Welcome to the world of College Fantasy Football (CFF). It’s the wild wild west, but luckily for you, there are plenty of resources out there to help you in your drafts on Underdog and Fantrax. Consider this article your introduction into the world of CFB best ball drafts and the very first thing to think about is the difference between NFL best ball drafts and College Football best ball drafts. Let’s break it down…
College Football Players Score More than NFL Players Do
When it comes to NFL vs. CFB, there’s no doubt who scores more. It’s the young men representing their universities. Last year’s top-scoring NFL team was the Dallas Cowboys at 29.9 points per game. Seven teams wound up scoring more than 25 points per game when it was all said and done.
When you look at the college side, the top-scoring team was LSU at 45.5 points per game. It wasn’t just LSU as 50 teams scored more than the Cowboys did in 2023.
Stacking Isn’t Necessary
In the NFL, stacking is something everyone is trying to do. This is because you’re looking to double-dip on touchdowns and overall success in offenses.
In college football, this isn’t something you have to do. Sure, drafting Sean Atkins with Byrum Brown (USF WR and QB) is fun, but it’s not required. Look at this year’s top returning quarterback and you’ll see what I mean. Of the top 11 returning quarterbacks in CFF, seven of them ran for 10+ touchdowns. Nine of them ran for 7+ touchdowns.
When you look at their yardage on the ground, two ran for 1,000+ yards while three more ran for 700+ yards. Quarterbacks that typically win you leagues in CFF are high-powered machines that get you fantasy points in the air as well as on the ground.
Now, if you have the opportunity to stack your quarterback with their top receiver in CFB Best Ball leagues, it certainly can’t hurt. For quarterbacks that have no real rushing upside at all, consider stacking with their top receiver more often than not. I suggested three quarterbacks you should stack here.
Look for Volume
Volume is the name of the game in a lot of ways. Players can see upwards for 130+ targets in 13 games. Running backs will tote the rock 250+ times every season. Now, those are extreme numbers, but it goes to show that college coaches aren’t afraid to test the limits of these 18-22 year olds.
In a lot of ways, the volume isn’t just about overall touches, but also about touchdown equity. Sixty players scored 10+ touchdowns last season. Fourteen scored 15+ touchdowns. Securing volume is a really great way to raise your team’s floor. Between targets, carries, and touchdowns, this is extremely different from the NFL where last year’s rushing attempt leaders were Derrick Henry (280), Christian McCaffrey (272), and Rachaad White (272) and that was in 16-17 games.
Systems Matter, Not Talent
Look, I love the heck out of college football and the players that I watch every weekend, but most are going to go professional in something other than football. When you’re looking at who to draft in your CFB Best Ball leagues, don’t go off of NFL potential or “devy” ranks. Instead, focus solely on players in offensive systems that produce points. And if they’re talented that’s a bonus.
Florida Atlantic and Washington State’s slot receiver is going to see a ton of targets. The same can be said for the top guy at Louisville, Colorado State, Missouri, and Texas State. The run game at Oklahoma State, TCU, Kansas State, and Texas is always going to be one you want to target in your drafts. When was the last time Steve Sarkisian didn’t produce a great CFF running back? I’ll wait while you realize it’s like never happened.
And while this next one isn’t really a difference between NFL and CFB, it’d be crazy not to mention it…
All Teams Can Provide Value
When you’re drafting, be sure to keep an open mind for players that aren’t in the P4 conferences. Just because the player is on a smaller school like a Utah State or Fresno State or Bowling Green doesn’t make them a poor option in CFB Best Ball. Arguably the top QB, RB, WR and TE come from the G5 conferences.
If anything, keep an additional eye on those G5 players as they may slip in your drafts because who would ever think that Pofele Ashlock from Hawai’i is a top ten receiver? At least this year, the talent favors the P4 conferences, but the G5 has plenty of options to target early and often in your drafts.
