This year, players identified in the weekly waiver wire column will be given one of 3 levels of interest: (1) monitor; (2) consider; or (3) priority. A player with a “monitor” designation should be added to your watch list. These players are not recommended as immediate pick ups. A player with a “consider” designation should be considered as a potential pick up for that week. Finally, and as the name suggests, a player with a “priority” designation is one who should be considered as a must pick up for that week.
This column is geared towards C2C players. There will be a separate waiver wire article for traditional CFF. However, there is likely to be overlap between the players mentioned in both articles.
Understand that there are several different types of traditional college fantasy and C2C leagues. Your takeaways from this weekly article should be calibrated for your specific league and format. For example, if your league has unlimited waivers, you could potentially consider any players identified in this weekly piece. On the other hand, if your waivers are limited, you will need to be selective about your waiver wire pick ups. To take it a step further, readers will need to consider whether they intend the pick up to serve pure college fantasy purposes, or, if playing in a Campus2Canton league, whether the proposed waiver wire pick up is a potential NFL talent. That distinction can be a difficult one to make, especially when made (1) with limited data to consider, (2) limited time in which to make the decision.
One more note, with 134 FBS teams, this list is unlikely to be exhaustive. Tune into the Campus2Canton podcast feed and YouTube to stay up to date.
With that said, here are the waiver wire candidates following week 1, in the order of suggested level of interest:
Ahmad Hardy, RB Louisiana Monroe. Level of Interest – Monitor.
It was the no star true freshman who would carry the load for the Warhawks in week 1 with 19 carries. The leading names on the depth chart, redshirt junior Hunter Smith and redshirt sophomore Bennett Galloway were nowhere to be found. It’s suspected that both were injured. Hardy should be monitored until this backfield is sorted out.
Tulsa: Kirk Francis QB, Kamdyn Benjamin WR, Zion Steptoe WR. Level of Interest – Monitor
Offensive Coordinator Steve Spurrier Jr. has roots with his father and Mike Leach at two separate stops. Tulsa is going to throw the ball a lot. The Golden Hurricanes have thrown at least 30 passes in their last 4 games dating back to last season. Redshirt freshman Kirk Francis got the nod late last season, but only played in 4 games to avoid burning his redshirt. He returns as the starter and could be considered if injuries pile up at your quarterback position later in the season. I am also monitoring his top targets in Kamdyn Benjamin and Zion Steptoe. Benjamin could be given a “consider” tag also.
Joe Lebas, QB Central Michigan. Level of Interest – Monitor
Lebas was highlighted last Wednesday night as a breakout candidate on Campus2Canton LIVE. After week 1, Lebas is top 20 in the nation in passing. The next two weeks get tough for Central Michigan before conference play begins. Lebas is a fun one to monitor, but is not a consideration for pick up at this time.
Darian Mensah QB, Tulane. Level of Interest – Monitor
The redshirt freshman Mensah was a surprise start over upperclassmen Ty Thompson and Kai Horton. Mensah was efficient but unspectacular in his first action. Place him on the watch list and continue to monitor his progress.
Dijon Stanley, RB Utah. Level of Interest – Monitor
Stanley was down right explosive in week 1 for the Utes. The running back led the team in carries, rushing yardage, and receiving yards. He had two scores from 60+ yards out. But Utah spread the ball out in week 1. Even though Stanley led the team in carries, he did so with a grand total of 6. Stanley is also not built like the busier types that we’ve seen have success for coach Kyle Whittingham. If the backfield volume is ever concentrated in fewer backs, then Stanley could have some value. Right now, he should only be considered for watch lists. Consider him a poorman’s Dylan Edwards from the Colorado Buffaloes last season.
Kam Shanks, WR UAB. Level of Interest – Monitor
The diminutive redshirt freshman scored on a punt return and was heavily involved in the offense. He even out touched Volume Pigs tout Amare Thomas. UAB wants to throw the ball under second year head coach Trent Dilfer. So Shanks is one to watch, but probably not one to pick up at this point.
Donavon Greene, WR Wake Forest. Level of Interest – Monitor
Greene burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman after torching North Carolina in a back and forth shootout between Sam Howell and Sam Hartman. Injuries have held him back since. At full health, Greene is rangy, athletic and explosive. Not one to pick up immediately, but he should be on your watch list. His slot teammate Taylor Morin is a high floor, low ceiling option if not already rostered in your league.
Nick Nash, WR San Jose State. Level of Interest – Monitor
Nash has been around college football for a long time. First as a quarterback, now as a receiver. While 15 targets and 47 fantasy points is certainly enough to get my attention, it is plausible that Nash just had his best performance of the season. The senior had over 700 yards receiving in 2023. So he could be building on that foundation. I am not rushing to pick him up just yet. But he should be on the radar.
Ethan Vasko, QB Coastal Carolina. Level of Interest – Monitor
Vasko should have a high floor every week thanks to his rushing production. He had 12 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown in week one on his way to a 25 point fantasy performance. There are several quarterbacks that you’d rather start. So Vasko is merely one to monitor at this point.
Drelon Miller, WR Colorado. Level of Interest – Monitor
It was certainly a surprise to see Miller, a true freshman, get the first two touches of the season for the Buffaloes. He quickly faded after those two plays. However, Miller may have a much larger role looking to the future beyond Jimmy Horn, Travis Hunter and Lajohntay Wester. Miller isn’t a consideration now. But he could be a sneaky up before the end of the season with an eye towards 2025.
Harrison Wallace, WR Penn State. Level of Interest – Monitor
The question all offseason was who would Drew Allar throw to under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. We may have our answer in class of 2021 receiver Harrison Wallace. The Nittany Lions prioritized the run and only completed 12 passes. So it is unlikely that volume will be there moving forward for Wallace. He’s worth monitoring, but probably nothing more at this point. With that being said, someone in your league is likely to stash Wallace this week.
Joe Royer, TE Cincinnati. Level of Interest – Monitor
This writer had been highlighting Indiana to Cincinnatti transfer Brendan Sorsby for much of the offseason. There will be much tougher tests for the Bearcats than a woeful Towson team. But the Cincinnati offense will be intriguing all season. Royer has NFL size and had nearly 90 yards receiving yesterday for the Bearcats. These two things alone warrant at least watching Royer in the weeks to come.
Wayshawn Parker, RB Washington State. Level of Interest – Monitor
I’ve been a big advocate of Washington State this offseason. The Cougars present a former Power 5 roster, now playing a Mountain West schedule. The opponents will get tougher than Sacramento State, but not to the level of competition of the former PAC 12. Parker appears to be the lead of a team that will run only as a secondary option. But having the RB 1 on a high scoring offense is never a bad option.
Isaiah Neyor and Jahmal Banks, WRs Nebraska. Level of Interest – Monitor
It was a great debut for Dylan Railoa and his pass catchers, specifically Neyor who was once a prized transfer portal pick up at Texas. There are no daunting matchups in the Cornhuskers’ next 6 games, so both Banks and Neyor could be considerations. However, it’s likely that you have options with higher ceilings on your roster, or that you will prioritize at receiver this week with a higher ceiling than these two.
Sire Gaines, RB Boise State. Level of Interest – Consider
The true freshman had been receiving buzz all summer and fall. Now, it’s evident that he will be the next man up for Boise State after Ashton Jeanty leaves the program. Gaines started his collegiate career with 110 yards rushing and a touchdown. It’s unlikely you will start him every week. But he just might be an RB 1 or 2 in 2025.
Diego Pavia, QB Vanderbilt. Level of Interest – Consider
Pavia comes to Nashville from New Mexico with his mentor Jerry Kill. Vanderbilt’s schedule is surprisingly workable, especially considering its SEC slate. If he continues to have 40%+ of the team’s carries while being serviceable as a passer, he will have a very high floor for fantasy points.
Floyd Chalk, RB San Jose State. Level of Interest – Consider
With 18 carries in week 1, Chalk accounted for 58% of the rushing attempts for the Spartans. Coach Ken Niumatalolo has a long history of prioritizing the run, dating back to his time at Navy, where he mentored a student coach named Connor Stalions. At 5’7, 200 pounds, Chalk is a bowling ball who can carry the load. Bellcow running backs are hard to come by in fantasy football, regardless of format. That makes Chalk a consideration to pick up.
Jam Griffin, RB and Anthony Hankerson, RB Oregon State. Level of Interest – Priority
Oregon State is somewhat of a forgotten team after the mass exodus this offseason. But the dismantling of the PAC 12 may make Oregon State a sneaky team from a college fantasy standpoint given the weaker Mountain West centric schedule. Griffin and Hankerson both put up 20+ carries for over 150 yards rushing. Oregon State ran 58 times and only passed 14 times. Starting quarterback Gevani McCoy only threw the ball 10 times. The upcoming schedule generally looks cushy, with the exception of Oregon next week. Other than that game, could Griffin and Hankerson be starters all season?
Jordan Waters, RB NC State. Level of Interest – Priority.
Waters was the runaway bellcow for the Wolfpack in week 1. He had 20 carries. The next leading ball carrier had 3. Volume is king for running backs. Waters appears poised to get it.
Kenny Johnson, WR Pitt. Level of Interest – Priority
Johnson had 7 receptions for over 100 yards on 8 targets from new quarterback Eli Holstein. That alone would be intriguing, but a deeper review of Johnson’s profile warrants strong consideration for a week 1 pick up. As a true freshman in 2023, Johnson broke 7 of the 8 Year 1 Zero thresholds. He missed the eighth by failing to record a rushing touchdown. Johnson was picked 1st overall in the team’s spring game draft. It was evident in week 1 that Pittsburgh intends to scheme up Johnson as the primary target for Holstein. In watching him, Johnson should be considered a player with plus hands and ball tracking ability. But his athletic ceiling is not quite clear to this writer at this juncture. Still, Johnson should be considered as a pick up this week.
Savion Williams, WR TCU. Level of Interest – Priority
Williams was targeted a whopping 17 times in the team’s debut against Stanford. In their last seven games dating back to last season, quarterback Josh Hoover is throwing the ball 45 times per game, including more than 50 attempts in 3 of those contests. Williams being at the center of that passing game makes him the number 1 addition off the waiver wire this week.
Devon Dampier, QB New Mexico. Level of Interest – Priority
His game against FCS Montana State put him on the map. But his game against Arizona solidified his status amongst the elite college fantasy options for 2024. 130 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns on the ground along with 260 yards passing and 3 touchdowns through the air. You won’t want to play him in his next game against Auburn, but it will be tough to find a starter you prefer over Dampier for the remaining portion of the season.
