How do I compose the final College Fantasy Football player profiles article? I sit on the back deck with our three wonderful Huskies who are now howling loudly as an emergency vehicle drives down the road. Over the past three months, I have spent countless hours researching and writing to produce the 2024 College Fantasy Football Game Plan, and there are now 92 CFF player profiles available. I must thank my two teammates, Luke Probasco, and Eric Froton, for additional insight and analysis in the 2024 CFF Game Plan.
For the eleventh season, the CFF All-American sleepers pinpoints under-appreciated players. I am a firm believer that CFF championships are won in the later rounds in the draft and on the waiver wire during the season. Therefore, I dug into CFF ADP from Fantrax to reveal 10 playmakers who present a nice return on draft capital, identifying players with a current ADP below 100.
Last year, this column had some very nice hits for CFF managers: QB Preston Stone, QB Diego Pavia, RB Kimani Vidal, and WR Isaiah Williams. Hopefully, I will replicate the hit rate in 2024. Happy drafting my fellow CFF diehards.
2024 College Fantasy Football Sleepers
Quarterback Sleepers
Carson Beck, Georgia
Team Offense (Rank): 497 ypg. (5)
Passing Yards: 305 ypg. (11)
Points Scored: 40.1 ppg. (5)
2023 FPPG: 24.1
Fantrax Overall ADP: 154
It is clear that Carson Beck is overlooked in the CFF community. Among returning quarterbacks, Beck finished as CFF QB18 last year. He passed for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns. He surpassed over 300 yards passing five times and tossed two or more touchdowns in eight games. The junior also scampered for 116 yards and four scores on the ground.
Beck arrived in Athens, GA in 2020 and sat behind Stetson Bennett for three seasons before taking over the reins of the offense. Last year, he was named a Finalist for the Manning Award and garnered Second Team All-SEC. At 6’4” and 220 pounds, Beck is a classic pocket passer with a big arm and excellent pocket awareness.
Every CFF manager must balance floor and ceiling when putting together a roster, and Beck is the ultimate No. 2 signal caller to compliment a high-ceiling, dual-threat quarterback i.e., Kaidon Salter, Byrum Brown, Jalen Milroe, and Garrett Greene. He is currently CFF QB No. 29 off the board and should be selected among the Top 24 for sure.
Scouting Notebook: “Well, I always say success is defined by being the best you can possibly be. I thought (Carson) probably exceeded those expectations in terms of that last year for a first-year starting quarterback. He did a lot of great things. Well, now this year, you got a lot of high expectations again for Carson…So we don’t run or hide from the Heisman talk. That’s something that he embraces, we embrace,” coach Kirby Smart stated (on3.com).
Nicholas Vattiato, Middle Tennessee
Team Offense (Rank): 391 ypg. (59)
Passing Yards: 266 ypg. (33)
Points Scored: 24.2 ppg. (83)
2023 FPPG: 26.1
Fantrax Overall ADP: 167
I yearn for the CFF Best Ball days when Nicholas Vattiato was available in the thirty-first round (picks 360-372 overall) of drafts. Early in the spring, the Blue Raiders’ quarterback ended up on three of my rosters and was easily stacked with WR/TE Holden Willis. It appears that the CFF community has caught onto Vattiato’s CFF potential, and he comes off the board in the thirteenth round.
In 2021, Vattiato earned the Bahamas Bowl Offensive MVP award after completing 23-of-35 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over Toledo and was voted to the C-USA All-Freshman Team. The next season, he started once and collected a redshirt.
In 2023, he started 12 games and totaled 3,087 passing yards and 23 aerial strikes. More importantly, he scampered for 402 yards and two scores. In the spring game, the 6’1” and 206 pound junior illustrated his skills by completing 15-of-16 for 228 yards and a touchdown. Vattiato is still an undervalued quarterback, and he is an idyllic third CFF QB on rosters.
Scouting Notebook: “Vattiato is mature beyond his years, he’s a professional in everything he does. He really elevates the people around him. I think when you make everyone else around you better, in turn you kind of grow yourself,” former coach Rick Stockstill said last summer (sportskeeda.com).
QB Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Team Offense (Rank): 365 ypg. (79)
Passing Yards: 245 ypg. (49)
Points Scored: 26.2 ppg. (70)
2023 FPPG: 22.1
Fantrax Overall ADP: 238
I am old enough to remember watching Anthony Becht, Rocco Becht’s father, at West Virginia in the late Nineties. The Mountaineers’ tight end was a first-round pick by the New York Jets and played 12 years in the NFL. Now, his son leads the Cyclones’ offense. While Becht’s ceiling is limited as a fantasy producer, he is surrounded by elite playmakers and coming off the draft board far too late.
Becht was a three-star recruit and the 59th-ranked QB prospect in the nation. As a redshirt freshman last year, he was named Second Team Freshman All-American and Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after passing for 3,120 yards and posting a 23-8 TD:INT Ratio. Unfortunately, he does not provide many fantasy points with his legs, gaining only 63 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
The Iowa State field general is currently drafted on only 41% of CFF teams; nonetheless, he will surely be a waiver wire gemstone as injuries occur and bye weeks ensue. Astute CFF managers will keep a close eye on Becht.
Scouting Notebook: “What I appreciate about (Rocco) is the ‘it’ factor that he brings to the table. We’ve talked about this, too—how do you keep filling in the gaps? How do you keep growing as a quarterback within the system? There’s a lot of growth out there for him to continue to grow into,” coach Matt Campbell said (cyclonefanatic.com).
Twitterverse on Fire!
Based on recent CFF ADP, identify the quarterback you want to select in drafts:
- Quinn Ewers, Texas (ADP 170): 26%
- Tyler Shough, Louisville (ADP 188): 17%
- LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (ADP 194): 40%
- Rocco Becht, Iowa State (ADP 238): 17%
“I selected LaNorris Sellers, but I think Rocco Becht is still a good option. Iowa State’s passing game is stacked this year, and Quinn Ewers has a low fantasy ceiling and high turnover at wide receiver. Tyler Shough is always hurt.” @UW_Purple_Reign
“My original answer would have been LaNorris Sellers, but at cost, Rocco Becht is the guy. If I’m being honest, these ADPs would allow me to grab both!” @ProbascoLuke
“Tyler Shough probably has the best upside in traditional formats, especially in six-point passing touchdowns. That’s if he can stay on the field, which historically has proven to be unlikely.” @eliotmays
Power 4: Preseason CFF All-American Team
- QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
- QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
- RB Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State
- RB Devin Neal, Kansas
- WR Luther Burden, Missouri
- WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
- WR Evan Stewart, Oregon
- TE Oronde Gadsden, Syracuse
- Flex Phil Mafah, Clemson
Running Back Sleepers
Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
Team Offense (Rank): 448 ypg. (19)
Rushing: 205 ypg. (9)
Scoring: 31.8 ppg. (36)
2023 FPPG: 11.9
Fantrax Overall ADP: 117
An explosive and swift runner, Dylan Sampson shared the backfield duties with Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small over the past two campaigns. In 2024, the junior will finally lead the ground game as the starter. At 5’11” and 201 pounds, Sampson was ranked as the No. 30 overall running back and No. 15 overall prospect in the state of Louisiana coming out of high school. As a senior, he was team captain and grossed 1,673 all-purpose yards, including 1,374 rushing and 22 touchdowns.
Sampson is in position to become a household name in Tennessee and across the country. Over the last three years, coach Josh Heupel’s run game has been much better than most CFF diehards believe:
Year: Team Rank, Yards & TDs
2021: 11, 2,832 & 30
2022: 26, 2,593 & 40
2023: 10, 2,663 & 23
In two seasons on campus, Sampson has rushed for 1,001 yards on 164 carries with 13 touchdowns, averaging 6.1 ypc. He also has 20 career catches for 199 yards and a score. The Volunteers’ speedster was clocked at 23.0 mph on the Catapult system. He is a member of the team’s leadership council and a vocal presence in the locker room. Speed, size and elusiveness is a dangerous combination on Heupel’s wide-open running game, and I cannot draft Sampson often enough this summer.
Scouting Notebook: “Dylan will have increased opportunities. From the moment that he got here, he’s had great feel, pace and vision. He’s done a great job with the ball in his hands. Out of his hands, he’s become a really good pass protector…Dylan is one of the strongest leaders that we have inside of our locker room. He’s going to have a great year for us,” coach Heupel said (tennessee.rivals.com).
Kaden Feagin, Illinois
Team Offense (Rank): 391 ypg. (60)
Rushing: 126 ypg. (96)
Scoring: 24.5 ppg. (81)
2023 FPPG: 9.1
Fantrax ADP: 101
Coach Bret Bielema’s offense is going to pound the pigskin down the throats of opponents. The interior of the Illini’ O-line is massive: C Josh Kruetz (325 lbs.), G Josh Gesky (325 lbs.) and G Zy Crisler (335 lbs.). When the 6’2″and 250 pound Kaden Feagin runs through the 1 or 2 holes, opponents must contend with over 1,200 pounds of bulk and muscle.
Feagin is the next man up in the ground-and-pound offense, and the hulking battering ram will be a massive problem in short-yardage and goal line carries for defenders. CFF owners discount touchdown equity at times, and Bielema’s ground game historically highlights a runner: P.J. Hill (31 TDs), John Clay (32 TDs), Montee Ball (61 TDs), Alex Collins (32 TDs) and Chase Brown (18 TDs).
As a true freshman last year, Feagin started four games earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice. For the season, he rambled for 438 yards on 95 carries with two touchdowns. He averaged 4.6 ypc. and notched nine catches for 116 yards and a score. I’ll draft Feagin based on potential volume—he likely totes the ball 300 times—in Bielema’s punishing ground game.
Scouting Notebook: After his first career start, Feagin described the energy he brings to the field: “It seemed like the team fed off my play a lot…I’m just trying to bring the energy to the team. ‘It’s hard to win in this league,’ coach Bret Bielema tells us all of the time,” the true freshman stated (wqad.com).
Kanye Roberts, Appalachian State
Team Offense (Rank): 446 ypg (22)
Rushing: 172 ypg. (48)
Scoring: 33.3 ppg. (25)
2023 FPPG: 10.5
Fantrax ADP: 102
Last year, Nate Noel led the Mountaineers in rushing: He is no longer on the team after transferring to Missouri in the offseason. Kayne Roberts finished second on the team with 696 yards and seven touchdowns, earning honorable mention All-Sun Belt. A high school two-star prospect, Roberts led the country with 3,511 rushing yards and 64 total touchdowns as a senior. In 47 games, he amassed 7,318 rushing yards, 8,808 all-purpose yards, and 113 touchdowns.
As a sophomore at Appalachian State, Roberts paced the club in rushing in five of the last nine games to conclude the 2023 campaign. He logged three different contests with 109 rushing yards—Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi, and Georgia Southern—and recorded a two-touchdown outing in the Sun Belt title game. Looking at the upcoming Mountaineers’ schedule, only Clemson in Week 2 presents a challenge for the ground game. Roberts projects to be a 200-carry runner for coach Shawn Clark this year.
Scouting Notebook: “I’m proud of Kanye. We’re gonna rely on him. He’s in a good spot right now, and he’s got his life in the right direction. Just the way he’s getting better, the way he’s a team player, the way he does anything he can for his teammates to be successful, speaks a lot about his character,” coach Shawn Clark declared over the winter (theappalachianonline.com).
Twitterverse on Fire!
Based on recent CFF ADP, identify the running back from a G5 program that you want to select in CFF drafts.
- Terion Stewart, Bowling Green (ADP 128): 26%
- Ricky Hunt, Ohio (ADP 136): 21%
- Harrison Waylee, Wyoming (ADP 72): 40%
- Marion Lukes, Central Michigan (ADP 192): 13%
“Terion Stewart for me. No doubt there are health concerns, but averaging 100 yards rushing and a touchdown per game in his last six balances out the challenges.” @aceholesrule
“With Harrison Waylee, one thing to consider is that the out of conference schedule isn’t too bad, whereas the MAC guys are taking it in the teeth for the first 3-4 weeks more or less. Marion Lukes and Terion Stewart at least have a good Week 1 game. Lukes’ problem is Bailey is still right there.” @VolumePigs
“Harrison Waylee for me. Over the course of the year, he averaged 95 yards rushing per game. He had 35% of the overall carries in this offense. The No. 2 rusher, QB Andrew Peasley, graduated and it frees up 419 yards, seven touchdowns and about nine more carries per game. I believe we see Waylee touch the ball 20-plus times per game.” @ProbascoLuke
Group of 5: Preseason CFF All-Americans
- QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
- QB Byrum Brown, South Florida
- RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
- RB Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
- WR Tory Horton, Colorado State
- WR Ricky White, UNLV
- WR Joey Hobert, Texas State
- TE Harold Fannin, Bowling Green
- Flex Sean Atkins, South Florida
Wide Receiver Sleepers
Denzel Boston, Washington
Team Offense (Rank): 462 ypg. (12)
Passing Yards: 344 ypg. (2)
Points Scored: 36 ppg. (13)
2023 FPPG: .70
Fantrax Overall ADP: 107
Last summer, I touted the Huskies’ explosive offense and selected QB Michael Penix, WR Rome Odunze, and WR Jalen McMillan on many CFF rosters. After leading Washington to the CFP Championship Game, coach Kalen DeBoer left the program for Alabama over the winter, and the aforementioned players are now in the NFL. Despite the exodus, the Huskies reloaded for their first tour of duty in the Big Ten.
Former Arizona coach Jedd Fisch moved to the Northwest and will implement his high-flying passing game. One of his first moves was to acquire QB Will Rogers, formerly at Mississippi State, in the transfer portal. Also, Fisch needed to keep junior Denzel Boston in a Huskies uniform.
At 6’4” and 209 pounds, Boston remained patient in a crowded locker room and only caught seven passes for 66 yards during his first two campaigns on campus. The redshirt sophomore dominated spring practice sessions in Seattle, WA. Of course, there is a risk that Washington fails miserably in the Big Ten with a new coach and roster. Nevertheless, Boston appears to be in line for over 100 targets in 2024.
Scouting Notebook: “(Denzel) Boston, one of the breakout players of the spring from the start of practices at the beginning of April, was the only real constant threat for the Huskies on offense Friday night. He grabbed a 43-yard touchdown from Purcell who laid the ball out perfectly on a seam route and then caught a 28-yard touchdown from Rogers where he got Leroy Bryant turned around,” observed Scott Elkhound (247Sports.com).
Chris Bell, Louisville
Team Offense (Rank): 415 ypg. (41)
Passing Yards: 237 ypg. (56)
Points Scored: 30.7 ppg. (43)
2023 FPPG: 5.8
Fantrax Overall ADP: 134
As a CFF draft addict, I like to test the waters with players to inquire about their value. I selected Chris Bell in the Summa Cum Laude Mock Draft in June with pick No. 98 overall. Since then, I have acquired Bell on five more CFF Best Ball teams. In the last one, I patiently waited to see how my competitors valued the Cardinals’ playmaker. In Round 11 at pick No. 124 overall, I could not wait any longer and plucked Bell off the board.
Last week, I received a great direct message from a CFF friend: “Wheels all the way up for Bell, BTW.” It seems that I am a Bell stan in the CFF community. At 6’2” and 220 pounds, Bell profiles as a classic X-receiver, who dominates outside the hash marks. During offseason practices, the junior impressed the coaching staff and onlookers with improved footwork and agility. In the spring game, Bell snatched three passes for 126 yards and two scores. I seek home run hitters, and Bell is ‘my guy’ to select in coach Jeff Brohm’s aerial attack this season.
Scouting Notebook: “Without question, Chris Bell has had a great camp. He’s really made a lot of plays, and we’re going to need him to be a force for us,” coach Brohm said in April (si.com).
Will Sheppard, Colorado
Team Offense (Rank): 364 ypg. (80)
Passing Yards: 295 ypg. (16)
Points Scored: 28.2 ppg. (58)
2023 FPPG: 13.6
Fantrax Overall ADP: 184
In Colorado, it is a crowded receiver corps, and the Buffaloes look to stampede secondary opponents with Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn, LaJohntay Wester and Will Sheppard, who played four seasons at Vanderbilt. Before joining Colorado, the former Commodores’ receiver entered the transfer portal and was graded as a four-star prospect, No. 37 player and No. 7 receiver available.
In 2022, Sheppard posted his top season, recording 776 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Last year, he accumulated 47 catches for 684 yards and eight scores. In Vanderbilt history, he became the eighth receiver to surpass 2,000 receiving yards in the black and gold. He tied for third with 21 receiving touchdowns and seventh with 2,067 yards.
At 6’3” and 205 pounds, Sheppard ran routes against the best defensive backs in the nation in the SEC. He likely finds smoother sailing against Big 12 secondaries, and catching passes from a much better quarterback (Shedeur Sanders), he could exceed 1,000 yards for the first time during his college tenure.
Scouting Notebook: “New wide receiver Will Sheppard made his presence known during the Buffs’ first preseason practice when he and quarterback Shedeur Sanders connected on a touchdown. Sheppard created just enough separation from cornerback Braden Keith and Sanders dropped the pass in perfectly. Considering Sheppard didn’t arrive in Boulder until after spring ball, his visible chemistry with Sanders is encouraging,” noted Jack Carlough who observed the practice (coloradobuffaloeswire.com).
Tight End Sleepers
TE Justin Joly, North Carolina State
Team Offense (Rank): 350 ypg. (91)
Passing Yards: 194 ypg. (100)
Points Scored: 26.1 ppg. (74)
2023 FPPG: 10.5
Fantrax Overall ADP: 110
Over the years, I have publicly stated my love for UConn football. Regrettably, only a few players—QB David Pindell and RB Jordan Todman—enriched CFF rosters. Last year, I selected Justin Jolly on three CFF Best Ball teams as a third fantasy tight end. The Huskies’ playmaker appealed to me as a low-end pick with upside and a bye-week replacement. Joly exceeded my expectations: He caught 56 passes for 578 yards and two touchdowns.
Over the offseason, Joly transferred to North Carolina State and joined a much more explosive offense under the guidance of OC Robert Anae. He also gets an upgrade at quarterback with transfer Grayson McCall and plays alongside target-hog Kevin Concepcion. Defenses will not be able to focus entirely on Joly, and he will take advantage of mismatches in the secondary.
Scouting Notebook: “It was evident Justin Joly (6’3″ and 235 pounds) is going to be a problem for opposing defenses after his performance in the 2024 Spring Game a few weeks back. He is an extremely athletic tight end, but he’s also bigger and more physical than I expected,” noted Matthew Bradham (packinsider.com).
Twitterverse on Fire!
Based on Fantrax CFF ADP, identify the wide receiver that you want to select in CFF drafts:
Amare Thomas, UAB (ADP 146): 21%
Jacolby George, Miami (ADP 168): 21%
Ja’Kobi Lane, USC (ADP 327): 26%
DeMeer Blankumsee, Memphis (ADP 134): 32%
“DeMeer Blankumsee for me. I think he and his partner, Roc Taylor, are underrated.” @aceholesrule
“I went with DeMeer Blankumsee. Ja’Kobi Lane is interesting, but I’m not sure about the switch to the Big Ten for USC. It could be a non-issue. Blankumsee is the ‘safest’ pick. Memphis should be a top team and will have more opportunities to score than the others.” @ProbascoLuke