Devy Fantasy Football League Primer: Strategy & Prospects (2024)

If you’re looking for a dynasty league on steroids, you might want to consider joining a devy league. Devy was first created in the 1990s by Scott Fish of Scott Fish Bowl fame, and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular formats in fantasy football.

In devy leagues, you draft college prospects and stash them until they declare for the NFL Draft. Unlike the Campus2Canton (C2C) format, you don’t score any fantasy points from your prospects’ college production. Instead, you secure their rights for the future.

Devy fantasy football leagues aren’t for the weak and require more research than your standard dynasty league, but I highly recommend the format for those looking for a deeper experience. If you do the work, you can build superteams and create a massive advantage over your league mates.

Devy Fantasy Football 101

As noted above, devy leagues have a built-in minor league for your dynasty team. Each league is different, but the majority require each prospect to be enrolled in college. That means you can’t draft the local high school product you saw dominating on Friday night.

However, you can draft true freshmen like Jeremiah Smith, Micah Hudson, and Ryan Williams. Just make sure to pay close attention to your particular league settings. Some leagues will have unlimited devy roster spots, while others might have you limited to only a few devy prospects each. Drafting all true freshmen would lock your roster in place for at least three years and severely limit your flexibility and depth.

Devy Quarterback Prospects

Georgia’s Carson Beck, the current betting favorite to go No.1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, is the safest quarterback selection for those needing more immediate help at the position. Fellow 2025 draft-eligible quarterbacks such as Quinn Ewers, Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, and Conner Weigman (among others) are hoping to challenge for that top spot, but it is Beck’s to lose at this point in the process.

For those willing to wait an extra year, Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava is fully expected to catapult into stardom this upcoming season. The sophomore signal-caller sat behind sixth-round draft pick Joe Milton for most of last season, but Iamaleava looked the part in his limited reps.

Iamaleava is in a quarterback-friendly offense that should maximize his talents. He has the size, athleticism, and arm talent to make a real impact in the SEC and beyond.

Fellow 2026 draft-eligible quarterbacks like Dante Moore (UCLA to Oregon) and Malachi Nelson (USC to Boise State) changed schools this offseason, but their talent is worth the gamble. Meanwhile, the true freshman class is headlined by Florida’s DJ Lagway, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola.

Devy Running Back Prospects

TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State): 2025
Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State): 2025
CJ Baxter (Texas): 2026
Nicholas Singleton (Penn State): 2025
Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State): 2025
Justice Haynes (Alabama): 2026
Omarion Hampton (North Carolina): 2025
Ashton Jeanty (Boise State): 2025
Damien Martinez (Miami): 2025
Trevor Etienne (Florida): 2025
Devin Neal (Kansas): 2025
Jaydn Ott (Cal): 2025
Jordan James (Oregon): 2025
Kaytron Allen (Penn State): 2025
Kaleb Jackson (LSU): 2026

It’s not often you see the top two running back prospects sharing the same backfield, but that’s life in today’s college football. The tag team of the transfer portal and NIL played a major role in making that a reality for Ohio State’s duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson shocked everyone when he decided to forego the 2024 NFL Draft for another season in college, but the running back felt he could improve his stock with a healthy final season. The decision was surprising for multiple reasons. Many believed Henderson was ready for the next level, but also because Judkins had announced his intention to transfer from Ole Miss just days earlier. Good luck stopping that ground game.

The Buckeyes duo lead an intriguing group of 2025 draft-eligible running backs ahead of Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton, Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. The 2026 class is led by Texas running back CJ Baxter, but keep an eye on LSU’s Kaleb Jackson as a potential riser.

Devy Wide Receiver Prospects

Luther Burden (Missouri): 2025
Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona): 2025
Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State): 2027
Evan Stewart (Oregon): 2025
Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 2025
Isaiah Bond (Texas): 2025
Zachariah Branch (USC): 2026
Carnell Tate (Ohio State): 2026
Micah Hudson (Texas Tech): 2027
Barion Brown (Kentucky): 2025
Eugene Wilson III (Florida): 2026
Cam Coleman (Auburn): 2027
Ryan Williams (Alabama): 2027
Nic Anderson (Oklahoma): 2025
Jurrion Dickey (Oregon): 2026

There has been an influx of talented wide receivers making the leap from college football to the NFL. That trend isn’t stopping anytime soon. Missouri’s Luther Burden and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan are special wide receiver prospects currently projected as early 2025 NFL Draft picks.

Burden is an explosive athlete with top-end speed while McMillan offers more size in contested catch situations. Fellow 2025-eligible wide receivers Evan Stewart, Emeka Egbuka, and Isaiah Bond are grouped together in the next tier. Draft capital and situation are likely to determine their pecking order.

The 2026 class already has a handful of rising stars in Zachariah Branch, Carnell Tate, and Eugene Wilson. The true freshman class might be one of the best groups we’ve seen in a while. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith is the cream of the crop, but fellow 2027-eligible wide receivers Micah Hudson, Cam Coleman, and Ryan Williams are nice consolation prizes for devy managers.

Devy Tight End Prospects

Colston Loveland (Michigan): 2025
Ben Yurosek (Georgia): 2025
Oscar Delp (Georgia): 2025
Luke Hasz (Arkansas): 2026
Luke Lachey (Iowa): 2025

With Brock Bowers taking his talents to the Las Vegas Raiders, there’s no longer a consensus TE1 in college football. Colston Loveland, fresh off a National Championship, is my TE1 due to production (45 receptions, 649 yards, 4 TD in 2024) and presumed draft capital.

Down in Athens, Georgia tight ends Ben Yurosek and Oscar Delp will have equal opportunity to replace Bowers’ production. Delp has long been the presumed heir apparent, but Delp, a talented transfer from Stanford, could throw a wrench in those plans.