FAU

The Owls are staring down a significant offensive reconstruction after watching their top two receiving threats depart via the transfer portal. Asaad Waseem (41.4 PPA) bolted for Purdue while Jayshon Platt (34.5 PPA) headed to Illinois, leaving massive holes in a passing game that already projects as one of the nation's weaker units at 103rd nationally. With Caden Veltkamp returning under center, FAU brought in RJ Garcia II from Bowling Green as their most impactful portal addition, but his 23.0 PPA doesn't come close to replacing what walked out the door. The defense grades out slightly better at 123rd, though that's hardly encouraging for a team sitting at 118th overall with a -9.8 point rating.

JP+ projects 5.9 wins for the Owls in a schedule that features challenging road trips to Florida and Army, balanced by home dates against Rice and Texas Southern that should provide opportunities. The gap between projection and any market optimism likely centers on whether this offense can function without its primary weapons — replacing nearly 76 combined PPA from just two receivers represents a massive challenge for any program. If Veltkamp can develop chemistry with Garcia and the supporting cast quickly, FAU might surprise in the easier portion of their slate. If not, those projected wins could prove generous.