Duce Robinson and 5 Other Must-Start College Fantasy Football Stars for Week 0
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College football returns with an exclusive Week 0 slate. With only eight FBS matchups on the board, navigating fantasy lineups requires targeting players locked into dynamic roles against generous defenses.
Headline games like USC taking on San Jose State, Florida State hosting New Mexico State, and TCU clashing with North Carolina present clear opportunities to rack up points early.
Here are the top "Start 'Em" options across key positions to set your Week 0 roster up for success.
QB Jayden Maiava, USC (vs. San Jose State)
Maiava enters Week 0 as the premier quarterback start on the slate. Heading into the Trojan's opener as heavy favorites against San Jose State, Maiava brings an elite ceiling.
His combination of deep-ball precision and rushing potential near the goal line gives him high-end touchdown upside in Lincoln Riley's explosive system.
It's also been reported that Maiava developed solid chemistry with the Trojan's new set of pass-catchers over the summer and in fall camp.
RB Jai'den Thomas, UNLV (vs. Memphis)
For high volume and safety at the running back position, Thomas is a top option. UNLV enters its matchup with Memphis as a slight favorite, setting up a script where Thomas should see significant work in both running and short passing games.
His workload security makes him one of the most reliable RB plays on the Week 0 schedule.
RB Sedrick Irvin, Stanford (vs. Hawaii)
Stanford plays host to Hawaii in an advantageous Week 0 environment. Irvin leads the Stanford backfield and offers a safe-touch floor due to his versatility as both a runner and a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Hawaii struggled to stop physical power-running schemes, making Irvin a low-risk, volume-driven play who can provide steady RB2/Flex value for Week 0 rosters.
WR Duce Robinson, Florida State (vs. New Mexico State)
With the Seminoles entering Week 0 as heavy home favorites against New Mexico State, Robinson provides game-breaking upside as the focal point of Florida State's downfield passing attack. His rare size-speed combination makes him a massive red-zone weapon.
In a matchup where FSU is expected to generate efficient scoring drives, Robinson possesses multi-touchdown upside before the starters turn things over in the second half.
WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, USC (vs. San Jose State)
San Jose State's secondary will have it's hands full accounting for USC's top-end speed and vertical threats, opening up isolated single-coverage opportunities for Dixon-Wyatt.
✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽 https://t.co/r5mJibxOe7
— Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (@kayyydeenn) March 25, 2026
A high-upside sleeper play who carries legitimate debut touchdown potential in a game script where USC is heavily favored to light up the scoreboard.
TE Desirrio Riles, Florida State (vs. New Mexico State)
Riles sits atop Florida State's tight end depth chart as a primary senior target. At 6'3" and 250+ lbs, he serves as an intermediate threat in Mike Norvell's offense.
FSU enters as huge home favorites against New Mexico State. In games with high team totals, tight ends who control red-zone snaps carry huge touchdown upside before the starters get pulled. Riles gives you direct access to high-value goal-line opportunities.
Week 0 Fantasy Outlook
Week 0 slate comes down to balancing game scripts. In heavily favored setups like USC vs. San Jose State and Florida State vs. New Mexico State, leaning on red-zone targets and high-upside playmakers provides direct access to high-scoring offenses.
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Daniel Outerbridge covers the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and MLB with an emphasis on the numbers behind the game. His work breaks down player performance, team strategy, and emerging statistical trends to provide actionable insights for fans and fantasy players. Outerbridge has written for a myriad of other outlets including Anubis Sports and FanSided.