The Devy Fantasy Football Top 100: 25-21

Jaydn Ott | © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Willette Posted On August 14, 2024

As devy dynasty football grows in popularity, finding edges around the margins becomes far more difficult. Your average devy manager can rattle off the four deep of Georgia’s running back depth chart with ease. The proliferation of camps and the presence of social media can make players stars when they are in high school.

Of course, players emerge on the scene every year. Development is seldom linear. Football is a difficult game, and I can say this as a former mediocre high school football athlete who played in the nation’s thirty-first most talent-rich state, so I know of what I speak.

Below we examine some of the game’s top devy talent as part of the Devy 100.

25. Barion Brown, WR Kentucky (2025 Draft-Eligible)

Profile: One of the nation’s more electric athletes, Brown has become an offensive centerpiece for a Kentucky program that has found its footing under Mark Stoops. Brown does a little bit of everything for the Wildcat offense, contributing as a versatile chess piece.

He dictates the pace of his game, accelerating and decelerating with ease and putting corners in a blender early in his route. His speed and creativity are on display as a return man, as he routinely picks up chunk plays with athleticism and open field magic. He could step into the NFL tomorrow and be a field stretcher; his game is tailor made for explosive plays. At 6’1” and 185 pounds, Brown is certainly not small, but his frame is slight, and he can get bumped off his routes. Attention to detail in his routes will be key as he looks to become a complete receiver. He is a lid lifter at this juncture but has plenty of time to refine his game to solidify his status as a day two receiver.

2024 Outlook: Brown and Dane Key hit campus in the same year, and they are the top two weapons on this offense, especially with Tayvion Robinson now in the NFL. Brown should continue to be a high-end all-purpose weapon and could post silly numbers if transfer quarterback Brock Vandagriff elevates this offense.

24. Jaydn Ott, RB California (2025 Draft-Eligible)

Profile: After giving Cal fans a coronary with a December decision video, Ott is back in Berkeley for another round. He has quietly been one of the nation’s most productive runners over the past two seasons and is a pivotal piece of Cal’s offense as they look to make their mark in their new conference, the ACC.

Ott is an electric runner, accelerating through alleys as he makes pursuit angles a nightmare for defenders. His best work is in the open field, yet he demonstrates strong patience in the backfield; he is not putting his blockers in a tough spot with reckless carries. At 5’10 and 205 pounds, Ott is not a small back yet needs to add good mass to become a more complete runner. He runs tough yet can get knocked off balance by physical defenders. He has done a ton of work in the passing game, though operates as more of a check-down option at this point. Ott may be on the fringes of being a lead back; his explosiveness is excellent, but teams will have concerns about his ruggedness in the dirty work. Even if his game remains stagnant, he has the juice to contribute as a 1B who can create big plays.

2024 Outlook: One of the nation’s best backs, Ott is firmly entrenched as Cal’s offensive star. He is the team’s workhorse and could breeze past his 271 touches from last season.

23. Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss (2025 Draft-Eligible)

Profile: Always a toolsy quarterback, Dart has started to put his tools to work over the past two seasons. He now leads a playoff hopeful and lines up as a Heisman dark horse in 2024.

A fast-rising prospect out of Utah, Dart joined USC as a freshman before transferring to Lane Kiffin’s squad as a sophomore. After a perfectly solid if uninspiring 2022, the heat was on Dart, as Kiffin brought in both Walker Howard and Spencer Sanders via the transfer portal. Dart responded to the challenge, not just winning the job but improving across the board. His best trait may be his ability to make plays on the move, as he is highly mobile and excels when plays go off-script. He can fling the football around the gridiron effortlessly and layers footballs in at every level. Ole Miss’ offense provides a lot of opportunity to make plays, yet Dart has plenty of work to do when it comes to fitting footballs into small windows. He will need to show better anticipation and deep ball accuracy in order to become a premier prospect. In totality, however, he has a lot of enticing tools and is still early in his development. He could be this year’s big riser at the quarterback position.

2024 Outlook: Dart is locked in as the starter for a trendy playoff contender. He will have every opportunity to perform in big moments against always tough and newly expanded SEC competition.

22. Omarion Hampton, RB North Carolina (2025 Draft-Eligible)

Profile: The North Carolina offense took a step back in 2023, a big talking point when it came to the prospect stock of Drake Maye. The lull, however, did not impact Hampton, who rumbled for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns as a veritable workhorse for the Tar Heels.

Hampton’s 5’11” and 219-pound frame is put to good use, as he runs with passion and grittiness in order to eschew tacklers who did not bring their lunch pail. He does not waste much energy going east and west, instead choosing to pick his lane and hit it with aggression. He is your prototypical power back, though he is no plodder. He can get north and south in a hurry, even if he is not a particularly agile or creative runner once he gets in the open field. A reliable check-down target, Hampton has the tools to be a lead runner at the NFL level and should be a solid, reliable pro who is built to handle a significant workload.

2024 Outlook: Hampton was brilliant in 2023 and will be leaned on even more heavily with Drake Maye now in New England. With the build to carry an offense and excellent production on his resume, Hampton is a Doak Walker favorite.

21. Trevor Etienne, RB Georgia (2025 Draft-Eligible)

Profile: After two productive seasons at Florida, Trevor Etienne has transferred to Georgia, fanning the flames of an already bitter rivalry. Etienne was always part of a committee at Florida – perhaps part of the reason why he transferred – but he joins a Georgia backfield that always rotates backs.

Etienne is a slashing runner who is at his best in space, a high-energy back who slithers into openings and uses an array of jump cuts to give defenders nightmares at the second level. His footspeed allows him to navigate tight spaces and hit the big play when he gets an opening; few backs are more adept at turning what looks like nothing into a big play. At 5’9” and 205 pounds, he lacks ideal bulk, and it shows when he finishes runs. He does not possess the contact balance to really churn out the extra tough, hidden yards the elite backs do. Still, as a dynamic runner who can win in multiple ways in the passing game, Etienne has the look of a back who can handle 12-15 touches per game at the NFL level and return fantasy goodness from them.

2024 Outlook: It is highly unlikely Etienne transferred to be a bit player. While he will share work with Roderick Robinson and the rehabbing Branson Robinson, Etienne heads this backfield and could post big numbers in a Georgia offense that figures to score at will.