Boise State at Washington State Breakdown: Week 8, Oct. 24, 2026

The story

Boise State arrives in Pullman having won five straight and has looked like the stronger side all season. Washington State has lost four straight, most recently 48-30 at Oregon State on Oct. 17, and is changing things at quarterback. For fantasy, the Boise State offense carries this game, with one Washington State receiver worth a look.

The angle

Neither offense points to an extreme game, so usage and matchups should decide this one. That favors Boise State's ground game. Dylan Riley (Boise State) has 52 percent of the carries over the last three games and faces a Washington State run defense in the bottom 40 percent of FBS. Boise State's catches are split between Rasean Jones at 29 percent and Matt Wagner at 27 percent.

Start 'em

Dylan Riley (Boise State) has been the engine of this offense, with 21.7 carries a game. He has averaged 24.4 points this season and 27.6 over his last three, with a high of 37.4 in the 38-31 win at Fresno State on Oct. 10. Washington State's run defense is below average, and his workload gives him room against it. He is clearly ahead of Sire Gaines (Boise State), who has averaged 6.3 points over his last three games. A heavy workload against a soft run defense is hard to pass up, which makes Riley a start.

Maddux Madsen is Boise State's starting QB and has thrown for 229 yards a game over his last three games, adding 25 rushing yards a game. He has averaged 20.4 points this season and 21 over his last three, with a high of 23.1, so his range is tight. Washington State's pass defense is about average and allows 225 passing yards a game, which points to a normal week. Madsen is a safe floor, since his weekly output barely moves.

Washington State receiver Branden Ganashamoorthy's role has grown quickly. He has 5.7 catches a game over his last three games, up from 2.3 before that, which is 22 percent of Washington State's catches. He had 11 catches in the loss at Oregon State on Oct. 17. He has averaged 11.2 points this season and 14.3 over his last three, with a high of 31.7. Boise State's defense against receivers is about average, a spot his volume can handle. With his catches climbing in a fair matchup, Ganashamoorthy gets a start from me.

Risky plays

Rasean Jones has become a bigger part of the Boise State passing game. He has 5.3 catches a game over his last three games, up from 3.5 before that, and 29 percent of the team's catches in that span. He has averaged 14.3 points this season, with a high of 24.3. Washington State's defense against receivers is about average, so the matchup is fine. The problem is his status: he is questionable. Jones is risky, because his availability is unsettled until lineups lock.

Value

Matt Wagner (Boise State) has 5 catches a game over his last three games, up from 2.3 before that, and has averaged 17 points in that span. Washington State's defense against tight ends is above average, ranking in the top 40 percent of FBS, so expectations should stay measured. Even so, at $7.0M and projected for about 11, his recent role gives him room to beat that price.

Injuries and timeshares

Boise State's Rasean Jones is questionable. If he sits, Ben Ford stands to gain, and Ford has 14 percent of the team's catches over his last three games. Cameron Bates and Darren Morris are also questionable. In the backfield, Riley has 52 percent of the carries over the last three games and Gaines 39 percent.

Washington State's Darrius Clemons is questionable with an ankle injury, according to The Spokesman-Review.

TL;DR

Start Riley and Madsen with confidence, trust Ganashamoorthy's growing role, take Wagner as the value, and check on Jones before lock.