Week 0 is here, which means fall camp is basically over and we’re finally getting ready to see these depth charts, position battles, and offseason storylines play out on the field.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve gone conference by conference tracking the biggest developments from camp. Now I want to pull everything together and focus on the CFB Camp Reports: Top Stories before the season officially gets rolling.
This isn’t about recapping every team or every positive practice report. At this point, I’m looking for the developments that could actually matter once games start: quarterbacks who separated, running backs who earned bigger roles, receivers emerging as top targets, freshmen forcing their way into rotations, and situations where the fantasy market may still be behind the information.
Some of these storylines have been building all month. Others have changed quickly over the last week. With Week 0 starting, this is the last real checkpoint before we stop projecting and start reacting to actual football.
These are the camp stories I think matter most heading into the 2026 season.
Alabama Names Keelon Russell Starting QB
We’ve been on Keelon Russell for months here at TDR. I was high on him coming out of high school, had him as my QB1 in that class, and nothing has changed for me. If he hits this season, we are talking about a player who could push himself into the 1.01 conversation next offseason in Devy and Campus to Canton formats.
Alabama has officially handed him the offense, and that matters. Russell beat out Austin Mack for the job because he showed the staff he could consistently operate the offense, handle the responsibilities at the line, and give them something extra when plays break down. That last part is what makes him so intriguing for fantasy. Russell can create outside structure, add rushing production, and turn bad plays into explosive ones.
There are going to be mistakes. He barely played as a freshman, so we are not projecting some finished product here. That does not bother me. The reason I have been so aggressive on Russell is the ceiling. He has the arm talent, mobility, and creativity you want from a high-end fantasy quarterback, and now he has the starting job at Alabama with Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb designing the offense around him.
The supporting cast is going to be a work in progress. Alabama replaces a ton of offensive production and could be relying heavily on younger players, especially up front. Ryan Coleman-Williams gives Russell at least one established target, but this offense is going to have to grow with him throughout the season.
From a CFF perspective, Russell immediately becomes one of the more interesting quarterbacks in the country because of the rushing upside. Alabama should not ask him to sit in the pocket and play like last year’s starter. Let him move. Let him create. Let him stress defenses with his legs. That is where the fantasy ceiling comes from.
For Devy, this is where things can move fast. Russell already had the pedigree. Now he has the Alabama starting job and a real opportunity to put himself on the national stage. If he produces the way I think he can, his value is going to be significantly higher by the end of the season than it is right now.
LSU Could Be a CFF and C2C Gold Mine
LSU is one of the offenses I keep coming back to because there are fantasy assets everywhere. Sam Leavitt is healthy and locked in as QB1, the backfield is deep, the receiver room has multiple players worth targeting, and Trey’Dez Green has a chance to become one of the best tight ends in the country.
At quarterback, Leavitt is exactly where we expected him to be. He attacked rehab throughout the spring, has continued progressing through camp, and reportedly looked good in the latest scrimmage, especially throwing into tighter windows. The more interesting development for me is Husan Longstreet. His consistency has improved enough that he looks pretty secure as QB2, and I think he is a great stash in deeper C2C and Devy formats. If you can be patient, there is real long-term upside there.
The running back room is where things get interesting. Dilin Jones currently sitting at RB1 is a little surprising, especially with Harlem Berry right there. Jones and Berry should both play plenty, but I am still Team Berry from a talent and upside standpoint. The RB3 battle between Caden Durham and Stacy Gage matters less for immediate fantasy, but it tells you how crowded this room is. Gage had a strong first scrimmage, then Durham answered in the second. There is a lot of talent here, which is great for LSU and not always great for CFF volume.
At receiver, Winston Watkins Jr. is the guy I want. LSU has ridiculous depth with Jackson Harris, Eugene Wilson, Jayce Brown, Malik Elzy, Phillip Wright III, and others all pushing for work, but Watkins is the name I am prioritizing. There may not be an obvious Ja’Marr Chase or Malik Nabers level alpha sitting here right now, but Watkins has the talent to become the receiver who separates from this group. In CFF and C2C, that is the bet I want to make.
Then there is Trey’Dez Green, who might be the best long-term asset on the offense outside of Leavitt. Zach Grace has moved up the depth chart behind him and should have a role as more of an H-back, but Green is the one with legitimate difference-making upside. I think he is on his way to becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick if the production matches the talent this season.
From a fantasy perspective, LSU is loaded. Leavitt is the immediate CFF centerpiece, Longstreet is the stash, Berry is still my preferred running back despite Jones sitting at RB1, Watkins is the receiver I want to own, and Green is one of the premier C2C tight end assets in the country. This is one of those offenses where we could look back in a few months and wish we had been even more aggressive before the season started.
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