College Fantasy Football: Week 7 Waiver Wire

College Fantasy Football is better than NFL fantasy, no doubt. Saturday was one of the greatest college football days I have ever witnessed. Upsets galore all afternoon, and the evening slate kept me up until midnight. So many points scored in CFF matchups. New players making an impact: 6 competitors scoring over 50 Fantasy Points (FPs). Greedy triple-option quarterbacks posting incredible numbers. 5 Top Ten teams lose: Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Texas, and Alabama. Is there a No. 1 team in the country? Who is the Heisman favorite after Week 7? I am constantly blown away by our favorite sport and hobby each season.

Week 7 College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

Despite all the amazing action, confession time: I was 100% wrong about my Arch Manning analysis. I started him on two CFF teams this week and inserted him in DFS lineups. I couldn’t believe he played so poorly at home against Florida, after losing to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. Watching his performance on Saturday, I will sacrifice for the greater good and bench the Texas passer. Manning will have to play two productive games before he gets another chance to suit up for my team.

If readers need a replacement at quarterback for Manning or any other signal caller, triple-option quarterbacks subjugated opponents on Saturday—three surpassed the century mark on the ground with many touchdowns—and are available on many CFF waiver wires. Army QB Cale Hellums ran for 195 yards and scored 5 times. Air Force QB dashed for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Navy QB Jackson Guiterrez scampered for 139 yards and 2 6-pointers. Technically not a triple-option offense, Rice QB Jacurri Brown raced for 152 yards and two scores. It was a great day for explosive signal callers scoring fantasy points with their legs.

It is not just quarterbacks on the CFF waiver wire this week. Anderson Brookhart, Steve Jackson, Thomas Johnson, and I help readers identify the signal callers and other playmakers in the free agency pool as the CFF playoffs near…Let’s Go!

Quarterbacks

Jackson Gutierrez, Navy (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 26%
Total Fantasy Points: 183.7
FPPG: 30.6
PFF Grade: 68.2

Alright, Jackson Guiterrez, I salute you after scoring 50 FPs in back-to-back games. Last week, I placed you in the waiver-wire honorable mentions, and I regret not featuring you. I will not make the same mistake twice. Guiterrez was on 6% of rosters last Sunday morning and moved up to 26% over the course of the week. It is still far too low—Guiterrez should be on well over 50% by mid-week.

While most of the nation stayed glued to incredible top-25 games on television, the Navy-UTSA game deserved more eyeballs. The two teams exchanged leads four times in the fourth quarter, and the Roadrunners outlasted the Midshipmen 38-34. In the fourth quarter, Gutierrez completed a school-record 92-yard touchdown pass and caught a 63-yard pass from former starting QB Braxton Woodson…Oh, my! The Midshipmen’s quarterback filled the box score with 120 passing yards, 139 rushing yards, 63 receiving yards, and 4 total touchdowns, 2 rushing and 2 receiving. The week before, he also produced over 50 FPs against Tulsa with 95 passing yards, 232 rushing yards, and 4 touchdowns, 3 rushing and 1 receiving.

A four-sport athlete in high school, Gutierrez earned letters in baseball, basketball, football, and track and field in San Antonio, Texas. During his first two seasons at Annapolis, the junior saw playing time at quarterback and running back and opened the season second on the depth chart behind Woodson. Now entrenched as the Midshipmen starter, Gutierrez could be a league-winning pickup in CFF this week.

P.S. I placed FAB bids on Gutierrez in 5 leagues last week and lost every one. Ugh!

Notebook: “(Jackson) is as tough as anybody in our program. Our kids rally around him. He didn’t play perfect, but he’s got fight, guts, and grit. I think that permeates the rest of our offense,” Coach Brian Newberry said after the victory over Tulsa (pressboxonline.com).

Navy Midshipmen Braxton Woodson hits Jackson Gutierrez with the QB to QB pass

#RollGoats https://t.co/IBTokQF8zn

— The off-season (@TheOffSeasonCFB) October 18, 2026

Evan Medders, Air Force (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 8%
Total Fantasy Points: 82.1
FPPG: 16.4
PFF Grade: 90.2

Liam Szarka’s season-ending injury has opened the door for Evan Medders to take over as Air Force’s starting quarterback, and he has wasted little time making an impact. Medders has rushed for 266 yards and 5 touchdowns in his first two starts, doing exactly what Air Force needs from a quarterback in this offense.

Air Force’s system is built around the option game, so the quarterback’s ability to run the ball matters far more than putting up big passing numbers. The Falcons don’t need Medders to be a polished passer to produce fantasy points; they need him to make the right reads, keep the ball when opportunities arise, and capitalize on the scoring chances the offense creates.

In his first two starts, he’s done just that, averaging 28.7 FPs per game while completing only 2 passes. With Szarka sidelined for the rest of the season, Medders has a chance to keep a fantasy-friendly role in an offense that can generate plenty of rushing production from its quarterback. His early rushing numbers make him a waiver-wire target.

Owen Eshelman, Washington State (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 1%
Total Fantasy Points: 43.2
FPPG: 21.6
PFF Grade: 75.8

64! Owen Eshelman entered Saturday with exactly two snaps of college football experience. Apparently Washington State saw enough. The Cougars handed the redshirt freshman the keys to the offense and told him to drive it as he stole it.

Eshelman proceeded to throw 49 passes, run the ball 15 times, and pile up 425 total yards and three touchdowns against Oregon State. Two career snaps to 64 opportunities. What could go wrong?

Here’s the part that has me interested. Those 136 rushing yards weren’t the result of a quarterback accidentally scrambling into fantasy production. Eshelman rushed for 1,312 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season at Norman North. In his first college start, he forced eight missed tackles, gained 79 yards after contact, ripped off a 41-yard run, and scored on the ground. CFF friends, we may have ourselves a runner.

I’m not expecting another 44-point game. I’m chasing a 1%-rostered quarterback with real rushing chops who just touched the football 64 times. Some weeks we have to squint at the waiver wire and convince ourselves we see something. This isn’t one of them. Washington State just fired a flare into the night sky.

Notebook: After his first start, Eshelman said, “It was definitely excitement. Obviously Oregon State’s been playing really good football, and to have the opportunity to come here and showcase what our offense is capable of…There’s that Cougar mentality that we’re just gonna keep swinging, and I thought that showed up tonight, even with some missed opportunities.” (spokesman.com)

Honorable Mention Quarterbacks

JC French, Cincinnati

Fantrax Ownership: 23%
Total Fantasy Points: 168
FPPG: 28.0
PFF Grade: 82.5

CFF Diehards on Fire!

So much quarterback turnover this week. Who Ya Got on the CFF Waiver Wire this week?

• Tyler Hughes, Wyoming: 7%
• Evan Medders, Air Force: 23%
• Jackson Gutierrez, Navy: 60%
• Owen Eshelman, Washington State: 10%

“Evan Medders for me. A bit softer schedule than Gut-Check from Navy. I’ll follow Medders into the wild blue yonder!” @aceholesrule

Running Backs

AJ Newberry, Oregon State (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 22%
Total Fantasy Points: 126.1
FPPG: 18.0
PFF Grade: 77.0

Oregon State scored 48 points on Saturday, which I’m pretty sure qualifies as a disappointing week for this offense. Two weeks ago, I told readers I was collecting Beavers like Pokémon cards because this offense was determined to score 50 every Saturday. Close enough. Newberry did his part, rushing for 105 yards on 11 carries and catching five passes for another 120 yards and a touchdown. The last Oregon State player to record 100 rushing and receiving yards in the same game was my namesake, Steven Jackson, back in 2003.

Newberry does not need heavy volume to put up big numbers. Over his last four games, he has averaged more than 130 yards from scrimmage, and the PFF numbers back up the explosiveness: 24 missed tackles forced as a runner, another nine as a receiver, and 275 rushing yards after contact.

He’s getting carries. He’s catching passes. And Oregon State keeps giving him opportunities in an offense that plays like someone accidentally turned the difficulty setting down. The Beavers are on bye, and I’m fine with that. Newberry already has 719 yards from scrimmage but only four touchdowns. In an offense routinely threatening 50 points, I’m willing to bet that touchdown number starts catching up with everything else.

Notebook: Following Newberry’s record-breaking performance, Coach JaMarcus Shephard uttered that: “(AJ) looked like a man possessed at times out there today. If he can keep playing like that, the sky is the limit for him. He played like he didn’t want to get tackled. He played like he was frustrated and wanted to play better for this team. I always want our guys to have a little chip on their shoulders, and he does.” (oregonlive.com)

AJ NEWBERRY 88 YARDS 🫨

Deep in his bag to take it to the crib 💼

WSU 3 | 27 OSU https://t.co/J6EYvylmIv

— USA Sports (@usasports) October 17, 2026

Cardae Mack, Arizona State (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 21%
Total Fantasy Points: 52.3
FPPG: 8.7
PFF Grade: 79.7

Two weeks ago, Cardae Mack told the nation that he is ready to make an impact on the gridiron. The freshman rambled for 154 yards on 13 carries, with two touchdowns, against Hawaii, scoring 28.1 FPs. Afterward, the 19-year-old earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week, and his yards were the most by an Arizona State freshman since 2005, when Keegan Herring scampered for 197. He was also the first freshman since Chip Trayanum in 2020 to score twice in a game.

On Saturday, the game against Texas Tech got out of hand, and the Sundevils changed quarterbacks and abandoned the running game in a 53-25 loss. Mack earned only seven carries for 27 yards. At halftime, I thought the freshman wouldn’t see any more action. He did see some snaps and caught a 12-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to close the scoring, finishing with 12.4 FPs. A shifty runner at 5-11 and 215 pounds, Mack runs low to the ground, packs a punch on contact, and has good vision and quick feet. In high school, he played quarterback and finished as the school’s all-time leading rusher with over 4,800 yards and 111 total touchdowns. Mack is a fascinating runner to acquire as the CFF season heads into its home stretch.

Notebook: After his breakout performance two weeks ago, Mack stated: “Trusting the offensive line, they did their job really well, and trusting my coaches on when they teach us how to break to the second level.” (thesundevils.com)

Rodney Nelson, Miami (OH) (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 16%
Total Fantasy Points: 51
FPPG: 7.3
PFF Grade: 69.0

Running back is slim pickings these days, folks, and at this point in the season, we need to take a couple HR swings in hopes of adding a player who will push to actually start on our rosters. In my mind, that makes Rodney Nelson worth a swing this week.

Since September 26th, he has consistently gotten 10+ carries a game and, for the most part, has been kept quiet until this past week, when he exploded for 142 yards and 2 TDs. This backfield, at least going into this week, was the definition of a time share, with three backs all receiving at least 20% of the available rush attempts per game. However, Nelson clearly separated himself this week. As Miami, (OH) pushes for a chance at the MAC title game, it faces relatively easy matchups against Central Michigan, Buffalo, and Ohio (at least from a defensive-metric standpoint).

The RedHawks’ offense is the 4th most explosive in the nation, ranking top 20 in rushing explosiveness and top 15 in Open-Field Yards. This means the running backs consistently get loose and make plays in space. Sometimes, it takes teams until the middle of the year to identify that top dog in their backfield, and I think Nelson is primed for some big weeks down the stretch.

Trelain Maddox, Georgia Tech (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 14%
Total Fantasy Points: 83.8
FPPG: 14.0
PFF Grade: 75.2

On the CFF Waiver Wire show by CFFLists last Sunday, I selected Trelain Maddox as one of my two running backs while building my team. Saturday morning, I put the Georgia Tech runner in my DFS rosters and two regular-season lineups. The decision could not have worked out any better. Maddox scored over 20 FPs for the third consecutive game and helped me cash in DFS. The Yellow Jackets’ ball carrier rushed for 96 yards on 12 carries (8.0 yards per carry), snagged 3 passes for 16 yards, and scored a touchdown.

Smoking hot, Maddox has surpassed 20 FPs in three consecutive games and looks far more explosive than Justice Haynes, who missed last week’s game. He has led the Yellow Jackets in rushing (81 and 96) each of the past two games. He has scored 6 touchdowns in the last three contests and corralled 9 passes for 72 yards. The explosive 6-2, 225-pounder has logged a 15+ yard run in three straight games and averages 5.24 yards after contact this season. With limited waiver-wire options in the backfield, Maddox should be placed on thousands of CFF rosters this week.

Notebook: “I love that dude. I’ve said it since spring ball: nobody epitomizes what it means to be a Georgia Tech football player and a Tech man more than Trelain Maddox. That’s why we named him a captain,” Coach Bent Key stated after Maddox’s 3-touchdown performance (apnews.com).

Honorable Mention Running Backs

Messiah Burch, Buffalo

Fantrax Ownership: 19%
Total Fantasy Points: 85.4
FPPG: 12.2
PFF Grade: 77.9

CFF Diehards on Fire!

Who is the most impressive freshman running back in CFF after Week 7?

• Javian Mallory, Miami: 25%
• Jonaz Walton, Notre Dame: 42%
• Jamal Rule, Nebraska: 30%
• Damon Ferguson, Jr., Pittsburgh: 3%

“Jonaz Walton for me, but I am a Golden Domer HOMER! Defenders approach him differently. Kid is going to be a problem as he matures.” @aceholesrule

“I did not appreciate watching Jonaz Walton on the bench in the first half against BYU.” @CFF_Jacko

Wide Receivers

Chase Sowell, Penn State (Johnson)

Fantrax Ownership: 21%
Targets: 56
Fantasy Points: 103
FPPG: 14.7
PFF Grade: 82.8

A Penn State receiver?! The horror! After all the amazing football this weekend, how can I sit here with a straight face and recommend a player on a team that has lost four games in a row and hasn’t scored over 30 points in a month? Simple: he has the pedigree and the opportunity.

At various points in his career at Iowa State, Sowell looked poised to be the next big-time receiver in Matt Campbell’s system, following behind Xavier Hutchinson. But for whatever reason, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel became the focal points after Hutchinson graduated, and Sowell became one of the bigger WR busts in recent CFF draft history. Now, with a fresh start at Penn State after following Coach Campbell this offseason, Sowell has caught a whopping 35 targets over the last 3 games. CFF diehards will never confuse him, or the PSU offense in general, for explosive, but the sheer volume of targets shows QB Rocco Becht has supreme trust in Sowell, and at this point in the fantasy season, we need to look for league winners.

PSU has favorable matchups with Purdue and Washington coming after their upcoming bye week, and they finish with Rutgers and Maryland. If CFF coaches can afford it, stash him on the bench now and ride him as a CFF WR3 or Flex to title games (ESPECIALLY in P4-only leagues).

Branden Ganashamoorthy, Washington State (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 1%
Targets: 53
Fantasy Points: 78.4
FPPG: 11.2
PFF Grade: 61.8

I might never learn how to pronounce Branden Ganashamoorthy, but after last week’s performance, CFF managers should learn his name quickly. Ganashamoorthy broke out in a big way, commanding 18 targets and turning them into 11 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown. The most encouraging part was his immediate connection with new quarterback Owen Eshleman, who looked to him consistently throughout the game.

Do not ignore 18 targets, especially when they turn into that kind of production. With Eshleman now throwing him the ball, Ganashamoorthy could become the quarterback’s favorite target and a high-volume option for the rest of the season. The biggest thing to watch is whether this connection carries over into the coming weeks, but last week’s usage is certainly encouraging.

Chris Lawson, Washington (Laub)

Fantrax Ownership: 10%
Targets: 42
Fantasy Points: 92.9
FPPG: 13.3
PFF Grade: 72.5

At 4-3, the Huskies have been one of the season’s disappointments and have offered spotty fantasy production. Friday night, Washington changed things up behind center and inserted Elijah Brown at quarterback. Brown wasn’t perfect, throwing 3 interceptions and 3 touchdowns. Yet he threw for 300 yards and led the Huskies to a 38-26 road win over Purdue.

Sophomore receiver Chris Lawson clearly benefited from the change. He recorded a season-best 103 receiving yards on 6 catches for 17.2 FPs. PFF gave Lawson his highest grade of the season (84.9) in the game against the Biolermakers. The week before, he posted a season-high 22.6 FPs on 8 receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown, earning a 75.3 grade from PFF. He has exceeded double-digit FPs in each of the past four games and opened the campaign with a 12.7-point outing in Week 1.

At 6-0 and 185 pounds, Lawson is the Huskies’ second-leading receiver with 32 catches for 483 yards and two scores this season. In high school, he was a four-star recruit from San Francisco, CA. He is a smooth, graceful playmaker who is becoming an integral part of the Huskies’ offense. Washington has a bye in Week 8, and many CFF diehards may overlook Lawson on the waiver wire.

Notebook: “Chris is a very explosive player. He’s fast, and he catches the ball outside his body frame really well. If you think back to the third-down conversion against (USC) when we threw the bench route to him, and then of course the fourth-down catch after that…the broken play that we made that was an amazing play by Chris,” Coach Jedd Fisch said earlier this month (uwhuskieswire.com).

Jordan Allen, Georgia Tech (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 17%
Total Fantasy Points: 87.2
Targets: 45
FPPG: 14.5
PFF Grade: 72.2

Twenty catches in the last two weeks—second-most in America. Jordan Allen saw 11 targets against Duke and 13 more against Virginia Tech, turning those 24 opportunities into 20 catches for 219 yards. That’s roughly 35% of Georgia Tech’s pass attempts over the last two games. For perspective, only KJ Duff and Jeremiah Smith own a larger target share across the full season. Against Virginia Tech, 4 of his 10 receptions came on the opening possession. The Yellow Jackets didn’t fall behind and accidentally discover him. The game plan walked through the door with his name already on it.

Allen has always caught everything thrown his way. He hauled in 23 of 25 targets as a true freshman and has caught 20 of 24 over the last two weeks. The touchdowns haven’t followed the volume yet. Allen has only one this season, and at 5-9, I don’t expect Georgia Tech to suddenly start throwing him jump balls at the goal line. I don’t care. Forget predicting touchdowns. Give me a dozen targets against Boston College next week, and I’ll take my chances.

Notebook: “Jordan leads by example. He is not a rah-rah guy, and I’m okay with that. But Jordan is always going to give effort. He’s always going to know what to do,” wide receivers coach Jafar Williams stated (ramblinwreck.com).

Isaiah Myers, Missouri State (Brookhart)

Fantrax Ownership: 21%
Targets: 37
Fantasy Points: 121.4
FPPG: 20.2
PFF Grade: 82.9

Isaiah Myers put together his best performance of the season last week, hauling in 7 of 9 targets for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns. Myers is especially appealing because of his big-play ability, averaging an incredible 20.5 yards per catch this season. Despite averaging just 4.5 receptions per game, Myers has turned his opportunities into explosive plays and meaningful fantasy production.

Last week’s performance showed what that skill set can produce: Myers turned seven catches into 135 yards and 2 scores. His ability to generate chunk plays gives him a high ceiling without needing the same target volume as some higher-volume college receivers. While his relatively modest reception total can make his weekly production volatile, the efficiency is difficult to ignore. Myers is worth adding for managers looking for a receiver who can make the most of his targets and deliver a big fantasy performance when the opportunities come.

Honorable Mention Wide Receivers

Isaiah Mizell, Arizona

Fantrax Ownership: 20%
Targets: 26
Fantasy Points: 78.9
FPPG: 13.2
PFF Grade: 77.2

CFF Diehards on Fire!

Do you need a pass catcher down the stretch? Who is your preferred target on the waiver wire?

• Isaiah Myers, Missouri State: 15%
• DJ Epps, West Virginia: 30%
• Branden Ganashamoorthy, Washington State: 18%
• Oran Singleton, Tulsa: 37%

“Oran Singleton for me. He averages double-digit targets in three October games. Yards. Scores. Solid WR.” @aceholesrule

“People will rue the day they underestimated the Missouri State offense.” @CFF_Jacko

Tight Ends

Max Reese, North Texas (@CFF_Jacko)

Fantrax Ownership: 11%
Targets: 21
Fantasy Points: 60.3
FPPG: 10.1
PFF Grade: 68.7

When in doubt, take the tight end attached to an elite offense. North Texas has scored 158 points over its last three games, and Max Reese has quietly become another way to buy into the Mean Green offense.

Reese is 6-2, 249 pounds, and averages nearly 15 yards per catch. Nothing warms my heart quite like a giant human rumbling through the middle of the field while defensive backs reconsider their career choices. Over his last three games, Reese has caught 11 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns, including a 5-catch, 101-yard performance against Tulsa in Week 6.

The volume isn’t enormous. I don’t care. PFF credits Reese with zero drops and 1.95 yards per route run, and he ranks third in receiving yards and touchdowns in Denton, Texas. Sometimes tight end doesn’t need to be complicated. Give me the big guy running down the middle of the field in an offense that scores 50.

CFF All-Americans: Week 7

• QB Michael Hawkins, West Virginia: 60.9 Fantasy Points
• QB Brad Jackson, Texas State: 50.6
• RB Torrance Burgess, Texas State: 54.6
• RB Micah Ford, Stanford: 52.1
• WR Malachi Toney, Miami: 41.5
• WR Umari Hatcher, Syracuse: 41.4
• WR Maguire Anderson, Florida International: 33.8
• TE Dominick Barry, Wake Forest: 32.2
• Flex Cole Tabb, Cincinnati: 38.9

CFF Player of the Week: Michael Hawkins, West Virginia

West Virginia QB Michael Hawkins Jr in the last second win against Cincinnati:

25/33 passing
464 passing yards
3 passing TDs
26 carries
77 rushing yards
2 rushing TDs

Video game numbers https://t.co/YQyZ7NxX0O

— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 17, 2026