Virginia Tech at Clemson Breakdown: Week 8, Oct. 24, 2026

The story

Virginia Tech arrives at Memorial Stadium at 5-2 and coming off a 34-24 win over Georgia Tech on Oct. 17, which steadied things after back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh and California. Clemson is 4-2 and rolled past Charleston Southern on Oct. 17 after losing at home to Miami on Oct. 3. This ACC game is expected to be close. The Hokies bring the more productive offense, and most of the fantasy appeal sits on their side.

The angle

Clemson is tougher against the pass than the run, so the ground game is the softer path for Virginia Tech. That favors Jeffrey Overton (Virginia Tech) more than the Hokies' receivers. Neither side's scoring points to a shootout, so role and volume should decide this game more than pace. Clemson's own backs face the Hokies' above-average run defense, a top-40-percent unit in FBS, which leaves the Tigers' passing game as their better route.

Start 'em

Ethan Grunkemeyer has carried Virginia Tech's offense, throwing for 324 yards a game over the last three games and running nine times a game in that span, up from 3.8 carries before it. Clemson's pass defense is the 14th-best in FBS and allows 189 passing yards a game, so this is a hard draw for his arm. His legs help offset that, and he has averaged 23 points this season and 26.5 over his last three games, with a high of 31.9. Start him, because the rushing work gives him a floor that the tough coverage can't fully take away.

Que'Sean Brown has caught 30 percent of Virginia Tech's passes over the last three games, up from 23 percent before that, and he has averaged 23.5 points over that stretch. Coach James Franklin gave him the game ball after the Georgia Tech win and said, "He's playing big time." Clemson's pass defense, 14th-best in FBS, may cap his ceiling. Ayden Greene (Virginia Tech), who has played in six of the team's seven games, has averaged 11.5 points over his last three, well behind Brown's pace. Brown is a safe floor, since his share of the catches is large enough to hold up in one tough matchup.

Bryant Wesco has caught 24 percent of Clemson's passes over the last three games, about 5.3 catches a game, and he has averaged 14 points over that span, up from 11.4 for the season, with a high of 24.2. Virginia Tech is below average against receivers, a bottom-40-percent unit in FBS, so this is a spot he can exploit. Clemson receiver Tyler Brown's catches have climbed, but Wesco has outpaced him over the last three games and is the one to own. Start Wesco, because a steady role in a favorable matchup gives him the best path to points on Clemson's side.

Sit 'em

T.J. Moore has caught 13 percent of Clemson's passes over his last three games, down from 33 percent earlier in the season, and his scoring has followed that drop. Virginia Tech's below-average defense against receivers is the one argument for him, but it doesn't make up for the lost volume. Fade him while his role is shrinking.

Value

Virginia Tech running back Jeffrey Overton's role in the passing game is growing: he has caught four passes a game over his last three games, up from 2.5 before that. Clemson is about average against running backs and gives up more on the ground than through the air, which suits him. He has averaged 15.6 points over his last three games, and at $5.7M he is projected for about 17, enough to beat his price.

TL;DR

Ride Grunkemeyer and Que'Sean Brown despite Clemson's pass defense, start Wesco on the other side, grab Overton as the value, and fade Moore.