Things were a lot more standard in the world of college fantasy during Week 3. If week 1 was the points extravaganza and Week 2 was the head-scratcher with bust after the bust performance, Week 3 was a return to a happy medium. In many cases, we’re beginning to see the CFF fool’s gold get separated from real gold as teams start to play in-conference matchups. We’re also quickly approaching the point in the season where CFF managers will no longer be able to get rest-of-season studs at a discount. Your waiver wire adds over the next week or two will prove crucial to making up the core of your team the rest of the season.
With that being said, let’s take a look at who you could be grabbing off the waiver wire to either continue your dominance or turn your season around! All players mentioned are sub-30 % rostered in Fantrax CFF leagues.
Quarterbacks
Caden Veltkamp – Western Kentucky – Ros: 10%
The Hilltoppers are on their fourth play-caller in as many years. It’s completely expected that the level of turnover will have diminishing returns, eventually. After all, they can’t nail every OC hire, and they most certainly did not last year.
Now, under OC Will Friend, we didn’t see a hot start for starting QB TJ Finley for fantasy purposes, but I think that was somewhat of a mirage. Finley threw for only 92 yards vs Alabama, which I’m not holding against him. The next week was disappointing for Finley vs. Eastern Kentucky, but only in the TD department. Finley threw 39 times for 351 yards, so the bones of a good CFF performance were there, just had some bad TD luck.
The signs were there for a productive offense from WKU, but unfortunately, Finley wouldn’t see the benefits of it. During the first drive vs. MTSU, he went down with injury and was later seen in crutches, indicating a long-term injury. His replacement is our first waiver pickup of the week and, in my opinion, the most important of the week: Caden Veltkamp.
Veltkamp made his claim to fame when he came in during the bowl game vs. Old Dominion in 2023 and led the Hilltoppers to a come-from-behind 38-35 OT victory after being down 28-0 in the beginning of the 2nd quarter. That day, Veltkamp threw the ball 52 times for 383 yards and 5 TDs and ran the ball 19 times for 53 yards. With that performance, we thought we had seen the birth of the next great WKU QB. Unfortunately, the staff thought differently, which is why they added and started TJ Finley.
We thought that was the end of it until this past weekend after Finley went down. Veltkamp took his place and wowed the world. On the day against MTSU, Veltkamp threw 30 times for 398 yards and 5 TDs while adding a TD on the ground. While the efficiency and competition percentage certainly can’t be expected every week, it’s clear this offense looks great under Veltkamp in both of his performances. So long as Finley is out and WKU is playing against C-USA competition, history tells us we’re looking at a fantasy stud in Veltkamp, making him the must-add of the week.
Billy Edwards – Maryland – Ros: 9%
Well, well, well, look who has evolved far beyond a goal-line wildcat QB. Given what we’d seen out of Billy Edwards in his career, I never expected to see him starting full-time for the Terrapins. I mean, for God’s sake, his one start in 2023 resulted in a 30.0% completion percentage. So imagine my surprise when buzz started circulating that Edwards was beating out CFF favorite MJ Morris in camp. Now, imagine my surprise when I watched him play over the season’s first few weeks. Edwards has turned himself into a solid startable option in most leagues.
Edwards has been remarkably consistent over the first three games of the season. He’s hit 250+ yards passing in every game, 2 TDs in each game, and has scored a rushing TD in 2 of the last three games. His fantasy totals have been 24.34, 24.22, and 25.72 points in 40 passing TD leagues. While it does not appear Edwards can offer the upside of some other CFF options, there’s certainly some value in someone like him who can get you a very high floor each week.
This shouldn’t be all that surprising given the kind of performances Taulia Tagovailoa gave us the last three years. Tagovailoa finished as QB28 in 2021, QB38 in 2022, and QB26 in 2023. If Edwards follows a similar path, he could be a major piece for CFF teams looking to get some consistency in their rosters. The major caveat with Edwards is that his final six games are brutal: USC, Minnesota, Oregon, Rutgers, Iowa, and Penn State. His next three games are fantastic: Villanova, Indiana, and Northwestern.
Tucker Gleason – Toledo – Ros: 21%
We’ve been teased with Tucker Gleason for multiple years now at Toledo. The former Georgia Tech QB has waited patiently behind DeQuan Finn in the 2021 season. During that time, we’ve seen Gleason start multiple times with Finn going down to injury. Many of these performances have shown an upside that could be lethal in CFF if unlocked. Specifically, his performance against Bowling Green in 2022, where he passed for 329 yards and 3 TDs, with another 106 yards and 2 TDs on the ground, comes to mind. Now, with Finn at Baylor, Gleason is getting his chance, and he’s been solid so far.
Gleason is not known as a passer. He’s had multiple stinker performances throwing the ball, including one this season where he only completed 8 of 23 passes. However, the Rockets look like they’ll be riding on this passing game more than expected. While the loss of DeQuan Finn at QB was a blow, Peny Boone’s loss was an even bigger one. The rushing game for Toledo doesn’t have a go-to, with Willie Shaw II, Connor Walendzak, and Jacquez Stuart in a committee, and none of them averaging over 4.5 yards a carry.
This had led to Gleason getting a load of opportunities through the air, which has resulted in 3 TDs in each game so far. It also helps him have two top-end MAC receivers, Junior Vandeross and Jerjuan Newton. If Gleason keeps this passing up and gets his legs fully unleashed, he could be absolutely dynamite as MAC play ensues.
Honorable Mentions
- Kurtis Rourke – Indiana – 26%
- Alan Bowman – Oklahoma State – 19%
- Arch Manning – Texas – 34% (HM only because of >30% Ros %)
Running Backs
Micah Bernard – Utah – Ros: 17%
If you listened to last week’s Waiver Wire episode of Chasing the Natty, you know my honorable mentions were littered with what I called potential “committee busters”. Micah Bernard was one of these. Kyle Whittingham and his OC Andy Ludwig have produced some top-end CFF RBs in the past (Think Tavion Thomas in 2021, Ty Jordan in 2020, Zach Moss in 2019, etc), but the last two years have been a mess at the position.
This year was expected to be much the same, with Micah Bernard, Jaylon Glover, and Mike Mitchell expected to be viable options for the Utes. However, the last two weeks have clarified that Micah Bernard will be the focal point of this rushing attack moving forward.
It is unclear if this was always the plan from the Utes or if this is being done out of necessity. Bernard hit the portal during the off-season, and the staff went out of their way to lure him back to the team, so clearly, the staff had plans for him. It is also possible that the injury to Cam Rising has forced the team to change its approach on offense, especially with true freshman Isaac Wilson behind center.
Regardless of how it came about, Bernard is a clear addi to CFF teams right now, given the ceiling of Whittingham’s RBs. Bernard, in the last two weeks, has seen 19+ touches in each game and has broken 100 yards and a TD in both. With a Big XII schedule ahead, Bernard should have plenty of opportunities to put up some big performances for CFF teams in need of a jump start among their RBs.
Rahjai Harris – East Carolina – Ros: 12%
I mentioned the “Committee Busters” when talking about Bernard, but I also mentioned Rahjai Harris at East Carolina. Much like Utah, East Carolina wasn’t expected to have a feature back coming into the season, with Harris, Javious Bond, and Marlon Gunn all coming back with healthy levels of experience. In the first game against Norfolk, the backfield mostly played out as expected, and Harris only got seven touches. Then, the week two game against Old Dominion showed a very different dynamic, with Harris getting 26 carries against the Monarchs, resulting in 131 yards and 2 TDs. This does not appear to be a fluke as Harris got 19 touches against Appalachian State, resulting in 87 yards, but no trip to the endzone.
As long as Harris breaks away from the rest of the backfield in carries, he must be rostered in as many places as possible. Through three games, Harris has 50 carries, meanwhile the next closest RB is Marlon Gunn at 15. The staff seems to be letting the senior have one last road to glory in his final year, which could spell great things down the road. According to our numbers at C2CWinningEdge, East Carolina has the easiest schedule in the country. That means plenty of opportunities for the Pirates to either lead in games or to be forced into shootouts. For a back like Harris, that is a win-win scenario.
Demie Sumo-Karngbaye – Kentucky – Ros: 3%
Another “committee buster”, however this is not one that I had mentioned last week. We all know how great guys like Chris Rodriguez and Ray Davis were as the top backs for the Kentucky Wildcats during their reigns. That looked to be something of the past heading into the season. It was, at first, expected that Kentucky added Ohio State transfer Chip Trayanum to be their next workhorse.
However, as the spring and fall progressed, it was clear Trayanum wasn’t seperating himself and the likes of Demie Sumo-Karmgbaye and true-freshman Jason Patterson were in position to eat into his carries. Then Trayanum broke his hand, which may have killed any remaining hope for him.
In Trayanum’s absence, the Wildcats began with a committee approach, as expected. However, as the weeks have gone on, former NC State RB Demie Sumo-Karmgbaye (AKA Slimy Shark), has become the top choice for Mark Stoops and his staff. He saw 18 touches vs South Carolina and had an impressive performance in the near upset against Georgia, running 22 times for 98 times with a couple of catches too.
He’s been helped by the absence of Trayanum, as well as Patterson in last week’s game, but Sumo-Karmgbaye is performing well enough that this staff may want to keep riding with him, especially if Brock Vandagriff continues to limit the passing game. He has Ohio on deck this week before Trayanum potentially returns, so at the very least, if you’re concerned about Trayanum, you should get one big performance for this week.
Honorable Mentions
- Billy Lucas – Liberty – 3% (Might be more valuable than Sumo depending on severity of Cooley’s injury)
- Christian Washington – Coastal Carolina – 5%
- Braedon Sloan – Ball State – 28%
- Caden Durham – LSU – 19%
- Fluff Bothwell – South Alabama – 6%
Wide Receivers
Cade McDonald – Miami, OH – Ros: 5%
If you’re someone who has been struggling at WR and is in desperate need of some good options off the wire, boy, is this the week for you. Narrowing this down to 3 guys for this column felt like a near-impossible task, to the point I considered dropping all names into a hat and drawing out three random names. The list of good WR options off the wire extends beyond what you’ll find, even among the honorable mentions in this article, so be sure to check out this week’s episode of Chasing the Natty to get a comprehensive list of all the WRs to consider.
The first name I settled on to discuss is Miami, OH Redhawk, Cade McDonald. I’m surprised at myself and the rest of the CFF community that there wasn’t more discussion in the off-season about the Redhawk WR1. Chuck Smith has been a face of the MAC since his start in 2014, and part of his brand has been top-end WR production year after year. Veteran CFF players remember the string of WRs the Redhawks have granted us the last few years. Names like Gage Larvadain last season (24 tgts in first two weeks before he got hurt), Mac Hippenhammer (101 tgts in 2022) and Jack Sorenson (107 tgts in 2021). Now, it looks as if Cade McDonald is set to carry on the mantel.
In the first three weeks of the season, McDonald has averaged ten targets per game and has seen 100+ yards in both matchups. What is even more impressive is that both of these performances were against a Power 4-level competition. He pulled in 8 catches for 105 yards against Northwestern and followed it up after the bye week with 8 catches for 135 yards and a TD against Cincinnati.
Obviously, neither team is a juggernaut of the Power 4, but regardless, CFF players have to wonder if McDonald can do that consistently against tougher competition; what happens with Miami, OH’s schedule shifts to the MAC after their date with Notre Dame this week? The system history, the performance, and the upcoming schedule are all lining up for McDonald to be a key add down the stretch for CFF 2024.
Andrew Armstrong – Arkansas – Ros: 31%
I had Andrew Armstrong as an honorable mention last week after his 13 targets against Oklahoma State, which resulted in 10 catches for 164 yards. However, I wanted to wait one more week, given that Armstrong was up and down in his performances last season as well. All Armstrong did was follow up his week two performance with another 13-target game, this time pulling in 8 catches for 137 yards. Armstrong has yet to find the endzone, but as with anyone getting this kind of volume, that will rectify itself.
The rehiring of Bobby Petrino may not make Arkansas fans feel good when they go to church on Sundays, but the offensive returns are clear as day. This Razorback offense looks much more competent than what we’ve seen in the last couple of years. Armstrong is clearly a huge part of this team moving forward. Even though he’s only played two games, Armstrong is already the #1 target on the year for the Razorbacks and there’s little doubt that will stop anytime soon.
Arkansas, as always, has a rough schedule coming up, including five of his next six opponents ranked in the current AP Top 25. However, with Taylen Green at QB, Armstrong will always have a chance to score late in games, even if they’re getting blown out.
Luke Floriea – Kent State – Ros: 4%
Chrishon McCray is already a known quantity among CFF circles, but what about his partner in crime, Luke Floriea? McCray currently leads the Golden Flashes in targets, but Floriea has been the more consistent receiver through 3 weeks. Out of the slot, Floriea has brought in 70%+ of his targets, and he’s been able to generate more yards after catch than McCray, leading to their disparity in production despite McCray’s advantage in opportunities.
In the season’s first two games, CFF players had to like what they saw from Floriea. Against Pitt, Floriea was targeted 11 times for six catches, 104 yards, and a TD. He followed that up against St Francis with eight targets, six catches, 92 yards, and a TD. His performance against Tennessee was pitiful, but given how the rest of the game went for the Golden Flashes, there is no surprise there. Kent State has one more flogging to get through in Penn State this week, but after that, it’s nothing but MACtion ahead for Kent State. Floriea should be able to thrive there, as he did admirably when McCray went down last year during that same stretch, including two 10+ target and 90+ yard games.
Honorable Mentions
- Devonte Ross – Troy – 6%
- Omari Kelly – MTSU – 20%
- DeZhaun Stribling – Oklahoma State – 15%
- Giles Jackson – Washington – 18%
- Pat Bryant – Illinois – 18%
Tight Ends
Eli Wilson – Appalachian State – Ros: 8%
I’ll be real: there is no savior at the tight end of the waiver wire this week. Tanner Koziol is still available in a lot of leagues, and I’d list him here, except I already discussed him last week.
One name I’m getting more interested in is Eli Wilson, TE out of Appalachian State. This Appalachian State passing game has been a source of some great CFF WRs in the past, but they haven’t been somewhere people have looked for CFF TE production. However, when I looked up Wilson in previous years, lo and behold, he did finish as the TE32 in 2023. That’s not good enough for a starting role in CFF, but it indicated potentially something more down the line.
Now, in his senior season, Wilson clearly is a big part of this Mountaineer passing games. He’s seen 4+ targets in each of the first three games and even saw seven against East Carolina last week. He’s found the endzone against each of the non-Clemson opponents they’ve faced so far, so clearly, when down in the redzone, Aguilar is looking for his big target in Wilson. Wilson won’t be a potential positional advantage, but he should provide a solid floor, especially in PPR or TE Premium leagues.
Honorable Mentions
- Tanner Koziol – Ball State – 28% (If he’s available, he’s a higher priority than Wilson)
- Eli Stowers – Vanderbilt – 6%
