Another offseason draws close to an end as the start of the 2026 college football season looms just around the corner. With the Indiana Hoosiers representing the conference as its third consecutive national champion, all eyes will be on the Big Ten heading into the season. While the Hoosiers, along with usual conference title contenders Ohio State and Oregon, are once again expected to be among the top teams in the nation in 2026, the entire conference is full of intriguing players and storylines to follow throughout the season. Without further ado, we'll start off our conference preview with a look at our All-Big Ten player selection picks for the upcoming season.
2026 College Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- College Football Projections
- College Football Rankings (linked above)
- College Football Cheat Sheet
- National Championship Odds
- Heisman Odds
- Tadpole Bowl Rankings and Strategy
- Underdog Best Ball Draft Tool
- Quarterback Rankings
- Running Back Rankings
- Wide Receiver Rankings
- Tight End Rankings
Big Ten All-Conference Teams
Big Ten Fantasy Sleepers
QB Malik Washington, Maryland
Coming off a freshman season in which he showed flashes of brilliance throughout the campaign, Washington may be poised for a sophomore breakout. The 6-foot-5 former 5-star signal-caller put together a solid season as a true freshman starter in 2025, throwing for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns while accounting for 303 yards and four scores on the ground as well. Though the Terps lost their top three receivers in terms of 2025 production, returning tight end Dorian Fleming and running back DeJuan Williams should command a fair amount of attention from opposing defenses, giving the new additions at receiver opportunities downfield. Most importantly, Washington stands to benefit from what should be an improved offensive line, with a mix of returning starters and experienced players from the transfer portal. While the Terrapins may not be expected to contend for a Big Ten title, don't be surprised if Washington finds himself in contention for an All-Big Ten nod.
QB Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska
Transferring up to a premier conference can be a tough transition, especially for quarterbacks, but Colandrea finds himself in about as nice of a situation as one can hope with Nebraska. The Cornhuskers return their two leading receivers from 2025 in Nyziah Hunter and Jacory Barney Jr. and sport an experienced offensive line which head coach Matt Rhule has referred to as possibly his best in Lincoln. While the Mountain West is a far cry from the challenge of a Big Ten schedule, Colandrea put up very productive numbers in his time with UNLV, not only with his arm (3,459 yards, 23 touchdowns) but with his legs as well (649 yards, 10 touchdowns). Colandrea may have an adjustment period making his way into the Big Ten schedule, but he has just about everything he needs to put together a productive season in Lincoln.
RB Kamari Moulton, Iowa
Coming off a strong 2025 campaign where he established himself as Iowa's top ground weapon with 878 rushing yards and five touchdowns, Moulton enters 2026 as the lead back in the Hawkeyes' offense. With another year operating under coordinator Tim Lester, Moulton is projected to be a primary focus in Iowa's traditional physical, run-first attack. While transfers like L.J. Phillips will add depth to the backfield, Moulton's proven efficiency (5.2 yards per carry in 2025) gives him a clear path to a 1,000-yard season if he stays healthy. The Hawkeyes have some questions to answer at the quarterback position, and although Moulton should excel behind whoever is under center, QB performance will weigh heavily on Moulton's bottom line as a top-tier back.
RB Abu Sama, Wisconsin
Sama transferred to Wisconsin in January and is expected to be the lead tailback for the Badgers after three productive seasons at Iowa State. Sama brings a physical, tackle-breaking running style combined with open-field agility that fits seamlessly into Wisconsin's tradition of power football. He enters fall camp as the clear favorite to lead the backfield in touches under offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. Wisconsin's offense struggled to put points on the board last season, but the addition of Sama and Old Dominion QB transfer Colton Joseph should upgrade the offense to match a surprisingly decent defensive unit that kept Wisconsin competitive in some close matchups last season. Assuming he stays healthy after recovering from a minor spring hamstring injury, Sama has a strong trajectory and should improve Wisconsin's fortunes in conference play.
WR Tanook Hines, USC
Although the Trojans enter the season with the toughest schedule in the country, it's impossible to count them out with a wide array of offensive weapons. Although QB Jayden Maiave lost Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane to the NFL, Hines returns to helm a wideout room with a proven track record and loads of experience. The sophomore gave us a preview of what he can do without competition from Lemon and Lane with six catches and 163 receiving yards against TCU in the Alamo Bowl. He also often found himself as Maiava's top target when opposing defenses chose to double-team Lemon or Lane. Although Lincoln Riley has added a promising transfer in Terrell Anderson (N.C. State) and promising freshmen (Trent Mosley and Corey Simms) to the depth chart, there'slittle doubt that Hines will be Maiava's featured target.
WR Chrishon McCray, Michigan State
While the Michigan State offense is hardly expected to be a dynamic machine in 2026, McCray finds himself with an opportunity to be the true alpha in the receiver room. While 24 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns in 2025 don't exactly jump off the page, leading receivers Nick Marsh and Omari Kelly, along with tight end Jack Velling, are all gone. In addition, McCray played some of his best football down the stretch for the Spartans last season, developing a connection with returning quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, including a six-catch, 75-yard, two-touchdown performance in a loss against Iowa last November. Expected to be one of the bottom teams in the Big Ten this season, the Spartans are likely to throw the ball a lot late in games, and with little proven production coming from the transfer portal, McCray figures to be the main beneficiary downfield.
Big Ten Position Battles of Interest
Indiana Running Backs
It wouldn't seem right to leave the reigning national champions off a Big Ten conference preview article. While last year's title celebrations may remain fresh in the minds of some, there are questions to be answered on the gridiron for the Hoosiers. Though Heisman Trophy winner and NFL first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza made the headlines for Indiana in 2025, the running game remains the true bread and butter for head coach Curt Cignetti's squad. The losses of Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black (2,160 yards, 17 touchdowns combined) will be tough to overcome, but the Hoosiers have proven the ability to retool and reload in Cignetti's short tenure in Bloomington. Returning backs Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe Jr. figure to see some work in the backfield in 2026, while incoming Boston College transfer Turbo Richard (749 yards, nine touchdowns in 2025) is a wildcard coming into Cignetti's system and could ultimately claim the starting duties. While it's not yet clear who is expected to lead the way for the Indiana run game in 2026, the Hoosiers certainly have the talent necessary to run rampant on the college football world once again.
Illinois Wide Receivers
While the loss of 2025 leading receiver Hank Beatty is a tough pill to swallow, the Illinois receiver room may very well be one of the better rooms in the Big Ten. Returning starters Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement bring production from last season (71 receptions, 1,002 yards, eight touchdowns combined) and figure to contend for the majority of the target share. However, incoming transfer Jayshon Platt from Florida Atlantic could serve as a big-play spark plug for the team with his dynamic speed. Platt has been noted throughout the offseason as someone to watch for this upcoming season, and along with the experience of Dixon and Clement within the Illini offense, it will be interesting to see who steps up as East Carolina transfer quarterback Katin Houser's top target in 2026.
Maryland Wide Receivers
New faces will have to emerge for the Terps if the passing game is to get off the ground in 2026. Freshman quarterback Malik Washington showed promise in 2025 and looks poised to have a breakout year in 2026, but with leading receivers Shaleak Knotts, Jalil Farooq and Octavian Smith Jr. all out of the picture, the question remains who will step up to catch passes in College Park. Returning receiver Kaleb Webb has the most experience with Washington and the Maryland offense, though transfer wideouts Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (Old Dominion) and Chris Durr Jr. (Wyoming) will compete for the top spot as well. While the offense will likely rely on the pass-catching abilities of returning tight end Dorian Fleming (40 catches, 351 yards, three touchdowns) as well as returning running back DeJuan Williams (45 catches, 426 yards, one touchdown), someone will need to step up on the outside if this Maryland offense is to reach its full potential.
Washington Running Backs
The Huskies have big shoes to fill following the departure of Jonah Coleman. While Demond Williams is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, the team will need to diversify the running attack to keep Williams healthy. So far, there's no real answer for Jedd Fisch and his offense. Jayden Limar left a crowded RB room in Oregon to join the Huskies for his final season of eligibility, but his recent ankle surgery kept him out of spring camp. Freshman Quaid Carr dazzled in spring practice, but he received extra attention due to Jordan Washington (undisclosed) and Troy transfer Trey Cooley (knee) on the shelf. While Limar may have the inside track if his ankle holds up, the Huskies might have to rely on Carr to carry more of the load if Washington and Cooley remain sidelined.
Penn State Running Backs
New coach Matt Campbell had his work cut out for him after the departures of Nicholas Singelton and Kaytron Allen, but he hit the portal and didn't miss a beat. Carson Hansen followed Campbell from Iowa State. James Peoples saw the writing on the wall in Columbus and left the Buckeyes for Happy Valley. Add sophomore Qunton Martin to the mix, and you're left with a solid backfield that has no clear frontrunner. Obviously, Hansen is intimately familiar with Campbell's playbook, and he has a solid rapport with QB Connor Becht, his former teammate. Despite these advantages, it would be foolish to count Peoples out. Although he lost his job to Bo Jackson last season, he still managed 344 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the crowded backfield room. Peoples' presence could keep Hansen from reaching his 1,000-yard potential despite the obvious synergy with the coach and quarterback.
