College football kicks off its 2026 season today with a seven game DFS slate for us. We are pumped to get back on the field and attack our favorite Daily Fantasy Sport. There are some solid games with the potential for high scoring. The RB position is stacked with talent but I see the best options below the top 3-4 highest salaried players.
Top Tier
- King Miller (USC | $7,700): Stepped up massively during Waymond Jordan’s injury last year, racking up 972 yards, 8 TDs, and four 100-plus yard games. The powerful, explosive sophomore comes at a discount compared to Jordan and holds a slight edge for goal-line work.
- Ousmane Kromah (FSU | $7,300): Emerged from fall camp as the lead back despite the arrival of star Texas transfer Tre Wisner. He faces a highly favorable matchup against an NMSU defense that allowed 165 rushing yards per game and ranked 201st in DFS points allowed to running backs.
- DJ Scott (NDSU | $6,900): As the Bison make the jump to the FBS, they lean on their historically dominant line play. With an unproven quarterback under center, expect NDSU to heavily lean on Scott to control the clock against a porous Jack St run defense.
- Jamar Curtis (Sacramento St | $6,800): Eastern Michigan surrendered the most rushing yards in the country last season (134th out of 134). The Lafayette transfer earned the Week 0 starting nod for the Hornets and is primed for a massive breakout performance.
- Jekail Middlebrook (UVA | $6,000): Steps in from MTSU to replace star J’Mari Taylor behind an experienced, solid offensive line. Beyond his rushing duties, he brings elite receiving skills after hauling in 40 catches last season, making him a strong play against an NC State front missing key pieces.
Mid Tier
- Waymond Jordan (USC | $8,000): Was dominant in 2025 before a right ankle injury against Michigan, averaging 6.5 YPC and totaling 576 yards in 6 games. Now fully healthy, he will split reps with King Miller; his high price tag means he likely needs multiple scores—including a long play—to hit value.
- Jai’Dean Thomas (UNLV | $7,800): A explosive weapon coming off a 1,000-yard, 13-TD campaign. The primary hesitation is volume, as he averaged just 12 carries per game last year, and Memphis limited opponents to 131 rushing yards per contest.
- Micah Ford (Stanford | $6,300): Coming off a team-leading 643 rushing yards in 2025—the most by a Cardinal since 2019. However, he operates behind a suspect offensive line and draws a tough opening matchup against a top-50 Hawaii rush defense.
Sleeper
- Jayden Scott (NC State | $6,100): Positioned as the 9th most expensive back on the slate, offering great value. He benefits from playing alongside a premium passing attack that creates natural spacing, plus elite pass-catching utility.
- Dallan Hayden (Memphis | $5,500): Amid a massive roster overhaul under new coach Charles Huff, depth charts point to the senior Hayden leading the backfield over sophomore Jaylin Carter. While the Memphis backfield carries some volatility, the matchup against UNLV’s bottom-tier 2025 run defense offers sleeper upside.
- Joey Mattord (EMU | $5,000): Listed as the starter atop the depth chart, though he faces internal competition from Amareon Blue and Braydon Bennett. After a quiet 2025 season, the former three-star recruit gets a prime bounce-back spot against Sacramento State.
Fade
- Quintrevion Wisner (FSU | $6,500): Battled injuries throughout fall camp following his transfer to Tallahassee. With FSU heavily favoring Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. while Wisner gets up to speed, it is best to leave him on the bench in Week 0.
- Cam Barfield (Hawaii | $5,800): Hawaii ranked 128th in rushing offense last year, as head coach Timmy Chang’s system relies almost exclusively on the aerial attack.
- Jaylin Carter (Memphis | $5,700): With 81 new players brought in under new coach Charles Huff, Carter sits behind senior Dallan Hayden on early depth charts, making him a risky option to trust right out of the gate.
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