Week 1 College Fantasy Football Rankings (Top 300) - RB, WR, QB, TE

September 4, 2026

RotoBaller's Week 1 college fantasy football rankings for all positions in 2026. Set winning CFB fantasy lineups with these RB, WR, QB, TE rankings for 2026.

After a long offseason wait, college football is finally here! It's officially game week for most college football teams in Week 1 after a Week 0 appetizer. It's time to start the college fantasy football season off with a big win, so we're here to help you nail your lineup calls with our Week 1 college fantasy football rankings for 2026.

RotoBaller's Week 1 CFB fantasy rankings include the top 300 players at running back, wide receiver, tight end, and quarterback. These rankings will be updated throughout the week as injury news rolls in. Below, see where key players such as LJ Martin, Arch Manning, Jeremiah Smith, Faizon Brandon, Rueben Owens III, Ty Clark III, Caden Durham, and more stand for the opening slate, among others.

Be sure to bookmark our college fantasy football news feed for the latest breaking news, injury updates, and more. CFB alerts are also available in our mobile app.

Week 1 College Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 300

Week 1 College Fantasy Football News, Outlooks

Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville

Louisville running back Isaac Brown (undisclosed), who missed a few fall practices with an injury, will play in Week 1 against Ole Miss. "I think Isaac is ready to go," head coach Jeff Brohm said. "He's fresh and ready to go. He's had a good camp. I feel confident he's ready to go." Needless to say, this is great news for the Cardinals and Browns' fantasy managers.

When healthy, Brown is one of the best running backs in college football. The Florida native broke out as a freshman in 2024, totaling 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games. He was limited to just nine games a season ago, but he tallied 884 rushing yards and led the country in average yards per carry (8.8). It's tough to know what the Ole Miss run defense will look like early in the season, but last year, it surrendered 149.1 rushing yards per game. Either way, Brown is a must-start in all matchups.

Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker dominated at North Texas as a freshman, completing nearly 69% of his passes for 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He added five more scores on the ground.

Now at Oklahoma State with the same head coach, Eric Morris, leading receiver Wyatt Young, and star running back Caleb Hawkins, he should be set to hit the ground running in the Week 1 opener against Tulsa. Tulsa was a middle-of-the-pack unit against the pass last season, allowing 214.3 passing yards per game. Expect the Cowboys to try to flex their muscles on offense in the opening game of the Morris era. Obviously, Mestemaker is a must-start this week for college fantasy football, but it's worth seeing if his production can translate to the Big 12.

Malachi Toney, WR, Miami

Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney will get his 2026 season started with a game against Stanford on Friday night. Stanford already has a win this season, but gave up 276 passing yards in that one. Add in that Stanford is playing on a short week and is facing a much tougher opponent in Miami, and Toney is lined up for a big fantasy showing this week.

He's coming off a freshman season in which he posted 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns on 109 receptions. Toney has a new quarterback throwing to him, but transfer Darian Mensah is no stranger to college football success, so expect the Miami offense to keep rolling in 2026. Look for Toney to pick up where he left off and open the 2026 season with a bang. If Stanford can hang around, Toney could deliver one of the top fantasy scores of the week among wide receivers.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith gets his 2026 season underway with a test against Ball State on Saturday, so the top-end talent should be in store for a monster fantasy outing. He's coming off a 2025 season in which he caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Smith is arguably the best fantasy player in college football, and he should be in store for another huge season, starting in Week 1 against the Cardinals. The Cardinals allowed 405.7 total yards per game last year, and 226.8 of that was through the air. Even if Smith doesn't play a ton in what should be a blowout win for the Buckeyes, expect him to connect early and often with quarterback Julian Sayin, leading to a top-end fantasy showing. Start him confidently in all fantasy setups, and expect greatness every week he suits up.

Ethan Davis, TE, Tennessee

Tennessee tight end Ethan Davis (lower body) is expected to play in the team's Saturday afternoon clash against Furman. Head coach Josh Heupel said Davis "ramped up this past week and looks really good," and added that he'd be available in week 1. The junior is the team's starting TE, so having him out there is a plus for the Volunteers and for any Davis fantasy owners out there. He caught 21 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns a season ago, and could be poised for even more in his fourth season with Tennessee.

He's projected as college fantasy TE19 in week 1 against Furman, who Tennessee should handle. In a game that could get lopsided, Tennessee could ease Davis into things, especially after he's missed some practice time of late. That makes him a bit of a risky fantasy starting option for the week, and he might be someone who is better skipped in lineups until he proves his worth in 2026.

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