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Early Player Props to Target for Week 1 College Football

Chris Amberley

By Chris Amberley in College Football

Published:


Colorado's Julian Lewis drops back to pass during a spring game.
Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) prepares to pass the ball during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
  • The Week 1 college football slate kicks off Thursday and I’m hunting for value in the player props market
  • Targeting specific defensive havoc rates exposes mispriced offensive volume
  • Keep reading for my early player props to target for Week 1 college football, below

Week 1 college football is finally here, delivering a phenomenal slate of non-conference clashes and early conference battles. I’ve been digging through the tape and crunching the numbers to uncover the most valuable Week 1 college football player props on the board.

Defenses with elite havoc rates, like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes, can completely wreck a game script. Conversely, units that struggle generating pressure, like the Stanford Cardinal, are prime targets.

Before full-game markets solidify in the college football odds, isolating individual offensive roles is my preferred method to attack the board. If you aren’t strictly trading prediction contracts and prefer standard sportsbook action, compare the best college football betting apps.

Below, you’ll find the best early player props to target for Week 1 college football.

Early Player Props to Target for Week 1 College Football

Player PropPickPricePlatform
Julian Lewis Passing YardsOver 213.553¢Kalshi
Justice Haynes Rushing YardsOver 71.553¢Kalshi
Christopher Vizzina Passing YardsOver 220.553¢Kalshi

Prices as of September 1, 2026. Check out the Kalshi promo code before you take these numbers.

Locking in these contracts at Kalshi early provides incredible value. At 53¢, the implied probability sits perfectly in line with a traditional -114 sportsbook offering. Jumping on these Week 1 college football player props before casual money floods the ecosystem and pushes the price toward 60¢ is where the pure +EV lives.

CFB Prop Pick #1: Julian Lewis Over 213.5 Passing Yards

The Colorado Buffaloes bring a highly explosive aerial attack into Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. Julian Lewis directed an offense that racked up 2,434 passing yards last year and converted a dazzling 87.5% of its red-zone opportunities.

Georgia Tech’s defense, frankly, looked lost in coverage last season, managing a meager four interceptions and an abysmal -7 turnover margin. Lewis will find plenty of clean throwing lanes and positive early-down passing situations. His line already moved up from an opening 208.5, so grab this before it rises further.

CFB Prop Pick #2: Justice Haynes Over 71.5 Rushing Yards

On the other side of that same Colorado vs. Georgia Tech matchup, the Yellow Jackets boast a rushing attack that is an absolute wagon. Last season they averaged 31.8 points per game while generating 2,567 rushing yards.

Georgia Tech controlled the tempo brilliantly, backed by a 45.8% third-down clip and an elite 89.1% red-zone efficiency. They draw a Colorado defense that managed just 13 sacks and six interceptions in 2025. With the game script heavily favoring sustained, physical drives, Justice Haynes will eat up yardage in chunks.

CFB Prop Pick #3: Christopher Vizzina Over 220.5 Passing Yards

Taking the field at Tiger Stadium, the Clemson Tigers clash with the LSU Tigers, a National Championship odds contender, in a premier showdown. Clemson’s offense hummed last season, logging 3,481 passing yards and 26.9 points per game with a +3 turnover margin.

LSU brings aggression, having registered 27 sacks in 2025, but the Tigers also surrendered massive chunk plays. Clemson’s positive offensive success rate will neutralize that pass rush. Christopher Vizzina’s passing yards prop dropped from an opening 227.5 down to 220.5, creating a clear buy-low window.

More Early Player Props for Week 1

LSU Tigers vs Clemson Tigers

While Vizzina is my primary target, the other side of the ball offers solid +EV. LSU wideout Jayce Brown is part of a passing game that posted 2,984 yards and 22.5 points per game last season, and he carries a steady receiving line of 47.5 yards.

Clemson counters with a ferocious front that racked up 35 sacks and nine interceptions in 2025, which is why this number has not moved. At just 53¢, buying Yes on Brown makes sense for anyone looking to fade the Clemson secondary.

Wisconsin Badgers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish

This matchup highlights contrasting tempos. Notre Dame boasted an elite offense scoring 41.5 points per game alongside a ball-hawking defense featuring a +13 turnover margin and 21 interceptions in 2025.

Wisconsin must drastically improve an anemic unit that managed just 12.8 points per game last season and a 32.3% third-down success rate. I’m avoiding this game until the Badgers show offensive life, but the rest of the board is worth a look. More college football player props are here.

Chris Amberley
Chris Amberley

Sports Writer

As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.

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