For those of you who have scheduled to participate in a brand-new dynasty start-up league entering the 2024 NFL season, I highly recommend you come with a firm strategy in mind for the first six rounds of your draft because it will shape your franchise for the foreseeable future.
In an attempt to help give you an idea of how a start-up draft could play out, here are the mock results of a recent dynasty fantasy football mock draft in a non-PPR 1QB format.
2024 Dynasty Start-Up Mock Draft in a Non-PPR 1QB Format
1.01) Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
The argument behind building the foundation of your dynasty roster around a running back or wide receiver is a debate that has been taking place for over a decade. In a full-PPR format, building the core of your franchise with a surplus of top-end pass catchers makes a bit more sense. Yet, the removal of a point per reception changes the entire scoring landscape of the non-QBs in your league.
This line of thinking helps make my selection of Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson at the 1.01 a bit easier.
Sure, Robinson’s rookie year felt like a disappointment. Fortunately, the organization made drastic improvements to both the coaching staff and quarterback position this offseason. This should help raise an already encouraging fantasy floor into the elite category with Robinson’s exceptional explosiveness, elusiveness, and rare contact balance in this revamped Atlanta offense.
1.02) CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Pick any category you want. Targets, receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, YAC, red-zone targets, air yards, etc. Chances are Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is among the elite at the receiver position.
Lamb’s targets, receptions, receiving yards, and TDs have all increased over the first three years of his career and resulted in a WR1 overall finish in 2023. Lamb is at the peak of his powers and set up again in 2024 to be the focal point of this Cowboys passing attack.
1.03) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson may have lost his WR1 title on my personal draft board, but his fall from 1.01 to 1.03 overall shouldn’t be viewed as a concerning negative regarding his future outlook.
Jefferson was WR1 overall in fantasy football through the first four games of the 2023 season before sustaining a hamstring injury that led to the worst fantasy finish of his career. Yet, he has still amassed more receiving yards before the age of 25 than any other player in league history.
Expect Jefferson to still be among the most productive fantasy assets at the WR position for years to come.
1.04) Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
If we are being honest with ourselves, New York Jets RB Breece Hall has a legitimate RB1 overall case in dynasty formats. It is absolutely insane that he finished the season as the RB2 overall in full-PPR formats with just two carries from inside the five-yard line last year.
Fortunately, the Jets’ offense should generate far more scoring opportunities in 2024 — which will only serve to raise his already high fantasy ceiling with Aaron Rodgers under center for this year and possibly a few more seasons to come.
MORE: 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers to Target in Redraft Leagues
1.05) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
If David Montgomery didn’t exist, then Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs would be the RB1 overall in my dynasty rankings. Unfortunately, Gibbs did not lead his own team in rushing attempts, rushing yards, or rushing touchdowns his rookie year.
Is Gibbs clearly the more dynamic talent? In my opinion, yes. His yards-per-touch numbers suggest that is the case. Do I see his role expanding in Year 2? Yes.
The real factor that could either make or break an RB1 overall campaign for him in 2024 is how the goal-line carries are split. If it remains the same as last year, then Gibbs likely still won’t reach his true fantasy potential. If he sees more carries than Montgomery in that area of the field this season, then an RB1 overall finish is certainly within the range of outcomes.
1.06) Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
It would be easy to frame Ja’Marr Chase’s WR11 and WR12 finishes over the last two seasons as a major disappointment, but he is still an elite 24-year-old talent paired with an MVP-caliber quarterback for years to come.
His 145 targets and 100 receptions in 2023 were actually both career highs and could foreshadow an uptick in work in the very near future with Tee Higgins’ future with the franchise currently up in the air.
Some may argue investing the 1.06 in a player who has somewhat failed to live up to expectations for two consecutive seasons may be a bit too pricey. But there are few players under the age of 25 who boast the type of fantasy floor and elite ceiling Chase possesses in this Bengals’ offense.
1.07) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
In the mold of the production blueprint we’ve seen from Lamb over the last three years, Amon-Ra St. Brown has simply gotten better across the board every year of his NFL career.
Despite playing alongside the aforementioned Gibbs and the TE1 overall last year, St. Brown still finished with career highs with 164 targets, 119 receptions, 1,515 yards, and 10 TDs. In a similar fashion to Lamb, he has seen his usage and production climb in every season of his young NFL career.
Some would argue he is in a crowded situation with the plethora of playmakers at the disposal of quarterback Jared Goff, but there is not a shred of evidence that suggests St. Brown isn’t one of the safest fantasy assets to build the core of your dynasty roster around heading into 2024.
1.08) Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
There is no doubt that Jonathan Taylor has been a severely disappointing running back over the last two years, which could make this selection a slightly controversial one with some of the other players still available at this point of the draft. Yet, he is still an explosive back in an ascending offense with a proven RB1 overall ceiling in the prime of his career.
Taylor finished the 2023 campaign with two 90+ yard rushing performances, which included 188 yards on the ground in the season finale against the Houston Texans.
If head coach Shane Steichen can fully unlock Anthony Richardson’s elite fantasy ceiling in this Colts offense, Taylor will certainly reap the fantasy benefits for the duration of his contract extension.
1.09) Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Eventually, the top-scoring non-QB had to come off the board. Christian McCaffrey’s 2,023 total yards and 21 touchdowns from scrimmage this past year made him the runaway top overall RB in fantasy football by a wide margin.
To give you an idea of just how dominant McCaffrey has been in a Niners uniform, he is the easy RB1 overall in full-PPR formats since his San Francisco debut back in Week 7 of the 2022 season. Last year, he outscored the RB2 overall (Breece Hall) by 100.8 fantasy points.
After leading the league in total touches (339), total touchdowns (21), and rushing yards after contact (573), there should be no worry at this time about him turning 28 years old this upcoming season.
Making this selection in the first round should mean you are willing to build a roster to help compete for a dynasty championship this year. However, if things don’t go your way in 2024, you could always attempt to trade him for other assets during the season when the price of highly productive veteran players tends to rise.
1.10) Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
Unfortunately, Tyreek Hill’s average of 119 receptions over his time with the Miami Dolphins means absolutely nothing in this format, but his 1,700+ yards over the last two years do.
Hill’s role in this Mike McDaniel offensive scheme has helped revolutionize offenses across the league. Pair this with his recent contract extension and he should continue to be an elite producer with WR1 overall upside over the next 2-3 years.
1.11) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Many have proclaimed Marvin Harrison Jr. is the next great receiver to enter the NFL. For the record, I am in agreeance with much of the praise the Ohio State product has received throughout the draft process.
Harrison enters a receiver room with very little competition and has a proven quarterback under center who regularly throws for over 3,500 yards a season. Harrison’s long-term outlook is paired with a favorable short-term prospectus that could help him produce a top-10 campaign at the WR position in Year 1.
1.12) Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
There were some who believed Malik Nabers was actually the top receiver prospect entering the league this season. To be honest, if we were just grading the top two prospects on their respective dominance at training camp… those who sided with Nabers would look like the correct party.
Nabers has looked unstoppable since training camp opened. If you simply search “Malik Nabers” on X, you will come across a handful of highlight-reel catches.
Does Nabers have a suspect QB situation this year? Yes. Yet, his feature role in this offense paired with his outstanding talent makes him worthy of this aggressive selection in a start-up draft.
2.01) Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
Please try to keep New York Jets WR Garrett Wilson’s first two years’ worth of fantasy production in context. The QB play has been abysmal and he has still managed to register two consecutive seasons with 80+ receptions and 1,000+ yards.
If Rodgers has anything left in the tank, then Wilson has a top-five upside at the position as early as 2024.
2.02) Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Kyren Williams is easily one of the most polarizing players entering the 2024 NFL season.
On one hand, Williams’ exceptional production and elite usage suggest he is a future top-five fantasy back in this offense for years to come. On the other hand, some fantasy managers don’t believe he is a better back than third-round pick Blake Corum.
If you don’t want to take the risk with Williams here, then that is fine. Yet, when you pass on a player who finished either first or second in both total touches per game and fantasy points per game alongside McCaffrey at the RB position, then you will have no one but yourself to blame if Williams’ 2023 campaign wasn’t a fluke.
2.03) Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
Similar to Williams, some fantasy managers may choose to be skeptical about the elite fantasy production we saw from Lions TE Sam LaPorta last year. Be as skeptical as you want, but finishing your rookie year as the TE1 overall in fantasy is nothing short of exceptional.
Many think LaPorta is a potential candidate for regression across the board from his 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 TDs as a rookie. I’d like to remind you that it is entirely possible a player of his caliber is capable of actually getting better in his second season.
The Lions’ offense is a bit crowded, but this high-powered unit should generate enough targets and scoring opportunities for LaPorta to become a mainstay inside the top five at the position for years to come.
2.04) A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
The weird end to the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2023 campaign likely masks another great year’s worth of production for A.J. Brown, who finished his second season in Philly with 106 receptions for 1,456 yards and seven scores.
Brown had a historic six-game run with six-plus receptions and 130+ receiving yards during the first half of the season, but he faded a bit down the stretch in a similar fashion to the entire team.
Brown signed a three-year extension with the Eagles this offseason, which gives him a fantasy WR1 window for the next three years. That makes him very worthy of a first-round selection in startup formats.
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2.05) Travis Etienne Jr, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The ugly 3.78 yards-per-carry mark in 2023 may be the main reason why fantasy managers are still skeptical about Travis Etienne Jr. as their RB1 entering this year. Yet, the lack of any significant additions to this backfield means we should expect the Clemson product to lead the way again for the Jaguars’ ground attack in 2024.
Etienne’s rushing touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards all climbed in his second year as the starter. His back-to-back campaigns of 1,400 yards from scrimmage give fantasy managers a reliable floor with top-five upside in the second round of fantasy drafts.
2.06) Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
A knee sprain sustained early in training camp isn’t enough to scare me off of Puka Nacua having a great long-term outlook in dynasty formats.
Nacua rewrote the record books with the most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie wide receiver in NFL history. He also managed to accomplish this feat while playing alongside Cooper Kupp in 12 of his 17 games last year.
The formation versatility, savvy route running, and top-shelf RAC ability make Nacua a great high-floor option in this Rams offense.
2.07) Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
The move from New York to Philadelphia certainly put Saquon Barkley in the best overall offense he’s ever been in during his entire NFL career. The yards before contact per attempt and scoring opportunities should increase drastically for the Penn State product in 2024.
Yet, Barkley will have to contend with Jalen Hurts for carries when the offense gets on the doorstep of the goal line, with the tush push being one of the most effective short-yardage plays in football.
Ultimately, you’ll take some of the cons because of the overwhelming amount of pros that exist with Barkley in Philadelphia.
2.08) Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
In a similar fashion to Wilson, Drake London has been stranded in a horrible passing game through the first two years of his NFL career. Fortunately, help is on the way in the form of quarterback Kirk Cousins and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, with the latter changing the offensive approach to potentially expand London’s role in the passing game in 2024.
Fantasy managers have pounded the table for years saying London has the athleticism, formation versatility, and route-running chops to be an elite fantasy producer in the right situation. This season, we’ll finally get a chance to see if those claims are true. Based on my ranking of London in this mock draft, I am clearly one of those believers.
2.09) Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
This is definitely more of a long-term play, but Rome Odunze’s pairing with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams gives him a great dynasty outlook past this upcoming season.
Sure, you will probably be forced to stomach some pedestrian fantasy returns early in his career with some of the best target competition in the league in DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet, and D’Andre Swift.
Yet, Odunze’s elite contested-catch ability, wide catch radius, savvy route running, and formation versatility all project him to be a potential WR1 in the NFL for a great quarterback prospect for years to come. Don’t shy away from grabbing a blue-chip WR prospect early in fantasy drafts because you don’t love his rookie-year situation.
2.10) Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
If this was a real-life draft where I want a quarterback to help me win actual football games on the field, Patrick Mahomes would be the easy pick. Yet, in this alternate fantasy reality where quarterback value is based solely on stats, Josh Allen has been the best fantasy asset at the position for an extended period of time.
Fantasy Finishes Since 2020
- 2023: QB1 (4,830 total yards & 44 total TDs)
- 2022: QB2 (5,092 total yards & 42 total TDs)
- 2021: QB1 (5,170 total yards & 42 total TDs)
- 2020: QB1 (4,965 total yards & 45 total TDs)
It is almost impossible to argue with those numbers.
The loss of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis may be enough to scare some people off, but I’d argue the loss of Diggs isn’t as big as you might think.
From Week 10 through the rest of the regular season, Diggs was just WR44 over the last nine games of the year. Do you know where Allen ranked at the QB position during that same stretch? QB1 overall on a points-per-game basis.
My point: Great players tend to figure it out no matter what the circumstances are. Allen is in that class. Don’t overthink this. Draft him as your starting QB with confidence in 2024.
2.11) Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes hasn’t been quite as elite from a fantasy perspective as Allen, but let’s not scoff at his six straight seasons as a top-eight fantasy QB, where he has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 26+ TDs every year.
Despite the greatness we’ve already seen from Mahomes, it is entirely possible his fantasy numbers could actually go up in the coming years. Rashee Rice showed plenty of promise as a rookie, Travis Kelce is continuing to defy Father Time, and Xavier Worthy could soon replace Tyreek Hill as the best deep threat in the NFL.
Ultimately, there isn’t a safer pick in all of dynasty fantasy football than Mahomes. If you took him as the 1.01 in this format, you wouldn’t hear a word of criticism from me.
2.12) Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
From a pure talent perspective, Brock Bowers is my TE1 overall in dynasty. Yet, his current fantasy situation definitely leaves a lot to be desired.
Bowers is the best yards-after-catch threat I’ve ever seen as a tight end prospect entering the league. He possesses elite athleticism, body control, lateral agility, and contact balance for the position. It is unfortunate he will be catching passes from either Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew II while competing with Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Michael Mayer for targets to start his career.
I’m going to aggressively rank Bowers in the second round of this mock because I believe his talent will eventually see him ascend to TE1 overall status during his NFL career.
2024 Redraft Mock Draft | Rounds 3-6
3.01) Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
3.02) Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
3.03) De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
3.04) Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
3.05) Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3.06) Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
3.07) DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
3.08) Dalton Kincaid, TE, Buffalo Bills
3.09) James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
3.10) Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
3.11) Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
3.12) Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
4.01) Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
4.02) Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
4.03) Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers
4.04) Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
4.05) Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
4.06) Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
4.07) Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
4.08) Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
4.09) Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
4.10) Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
4.11) Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
4.12) Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
5.01) Stefon Diggs, WR, Houston Texans
5.02) DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
5.03) DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
5.04) D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
5.05) C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
5.06) Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
5.07) Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
5.08) Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
5.09) Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
5.10) Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
5.11) George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
5.12) Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
