Fantasy footballers share draft strategies for the 2024 NFL season
Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright are the Fantasy Footballers and they have some helpful tips for your fantasy team. Listen to their podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Trying to avoid taking risks in fantasy football drafts is like entering a soup-eating contest with a fork. You won’t win.
Fantasy “league winners” are usually the players who generate the most value relative to their average draft position (ADP). Last season, Raheem Mostert was the 40th running back taken off the board, with more than 115 players drafted ahead of him on average. He finished the season as the RB2 and the second most appearances on Yahoo championship teams.
The word “sleeper” can mean different things to different people, but in this article we’ll use it to describe players who should be worth significantly more than their current draft price.
Here are my top five fantasy football insider tips for 2024.
The best insider tips for Fantasy Football 2024
DK Metcalf, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks
ADP: 38.7 (WR21)
Over the last four seasons, DK Metcalf has finished as WR7, WR12, WR18, WR16. However, despite a seemingly improved outlook, he has an ADP of WR21.
It should not be difficult for the 26-year-old to achieve goals in 2024.
Led by Shane Waldron, the Seattle Seahawks ranked dead last in plays per game last season. They made sloths like Noah Lyles look like they were playing sloths. Enter Ryan Grubb.
Under Grubb’s leadership, the Washington Huskies ranked 20th in the nation in number of plays per game in his first season as offensive coordinator. That pace would be a breath of fresh air for Seattle’s offense.
Metcalf has proven he can be successful as a WR1. He has never performed as poorly as he is currently being drafted. I’m willing to bet that won’t change in 2024.
Kyler Murray, quarterback, Arizona Cardinals
ADP: 63.7 (QB8)
Equipping your team with an elite quarterback can go a long way in helping you win the league.
In Yahoo leagues last year, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson were among the 12 most frequently featured players on championship teams. All three playmakers appeared on ESPN’s list of most frequently featured players on championship teams.
Unfortunately, you would have to part with a top-40 pick to get one of those names – the same goes for Patrick Mahomes. Fortunately, there is a former QB1 who comes off the board in the 60s and has an elite combination of high floor and ceiling. His name is Kyler Murray.
In terms of points per game, Kyler has been in the top eight every season since his rookie year, including two top-four finishes. The floor is elite.
His blanket is downright arousing.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is a new addition, and the last time Kyler had a wide receiver of his caliber, he dominated. In 28 career games with DeAndre Hopkins at his side, Murray averaged 25 points. For comparison, Josh Allen led the league in 2023 with 24.2 points per game.
Get Kyler and enjoy the benefits.
Diontae Johnson, wide receiver, Carolina Panthers
ADP: 89.3 (WR37)
Last season, the Carolina Panthers threw 137 passes at Adam Thielen’s body. Rookie Jonathan Mingo looked like a deer in the headlights, yet 85 passes were thrown near him. DJ Chark, who is no longer with the team, was targeted 66 times.
In short, there is a big hole in this offense that needs to be filled by an NFL-level wide receiver. And Diontae Johnson could be just that guy.
Sure, the former Steeler spends more time in the blue tent than some coaches, but productivity isn’t an issue when he’s healthy. And given his ADP, the risk here is minimal.
If Thielen was a top-25 fantasy receiver last year, Johnson should have no trouble topping that this season.
Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars
ADP: 118.7 (WR49)
Four wideouts were drafted in the top 25 in the 2024 NFL Draft. Marvin Harrison Jr. has an ADP in the top 20. Malik Nabers finds himself in the top 50. Rome Odunze is drafted as a top 100 player despite having two alpha receivers ahead of him on the depth chart. The fourth is Brian Thomas Jr.
Although Thomas was not of the same caliber as the first three, he landed in a tempting position.
The Jaguars rank fifth among all teams in vacated targets and second in vacated air yards, meaning there’s a huge piece of the pie up for grabs now. Gabe Davis will take on some of that, but Thomas should have a big role as a rookie.
Josh Palmer, wide receiver, Los Angeles Chargers
ADP: 156.3 (WR55)
He may not be the most attractive pick, but Josh Palmer’s ADP doesn’t make sense.
Justin Herbert is a quarterback who is almost elite and has to throw to someone. The Chargers have by far the most open targets in the league. Quentin Johnson couldn’t catch a cold in a kindergarten in the winter. Rookie Ladd McConkey is intriguing, but he never caught more than 58 passes in a season at Georgia. DJ Chark had virtually no competition with the Panthers last year, only topping 60 receiving yards twice.
Palmer was a top 80 prospect in 2021, is only 24 years old, and has been quite productive when given a major role.
In 16 career games in which he played more than 75% of the snaps, the former Tennessee product has posted a streak of 85 receptions, 1,076 yards and five scores. Extrapolated over 17 games, that works out to 191.4 half-PPR points, which would have been good for a WR18 graduation in 2023.
