Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Breakout CFB Performances From Week 1 (2023)

Mike Marteny takes a look at 2023 breakout collegiate stars that will be available in your fantasy football dynasty drafts within the next year or two. Who shined in their 2023 debuts?

College football gets to rule the roost for one weekend a year, and what a glorious weekend it was! Utah, Florida State, and North Carolina all disposed of mighty SEC teams. USC put up video game numbers again. Who were the best of the best? Why should NFL fans care? That's why I'm here.

We are going to help you get acclimated with these college players earlier than many of your fantasy football league mates. We here at RotoBaller are all about giving you an advantage.

I will highlight one quarterback, one running back, and one wide receiver every week of the college season that put up some really big numbers, and I'll let you know what it means for your dynasty leagues. Do these guys have NFL futures? You'll find out!

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Quarterbacks

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (38-47, 510 yards, 4 TD at TCU)

Shedeur's first FBS game was on the road against the 2023 Runners-Up in college football. All he did was set nine Colorado passing records including yards, touchdowns, yards-per-attempt, and completions. Whatever the encore is, it will likely be a letdown.

Sanders has a Hall-of-Fame father (Deion Sanders) who is also his coach. He has a tireless work ethic just like his dad. In this game, he showed a precise and powerful deep arm and great touch on short passes. He'll be at the top of the 2025 class of NFL rookies.

Honorable mention: Michael Penix, Washington; Caleb Williams, USC

Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Running Backs

Kimani Vidal, Troy (25 carries, 248 yards; 2 receptions, 54 yards vs. Stephen F. Austin)

Vidal ran for 1,132 yards last year with the Trojans, so this didn't come out of nowhere. He was kept out of the end zone, but that's not entirely his fault. Breakaway speed isn't really Vidal's strength. He is a workhorse back, which some NFL teams still find appealing.

Vidal is a bit short (5' 8") and doesn't possess elite speed, but he is a good runner between the tackles. He weighs in at 215 pounds, so he can take a hit and keep right on going. Vidal will need to improve the little things in his game to make up for the size disadvantage, but at the very least, he can still be a valuable change-of-pace back at the next level thanks to his blocking ability and pass-catching ability.

Honorable mention: Rasheen Ali, Marshall; Jaydn Ott, California; Dylan Edwards, Colorado

Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Wide Receivers

Lincoln Victor, Washington State (11 receptions, 168 yards, 1 TD at Colorado State)

Victor hauled in 11 passes in a pass-happy Washington State attack. The senior is going to play a large role in this offense all season. Will his skills play at the next level?

Victor is a little undersized even for a slot guy, but he has good hands and runs really good routes. The NFL always has room for technically sound guys. He's going to put up good numbers for Washington State this year. A good combine could make him a late-round pick and give him a chance to stick on a pass-happy NFL team.

Honorable mention: Kris Mitchell, Florida International; Xavier Legette, South Carolina

Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Tight Ends

Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford (9 receptions, 138 yards, 1 TD at Hawaii)

Yurosek started becoming the focal point of the Stanford offense in the middle of 2022 when receivers started dropping like flies. It's not a surprise that he is new quarterback Ashton Daniels' favorite target.

Yurosek has excellent hands that play well at any level. He isn't quite as fast as Dalton Kincaid, but he is a similar player. The Bills are going to use Kincaid as a slot receiver this year. If that experiment goes well, teams will start looking at Yurosek even more as other teams look to imitate the Bills.

Honorable mention: Corey Dyches, Maryland; Cade Stover, Ohio State

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