The CFB Pulse: Weekly News That Actually Matters
Kevin dives into CFB news that you need to know!
Spring practice is officially underway across the country, and this is the time of year where the early clues start to surface. Depth charts begin to take shape, freshmen start flashing for the first time, and position battles quietly start forming before the summer hype cycle kicks in.
For fantasy managers in Devy, CFF, and C2C formats, this is also one of the most important windows on the calendar. These early practice reports often tell us which freshmen are ahead of schedule, which transfers are settling in quickly, and which players could be positioned for larger roles heading into the fall.
Let’s get into the early spring storylines that are starting to develop around the country.
Michigan Spring Practice Notes: Early Takeaways from Ann Arbor
Michigan is underway with spring practice, and early comments coming out of Ann Arbor gave us a pretty clear picture of where things stand, especially at quarterback and some key skill positions. The biggest takeaway is simple: Bryce Underwood is the guy.
There’s no competition here. Underwood has firmly taken control of QB1 heading into the season, and it sounds like the staff is ready to fully lean into what he brings to the table. That includes not just his arm, but his ability to create when plays break down. As a true freshman last year, he was thrown into the fire early, starting every game at just 18 years old. Now, with a full offseason under his belt and more structure around him, this is the year where you expect that jump.
What stands out is that Michigan doesn’t want to box him in. They’re not trying to turn him into a strict pocket passer. They want him playing free, extending plays, and using his athleticism when needed. If that part of his game develops, it raises both his real-life impact and his fantasy ceiling in a big way.
From a development standpoint, he now has more dedicated support in the quarterback room, which should help clean up some of the inconsistencies we saw late last season. The tools have never been the question; it’s about putting everything together.
One of the more interesting notes came around freshman running back Savion Hiter, and this is one fantasy managers should be paying attention to. The staff went out of their way to bring him up, which usually means something. Hiter has the profile of a player who could push for early touches, and when coaches start talking about a freshman like that before spring has even really ramped up, it’s worth noting. He’s not just a future piece; there’s a real chance he factors in sooner rather than later. That is HUGE news for fantasy managers.
At wide receiver, Michigan already has a group starting to separate. The early top tier includes Andrew Marsh, Jaime Ffrench, Salesi Moa, and J.J. Buchanan. Marsh continues to get mentioned as a high-level talent, while Ffrench and Moa bring upside and athleticism to the group. Buchanan adds experience as a transfer, giving the room some balance. That top four seems fairly locked in for now, with the rest of the room competing to round out the rotation. Michigan typically plays a handful of receivers, so the battle for those next spots will be something to monitor as spring continues. One thing to note for Fantasy managers is that Buchanan is listed as a WR, which would hurt managers who had him last year as a TE. Something to get ahead of before other managers in your leagues.
