Way Too Early 2024 Fantasy Rankings: Top 10 Edition
The fantasy season has come and gone. For some people, it ended with that ever so coveted title in a league where bragging rights, and maybe a little cash, awaited your triumphant victory. For others, like myself, it did not end the way you wanted it to go, and there was more to be desired when that final fantasy whistle blew. But fear not, there is always next season, and we are here to provide you with some Way Too Early rankings for the 2024 Fantasy Football Season. These rankings are based off of end of season production, injury concerns, as well as what we are forecasting the landscape on certain teams to look like. Naturally, teams with coaching vacancies are obviously going to have impacts on those players, like the hope that the Falcons can get a coach that will give Pitts and Bijan the ball consistently. I am also taking into account injuries, like Aaron Rodgers and Mark Andrews coming back fully healthy, and how that impacts their rankings, and maybe those on their teams.
Quarterbacks:
Lamar Jackson
Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Jalen Hurts
Dak Prescott
Tua Tagovialoa
Joe Burrow
Justin Herbert
Justin Fields
Trevor Lawrence
Lamar, Mahomes, and Josh Allen are all exchangeable in those top 3 spots right now. I expect the Chiefs to draft a WR in the first round. Josh Allen may fall down this list a bit if there is movement with Stefon Diggs in the offseason. Lamar Jackson has been fantastic for years, and his wide receivers are only going to continue to develop.
The next tier of Hurts, Prescott, Tua, and Burrow are all very close as well. Hurts has the edge because of the rushing touchdowns, albeit those may drop if Kelce retires. Dak had an MVP Caliber season, and with Mike McCarthy in a contract year, I expect there to be nothing reserved on that Dallas offense next season. Tua has probably the most talented WR1 & WR2 duo in the league with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. If the two can stay healthy, and Hill can maintain his production, it wouldn’t shock me if he jumps higher on this list. Joe Burrow is one of the injury concerns I mentioned. It remains to be seen how his wrist is going to recover, but according to Geoff Hobson on the Bengal’s official site, Burrow thinks he will be able to resume throwing in spring OTA’s. Tee Higgin’s future will impact Burrow as well, so it will be an interesting offseason for the Bengals.
Herbert, Fields, and Lawrence are all guys that can end up in tiers above, and tiers below, it just depends on which one shows up when, and if they and their weapons are healthy. Lawrence dealt with shoulder and finger injuries late in the season. Fields missed 4 1/2 games with a thumb injury in the middle of the season, and Herbert missed Mike Williams for 14 games, Keenan Allen for 4, and Joshua Palmer for 6. Missing your top 3 Wide Receivers for that much time is going to impact any Quarterback. If health isn’t an issue, these rankings can, and likely will, look very different at the end of the 2024 season.
Running Backs:
Christian McCaffery
Bijan Robinson
Kyren Williams
Breece Hall
Isaiah Pacheco
Jahmyr Gibbs
Devon Achane
Travis Etienne Jr.
Johnathan Taylor
Austin Ekeler
Christian McCaffery deserves to have his own category for how he has performed the last 2 seasons. When he is healthy and on the field, there isn’t a better player in the NFL at any position. There is no reason we should assume, right now at least, that next season won’t be any different.
Bijan, Kyren, and Breece are in the next tier. Bijan needs a coach that is going to build that Falcons offense around he and Pitts next season. If that happens, there is no telling how high his ceiling is. Will he challenge McCaffery for that top spot? Kyren Williams was a revelation for the Rams, and we all know Sean McVay loves his running backs. Remember 2017 & 2018 Todd Gurley? Breece hall is entirely dependent upon the health of Aaron Rodgers and the state of that Jets offense. If Rodgers is healthy, and there is a respectable passing attack, Breece will be able to build on what was a very good season on a bad offense. 1500+ total yards and 9 total touchdowns is awesome, imagine what it would be if there was someone competent with him in that backfield.
Pacheco, Gibbs, and Achane are all players that I expect to grow more this next season. Pacheco is in his 2nd year, while Achane and Gibbs are both rookies. Gibbs’s offense is predicated on the run, and I expect him to get more of the workload this coming season than he did this season, primarily because of the success he had with his limited touches at times. No disrespect to David Montgomery, but that break away speed of Gibbs is something else. Achane’s speed is even better than Gibbs, we all saw it in that beatdown the Dolphins put on the Broncos and hung 70 on them. Achane is going to need to stay healthy, his size is not the most conducive to longevity in the NFL from the running back position, but it isn’t unheard of. The Dolphins use speed at all positions, and Achane fits like a glove down in South Beach. Pacheco is in an offense run by Mahomes, but the lack of pass catchers this season led the Chiefs to lean more on the run game, and it paid dividends for them time and again. I expect the Chiefs to be more balanced next season, but if they get a stud young Wide Receiver, Pacheco could see a lot of touches late in games when Mahomes’s day is done.
Etienne, Taylor, and Ekeler all underperformed this season. Taylor had a contract dispute, and while he looked better towards the end of the season, there was no doubt rust that needed to be shaken off. Ekeler missed 3 of the first 4 games for the Chargers, and he was a shell of himself when he returned. No burst, no energy, not what we are used to seeing out of #30. Hopefully with all of the weapons back for the Chargers, Ekeler can get back to his former ways next season. Etienne had an overall productive 2023, having over 1000 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns. He only broke 100 yards on the ground twice, and had 40 yards or less on the ground 5 times. Boom or bust was what described Etienne this season, and hopefully he and the Jaguars can right the ship this offseason.
Wide Receivers:
Justin Jefferson
Ceedee Lamb
Tyreek Hill
Ja’Marr Chase
Amon-Ra St.Brown
Puka Nacua
A.J. Brown
Stefon Diggs
Garret Wilson
Davante Adams
As a Cowboys fan, it hurts me to put Justin Jefferson above Ceedee Lamb. That being said, Justin Jefferson, when he is healthy, has looked like one of the greatest Wide Receivers we have ever seen in recent memory. It reamins to be seen if that will maintain, and if his health is now a concern, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt for next season. Ceedee Lamb is hot on his tails, putting together the best statistical Wide Receiver season in Dallas Cowboys history, and that is a DEEP Wide Receiver room in franchise history. Dak is going to have to prove the naysayers wrong next season, and McCarthy will be under a huge microscope, which stands to reason that Ceedee will have a clear path to repeating the season that he had this year.
The next tier of Tyreek, Ja’Marr, and Amon-Ra isn’t as far done as some would like to believe. My only concern with Tyreek hill is his age, and can he maintain the speed and the production. He will be 30 by the time the next season starts, and while that isn’t as much of a death sentence as it is for running backs, I am just a little hesitant that he will repeat the season that he just put out. Amon-Ra has been a silent stud since he came into the league out of USC in 2021. The Lions have figured things out on offense and Amon-Ra is Jared Goff’s number 1 target. He will be in the top 10 next season. Ja’Marr Chase is, and will continue to be the #1 option in Cincinnati. So long as he can stay healthy, and so can Joe Burrow, there is no reason for Ja’Marr to be higher on this list at any point next year.
Puka, A.J., and Diggs are in the next tier. I can confidently say that no one saw rookie Puka Nacua doing what he did this season, and that is perfectly okay. Nacua was a revelation for the Rams after Cooper Kupp went down in training camp, and he quite possibly created a pretty formidable duo in Los Angeles. Can Kupp return to where he was 2 seasons ago? And can Stafford keep up the production with his age? We shall see, but Nacua should be in line for a great season next season. A.J. Brown was scorching in early 2023 and was looking like a lock to be a top 3 WR for fantasy purposes. Then the wheels fell of for the whole Philadelphia offense, and Brown’s stock took a massive hit. Crossing 100 yards only once after the week 10 bye, and being held under 40 yards 3 times in that same span, along with 1 touchdown in the final 8 games, compared to 6 touchdowns in his first 9 games. The Eagles have moved on from OC Brian Johnson, and while that seems like a step in the right direction for both Hurts and Brown, it remains to be seen who will be brought in, and how it will impact the overall production of the Eagles offense. Stefon Diggs, much like A.J. Brown, had a very lopsided season. 5 of his first 6 games over 100 yards, 5 touchdowns in that span. Remainder of the season? Zero 100 yard games, 3 touchdowns, and 4 games held UNDER 30 yards. Diggs can still be that guy for the Bills, or for another team if they choose to move on in the offseason, but there are signs that a decline is coming. Maybe a change in scenery is needed for the 30 year old.
The final tier of Garret Wilson and Davante Adams is one where the two are in very different situations. Wilson is a young stud out of Ohio State, who was in line for a much more productive season if Aaron Rodgers was under center, not Zach Wilson. If Rodgers can come back next season healthy, or the Jets address the Quarterback position differently this offseason, Wilson has potential to be in the top 10, or even top 5. But there are question marks around the Jets offense, not Wilson himself. Davante Adams went to Las Vegas to play with his college buddy Derek Carr. One year later, Carr goes to New Orleans, and Davante is left in the desert. He still managed over 1100 yards and 8 touchdowns on the season, but his frustrations were palpable at points during the season. Is Aiden O’Connel the guy for the Raiders? Do they go big in F.A and bring in a guy like Kirk Cousins? Does Davante get traded? Only time will tell, but Davante Adams is too talented to leave off of this list.
Tight Ends:
Sam LaPorta
Travis Kelce
Mark Andrews
Evan Engram
George Kittle
David Njoku
Jake Ferguson
Trey McBride
T.J. Hockenson
Dalton Kincaid
Names like Kyle Pitts, Dallas Goedert, and Cole Kmet aren’t on this list because there are just too many question marks on their respective offenses, and while they can end up in the top 10, the floor of the guy above them is better.
LaPorta and Kelce are the top two in this list for the simple fact that LaPorta ended up as the number one Tight End on the year, and Kelce has been in the top 2-3 for the last 4-5 seasons consistently. Sam LaPorta proved to be one of the biggest draft day steals for the Lions, and he ended up being 2nd on the team in receptions (86), yards (889), and tied for 1st in touchdowns (10). You couldn’t have asked for a better season for a rookie tight end. Kelce on the other hand had a down year in terms of his expectations, but he still managed 93 receptions, 984 yards, and 5 touchdowns. I expect Kelce’s production to go back up next season if the Chiefs draft or sign another offensive weapon to spread the defense out.
Andrews, Kittle, and Njoku are in this next tier. Andrews suffered an Ankle injury in week 11 against Cincinnati, and has been on IR ever since. If he can recover from his injury successfully, which it seems he is going to because he might play in the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs, I expect Andrews to retake his spot as Lamar Jackson’s top option. Kittle had a great season for the 49ers, and Purdy loves his security blanket. Over 1000 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season, although 3 of them came in one game against Dallas. If Kittle can be more active in the redzone next season than he was this last season, he could easily take that number one spot. Njoku was a guy that wasn’t expected to be on this list at the beginning of the season. He’s always been consistent, hovering around that 10-12 spot in the Tight End rankings, but when Joe Flacco took over at QB in week 13, he took off, putting up a 30-390-4 stat line from week 13 to week 17 (didn’t play week 18). Njoku established himself as the number 2 option on the Browns passing offense behind Amari Cooper, and one Nick Chubb returns, Njoku should continue to thrive.
Ferguson, McBride, Hockenson, and Kincaid are all in the next tier. Ferguson is Dak’s security blanket in Dallas, and has become a solid young tight end in the league. If he continues to blossom and grow, Ferguson can make his way into the top 5 in a very high powered Dallas offense. Trey McBride came on about halfway through the season for the Cardinals, where he only had less than 4 receptions twice in the final 10 games. The volume was there for McBride, and while there are question with what the Cardinals are going to do with Kyler Murray and the offense as a whole, I think McBride has carved himself a nice role down in the desert. Hockenson should be higher on this list, and if not for a season ending ACL injury against the Lions in week 16, he would be. Hockenson should return to his old self next season, it is just a matter of when. How he recovers, and how quickly he can progress through his rehab is going to be very telling on his 2024 campaign, but when he is on the field, Hockenson is a top 5 tight end in the league. Kincaid, like McBride and LaPorta, was a stud rookie at points for the Buffalo Bills. When Dawson Knox went down in week 8, Kincaid showed what he could do consistently, having a 7 game stretch of at least 5 receptions in each game. The end of the season wasn’t the same as Kincaid battled some minor injuries, and the Bills offense wasn’t flowing as smooth as it has in years past. All of that said, Kincaid had a nice rookie season, and he should be in line to be a top 2-3 receiving option for the Bills this next season.
Defense / Special Teams Units:
Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens
San Francisco 49ers
New York Jets
Houston Texans
Cleveland Browns
Miami Dolphins
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
Buffalo Bills
The Dallas Cowboys had the top fantasy scoring defense in 2023, and one of the leagues top defenses last season. Predicated on sacks and turnovers, they thrived against weaker opponents and teams that they knew they were better then. When it came to the better teams, or teams they were on the same level as, this is where they struggled. Letting up 42 points to the 49ers, 28 to Philly, 35 to Seattle, and 31 to Buffalo, with a total of 6 sacks, 1 fumble recover and 1 interception, that just isn’t going to get it done against the better teams of the league. Will Dan Quinn leave for a different coaching job? Will Micah Parsons continue to produce against the good teams? The offseason for Dallas is key for this unit, but they have the players to get it done next season as well.
Baltimore and San Francisco are much like Dallas in that they are loaded with stars across the defensive side of the ball. And while every team has a bad game once in a while, these two squads have them far less frequently than the one ranked above them. “Then why aren’t one of these two teams ranked number one?” Because for all of the good things that Baltimore and San Francisco do, scoring on the defensive side of the ball is something that they do not do. San Francisco scored 1 touchdown on defense this season in week 15, Baltimore scored 2. Dallas scored 7, and that is a huge uptick in production. I think both San Francisco and Baltimore can easily be in that top spot next season (Baltimore tied Dallas as the number 1 fantasy defense in 2023).
The Jets, Texans, Browns, and Dolphins are all in this next tier. Good, young defenses that are building a good foundation where they are at. The Jets and the Texans are led by defensive minded coaches in Robert Salah and Demeco Ryans. They know how to build successful defenses, and if a few more stars are added in the right areas this offseason, they could flirt with a top 3 spot. The Browns and Dolphins are led by offensive coaches with Kevin Stefanski and Mike McDaniel. Having high powered offenses allows your defense to be in more “get after the quarterback” situations, which allows pass rushers to be more free, and corners and safeties to be more aggressive. The pieces are there for either of these squads to flirt with a top 3 spot as well.
The Lions, Chiefs, and Bills are in the final tier. All teams that thrive on the offensive side of the ball, and all teams that are rebuilding and reloading on the defensive side. For years, the Chiefs have always been about Mahomes and scoring 40-50 points a game. The last few seasons, they have gradually added a bunch of young and hungry players on the defensive side of the ball, so they can compete in the games that are going to be 20-17. The Bills, on the other hand, have a much more experienced defense, and they are getting up there in age. Will Von Miller contribute next season? He didn’t do a thing for them this year. Will Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer continue to hold up the back end? We shall see, but they are still a very good squad. The Lions were in full rebuild mode a few seasons ago, and it has paid off very well as they are competing in the NFCCG this weekend. Led by Jack Campbell, Aiden Hutchinson, and Brian Branch, this is a very young defense that loves to get after opposing offenses. For this squad, they just have to keep growing and heading in the right direction. In a season or two, they can easily be in the top 5, or even top 3 if the cards fall their way. There is a lot to be excited about in Detroit right now.
Injuries and coaching changes will easily impact this list, as well as rookies that are going to be coming out into the league in this upcoming NFL Draft. It is always a sad day when the fantasy football season ends, but there is always next year to look forward to, and it is never to early to start dreaming about the 2024 fantast championships.
