College Fantasy Football Rankings 2023: Fiutak Team Breakdown

Pete Fiutak College Fantasy Football Team

Knowing what I know and doing what I do, I should be dominating this league, and I really, really don’t.

I had a heater in 2018 that went all 1995 Nebraska on everyone, but I inexplicably thought the championship was a playoff bye week, didn’t turn in a lineup, and lost in crushing fashion. I haven’t been all that close since.

My “take Brock Bowers in the first round” theory of last year really, really didn’t work.

In the head-to-head league that plays three QBs, three, RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK, and a defense/special teams with two flex RB/WR/TE players and five reserves, there are TON of quarterbacks available, running backs are flaky, and wide receivers essentially dumb luck.

In this league, it’s all about the free agent pickups on the fly - they go really, really fast - because it’s all about the matchups. But when it came to the draft, I wasn’t going to get cheated on the quarterbacks - I wanted as many stars as I could get - and would wing it from there.

With 20 teams drafting, though, there was no way to get into any sort of a groove. And with that, my 2023 college fantasy football draft, and why …

2023 College Fantasy Football Rankings
Full Draft, Top 400 Players
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | PKs | Def/STs
Pete Fiutak’s Draft
RotoWire Fantasy Football Draft Kit 

QB KJ Jefferson, Arkansas

1st round, 17th pick overall

I went for the best quarterback available - BRUTALLY painful that ten went in the first 16 picks - but I would’ve take Jefferson over Jordan Travis, JJ McCarthy, and Jayden Daniels, anyway.

QB Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State

2nd round, 24th pick overall

Yeah, I was the guy everyone hated. I was slammed with other stuff and took 12 to 24 hours to make a pick - this would come back to bite me big later.

I came into the draft with two Vontae Mack No Matter What calls. Texas Tech QB Tyler Shough, and Oregon State QB DJ Uiagalelei. But since I was so late to get this pick in - yeah, I know, it was the second round, I’M SORRY - I panicked, knew I wanted a quarterback, and was happy with the all-around game of Cordeiro.

Problem One: My 2nd Round pick might sit at least two weeks with USC and Oregon State to start the season, and might be benched in fantasy playoff time against San Diego State.

Problem Two: Shough was still on the board and I didn’t see him. He was yoinked with the next pick. However …

QB DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State

3rd round, 57th pick overall

You know when you’re doing a draft and the guy you want is still somehow there for pick after pick after pick? I’m the one pitching his No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick upside, and I passed on a slew of good fantasy RBs on the unwavering belief that I got a potential statistical monster.

RB George Holani, Boise State

4th round, 64th pick overall

I started a running back run with six going in eight picks. Desperately needing back, ecstatic to get Holani here after passing on running QB Taylen Green for Uiagalelei.

RB Richard Reese, Baylor

5th round, 97th pick overall

I missed out on the quarterback value flying off the board at this spot - Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Preston Stone - and it’s not a plus that I took the only running back in long stretch. Reese was a need pick.

WR Sam Wiglusz, Ohio

6th round, 104th pick overall

I know, I KNOW. I have to fix wide receiver. Wiglusz wasn’t exactly a panic pick, and he’s a solid fantasy starter, but the receivers dried up and he's my 1. I have to get creative, fast.

WR Jayden Thomas, Notre Dame

7th round, 137th pick overall

Fantastic. Now I feel a little better about wide receiver. I have a piece of what should be an explosive Irish downfield passing game with Sam Hartman under center. (Fantasy advice - let someone else pay retail for the quarterback, while you go get one of his top receivers.)

QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

8th round, 144th pick overall

Uhhhh, in the 8th round? Sure. This is the home run cut that might work out better than either of the two quarterbacks I selected in the first two rounds.

RB Elijah Green, North Carolina

9th round, 177th pick overall

Sort of a sneaky mid-round running back get. He might not get me a ton of yards, but he should come up with at least ten scores.

WR Shedro Louis, Tulane

10th round, 184th pick overall

This is me getting cute. Louis is likely going to be a running back for Tulane, but he’s listed at wide receiver. A college running back in a wide receiver slot is gold.

RB Corey Kiner, Cincinnati

11th round, 217th pick overall

Now the Bearcat running game should be his after working as a key part of a rotation. Taking a chance on greatness in the 11th round.

WR Michael Mathison, WKU

12th round, 224th pick overall

In theory this SHOULD work - I wanted a piece of the WKU passing attack, but he has yet to score more than three touchdowns in any of the last three seasons.

RB Reese White, Coastal Carolina

13th round, 257th pick overall
A good-value fantasy starter who might not come up with a ton of yards, but should push for close to ten scores.

TE Trey Knox, South Carolina

14th round, 264th pick overall

I’ll have to back Knox up later - he’s a tad banged up going into the season. When he’s right, though, he should blow up with Spencer Rattler throwing to him.

RB Trey Sanders, TCU

15th round, 297th pick overall

I’m not buying that the Alabama transfer will sit second or third on the depth chart for too long. He’s way, way too talented to not eventually be the lead back.

Defense/Special Teams Ohio State

16th round, 304th pick overall

I was out of town, busy, and didn’t check the draft for a day. I got off the plane, realized I needed to make a pick, and realized I was gifted the Ohio State defense and special teams. It’s a better pick than I’d have made - I was planning on waiting until the end to take my D, since I usually play the matchups along with …

PK Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State

17th round, 337th pick overall

Same thing. I was that bad fantasy guy who made everyone wait a bit, was assigned the FSU kicker, and … fine, but this might not last. The Seminole offense is too good.  It’ll score touchdowns, not field goals.

RB Jalen Berger, Michigan State

18th round, 344th pick overall

I get the likely Michigan State starting running back in the 18th round? I’m not expecting 2021 Kenneth Walker or anything, but …

WR Beau Corrales, Texas State

19th round, 377th pick overall

This is the I Need To Get Out Of The House More And Look Into Possibly Getting A Life pick. The Texas State offense will be inconsistent, but it’s going to throw and throw some more under new head coach GJ Kinne. Corrales should be a dangerous playmaker on the outside.

TE Cade Stover, Ohio State

20th round, 384th pick overall

Just in case Trey Knox is banged up or isn’t producing, yeah, I’ll take the 5-to-8 touchdown upside of Stover. 

2023 College Fantasy Football Rankings
Full Draft, Top 400 Players
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | PKs | Def/STs
Pete Fiutak’s Draft
RotoWire Fantasy Football Draft Kit