Fantasy football season is upon us, which means it is time to start formulating an optimal strategy for players to target in each round.
Here is a mock draft preview of who some perfect players are to target on a round-by-round basis entering your 2024 fantasy football draft.
Who Are the Best Picks in Each Round of Fantasy Football Drafts?
Round 1 | Christian McCaffrey
The qualification of the “best pick” suggestion for every round makes this recommendation of San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey a bit of a no brainer.
McCaffrey’s 2,023 total yards and 21 touchdowns from scrimmage made him the top-scoring running in a non-PPR by a margin of 100.8 fantasy points over the RB2 overall in 2023.
If you are fortunate enough to be selecting in the top half of your fantasy football draft this year, then I strongly encourage you not to overthink this and make McCaffrey your first-round pick.
CeeDee Lamb
For those of you who prefer to go wide receiver in the first round of your fantasy league, I believe CeeDee Lamb is well-positioned to feast on an abundance of targets in 2024.
Lamb’s 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 TDs made him an elite fantasy performer by all metrics and has him positioned again to be the featured player in a high-powered Dallas offense.
Additionally, Lamb’s production in every major statistic (targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns) has climbed in all three years of his career.
Since the Cowboys made no noteworthy additions to this passing attack this offseason, there is no reason Lamb won’t see north of 170 targets for a second straight year.
Round 2 | Kyren Williams
Kyren Williams may have come out of nowhere to finish as the RB7 in full-PPR leagues with 1,144 rushing yards and 12 rushing TDs to go with an additional 206 yards and three more scores on 32 receptions, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a preview of things to come in this offense.
Keep in mind, this production with Williams missing five games. On a per-game basis, Williams was nothing short of outstanding last year. His 5.02 yards per carry on 228 carries is evidence of just how highly efficient he was in a bell-cow role in 2023.
On a points-per-game basis in full-PPR scoring, only the aforementioned McCaffrey averaged more points than Williams’ mark of 21.3.
Quite honestly, if the addition of Blake Corum in the third round is enough to scare you, then you won’t be drafting Williams this high. Last year, Tank Bigsby scared off many fantasy managers from drafting Travis Etienne in the third round.
What I saw from Williams on a pro football field last year was special. To me, he is one of the few players who has RB1 overall upside in 2024, which makes him worth the pick in the second round.
Drake London
Fantasy managers have seen encouraging signs of potential fantasy greatness from Atlanta Falcons WR Drake London through the first few years of his NFL career while stuck in a bad passing offense.
Fortunately, the upgrade from Desmond Ridder to Kirk Cousins, coupled with a shift to a new offensive scheme that could feature him in a revamped passing game, certainly present a handful of plausible reasons for an optimistic fantasy outlook for London in 2024.
London has all the physical tools to be an effective high-volume receiver in the NFL, which sets the table for him to be a breakout player this season.
Round 3 | De’Von Achane
No matter what type of outlier performances are included in small fantasy sample sizes, 455 rushing yards on just 37 carries (12.3 yards per carry), with an additional eight receptions for 63 yards and seven total TDs proves De’Von Achane has an elite fantasy ceiling.
The blinding speed, turbo-charged acceleration, and underrated contact balance make Achane one of the most interesting fantasy assets entering the 2024 NFL season. The ceiling legitimately feels like the RB1 overall, which makes him a very tempting option at the beginning of the third round.
Yet, in a similar fashion to Jahmyr Gibbs, the presence of another ball carrier stands to potentially cap Achane’s sky-high fantasy ceiling, which is why you are able to get him at a bit of a draft day discount.
Throw in the durability concerns that cost him six games his rookie year, and you have one of the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy options going in the first two rounds of fantasy drafts in 2024. A risk I’m willing to take a risk in the third round.
Patrick Mahomes
What do you get when you pair two of the fastest receivers in the league with a quarterback who is already entering the GOAT conversation at the age of 28?
To me, that is the recipe for a big bounce-back fantasy campaign with QB1 overall upside this season.
Look, Patrick Mahomes had a down year in 2023 by his insanely high standards with a makeshift collection of pass catchers who had major issues holding onto throughout the regular season. But he still managed to find a way to win yet another Super Bowl.
Now, add speedsters Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy into the mix alongside Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice, and you have not only the potential for Mahomes to have another MVP season but one where 5,000 yards and 45+ touchdowns don’t feel completely off the table.
Round 4 | Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews’ resume speaks for itself over the last five years with finishes of TE1, TE4, TE5, and TE6 over that span.
Much was made of new Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s impact on this passing attack, which didn’t appear to have any negative impact on Andrews’ per-game production in 2023.
Andrews still averaged 4.5 receptions and 54 receiving yards per game — near his per-game production of 4.8 receptions and 56 receiving yards in 2022 — which suggests his elite usage in the passing game still makes him a viable TE1 overall candidate in this offense.
Yet, Andrews’ fantasy upside in this offense certainly still feels like the TE1 overall. Andrews finished the season tied for 31st with 14 red-zone targets despite missing seven games last season. His 1.4 red-zone targets per game, when forecasted over a 17-game regular season, come out to 23.8, which would’ve tied him for fifth in the league.
This gives Andrews an elite fantasy ceiling in the fourth round to help give you a positional advantage entering the season.
Alvin Kamara
The drop in per-touch efficiency is likely the main reason New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara is being pushed down the board in this range, but few players at this position represent the proven top-five upside at the position with a projected high fantasy floor in 2024.
Kamara managed to finish as the RB11 in full-PPR formats despite missing the first three games of the 2023 season, as he tallied 1,160 total yards, 75 receptions, and six touchdowns last year.
This production made him the RB3 on a points-per-game basis with 17.9, which trailed only McCaffrey and Williams. Additionally, Kamara’s pass-catching production was equally elite, ranking second behind Breece Hall with 75 receptions and 86 targets in 2023. Kamara led all running backs with 5.7 receptions per game.
If Jamaal Williams or Kendre Miller showed us any encouraging efficiency signs last year, then I would perhaps worry a bit more that Kamara is going to lose some work if these struggles continue into this season. Yet, both Williams and Miller were worse than Kamara on a per-touch basis, which makes Kamara a high-volume pass-catching back set to eat again in 2024.
Round 5 | Zay Flowers
Fantasy football data suggests that receivers who show plenty of promise their rookie year have a favorable shot at becoming a true breakout fantasy player in Year 2. Additionally, leading receivers in high-scoring offenses also have a greater chance of cracking the top 10 at the position than players operating as the main option in a poor offense.
Ravens WR Zay Flowers checks both of these boxes, presenting an outstanding value in the fifth round.
Flowers’ 77 receptions for 858 yards and five scores on 108 targets in 2023 were good for a WR31 finish in full-PPR formats. If you look a bit closer at the tape, there was plenty of meat left on the bone on deeper shots down the field, which could help Flowers’ production explode in 2024 if he continues to be heavily utilized in the manufactured game too.
Flowers was actually tied for the ninth most receptions to go for 40+ yards in the NFL last year with four such explosive plays in 2023. Even though those vertical shots are connected occasionally, this recipe suggests that Flowers’ ceiling is far higher than the current ADP suggests.
Malik Nabers
The best way I can describe New York Giants WR Malik Nabers is that he is a WR1 stuck in a WR2 situation due to his level of quarterback play.
From a sheer talent perspective, I believe Nabers could be a top-10 fantasy option at the position from the moment he steps on an NFL football field. Yet, the biggest question mark surrounds the level of play we are going to see from his QB, Daniel Jones.
Nabers’ elite separation skills, dynamic playmaking ability after the catch, route-running nuance, and excellent ball skills make him the betting favorite to be the featured player in this offense.
Understandably, the Giants’ passing offense doesn’t get many people excited, but I’m projecting Nabers for a monster target share in 2024, which gives him a path to be an instant fantasy impact player, even with the potential efficiency concerns.
If you want to bet on a middle-round player, you want to bet on one who has an elite ceiling and could see an elite target share. If Jones can provide even middle-of-the-road quarterback play in 2024, then the sky is the limit for Nabers.
Round 6 | Tee Higgins
Ja’Marr Chase’s contract situation in Cincinnati may be a bigger deal than most Bengals fans want to admit, which could create a situation where Tee Higgins is presenting an insane draft day value at his current price.
Tee Higgins Career Season Stats
- 2023: 42 receptions, 656 yards, 5 TDs (WR51 overall)
- 2022: 75 receptions, 1,042 yards, 7 TDs (WR18 overall)
- 2021: 74 receptions, 1,091 yards, 6 TDs (WR24 overall)
- 2020: 67 receptions, 908 yards, 6 TDs (WR28 overall)
This type of proven fantasy floor makes very little sense in the sixth round, but allows you to snag a player with a proven WR2 fantasy floor in a high-powered offense with an MVP-caliber QB at a very reasonable price.
Whether Chase holds out or not, Higgins feels like a no-brainer decision at this point of the draft.
Round 7 | Rashee Rice
Depending on who you ask, taking calculated risks in your fantasy draft will elicit a wide range of opinions.
Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice could certainly face a potential suspension this season stemming from an off-field incident this summer. Yet, there is also a possibility that Rice won’t face any league discipline this season.
If he does face a suspension this year, then you can make do with Rice being the WR4 on your roster.
If he doesn’t face a suspension this year, then Rice could be a league-winner in the seventh round.
From Weeks 8 through 17, Rice was the WR16 with an average of 15.4 fantasy points per game, which was the same mark we saw from Puka Nacua and A.J. Brown during that span.
If Rice gets even better in Year 2 with opposing defenses having to account for the elite vertical speed of Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown — which will allow Rice to become an even better YAC-producing machine — then the path to this talented second-year receiver becoming a top 10 option at the position is very well within the range of outcomes.
Round 8 | Zack Moss
The departure of Joe Mixon as the leading ball carrier from this Bengals’ offense means over 1,200 total yards and 9+ TDs per season over the last three years have been purged from this roster, creating a huge fantasy opportunity for this backfield.
Chase Brown is an explosive big-play threat, but I believe Zack Moss projects as the better option for the incredibly valuable short-yardage looks, and he could lead the team in total touches this year.
Round 9 | Rome Odunze
The Chicago Bears’ crowded receiver room, coupled with the unknown of a rookie quarterback under center, has pushed an incredibly talented player like Rome Odunze all the way down to the ninth round.
With all due respect to Keenan Allen, he has not looked great this preseason in a Bears uniform. Additonally, Odunze has certainly given us a handful of flashes during his limited time on a professional football field.
Odunze may get off to a slow start while he gets fully integrated into the offense with a rookie quarterback who will also be going through some growing pains of his own, but once the Bears’ offense hits its stride, Odunze will likely see more work as the year progresses. Don’t be surprised if Odunze ends up being the WR2 by the end of the year.
Round 10 | T.J. Hockenson
Part of me wants to scream at Kirby Joseph for going low on T.J. Hockenson late last season, but injuries are simply a part of the game.
With that said, it’s hard to argue with how productive Hockenson has been since being acquired by Minnesota.
From Weeks 1 to 16 last year, he was the TE1 overall in full-PPR formats. From Weeks 9 to 18 of the 2022 season — after he was traded to the Vikings — Hockenson was the TE3 overall in the same scoring format.
Objectively, those numbers suggest Hockenson is an elite option at the TE position in this offensive scheme.
Does Sam Darnold starting under center potentially limit his fantasy upside once he returns to the lineup from the knee injury? Possibly, but I’d argue the presence of a veteran quarterback could actually stabilize Hockenson’s weekly production, which has proven to be nothing short of a surefire TE1 fantasy option during his time in Minnesota.
Round 11 | Khalil Shakir
Entering the 2024 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills have purged 241 targets, 152 receptions, 1,929 yards, and 15 touchdowns worth of receiving production off the roster this offseason with the departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
While this is exciting for names like Dalton Kincaid, Keon Coleman, and Curtis Samuel, I actually believe this helps Khalil Shakir the most.
From Week 8 through the rest of the regular season in 2023, Shakir was the WR46 in full-PPR formats. He totaled 31 receptions for 536 yards and one score, with an average of 9.2 fantasy points per game through that span.
One very encouraging sign — and likely reason we saw Shakir’s role expand last year — was his average of 7.2 yards after the catch per reception, which ranked third behind only Deebo Samuel Sr. and Rashee Rice for players with 30+ receptions in 2023.
This showcased that Shakir can be a very productive player when he has the ball in his hands, which makes him an outstanding candidate to drastically outperform his current ADP in the 11th round.
Round 12 | Romeo Doubs
For a second straight season, the Green Bay Packers passing offense feels a complete mystery. It’s loaded with young pass-catchers who have all shown flashes of being productive players when given ample opportunities, which is exactly why I want to get one of the cheapest draft day shares of this receiver group with Romeo Doubs in the 12th round.
Doubs quietly saw his numbers rise across the board in every major statistical category — receptions, yards, TDs, and targets — in his second season. Doubs finished 2023 with 59 receptions for 674 yards and eight TDs on 96 targets, and he quickly became one of Jordan Love’s favorite targets in 2023.
Is there plenty of room for an even bigger role in Year 2 with Love under center? Absolutely.
I understand it is a bit crowded in this room with players like Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Dontavyion Wicks all pushing for snaps and targets, but Doubs is a great bet to be on the football field often in an ascending passing offense in 2024, which is all you can ask for with a receiver in the 12th round.
Round 13 | Joshua Palmer
Regardless of where you fall on your opinion on players like Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, or DJ Chark, there is no denying there is an enormous amount of targets to be earned on the Chargers with the departures of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, and Gerald Everett. That quartet accounted for 229 receptions and 2,339 receiving yards worth of production in 2023.
Quite frankly, Joshua Palmer may have the best case to be the Los Angeles Chargers’ most targeted receiver in 2024, which carries a great amount of fantasy upside in the 13th round when you are catching passes from Justin Herbert.
Palmer hasn’t quite been able to put it all together yet for an entire season, but his four 100-yard receiving performances over the last two seasons suggest he can be a productive player when given the opportunity — which he undoubtedly has in 2024.
Round 14 | Jaleel McLaughlin
If you haven’t been paying attention to the running back situation in Denver this preseason, I’m here to inform you Jaleel McLaughlin has been rotating with the first team regularly alongside Javonte Williams.
McLaughlin averaged 5.4 yards per carry, managed to catch 31 of 36 targets for 160 yards, and found the end zone three times on his 107 total touches working behind Williams last year. The yards-per-carry mark is far superior to Williams’ 3.6, which marks the third straight season where Williams’ per-carry efficiency has dropped.
McLaughlin’s efficiency, explosiveness, and versatility were all present during his limited work over his rookie season. His back-to-back 17+ fantasy-point outings speak to his potential upside with an expanded role.
I do still believe Williams enters the year with the inside track to the most touches, but if McLaughlin continues to outproduce Williams by a significant margin on a per-touch basis early in the season … then we could be talking about an RB2-type of ceiling in 2024.
Round 15 | Taysom Hill
Taysom Hill continues to be one of the most fascinating studies in fantasy football for his NFL career.
Hill’s impact in PPR formats has been somewhat limited because he caught just nine passes last season, but despite his lack of involvement as a pass catcher, he still finished as the TE12 (2023) and TE9 (2022) over the last two years in full-PPR formats.
How did this happen?
Well, when you run the ball 81 times, catch 33 passes, and throw the ball 11 times, your path to generating fantasy points is drastically more versatile than any other TE in the league.
Hill has thrown for a touchdown, run for a touchdown, and caught a touchdown for two straight years. His versatility is truly like a Swiss army knife, but it makes his year-to-year production feel like a mystery.
Oddly enough, Hill actually posted career-highs in both the reception (33) and receiving yard (291) departments in 2023.
Seeing that the Saints did not bring in any noteworthy free agents or spend high draft capital at the wide receiver position, it is certainly within the range of outcomes for Hill to utilized in this fashion again in 2024.
Round 16 | Justin Fields
We are all well aware that Russell Wilson still has the inside track to being the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers when the 2024 NFL season begins. Yet, Justin Fields’ impressive training camp is going to make it incredibly difficult to keep on the bench for very long.
Fields has already showcased his elite fantasy ceiling over the last two years with a rushing production upside that few fantasy QBs can claim they possess. Additionally, he’s entering an offensive scheme under Arthur Smith, who isn’t afraid to utilize his quarterback in the running game.
In 2022, the Atlanta Falcons, under Smith, gave Marcus Mariota 4.5 designed QB runs (DQR) per game. Justin Fields averaged 6.06 DQR per game that season, but finished with 1,143 rushing yards to Mariota’s 438.
I say all that to say this: If Fields manages to take the starting role in Pittsburgh, he instantly becomes a top-10 fantasy option at quarterback. He offers nothing but elite fantasy upside at his current ADP in the 16th round.