As soon as the NFL Draft concludes each year, we quickly transition fully into rookie dynasty draft season with the crowning of a new Mr. Irrelevant.
Everyone, it's time. For those of you with a fantasy football rookie draft coming up, here is the first version of my ranks for the 2024 class (assuming a standard non-superflex fantasy setup). While there was no doubting the top of these rankings, some unexpected names made it into the top ten. We'll start with a player who should be considered a top-five receiver in a dynasty startup…
Harrison is the most obvious No. 1 pick in the rookie draft since Bejan Robinson last year. But if he happens to have 1.01, there is no need to hesitate. MHJ is a tier-of-one player in this rookie class. He was the consensus top incoming receiver and combined with an exciting quarterback to create a legitimate successful offense. Harrison cooked just about everyone on Ohio State's schedule over the past two seasons, including the last two national champions. He gave Georgia 106 yards and two scores two years ago and went 118-1 against Michigan last November.
Harrison is as close to unstoppable as any player in the draft class. Again, don't overthink it. He has the ability to finish as a top WR in his first season.
Nabors is probably the only first-year receiver among the rookies who could potentially challenge Harrison as a target leader.Like Harrison, he clearly The most dangerous receiving weapon on his team. Nabors led all Power 5 receivers in yards per route (3.81) last season, a good indicator of talent and potential.
Ideally, Nabors would have found his way to a team that didn't involve Daniel Jones or Drew Lock and had a more stable quarterback situation. The Giants haven't averaged even 200 passing yards per game in any season since 2019, but it's been a while since the team has had a player like Nabors.
Please take a look at the profile of this pristine route here:
Odunze is clearly coming off a near-perfect season, clearing 100 yards receiving in 10 games and eclipsing 80 yards in four others. He is very professionally prepared and while running basic routes, Broadcast highlight play. He and Caleb Williams will likely rewrite the passing section of the Bears' record book.
Due to the high competition for targets in Chicago, there is no guarantee that Odunze will be a weekly fantasy contributor as a rookie. But there's little question that his long-term prospects are excellent.
Brooks was a featured runner for just one year at Texas, but it was more about Bijan Robinson than it was about him. He averaged 6.2 YPC in his college career and 6.1 last season, catching 25 passes and gaining 1,425 scrimmage yards. The biggest concern here is that he continues to recover from the anterior cruciate ligament tear he sustained in November. Recent reports are full of positive content. Brooks found himself in a dire situation in Carolina's retooled offense, where he only needed to jump over Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.
When I did a little wishcast for Bowers landing spots a few weeks ago, somehow Las Vegas wasn't on the list. But here we are. Working with the winner of the upcoming Gardner Minshew vs. Aidan O'Connell position battle seems suboptimal.
Still, Bowers was an incredibly do-it-all weapon and a great value at No. 13 overall pick. You can't blame the Raiders for being on the board when their best playmaker slipped. Bowers doesn't have the clearest path to a monster target share in year one, as Davante Adams and Jacobi Meyers are both complicating factors in the receiving hierarchy.
6. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Honestly, I don't know if I'll have the discipline to pass Williams if I pick 4th or 5th in the rookie draft, but this is a hypothetical exercise, so it reflects my reckless Bears fan enthusiasm. Let's give him a ranking that he doesn't. As mentioned above, Williams is not only the top overall pick, but also has an extremely unusual setup for a rookie QB. He's creative, very aggressive, can throw ridiculous pitches, and is a genius runner. He clearly has a chance to be a top 10 or 12 player in fantasy. Williams and Odunze would break several franchise records by the time they're done (which is both a reflection of their talent and an indictment on the team's record books).
Daniels is coming off an incredible dual-threat season with 50 total touchdowns, 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 yards on the ground. His highlights were definitely of the highest quality.
Just a ridiculous season interrupted by the Heisman.he's going to have to find a way not to lose himself killed by a tackler As often as it happened at LSU, there's no doubt about his upside. Washington's receiving corps clearly has the talent needed to support a top-10 fantasy QB.
McConkey didn't have the best college production profile we've ever seen, but It's not because he couldn't understand himself fantastically open wide. This is a versatile receiver who doesn't have the heaviest competition for Justin Herbert's attention. He's a guy who landed one of the best receiver spots in the draft, and he's a great talent.
When Matt Harmon is dropping comps on Tyler Lockett, you know this guy is especially good.
Thomas was a second-tier receiver behind the big three at the position. He is a size and speed combo player with his 4.33 wheels and is coming off his great season at LSU (68-117-17). If you're looking for a comp, it's fair to think of him as something of a Kirkland signature version of DK Metcalf. There are plenty of targets for Thomas as he heads into an offense that just lost Calvin Ridley.
10. Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
If Benson had arrived in Dallas as the presumptive lead back, he would have been six or seven spots higher in those ranks and had a stronger tout. Good size, good speed, good production over multiple seasons.
Benson has James Conner issues at the moment, but that's not the overwhelming concern for the dynasty coach. There's a good chance he'll land a high-profile role in 2025.
As the guy who can throw to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, McCarthy Large scale Draft night winner. This requires little analysis. The only open question is whether McCarthy will play behind Sam Darnold for an extended period of time in his first season. Whenever he takes control, a stupid collection of weapons is placed around him.
Not necessarily a layup insanely fast (And very lightweight) Receivers are not going to make it in the NFL, and their elite speed won't really translate into an in-game advantage. But we have to put some level of trust in Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.kansas city quarterback He seemed satisfied with the worthwhile choice.. He could make a lot of fantasy noise as a rookie if the Chiefs give him the share of opportunities that Kadarius Toney and Sky Moore had.
Maye has a deep toolbox with rushing ability and arm talent. After selecting Maye, New England used their next four picks on receivers and offensive linemen, so the franchise is doing everything in its power to help its first-year QB. The Patriots' receiving corps remains tough, and short-term enthusiasm for Maye's fantasy potential has waned.
Look, I have a real question. Coleman separation ability And how he will be used in Buffalo's offense. But after his generation introduction press conference, I'm certainly rooting for him. It's clear Coleman landed on a team in need of a receiver, and it's hard to dislike where he lands since he's tied to being the consensus fantasy QB1.
If the Niners can't deal with either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel soon, Pearsall won't have a clean path to his targets as a rookie. But no one should question his long-term success. If you don't believe random fantasies on the internet, Watch and hear CJ Stroud's reaction to Pearsall's pick.. He has serious talent and he is responsible for one of the biggest captures in the history of human capture.
I got the nickname Corey. “YAC King” As a college player, that's a pretty decent sign. Although he ranks behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams (and likely Breece Hall) in his new team's receiving hierarchy, he shouldn't have to worry about Aaron Rodgers' ability to support multiple fantasy assets.
Colm reached the end zone in every Michigan game last season, usually twice and sometimes three times. He's good and a clear threat to take carries away from Kyren Williams. Colm has great incidental value as a rookie, but Williams probably won't flex him when he's fully functional.
Wilson is clearly Mike Tomlin's favorite player and the coach acquired his player. The Steelers assembled a complementary receiving corps that probably isn't too terrible. The QB situation is tricky, but there's a good chance Wilson will put up some volume in his first year.
He has the traits we like: 4.34 speed, leaping ability, and good size. Although Indy was not a dream destination, Mitchell certainly doesn't lack motivation after draft slide.
Burton wasn't a volume man in college, but he definitely passed the eye test and played much bigger than his listed size (6 feet, 196 pounds). He averaged 20.5 yards per catch last season at Alabama and is plenty dangerous. Burton's selection likely pre-empted Cincy's selection of Tee Higgins.
Looks like Carolina is going to do that. Have Leggett do a lot of little things for you, could be fun. Let's give the Panthers credit for surrounding Bryce Young with playmaking weapons. A year late, but at least it finally happened. Leggett may be unrefined, but he brings a 40-inch vertical and 4.39 speed to the party.
At the moment, we're looking for a backfield lottery pick. Wright, of course, is a burner (4.38 speed) and incredibly explosive, just like the rest of the Dolphins' skill players. He averaged 7.4 YPC and eclipsed 1,000 yards at Tennessee last season. Raheem Mostert is entering his age-32 season, and Wright has a plausible path to touch.
23. Ray Davis, RB, Buffalo Bills
Davis has topped 1,200 scrimmage yards two years in a row with two different SEC teams (Vanderbilt and Kentucky), and it's hard to imagine him playing the Latavius Murray/Damien Harris role in Buffalo. is not that difficult. He's not a huge threat to James Cook, but he can carve out a role for himself in an attractive offense.
24. Jalin Polk, WR, New England Patriots
Polk had a phenomenal season at the University of Washington alongside Roma Odunze, recording 1,159 receiving yards and nine scores on 69 receptions. He may not have been a choke pick in the second round, but he's a skilled player who has the potential to develop into one of Drake May's preferred options.
Knicks is an immediate starter for Denver. If the team is going to continue last year's line-of-scrimmage passing game, they've found a guy who can do it. The Broncos then drafted his former college teammate from the Knicks, Troy Franklin, providing a familiar face for the first-year QB.
Honorable Mention, No Rank, No Annotation: Theo Johnson, Javon Baker, Marshawn Lloyd, Troy Franklin, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Michael Penix Jr., Spencer Rattler, Devontez Walker, Kimani Vidal, Ben Sinnott.
