The Hot Sheet - Sept. 8th, 2025
Welcome to Week 2 of The Hot Sheet—where box scores get fact-checked by tape. We spotlight performances that travel on Sundays: vertical stress from true separators and boundary Xs, quarterbacks who win with rhythm/base/placement and finish drives, red-zone closers who turn possessions into points, roles with real clarity (three-down usage and designed touches), freshman flashes paired with NFL frames, and runners who create with contact balance. We grade three things—production, opponent, dynasty signal—and elevate the guys who actually moved the needle.
What translated this week:
Vertical stress wins. Downfield separators and boundary X’s drove value—Duce Robinson up the seam, Brinson/Sparks/Livingstone over the top, Sameron/Brazzell expanding the strike zone.
Operation > hero ball at QB. Rhythm, base, and placement (Lonergan, Sayin) graded as highly as splash plays; tools got in when they finished drives (Chiles, Holstein).
Red-zone closers matter. Multi-TD finishers (J’Mari Taylor, Brazzell, Holstein) turned possessions into points—fantasy follows TD equity.
Role clarity = bankable signal. Robert Henry showed three-down usage; Kevin Coleman’s designed touches weren’t gadgets—they were the plan.
Freshman flashes that actually project. Bo Jackson and Parker Livingstone paired early trust with NFL frames—early capital builders.
Separation & contact balance travel. WRs who created real space and RBs who generated yards after contact rose; traits, not stat sugar, carried the day.
Hot Sheet – The Best Performances of the Week
1) Duce Robinson (WR, Florida State) — 6'6"/222
Stat line: 5 Rec - 173 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: East Texas A&M
Robinson bullied safeties and outran corners; the verticals weren’t schemed freebies—he stacked, separated, and finished. Even vs a softer opponent, 170+ with multiple explosives is what an NFL mismatch looks like. The route tree is still building (seams/posts/fades), but stride efficiency and catch-point control are Sunday traits that point to top-end impact if weekly volume keeps climbing.
2) Sawyer Robinson (QB, Baylor) — 6'4"/220
Stat line: 34/50 Comp/Att - 440 Pass Yards - 4 Pass TDs - 0 INTs
Opponent: SMU
Fifty attempts, zero turnovers, and consistent intermediate/deep accuracy against a real defense. He kept structure, worked digs and seams, and didn’t bail from clean pockets. The arm is live enough for far-hash outs and deep crossers; if pressure handling and red-zone processing stay steady, this is the profile of a long-term NFL starter.
3) J’Mari Taylor (RB, Virginia) — 5'9"/204
Stat line: 17 Carries - 150 Rush Yards - 3 TDs
Opponent: NC State
Three scores against an ACC front moves the needle. He ran through contact, hit creases decisively, and had enough long speed to finish. Receiving usage is light, but the movement skills say he can do it; add a couple targets per week and you’re staring at workhorse stretches, not just early-down hammer duty.
4) Dylan Lonergan (QB, Boston College) — 6'2"/211
Stat line: 34/45 Comp/Att - 390 Pass Yards - 4 Pass TDs - 0 INTs
Opponent: Michigan State
Operation and accuracy led the way—layered throws, in-stride crossers, and a calm willingness to take singles when explosives weren’t there. He’s not a scramble merchant, but rhythm, footwork, and middle-field courage translate cleanly to Sundays, with a high-floor starter trajectory if he keeps the ball out of harm’s way.
5) Bryant Wesco (WR, Clemson) — 6'2"/185
Stat line: 7 Rec - 118 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: Troy
Wesco won on demand with a mature release package (tempo variations, violent hands), snapped off slants/outs with real burst, and stacked corners to threaten vertically. Ball tracking and late hands showed up, and he finished through contact when it mattered. You can nitpick wanting more contested-catch reps vs top ACC corners, but the separation mechanics and pacing are Sunday-ready. Keep delivering this kind of efficient TD production and we’re talking locked-in Round 1 range, not “riser.”
6) Julian Sayin (QB, Ohio State) — 6'1"/208
Stat line: 18/19 Comp/Att - 306 Pass Yards - 4 Pass TDs - 1 INT
Opponent: Grambling State
Opponent discount noted; the tape still screams polish. Quiet feet, consistent base, quick progression from 1→2, and immediate answers after the lone mistake. He manipulates pockets like a veteran, and if the downfield ball stays this true versus Big Ten speed, he projects as a long-term top-half starter.
7) Robert Henry (RB, UTSA) — 5'9"/205
Stat line: 17 Carries - 159 Rush Yards - 2 TDs | 4 Rec - 21 Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Texas State
Three touchdowns with chunk yardage and receiving involvement is the trifecta. Pressed the line, punished over-pursuit with sharp cuts, and proved trusted in space. Pass-pro is the remaining box to check; otherwise, this looks like a fully functional three-down profile that plugs straight into lineups.
8) Josh Cameron (WR, Baylor) — 6'1"/224
Stat line: 9 Rec - 151 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: SMU
True boundary-winner performance—expanded the strike zone, finished through contact, and produced in high-leverage moments. He doesn’t need a dozen designed touches; he creates value at the catch point. Keep the red-zone share and efficiency on in-breakers, and you’ve got a weekly starter with TD-driven upside.
9) Aidan Chiles (QB, Michigan State) — 6'3"/225
Stat line: 19/29 Comp/Att - 231 Pass Yards - 4 Pass TDs - 0 INTs | 12 Carries - 39 Rush Yards - 1 Rush TD
Opponent: Boston College
Five total touchdowns while creating both inside and outside structure. A couple late balls, but no meltdown throws and no drifting into sacks. The tools are obvious; the composure is the tell. That combo points toward Round-1 outcomes and fantasy-friendly rushing baked into the floor.
10) Jeremiah Smith (WR, Ohio State) — 6'3"/223
Stat line: 5 Rec - 119 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: Grambling State
Alpha build, alpha results. He stacked corners, won early, and finished without drama. Volume will ebb in blowouts, but the talent plus TD equity makes him game-script proof and squarely on the path to “set-and-forget” territory.
11) Romello Brinson (WR, SMU) — 6'2"/190
Stat line: 4 Rec - 126 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: Baylor
Low volume, high value—field-flipping verticals and late hands that held up against a Big 12 secondary. The tree is still top-heavy, but when you force safeties to widen, everything else opens. Add a steadier underneath menu and you’ve got weekly usability, not just splash weeks.
12) Jalen “Hollywood” Smothers (RB, NC State) — 5'11"/195
Stat line: 17 Carries - 140 Rush Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: Virginia
Patient to the landmark, decisive through it, and balanced at contact. He generated explosives without perfect blocking. Receiving was quiet, but the early-down dominance was obvious; give him even modest target growth and he settles into reliable every-week usage.
13) Beau Sparks (WR, Texas State) — 5'11"/175
Stat line: 5 Rec - 155 Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: UTSA
Kept defenders in conflict all game and punished any lapse on top. Vertical-slot/field-stretcher archetype with workable hands and enough toughness to finish through light contact. Add more intermediate craft and two extra targets a week and he’s a lineup play, not just a best-ball weapon.
14) Chris Brazzell (WR, Tennessee) — 6'5"/200
Stat line: 9 Rec - 125 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: ETSU
Traits showed up exactly as they should against an overmatched opponent—box-out skills, stride length, and clean finishing on volume. The next checkpoint is winning versus SEC man; if that happens, the profile accelerates into every-week starter status.
15) Eli Holstein (QB, Pittsburgh) — 6'4"/225
Stat line: 12/28 Comp/Att - 304 Pass Yards - 4 Pass TDs - 1 INT | 4 Carries - 36 Rush Yards - 0 Rush TDs
Opponent: Central Michigan
Completion rate was rough, intent and results were dangerous. He hunted explosives, finished drives, and stood in to deliver. If he stabilizes accuracy into the low-60s while keeping the aggression, the tools and mindset are enough to carry him into a legitimate starter track.
16) Bo Jackson (RB, Ohio State — Fr) — 6'0"/217
Stat line: 9 Carries - 108 Rush Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Grambling State
Small sample, loud signal. He wasted no steps at the line, showed a real second gear, and handled contact fine on limited reps. With his build and burst, a 14–16 touch game will pop; the long-term outlook is “as soon as he owns the room, he’s a top-24 back.”
17) Parker Livingstone (WR, Texas — Fr) — 6'4"/191
Stat line: 4 Rec - 128 Yards - 2 TDs
Opponent: San Jose State
Freshman label aside, he threatened blind spots, tracked the deep ball, and timed the high point like a seasoned boundary receiver. Texas doesn’t force-feed without trust—that’s your early green light. Keep a 5–7 target runway with a deep aDOT and he fast-tracks into weekly consideration.
18) Jamal Roberts (RB, Mizzou) — 6'2"/212
Stat line: 13 Carries - 143 Rush Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Kansas
This was created yardage—decisive cuts, acceleration through the hole, and pad level on contact. He’s not a finished product in the screen game, but the hands are serviceable. Give him passing-down trust and goal-line work and you’re looking at a steady flex with RB2 spike weeks.
19) Kevin Coleman (WR, Mizzou) — 5'11"/180
Stat line: 10 Rec - 126 Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Kansas
Ten catches as a true receiver, not gadget fluff—screens, slants, quick game, then YAC through first contact. Missouri clearly built the plan around getting him touches, and he rewarded them with chain-moving efficiency and one explosive score. If the target share holds and the route tree stretches deeper, he settles in as a steady WR3 with WR2 spikes.
20) Arch Manning (QB, Texas) — 6'4"/219
Stat line: 19/30 Comp/Att - 295 Pass Yards - 1 Pass TD - 1 INT | 4 Carries - 23 Rush Yards - 1 Rush TD
Opponent: San Jose State
Box score says good; tape says tighten up. The arm talent flashes on overs and slot fades, but the base narrows, feet hurry, and release height varies when the pocket gets loud. He also answered with a rushing TD and a handful of big-time throws. Clean up the lower-half mechanics and clock in structure, and the NFL starter ceiling becomes a lot less theoretical.
On the Radar
TJ Harden (RB, SMU) — 6'2"/220
Stat line: 19 Carries - 115 Rush Yards - 3 TDs
Opponent: Baylor
Scored in bunches against a Big 12 opponent and handled the tough yards; if the weekly targets stick, the ceiling holds up, not just the box-score shine.
Beau Pribula (QB, Mizzou) — 6'2"/212
Stat line: 30/39 Comp/Att - 334 Pass Yards - 3 Pass TDs - 0 INTs | 9 Carries - 6 Rush Yards - 0 Rush TDs
Opponent: Kansas
Efficient and on-schedule with fewer explosives than the QBs above; add more off-script answers and he looks like a long-term “wins with operation” starter.
Deion Burks (WR, Oklahoma) — 5'9"/188
Stat line: 7 Rec - 101 Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Michigan
Quality opponent, quality separation; keep this efficiency against top corners and he’s a bankable every-week option.
Hank Beatty (WR, Illinois) — 5'11"/185
Stat line: 8 Rec - 128 Yards - 0 TDs | 1 Carry - 25 Rush Yards - 0 TDs
Opponent: Duke
Swiss-army usage with legit PPR utility; aDOT or TD rate bump turns him from sturdy depth into a weekly flex.
Justice Haynes (RB, Michigan) — 5'11"/210
Stat line: 19 Carries - 125 Rush Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Oklahoma
Rock-solid output versus a real defense; if the passing-down share rises, the ceiling follows.
Mario Carver (WR, Texas A&M) — 5'9"/165
Stat line: 5 Rec - 114 Yards - 1 TD
Opponent: Utah State
Explosive and clean-handed; rounding out the route tree against press will decide whether he tops out as a role player or locks down a starting seat.
Closer
This sheet is about signals, not just box scores. We weight opponent, role, and traits because fantasy titles are won by identifying what sticks. Bookmark it, argue with it, and use it to get ahead of the market—then come back next week for fresh receipts.
