Future fantasy stars ran rampant as college football featured it’s first full weekend slate of the season. Week 1 of college football season shares the weekend though. There may not be on-field action for the NFL, but it’s a huge time for fantasy football managers as most drafts are held this weekend ahead of the NFL opener on Wednesday night.
Good fantasy football managers have a beat on the pulse of the NFL, it’s teams and players, tracking trends, targets and touches, the most hardcore fantasy managers are looking ahead. Before you trade away draft picks in your 2027 dynasty draft, make sure you’re following this new weekly article on Blitz Sports Media.
Each week I will highlight top performers of college football with hints of an NFL prospect evaluation and their potential future fantasy football outlook. Here are the future fantasy stars of week 1 in college football.
K.J. Duff, WR, Rutgers
In 2025, K.J. Duff set a high bar for himself, catching 60 passes for 1,084 yards and 7 TDs and was selected as Second Team All-Big 10 in his first year as a full time starter. With eyes for him as an NFL prospect, he didn’t disappoint in his 2026 debut.
Duff rallied 9 receptions for 196 yards and 3 TDs in Rutgers’ upset loss. His team may have been a disappointment, losing to a far inferior program, but future fantasy managers are far from disappointed. His stellar performance accounts for 42.1 points in a standard .5ppr league.
At 6’6″, 225 pounds, Duff’s size gives him a clear advantage over defensive backs, especially in the redzone. He doesn’t separate at a high level, but he doesn’t need to. His length, leaping ability and great contested catch skills give him the advantage in most redzone scenarios. Although he carries the build of a one-trick-pony in the paint, he’s a smooth mover for his size and has good feet to get off the line of scrimmage in a hurry. He’ll never be a burner, or run away from coverage, but he has enough skills outside of being a redzone threat to succeed at the next level.
I see him as a day 2 pick in the NFL draft as my WR6 with high TD upside for fantasy managers looking for a WR with upside to stash.
Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
Darian Mensah transferred to Miami from Duke to chase a National Championship and may just land near the top of the 2027 NFL Draft. As a prospect, he displays great arm talent. He drives the ball to all fields, throws a catchable deep ball, throws well on the run and leads receivers open to spots – an uncommon trait in college football.
All of the above were on display in his Miami debut, completing 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and 5 TDs, almost as if he was competing against air. Stanford was certainly no match for Mensah or the Miami offense, but the 6’3″, 205 pound QB did what he was supposed to and took care of business.
Adding a lone 5 yard rush to his prolific passing numbers, he accounted for 46.54 fantasy points which should undoubtedly get the attention of fantasy football owners. For the upcoming draft, he started the season as my QB4, but is already making a case as a riser and a potential top 5 selection.
See my complete top 10 QBs of the 2027 NFL Draft here: BlitzSportsMedia.com/Top10QB
Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida
The general consensus RB1 for the 2027 NFL Draft showed why he’s viewed that way in his season debut. 14 carries for 160 yards and 3 TDs and frankly, he made it look easy.
The would-be 34 fantasy points may become a nearly weekly occurrence as the clear lead back in the Florida offense. Although he toted only 14 of Florida’s 41 carries, it’s not a sign of things to come.
The Gators’ 66-21 dismantling of Florida Atlantic is the cause of the low volume of touches. Jadan Baugh will be rode right into the NFL Draft, where he’s expected to be the first running back selected. He will carry tremendous value in dynasty and redraft leagues alike as he’s almost certain to be a feature back in the NFL from day one.
