2026 Shrine Bowl: Dynasty Rookie Winners & Losers (Fantasy Football)

The 101st edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl took place on January 27th, highlighting some of the top senior prospects in the country with NFL aspirations. While the Panini Senior Bowl (formerly the Reese’s Senior Bowl) is generally considered more prestigious, the Shrine Bowl has featured several recent college prospects who have found NFL success, both from a real-life and fantasy perspective.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Oronde Gadsden II, Shedeur Sanders, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Jalen Coker were all named to the East-West Shrine Bowl roster over the past two years and have found fantasy relevance at the next level.

Who made the most of their week in the spotlight, and who missed their chance to climb NFL Draft boards? Below, I’ll dive into the standout performers and the sliding stocks from the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl.

Shrine Bowl Winners & Losers

Shrine Bowl Winners

Dominic Richardson (RB – Tulsa)

10 rushing attempts, 57 rushing yards, one touchdown

Tulsa running back Dominic Richardson was the star of the fourth quarter, rushing for over 50 yards and a touchdown in the final drive of the game to help Team West secure the win. His aggressive, downhill running style kept the chains moving when it mattered most, surely earning the attention of NFL scouts.

.@TulsaFootball's Dominic Richardson (@NicNic_00) running for more than 50 yards and a touchdown on the final drive as the West beats the East in the East/West Shrine Bowl.

Getting love from the announcing crew for running hard. pic.twitter.com/4VUNMxHjJ0

— Cayden McFarland (@caydenmc) January 28, 2026

Richardson is an older prospect, playing six years in the college ranks. He was granted an extra year due to COVID-19 and redshirted in 2024, allowing him one final season in 2025, and he made the most of it. Richardson posted his first 1,000-yard rushing season after transferring from Baylor to Tulsa, averaging a respectable five yards per carry (YPC) and 3.75 yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A). His most impressive mark was his 30.5% juke rate, posting 65 missed tackles forced on the season.

Richardson’s 6-foot-0, 210-pound frame is ideal for that of an NFL workhorse, if an opportunity came his way. He could be an excellent fourth- or fifth-round dart throw in dynasty rookie drafts, assuming he secures Day 3 draft capital.

Eric Rivers (WR – Georgia Tech)

Seven targets, five receptions, 66 receiving yards

Eric Rivers was the top-performing receiver for Team West, hauling in five of his seven targets for 66 yards on the afternoon. He had an excellent week leading up to the game as well, consistently winning in one-on-one matchups.

Following Rivers’ breakout year in 2024 with Florida International, he transferred to Georgia Tech and took a step back, finishing with 45 receptions for 649 yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, I’m not penalizing Rivers too much for his drop in production, given that Haynes King was his quarterback, who was very much a run-first quarterback. Rivers is a versatile athlete who can win in the slot and on the boundaries. He’s projected to run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash, which should further increase his NFL Draft stock.

Shrine Bowl Losers

Kyron Drones (QB – Virginia Tech)

3-of-8, 22 passing yards, zero touchdowns, one interception
One rushing attempt, nine rushing yards

From a fantasy perspective, Kyron Drones has all the physical tools necessary to make him an elite producer. He has the size (6-foot-2, 235 pounds), arm strength and dual-threat ability to pour on fantasy points. Unfortunately, Drones has numerous glaring red flags that will likely prevent him from seeing the NFL field, and they were on display in the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Drones finished the day with just three completions for 22 yards and an interception. With Drones, accuracy and processing capabilities have always been major concerns. He tends to hold the football too long and struggles when his first read isn’t open. Unfortunately, this performance may have been the nail in the coffin for Drones. If he does ever get a chance to start at the NFL level, however, his legs will make him an intriguing fantasy asset.

CJ Donaldson (RB – Ohio State)

Seven rushing attempts, 18 rushing yards
One target, one reception, zero receiving yards

The bruising running back out of Ohio State did not do his NFL Draft stock any favors with this performance, managing just 18 total yards on eight opportunities. CJ Donaldson took a backseat to freshman Bo Jackson for much of the season, but was heavily used in the red zone, racking up 10 touchdowns for the Buckeyes in 2025. This is where Donaldson was utilized at West Virginia as well, accumulating 30 touchdowns in three seasons for the Mountaineers.

While his touchdown rate in college may feel enticing for fantasy purposes, Donaldson has been fairly inconsistent in short-yardage situations throughout his career. His career 2.99 YCO/A suggests he’s not the best at fighting through contact, and his 15.3% juke rate highlights his lack of lateral agility and efficiency. Ultimately, I believe Donaldson’s athletic limitations will make him no more than a late Day 3 pick, where he’ll likely find himself as purely a practice squad guy.

Thanks for taking the time to check out today’s article. If you have any dynasty, devy, or C2C-related questions, I can be reached on X @jim_DFF.