The first round of the 2024 NFL draft has now come and gone, which can mean only one thing—it’s time for some fantasy football analysis.
Which of these rookies can you expect to make a major impact in the 2024 season?
Let’s start with the quarterbacks, where Caleb Williams enters an amazing situation with the Chicago Bears. As a rookie, Williams will have DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze at wide receiver, Cole Kmet at tight end and De’Andre Swift at running back.
That’s a fantastic cast of playmakers, and Williams is the most talented quarterback of the bunch anyway. If he adjusts quickly to the NFL level, you could be looking at a low-end QB1 option, though snagging him as a QB2 probably makes more sense.
As expected, Caleb Williams goes to CHI and becomes a fringe QB1. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FFHappyHour?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FFHappyHour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ConnorJRogers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ConnorJRogers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/croucherJD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@croucherJD</a> <a href="https://t.co/hheAtJgxMB">pic.twitter.com/hheAtJgxMB</a>
Caleb Williams will be in the QB14-QB18 range in my initial re-draft rankings. Tons of talent in that Bears offense.
And now they add Rome Odunze… Williams is walking into a dream scenario <a href="https://t.co/sXfZxBqzY9">https://t.co/sXfZxBqzY9</a>
Caleb Williams will be the best QB in Bears history, have most success in rookie year of any number 1 overall pick at QB ever and will lead Bears to playoffs this year. Congrats Chicago.
Bears QB Caleb Williams 2024 projection: <br><br>15 starts, 324/497, 3391 yards, 20 TDs, 13 INTs; 62 carries, 312 yards, 3 TDs
Jayden Daniels is a player to watch in large part because of his rushing ability. He has the ability to be an electrifying player, and while the Commanders won’t offer him the same level of weapons that Williams will possess, the trio of Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Austin Ekeler is a nice start.
CJ Stroud thinks Jayden Daniels is walking into a similar situation in Washington as his own rookie season 👀<br><br>"Dotson and Terry are so underrated as a duo" <a href="https://t.co/I0ezf58CyT">pic.twitter.com/I0ezf58CyT</a>
They were rolling tape when the Jayden Daniels pick came in. I'm here for it. <a href="https://t.co/fjLdcZODPp">pic.twitter.com/fjLdcZODPp</a>
Jayden Daniels is the one player I would advocate trading up for, knowing Caleb Williams wasn't available. He will electrify an acoustic offense. Now with Williams, Daniels and Maye off the board, will we have QBs go in the first four picks for the first time ever? Someone would…
After that, quarterbacks walk into tough situations. Drake Maye doesn’t have many weapons in New England and has the feel of a bit of a project. Michael Penix Jr. will sit for a few years behind Kirk Cousins. J.J. McCarthy will be competing with Sam Darnold for the starting job, though if he wins it will have Justin Jefferson. Bo Nix should win the starting job in Denver, but that’s not a very good offense.
Williams and Daniels should be your priorities in fantasy when it comes to the running backs.
Before pivoting to wide receivers, a quick word on Brock Bowers, who even with players like Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer in Las Vegas should still be a TE1 next season. He’s that good.
Will the Raiders be able to maximize Brock Bowers' skill set?<a href="https://twitter.com/LordDontLose?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LordDontLose</a> dives in. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLDraft?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLDraft</a> <a href="https://t.co/hXs4jZTTND">pic.twitter.com/hXs4jZTTND</a>
Bowers is a matchup nightmare, thanks to his explosiveness out of cuts, route-running, speed and ball-snatching ability. Great player.
Beowulf (Minshew) is going to be great for Bowers. Don't worry 😏
Brock Bowers led all tight ends in the nation in 2023 with 14 broken tackles and 494 yards after contact. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a>
Georgia found creative ways to get Bowers the ball. The Raiders would be very wise to do the same, though if they don’t, his upside is obviously limited.
Brock Bowers is an insanely talented player who, ahem, did not land in a great situation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FFHappyHour?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FFHappyHour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/croucherJD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@croucherJD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ConnorJRogers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ConnorJRogers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rotoworld_fb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rotoworld_fb</a> <a href="https://t.co/eSLwNxq8wQ">pic.twitter.com/eSLwNxq8wQ</a>
But drafting him only to underutilize him makes little sense. Expect him to have a big impact right out of the gate.
At receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. should have a very productive rookie season. He’ll immediately be the WR1 in Arizona and has a solid quarterback in Kyler Murray throwing him passes.
Matthew Berry shares what he expects from Marvin Harrison Jr. in his rookie season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLDraft?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLDraft</a><a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewBerryTMR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MatthewBerryTMR</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/rotoworld?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rotoworld</a> <a href="https://t.co/IMMvfLJNMM">pic.twitter.com/IMMvfLJNMM</a>
Marvin Harrison, Jr. reminds me of DeAndre Hopkins. Route traits, coverage awareness, body control/ball skills. The ability to uncover. Volume target for Kyler Murray in AZ.
This upcoming season will be the last time Marvin Harrison Jr doesn't go in the first round of your fantasy draft for the next decade.
2024 Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. projection: 84 receptions, 1053 yards, 5 TD (15 games)
Expect big things from Harrison immediately.
Xavier Worthy is another player who is going to catch the attention of fantasy players, in large part because he ended up in an offensive system that thrives with speedy receivers. Having Patrick Mahomes throwing him passes and Andy Reid drawing up plays should lead to solid numbers right away for the blazing-fast Worthy, even if he’ll likely be the WR2 in this offense behind Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
Text from an AFC GM on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> getting Xavier Worthy: "FU** me" <a href="https://t.co/IjLQ7xeN37">https://t.co/IjLQ7xeN37</a>
It all seriousness… it's not fair the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes just got Xavier Worthy. <br><br>Ran a 4.21 40. <br><br>Speed is just bonus to what he can do. Andy Reid got Desean Jackson 2.0.
Worthy is only 168 pounds. There's a small list of WR's under 170 pounds taken in the first round having any NFL success. <br><br>But he's not 5'6; he's 5'11. Three year contributor. Runs routes well. Tough. And interviewed incredibly well. <br><br>Chiefs, obviously, a perfect spot. Win win.
Buffalo handing Worthy to Mahomes….bro what? Worthy is going to thrive on broken routes and after the catch against all the zone looks the offense generates. Great fit.
Don’t be shocked if Worthy hits flex status next season.
The receivers taken before him, other than Harrison, may not have his upside. Malik Nabers is more talented and will immediately be the top option in New York, but Daniel Jones will be throwing him passes. Still, on volume alone he could crack flex status.
Odunze is going to eventually become Williams’ top option, but probably not next season. There are too many talented mouths to feed in Chicago for Odunze to truly pop for fantasy players as a rookie.
It’s likely a similar situation for Brian Thomas Jr. in Jacksonville. The Jags still have Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, Evan Engram and even Travis Etienne Jr. in the passing game. Thomas has major speed, but he’ll likely settle into more of a WR4-5 designation in fantasy football.
Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis together will test your zones
Ricky Pearsall will be a fascinating player to monitor if the San Francisco 49ers indeed trade either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, though he may still be the fifth option in the passing game on a loaded Niners team. And if neither Aiyuk or Samuel or traded, Pearsall is fantasy irrelevant next season.
Finally, Xavier Legette very well could be the top offensive weapon for the Panthers next season. Bryce Young’s rookie struggles make it tough to trust anybody in Carolina from a fantasy perspective, but Legette has major sleeper potential.
