Week 1 Overview
If you didn’t read the QB column, below are two games we are looking at as favorable from a pace and game script perspective.
Baylor at Auburn (59.5 total): Baylor drives the pace in this matchup after playing at the second-fastest tempo among all Power 4 teams in 2025. They averaged 31.1 PPG while surrendering 32.6 PPG (122nd nationally). Auburn played relatively fast last year, averaging 26.8 PPG (74th). Following the midseason dismissal of Hugh Freeze, Auburn hired former South Florida head coach Alex Golesh. Golesh led the fastest-paced offense in the nation last season and brought his USF quarterback and key transfers with him. Expect a high-scoring environment in this game.
Texas State at Texas (59.5 total): Both offenses push a relentless tempo—Texas State ranks 21st nationally in pace, while Texas ranks 22nd among Power 4 programs. Both teams thrive on big plays to drive scoring; despite ranking in the top 30 in scoring offense (Texas State at 36.6 PPG, Texas at 30.5 PPG), fast-striking drives leave Texas State 86th in time of possession and Texas 110th.
Here are the games on the slate with current point spreads and totals.
Running Backs
Navigating Week 1 running backs requires balancing talent, price, and projected workload. Below is the breakdown of the Week 1 RB slate, grouped into clear tiers to help you construct optimal lineups.
Top Tier
- Cam Cook (WVU) | $8,700
- Analysis: West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez and quarterback Michael Hawkins get a dream matchup against Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers ranked 132nd in total defense last season, including 129th against the run. Cook, who rushed for over 1,600 yards in 2025 as the nation’s leading rusher at Jax State, enters an elite spot. Expect heavy ownership, but he is fully worth paying up for against one of the softest run defenses on the slate.
- Nate Sheppard (Duke) | $7,900
- Analysis: As a true freshman in 2025, Sheppard broke out with over 1,000 rushing yards. Duke lost its starting QB and top WR to transfer, leaving Sheppard as the offense’s clear focal point. Opponent Tulane struggled against the run in 2025, and after Sheppard posted 96 yards and a touchdown against them in Week 0, Duke will rely heavily on him to set the tone again.
- Evan Dickens (Boston College) | $6,700
- Analysis: The Liberty transfer dominated down the stretch in 2025, topping 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns on heavy workload (151 carries over his final five games). Opponent Cincinnati fielded a weak run defense in 2025, giving up 187.8 yards per game (108th nationally). With Boston College retooling its offensive line and Bill O’Brien calling plays, Dickens offers elite volume potential at a mid-tier price.
- Jeremiah Cobb (Auburn) | $6,000
- Analysis: Cobb steps into a massive opportunity in head coach Alex Golesh’s fast-paced offense after rushing for 969 yards last season. Auburn faces a Baylor defense that surrendered 206.5 rushing yards per game in 2025. Given the high-tempo game environment and Cobb’s discounted price tag, he stands out as one of the best overall values on the slate.
Mid Tier
- Makhi Hughes (Houston) | $7,600
- Analysis: After dynamic seasons at Tulane in 2023 and 2024 (nearly 2,800 yards, 22 TDs), Hughes lands at Houston to replace Dean Connors. He faces an Oregon State defense that allowed 157.4 rushing yards per game in 2025. While he shares the backfield with QB Conner Weigman, Hughes holds big-play ability and high touchdown upside.
- Hollywood Smothers (Texas) | $7,100
- Analysis: The NC State transfer steps into a marquee role in Steve Sarkisian’s offense. Texas faces a Texas State unit that allowed over 166 rushing yards per game in 2025 (86th nationally). Smothers brings dynamic rushing and receiving skills, making him a strong candidate for red-zone touches despite sharing work with Raleek Brown.
- Dierre Hill Jr. (Oregon) | $6,900
- Analysis: Hill averaged an impressive 8.74 yards per carry as a freshman in 2025. Coming in at $500 cheaper than backfield teammate Jordon Davison—and with Davison nursing an August injury—Hill serves as a strong play in Oregon’s favorable matchup against Boise State.
- Turbo Richard (Indiana) | $6,600
- Analysis: With Indiana’s top two backs departing for the NFL, the BC transfer gets immediate volume in Curt Cignetti’s run-heavy scheme. Facing Ball State, Indiana should control the game easily, giving Richard plenty of touches to produce.
Sleepers & Value
- Dawson Pendergrass (Baylor) | $6,500
- Analysis: Missed 2025 due to injury after posting over 600 yards and 6 TDs in 2024. Now fully healthy, he steps into the clear lead-back role. In a fast-paced matchup against Auburn, Pendergrass should approach 20 touches at a reasonable salary.
- Raleek Brown (Texas) | $6,400
- Analysis: The former USC receiver turned electric runner will rotate with Hollywood Smothers. Sarkisian confirmed Brown will see significant touches, giving him substantial tournament upside due to his game-breaking speed.
- Khobie Martin (Indiana) | $6,300
- Analysis: Shares carries with Turbo Richard in Indiana’s ground attack. Martin comes at a $300 discount relative to Richard, making him an ideal budget path to Indiana’s backfield workload against Ball State.
- Isaiah West (Ohio State) | $6,100
- Analysis: With Ohio State expected to handle Ball State handily, West should see increased late-game carries as the Buckeyes preserve their primary starters ahead of their upcoming matchup against Texas.
- Duncan Brune (Ohio) | $5,400
- Analysis: Coming off a 600-yard season, Brune projects as Ohio’s starting RB. Facing a Nebraska defense that yielded 183.8 rushing yards per game in 2025, Brune offers guaranteed volume (15–20 touches) at a low salary.
- Maurice Turner (Duke) | $5,000
- Analysis: With Jamauri McClure ruled out due to injury, Turner steps into an expanded role against a Tulane defense that allowed 146.3 rushing yards per game in 2025. He serves as a top salary saver at the minimum price tier.
Fades
- Carson Hansen (Penn State) | $7,700
- Analysis: The Iowa State transfer joins a Penn State backfield that historically rotates touches. With a completely revamped offensive line featuring only one returning starter, Hansen’s $7,700 price tag is too steep for a split backfield.
- Bo Jackson (Ohio State) | $7,500
- Analysis: Though talented, Jackson faces a crowded rotation with Isaiah West pushing for reps, alongside potential blowout script limits against Ball State and saving starters for a big matchup in Week 2 against Texas.
- Jordon Davison (Oregon) | $7,400
- Analysis: A minor injury in August makes his Week 1 workload uncertain, making Dierre Hill Jr. ($6,900) the preferred Oregon option.
- Daniel Hill (Alabama) | $7,300
- Analysis: Alabama named co-starters at RB, introducing freshman Trae’Shawn Brown to the mix. Opponent East Carolina brings a solid front seven (top-30 run defense in 2025), making Hill an easy pass at $7,300.
- Zylan Perry (Cincinnati) | $6,200
- Analysis: The Louisiana transfer faces stiff competition from Zion Johnson and Gi’Bran Payne in a tough matchup against Boston College.
Injuries / Out
- Jamauri McClure (Duke) | $6,800: OUT (Upgrades Maurice Turner to a top value option)
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