This fast-paced offense will likely find itself in many positive passing-game scripts down the stretch. Keenan is on Bye this week, so if you have room for a stash on your bench, go for it; if not, he will likely still be there early next week if you need a receiver with a juicy matchup (NC State has Stanford in week 8). Oh, and the cherry on top? From week 8 to week 11, NC State has an implied team total of 30+ points in each matchup.

Josh Derry, UCF

Fantrax Ownership: 3%

Targets: 37

Fantasy Points: 70.4

FPPG: 11.7

PFF Grade: 67.6

Josh Derry is quickly becoming UCF’s top option in the passing game, pacing the Knights in receiving for three straight weeks. Even more encouraging is the steady increase in his production and involvement, making him an intriguing waiver target for CFF managers looking for a receiver with a dependable workload and growing upside.

Derry has put together two impressive performances: 7 receptions on 9 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown, followed by 11 catches on 13 targets for 84 yards and another score. His targets this past week are particularly encouraging, showing how heavily UCF relies on him in the passing game. While the yardage dipped slightly, the increased volume and consistent touchdown production are exactly what fantasy managers want.

Honorable Mention Wide Receivers

Jack Foley, Wake Forest

Fantrax Ownership: 3%

Targets: 29

Fantasy Points: 66.6

FPPG: 11.1

PFF Grade: 75.7

Kenny Darby, Kentucky

Fantrax Ownership: 28%

Targets: 44

Fantasy Points: 88

FPPG: 14.7

PFF Grade: 80.2

CFF Diehards on Fire!

Many receivers are available on the waiver wire. Who is your top target this week?

• Jack Foley, Wake Forest: 25%
• Mario Sanders, Southern Mississippi: 6%
• Isaiah Mizell, Arizona: 31%
• Justin Stevenson, North Texas: 38%

“Jack Foley for me! Explosive player on a nice offense. MAN, how did this guy get out of Oregon?” @aceholesrule

“As long as the other Arizona pass catchers are out, it’s Isaiah Mizzell.” @CffDfs

Tight Ends

Cole Keller, James Madison (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 13%

Targets: 19

Fantasy Points: 66.1

FPPG: 11

PFF Grade: 71.4

The bar for fantasy tight ends is so low it qualifies as a tripping hazard. Cole Keller has cleared it easily. One of the ten highest-scoring tight ends in college fantasy football is currently available in 87% of Fantrax leagues. That’s the entire argument. Everything else is just supporting evidence. Keller has quietly produced four touchdowns in six games as a featured weapon in James Madison’s passing attack. Last week, he delivered the best game of his season, hauling in four catches for 108 yards and a touchdown against Georgia Southern.

The position doesn’t require perfection. It requires production. Keller has already found the end zone four times, ranks among the national leaders at tight end in fantasy scoring, and plays in an offense that can create explosive plays through the air. I’ve said it before: fantasy managers make tight end harder than it needs to be. If a top-10 fantasy tight end is sitting on the waiver wire, pick him up. Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one.

CFF All-Americans: Week 6

• QB Jackson Gutierrez, Navy: 51 Fantasy Points
• QB Trey Owens, Arkansas State: 49.5
• RB Fame Ijeboi, Purdue: 39.1
• RB Jaziun Patterson, Michigan State: 38.9
• WR Jesse Legree, Oregon State: 47.1
• WR Mario Sanders, Southern Mississippi: 39.2
• WR Nick Marsh, Indiana: 36.7
• TE Patrick Overmyer, Houston: 40.4
• Flex Nate Sheppard, Duke: 38

CFF Player of the Week: Jesse Legree, Oregon State

Oregon State true freshman WR Jesse LeGree might be the best player in College Football https://t.co/EPxDdWRZsf

— Top Tier (@TopTierStateX) October 11, 2026