Joe Arpasi
June 8, 2026
The most important part of the early rounds of your fantasy drafts is to build a solid and reliable core of players. You’re looking for high fantasy floors with low levels of risk. These are the players you’ll count on to carry your CFF team from week to week. Below Joe Arpasi reviews the players he’s willing to hang his hat on and call them “My Guy” for the 2026 season.
Honorable Mentions
Colorado State: Juice Vereen
71.0 Fantasy Points In 2025
Vereen’s first two seasons were spent at NC State where he played in a total of 11 games and compiled 4 receptions for 22 yards. Looking for greener pastures he transferred to UConn last season where he increased his production to 21 receptions for 305 yards and 5 TD’s. When the UConn coaching staff went to Colorado State he decided to follow and he should be one of the most featured pass catchers in this year’s offense. Last season at UConn WR Skyler Bell dominated the target share but this Colorado State WR core lacks a big time playmaker like Bell was. This makes me think that Vereen should see a healthy increase to his workload in 2026 and potentially be the most reliable pass catcher on the team.
Marshall: Toby Payne
75.8 Fantasy Points In 2025
Payne has patiently waited for his opportunity to play at Marshall. From 2022-2023 he only garnered back up playing time but the 2024 season was the first glimpse of what he could do, playing in 13 games and catching 17 passes for 168 yards and 6 TD’s. Last season was his best season yet with 48 targets for 37 receptions, 393 yards and 3 TD’s; good enough to finish as the team’s third leading pass catcher. He returns as the starter in 2026 along side QB Carlos Del-Rio Wilson and should see an increased role as the team’s leading WR from last season is gone. Payne is only one of two TE’s for offensive coordinator Rod Smith to get 40+ targets in a season.
SMU: Randy Pittman
70.2 Fantasy Points In 2025
As a sophomore in 2024 Pittman made an impact at UCF, scoring 70 fantasy points from 51 targets for 32 receptions, 416 yards and 2 TD’s. Riding that momentum he transferred to Florida State in 2025. He played in nine games before suffering an undisclosed injury but still managed to score similar fantasy points thanks to FSU giving him 7 carries for 37 yards and 3 rushing TD’s. In the offseason he left for SMU who lost their top two TE’s from last season, freeing up 58 targets. For the past six seasons head coach Rhett Lashlee’s TE1 has scored 70+ fantasy points. Twice Lashlee’s TE1 has scored 100+ fantasy points on an average of 61 targets. As the clear TE1 Pittman could see that size of a workload this season.
Temple: Peter Clarke
99.3 Fantasy Points In 2025
Clarke has spent his entire college career at Temple and during his first two seasons he played in 19 games with just 5 receptions for 34 yards and 3 TD’s combined. He broke out as the team’s third leading pass catcher in 2025 with 43 targets for 30 receptions, 483 yards and 6 TD’s. That performance is the best and only season we have on record for offensive coordinator Tyler Walker. While Temple is replacing last season’s starting QB the coaching staff believes their current QB’s are more proficient passers and the passing game should be more explosive in 2026. This should only help raise Clarke’s fantasy value in 2026.
The rest of this post is exclusive for premium subscribers
