2026 UCF Knights Football Depth Chart

UCF enters 2026 under head coach Scott Frost in his second year back in Orlando, looking to build on a tumultuous 2025 season that saw significant roster turnover. The quarterback room underwent a complete overhaul as all four quarterbacks who played in 2025—including Tayven Jackson and Cam Fancher—entered the transfer portal, marking UCF’s fourth different starting quarterback in four consecutive seasons. Frost responded with a blockbuster portal acquisition, landing James Madison’s Alonza Barnett III in a move that immediately stabilized the position. Barnett led the Dukes to a 12-2 record and a College Football Playoff berth in 2025, throwing for 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding 589 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground. Keyone Jenkins arrives from FIU with starting experience, providing quality depth, while true freshmen Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr round out the developmental pipeline.

The skill positions feature a mix of returning contributors and key portal additions. At running back, the Knights replaced NFL-bound star RJ Harvey with Landen Chambers, a First-Team All-UAC selection from Central Arkansas who provides the explosive play ability Frost’s offense demands. Taevion Swint returns as a sophomore with untapped potential, while Myles Montgomery adds veteran depth. The wide receiver room is led by Duane Thomas Jr., who showed big-play ability in 2025 and projects as the alpha target in Barnett’s passing game. Waden Charles provides a reliable secondary option, and Ric’Darious Farmer returns from injury to add experience to the rotation. Bredell Richardson, Carl Jenkins Jr., and Chris Domercant round out a deep but unproven corps. Caden Piening is the top tight end after confirming his return, with Kylan Fox providing pass-catching depth. Mason Denaburg handles place-kicking duties.

For dynasty purposes, UCF’s fantasy outlook revolves almost entirely around Alonza Barnett III, who is one of the most exciting quarterback acquisitions in the Big 12 this offseason. His dual-threat ability—nearly 600 rushing yards and 15 ground scores at JMU—gives him an elite fantasy floor in Frost’s up-tempo scheme, making him a legitimate QB1 option in deeper formats. Landen Chambers is worth monitoring as a potential volume-based fantasy running back if he wins the bell-cow role, though the committee approach may cap his weekly ceiling. Duane Thomas Jr. carries the highest receiver ceiling as the projected WR1 in what should be a high-octane passing offense with Barnett at the helm. The program’s aggressive portal strategy under Frost suggests an offense primed for a significant leap, making multiple UCF skill players worth stashing in dynasty formats.