The Hot Sheet - Sept 29th, 2025
This list grades performances the way NFL rooms do: opponent strength first, NFL translation second. If you lit up a ranked defense or delivered in a pressure spot, you’re getting credit. Someone padded their stats against a soft opponent, the box score would had to be on another level.
College to NFL translation matters. For quarterbacks, I want to see processing, pocket presence, and placement. For backs, are they able to patiently wait the hole to develop, are they used in the passing game, and can they make plays in space. For pass catchers, it’s separation against man, ball skills in tight windows, red-zone usage, and route versatility. Volume without leverage doesn’t move us.
Quarterbacks
Dante Moore (QB, Oregon) — 6'3"/206
Stat line: 29/39, 248 Yards, 3 TD, 0 INT | 10 Carries, 35 Yards
Opponent: #3 Penn State
Moore had a Heisman-level game against an elite defense. He showed full-field reads, rhythm throws, and most importantly, no turnovers. In NFL terms, he’s a timing/anticipation passer who fits WCO/RPO families. Right now, he’s projected as a Day 1 in the NFL draft, but more performances like this could vault him into QB1 territory. In SF leagues, if I were drafting today, I’d have him in my top-5 picks.
Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama) — 6'2"/208
Stat line: 24/38, 276 Yards, 2 TD, 0 INT | 1 Rush TD
Opponent: #5 Georgia
Ty Simpson showed huge growth over the weekend. Three total TDs and showed poise against one of the nastiest fronts. He’s a candidate for either the 2026 or 2027 drafts - depending on how the rest of the season goes, he could wind up being one of the better options in 2026, but if he needs one more season and returns to Alabama next year, he could slide in SF drafts and wind up being a bargain.
Trinidad Chambliss (QB, Ole Miss) — 6'0"/200
Stat line: 23/39, 314 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT | 14 Carries, 71 Yards
Opponent: #4 LSU
Coming into this week, my biggest question was whether Chambliss was ready to play against a top-tier opponent. Well, after knocking off #4 LSU, I think we can safely say yes, he is. There’s obviously more room for growth, but he could be a fast riser in the 2026 draft. He’s not on consensus boards yet, but he has sure caught our attention over the last three weeks. If he continues to play well and show growth, he could force his way into Day 3 or even Day 2 conversations.
Jayden Maiava (QB, USC) — 6'4"/230
Stat line: 30/43, 364 Yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Opponent: #23 Illinois
Maiava played point guard with on-schedule RPO work with enough intermediate shots to stretch a ranked defense. NFL-wise, he fits a structure-first system with selective QB-run utility. He’s been in the conversation for being the top QB in the 2026 draft, but I think he winds up being a Day 2 pick, with room to climb into late-Round-1 talk if he continues to put up big numbers over the rest of the season.
Luke Altmyer (QB, Illinois) — 6'2"/205
Stat line: 20/26, 328 Yards, 2 TD, 0 INT | 5 Carries, 28 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: #21 USC
Altmyer was hyper-efficient, with three total TDs, and showed real command against a ranked defense. From an NFL standpoint, his ceiling is probably a bus driver/distributor who thrives in quick game with selective shots. I think he’ll be a Day 3 pick; probably winds up as a backup somewhere, but could be interesting if he finds himself in an open competition at the next level.
CJ Carr (QB, Notre Dame) — 6'3"/210
Stat line: 20/30, 354 Yards, 4 TD, 0 INT
Opponent: Arkansas
Arkansas has been up and down this season, and this was a down day for them. Still, Carr looked like a pro-style timing passer who can live in play-action and still hit NFL windows. He’s a 2027-eligible (though we’re probably looking at a 2028 prospect) with “top-of-class watchlist” momentum; the path to a true early-round grade is having these kinds of performances against ranked opponents and continuing to show growth year over year.
Jalon Daniels (QB, Kansas) — 6'0"/220
Stat line: 19/28, 445 Yards, 4 TD, 0 INT | 14 Carries, 55 Yards
Opponent: Cincinnati
Daniels dropped a nuclear box score with real vertical aggression plus functional rushing. It’s great to see him have games like this, but he needs to prove he can have these performances against ranked fronts. Right now, I think he’s a 2026 Day 3 pick at best, but the running and passing upside from Daniels is mouth-wattering. If he gets decent draft capital in May, he could be a sneaky pick in SF leagues.
Running Backs
Raleek Brown (RB, Arizona State)
Stat line: 21 Carries, 134 Yards | 9 Catches, 50 Yards
Opponent: #24 TCU
Brown showed us he can do it all against a ranked defense—volume on the ground paired with legitimate receiving usage. This play translates on Sundays: burst, angles, and enough contact balance and power to finish runs. He’s most likely a Day 2 or Day 3 pick, but as we saw with Cam Skattebo last year, if he can continue to stack up big performances against top opponents, he could be viewed as someone who can come in and make an immediate impact. If that happens, he could sneak into the 2nd round of SF drafts.
Chauncy Bowens (RB, Georgia)
Stat line: 12 Carries, 119 Yards, 1 TD | 4 Catches, 22 Yards
Opponent: #17 Alabama
Bowens showcased explosiveness and efficiency against an SEC blue blood. He hit creases and showed enough in the pass game to keep him on the field on 3rd downs. He’s young, the room is crowded, and that’s fine—this is a 2027 watchlist profile with a Day-2 outlook if the touches grow.
Da’Marion “Fluff” Bothwell (RB, Mississippi State)
Stat line: 23 Carries, 134 Yards, 2 TDs
Opponent: #15 Tennessee
This was bell-cow usage for Fluff against a ranked front. He’s a one-cut runner who gets downhill and finishes runs. He’s a 2027 or 2028 prospect who needs to show more consistency both on the ground and through the air, but this was a big game against a very good opponent.
Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Stat line: 14 Carries, 57 Yards, 2 TDs | 5 Catches, 70 Yards, 2 TDs
Opponent: Arkansas
Four total touchdowns on modest touches tell us all we need to know about Love. We know he’s squarely in the conversation for the #1 RB in the 2026 draft, and should be in consideration for the 1.01. If the passing role sticks, he’ll hold that spot.
Antwan Raymond (RB, Rutgers)
Stat line: 26 Carries, 161 Yards, 2 TDs | 1 Catch, 12 Yards
Opponent: Minnesota
Raymond handled a workhorse load. Minnesota may not be a top-end defense, but this is a good team. He wasn’t super involved in the passing game, which caps his upside at the moment but hopefully we see that evolve over the next year or two. He’s eligible for the 2027 class, but may wind up being a 2028 prospect.
Nate Sheppard (RB, Duke)
Stat line: 15 Carries, 168 Yards, 2 TDs | 4 Catches, 33 Yards
Opponent: Syracuse
I don’t highlight a lot of freshmen in this series, but this game from Nate Sheppard has put me on notice. Explosiveness on the ground with passing game involvement against a defense that held Clemson in check a few weeks ago is something that I like to see from a young player. At the earliest, he’s a 2028 prospect, so file this name as one to keep an eye on over the next couple of seasons.
Hanovii “Turbo” Richard (RB, Boston College)
Stat line: 15 Carries, 171 Yards, 2 TDs | 4 Catches, 19 Yards
Opponent: California
Another freshman who caught my eye this past weekend, Turbo, showed real home-run ability on tape. He’s an RS Freshman, so technically eligible for the 2027 draft, but I think we’ll likely see him come out in 2028.
Pass Catchers
Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
Stat line: 11 Catches, 151 Yards, 2 TDs
Opponent: #23 Illinois
Lemon played all over the formation, created separation underneath, and had big wins downfield. He’s been tracking as one of the top WRs in the 2026 class and this game reinforces it. He’s likely a top-5 player right now in SF drafts and someone you need to know moving forward.
Emmanuel Henderson Jr (WR, Kansas)
Stat line: 5 Catches, 214 Yards, 2 TDs
Opponent: Cincinnati
Huge YAC and vertical shots from Henderson in this game. The target share wasn’t massive, but the impact was. He’s at best a day three pick, but hey, if he has more games like this, NFL teams will have a hard time ignoring him.
Elijah Sarratt (WR, Indiana)
Stat line: 6 Catches, 132 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: Iowa
Beating Iowa’s coverage with timing and strong hands matters. He’s shown a translatable intermediate game with red-zone utility. I’d tag him as a Day-2 pick in the 2026 draft right now. In SF, that’s a mid- to late-2nd with room to climb.
Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
Stat line: 8 Catches, 126 Yards, 2 TDs
Opponent: #24 TCU
This was alpha usage against a ranked opponent, and he delivered. Right now, he’s in consideration for the WR 1 in the 2026 draft and should be a 1st or 2nd rounder in the NFL draft. In SF, he’s easily a 1st rounder, and should be in the top half of the 1st round in your rookie drafts.
Chris Bell (WR, Louisville)
Stat line: 10 Catches, 135 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: Pittsburgh
Classic volume/efficiency outing for Bell against Pittsburgh. He projects as a dependable Z/Big slot type. Right now, he’s projecting as a Day-2, maybe a Day-3 pick. In SF, I’m thinking he’s a late 2 or early 3rd type player.
Cyrus Allen (WR, Cincinnati)
Stat line: 11 Catches, 128 Yards, 2 TDs
Opponent: Kansas
Against Kansas, Allen was a target hog and scored twice. I’d place him as a Day-3 projection today. He’ll need to put together a lot more performances like this against quality opponents if he’s going to be anything more than a late-round dart throw in fantasy.
On The Radar
Sawyer Robertson (QB, Baylor)
Stat line: 24/35, 393 Yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs | 1 Rush TD
Opponent: Oklahoma State
Clean five-touchdown output with legit intermediate/vertical wins. He’s not in the Day 1/2 club yet, but if he keeps this efficiency against better defenses and manages pressure on 3rd-and-long, he can push into the Day 2 conversation. In SF, he’s a Round-2/3 type if the turnover profile stays clean.
Waymond Jordan (RB, USC)
Stat line: 20 Carries, 94 Yards, 2 TDs | 2 Catches, 12 Yards
Opponent: #23 Illinois
Efficient scoring vs a ranked defense—avoided negative plays and finished runs. The room is crowded, but if the workload consolidates and he stacks chunk gains against top fronts, he’ll move from watchlist to real capital talk. In SF, that’s a Round-2/3 arrow if targets show up.
Kaden Feagin (RB, Illinois)
Stat line: 14 Carries, 60 Yards | 3 Catches, 67 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: #21 USC
Balanced impact with a receiving score against a ranked team. Early-down power plus passing value is the right combo. He’s Day 3 today, but a bigger third-down role and chunk plays versus top-25 fronts would nudge him toward late Day 2. In SF, he has Round-3 upside if the usage sticks.
Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
Stat line: 13 Carries, 86 Yards, 1 TD | 1 Catch, 35 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: Arkansas
Efficient two-phase usage in a rotation. He’s a Day-3 projection in the 2026 draft right now, but if Love goes to the draft, could Price stay at Notre Dame for one more season and be the featured back? If so, his stock could rise even higher.
Duce Robinson (WR, Florida State)
Stat line: 9 Catches, 147 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: Virginia
WR1 usage with verticals and YAC. The matchup wasn’t brutal, but his tape was clean. He’s carrying Day-2 buzz today with his height-weight-speed combo. In SF, he’s a target at the end of Round 1/early Round-2.
Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
Stat line: 6 Catches, 105 Yards, 1 TD
Opponent: #15 Mississippi State
Real intermediate and vertical wins against a ranked defense. He’s climbing into the 1st round of the NFL draft. In SF, if I’m drafting today, he’s probably a mid-first. This kid is special.
