The 2024 NFL Draft is over, and while many rookies didn’t land well for fantasy football purposes, some veterans benefited from their team’s selections.
But every year, many notable veterans felt their fantasy value plummeted with the arrival of rookies playing their positions.
With this in mind, here are 10 players whose fantasy stocks are trending up or down based on draft results.
Increase inventory | RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys didn’t draft a running back, so they brought back a familiar face, Elliott, on a one-year, $3 million contract. Elliott is 28 years old and averaged a career-low 3.5 yards per carry in New England last season, but he should be a steal in the draft now that he’s reassigned to a goal-line role in one of the NFL’s top offenses. is.
Elliott is expected to perform similarly to his final season in Dallas. At this time, he ran for 876 yards and scored 12 touchdowns while finishing as RB19 overall in the half-PPR scoring format.
Out of stock | TE Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
The 2023 second-round pick showed promise as a rookie (27 receptions, 304 yards, 2 touchdowns), but the team’s draft decision means Meyer’s fantasy value is probably the lowest of all players. suffered the biggest blow. Las Vegas selected Georgia’s Brock Bowers with the 13th pick in the first round, a potential tight end in his generation who could be an instant hit.
Las Vegas has two wide receivers on the roster in Davante Adams and Jacobi Meyers, so Meyer won’t be fantasy material for an already limited roster barring an injury.
Increase inventory | RB Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders
Meanwhile, based on the draft results, White could be the biggest winner in fantasy football. The only running back selected by the Raiders is sixth-round pick Dylan Laub, suggesting White will assume the bell-cow role regardless of whether the team signs Alexander Mattison in free agency. .
Last season, White excelled when his workload was expanded, finishing as the No. 9 overall running back from Weeks 15 to 18 and offering a glimpse of what to expect from him in 2024.
Out of stock | RB Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Williams should finish as RB1, but don’t expect him to match his breakout season in 2023, when he finished as RB2 on a points per game basis. The Rams spent a third-round pick, close to their premium draft capital, on former University of Michigan running back Blake Collum, a threat that could take away the goal-line job from Williams as the season progresses. We need to have a clearer picture of how Los Angeles’ backfield duties will be divided up later in the preseason, but for now, it’s hard to justify spending a first-round pick on Williams in the draft. difficult.
Increase inventory | QB Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray, who has accumulated the sixth-most PPR points (1,357.4) among quarterbacks since entering the league, was QB9 overall after Week 10 after returning from a torn ACL. With Arizona adding a true No. 1 wide receiver in rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., Murray’s already high floor and ceiling get even higher, making him perhaps the highest-paid fantasy QB in 2024. Dew. Considering the draft capital, that’s probably the case. Because of the cost, stacking Murray with Harrison or tight end Trey McBride could be a league-winning combination.
Out of stock | Chicago Bears pass catcher
After adding Keenan Allen, Roman Odunze and Gerald Everett this offseason, Chicago’s receiving corps is rapidly becoming overcrowded, and it’s unclear who rookie QB Caleb Williams will rely on the most. As a result, some of the Bears’ pass catchers, especially DJ Moore, will likely be drafted at high prices, as it will be nearly impossible for them to replicate last season’s No. 6 overall WR. Additionally, RB D’Andre Swift will take a legitimate share of the workload in the receiving game, taking even more targets from Chicago’s talented receivers.
Increase inventory | QB Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Rodgers, who played for the Packers in 2022, finished 29th among QBs in points per game (14.8 points), but he’s a top-tier fantasy option in 2024, especially considering he’s leaving. There is not necessarily a strong sense of optimism that this will happen. Achilles tendon rupture. But it’s hard to overlook the strides the Jets have made in upgrading their offense this offseason, and it’s hard not to be excited about Rodgers’ future prospects.
With a supporting cast of Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Mike Williams, the four-time MVP will be a cost-effective QB2 in fantasy this season, with a relatively safe bottom and some upside. will provide.
Out of stock | RB Raheem Mostert Miami Dolphins
Mostert was the No. 5 running back last season and signed a two-year contract extension earlier this offseason, but his usage is likely to be reduced in 2024. During the draft, Miami added another fourth-rounder to its backfield, Jalen, a former track and field athlete. Wright suggests Mostert’s days as a fantasy superstar are coming to an end.
Some may be worried about the future of fellow Dolphins running back Devon Ashern, but last season he finished 24th overall as a running back despite only appearing in 11 games, so he is drafted as a running back. Too talented to disappear.
Increase inventory | RB Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
The former Bengal bounced back from a disappointing 2022 season to finish sixth overall in 2023, and could build on that performance now that he’s playing for the Texans. Mixon should continue to have a high workload, as the only players competing for carries are Dameon Pierce, who lost the starting spot to Devin Singletary last season, and sixth-round rookie Jauhar Jordan. And since the Texans acquired WR Stefon Diggs earlier this offseason, defenses won’t be able to stack boxes against them as often, setting up Mixon for another strong fantasy season.
Out of stock | WR Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville released WR Zay Jones on Tuesday, but the current receiver corps is still an improvement over last season’s group. Considering the Jaguars signed Gabe Davis in free agency and drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round, the team could boast a more vertical attack this season. This will likely lead to fewer targets for Kirk, and while he still has some value in a PPR scoring format, his upside potential is limited.
