Fantasy football rookie rankings 2024: Top 50 dynasty rookies, live analysis

By Matt Johnson

·Updated: October 14, 2024

Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy football rookie rankings 2024 — Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Who is the best rookie to draft in fantasy football? The 2024 NFL Draft is delivering a historic pool of elite talent for both teams and fantasy football managers. Our fantasy football rookie rankings 2024 will guide you through all the top players and sleepers to target.

Our annual dynasty rookie rankings focus on standard one-quarterback leagues with PPR scoring. While Superflex and 2QB leagues have gained more popularity in recent years, the average manager is still playing in leagues with one quarterback. So keep that in mind with our fantasy football rookie rankings 2024.

Let’s dive into our top 50 big board for our dynasty rookie rankings. Further below, you can find analysis of the top prospects. Bookmark this page for updates on the fantasy impact of landing spots in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Dynasty rookie rankings 2024: Top 50 rookies for fantasy football

Rank	Player	Position	Age*
1	Marvin Harrison Jr	WR1	22
2	Rome Odunze	WR2	22
3	Malik Nabers	WR3	21
4	Caleb Williams	QB1	22
5	Brock Bowers	TE1	21
6	Jayden Daniels	QB2	23
7	Jonathon Brooks	RB1	21
8	Adonai Mitchell	WR4	21
9	Ladd McConkey	WR5	22
10	Drake Maye	QB3	22
11	Brian Thomas Jr	WR6	21
12	Trey Benson	RB2	22
13	Keon Coleman	WR7	21
14	Jaylen Wright	RB3	21
15	Xavier Legette	WR8	23
16	Troy Franklin	WR9	21
17	Ricky Pearsall	WR10	24
18	Roman Wilson	WR11	23
19	Audric Estime	RB4	21
20	Marshawn Lloyd	RB5	23
21	Ja’Lynn Polk	WR12	22
22	Malachi Corley	WR13	22
23	Blake Corum	RB6	23
24	Ray Davis	RB7	24
25	Xavier Worthy	WR14	21
26	Ja’Tavion Sanders	TE2	21
27	J.J. McCarthy	QB4	21
28	Devontez Walker	WR15	23
29	Jermaine Burton	WR16	23
30	Theo Johnson	TE3	23
31	Michael Penix Jr	QB5	24
32	Will Shipley	RB8	22
33	Bo Nix	QB6	24
34	Braelon Allen	RB9	20
35	Bucky Irving	RB10	22
36	Cade Stover	TE4	24
37	Isaac Guerendo	RB11	24
38	Jared Wiley	TE5	23
39	Jalen McMillan	WR17	22
40	Ben Sinnott	TE6	22
41	Malik Washington	WR18	23
42	Javon Baker	WR19	22
43	Isaiah Davis	RB12	22
44	Kimani Vidal	RB13	23
45	Johnny Wilson	WR20	23
46	Jaheim Bell	TE7	23
47	Dylan Laube	RB14	24
48	Luke McCaffrey	WR21	23
49	Brenden Rice	WR22	22
50	Spencer Rattler	QB7	23

*Age entering Week 1

Also Read: 2024 NFL Draft order, picks by team

Fantasy football rookie rankings 2024 – Quarterbacks

1. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams isn’t Patrick Mahomes, no one else is, but he’s one of the best quarterback prospects to enter the NFL Draft in several years. Williams offers above-average athleticism, offering some upside as a runner though not to Jayden Daniels’ levels. What Williams can provide is the athleticism to score a few rushing touchdowns, but it stands out even more with his ability to extend plays.

Picked by the Chicago Bears, Williams is walking into a fantastic situation. He should be favored for Offensive Rookie of the Year and he has the talent to develop into an elite quarterback who averages 4,500-plus yards and 30-plus touchdowns. The fantasy ceiling for Williams feels Kyler Murray-esque, but the ceiling is so much higher. We won’t go as far as the NFL comparisons to future Hall of Famers (Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes), but Williams has all the tools to be one of the five best fantasy quarterbacks every year during the prime of his career.

2. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

We have Jayden Daniels a tier below Williams for a variety of reasons. First, as Justin Fields demonstrated, college quarterbacks who rarely throw over the middle of the field and handle pressure poorly don’t translate well to the NFL. Second, Daniels (200 pounds) runs even more recklessly than Josh Allen (240 pounds). That’s a recipe for some nasty hits and a serious injury. Still, you have to take the bad with the good, because Daniels’ deep ball and his elite athleticism can make him an outstanding fantasy quarterback.

Landing in Kliff Kinsgbury’s offense, Daniels should have the chance to be a fairly effective fantasy starter immediately thanks in large part to his rushing ability. Washington does offer two quality wide receivers (Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson), plus Austin Ekeler should be a nice check-down option for the rookie. Durability is a long-term concern, especially behind a bad Commanders offensive line, but this is a much better fantasy landing spot than if he had landed in New England.

3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Drake Maye’s upside easily rivals Williams’ ceiling in the NFL. Unlike Daniels, Maye offers prototype size at quarterback (6-foot-4 and 223 pounds), which pairs nicely with elite arm strength and high-end athleticism. Maye is much more volatile as a passer than Justin Herbert, but the physical tools are similar. Maye’s mechanics and decision-making will prevent him from being a starting-caliber fantasy quarterback as a rookie, but the upside he brings is Herbert-like with the added bonus of more rushing yards and touchdowns.

Unfortunately for Maye, this isn’t an appealing landing spot. The Patriots’ offensive line is a massive work in progress and they have a below-average receiving corps. This is not a great situation Maye is walking into, which really limits his fantasy appeal in 2024. However, the talent is worth still buying into long term, we just wouldn’t touch Maye in season-long fantasy leagues for the 2024 season.

4. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

It all comes down to the landing spot for J.J. McCarthy. If he’s chosen by the Minnesota Vikings, McCarthy gets bumped up into the top 20 of our dynasty rookie rankings. On the other hand, a worse-off team like the New England Patriots sends him further down our fantasy football rookie rankings. There are an eerie amount of similarities between McCarthy and Kirk Cousins, but McCarthy is a better runner. He just needs more talent around him for his raw skills to be maximized.

Minnesota was always the perfect landing spot for McCarthy. There will be some growing pains for a 21-year-old quarterback, especially because Kevin O’Connell’s system is difficult and takes several years to master. However, he’s also one of the best play-callers in the NFL. Plus, McCarthy will have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, along with TJ Hockenson once he returns from an ACL tear. McCarthy needed to be in the perfect landing spot and this is it.

5. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

We’ll start with the positive. Sean Payton’s system is perfect for Bo Nix. An athletic, accurate quarterback who can make quick decisions and stick to the designed play, is everything Payton looks for from the quarterback position. Unfortunately, similar to Drake Maye, the supporting cast around Nix is very bad. We do give some benefit of the doubt because Payton helped Russell Wilson post-fantasy-caliber numbers in 2024, but there still isn’t much upside here. We do place Nix ahead of Michael Penix Jr. in our fantasy football rookie rankings for 2024 only because he will play immediately.

6. Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons

Michael Penix Jr. will be the same age at the start of his rookie season (24) as Trevor Lawrence entering his fourth year. Not only is he on the older side, but Penix Jr. has LAO suffered two ACL tears and a dislocated shoulder joint in college. Those are massive medical red flags and we saw how Penix Jr. looked against NFL-like defensive schemes (Michigan Wolverines) in the national championship game. With that acknowledged, the outstanding arm strength and poise for his position can make Penix Jr. an above-average starter in the right environment and that would translate to fantasy success for both him and his pass-catchers.

Related: 2024 NFL Draft QB rankings

The biggest surprise in the 2024 NFL Draft, maybe one of the biggest stunners in NFL Draft history. Penix Jr. is a 24-year-old quarterback with a lengthy injury history (town ACL tears, shoulder separation) and the Falcons just made Kirk Cousins one of the highest-paid quarterbacks ever. Penix Jr. won’t see the field in 2024, unless disaster strikes for Atlanta. He could be a promising fantasy starter long term but has no value this year.

Fantasy rookie running back rankings

1. Jonathon Brooks, Texas Longhorns

Already our RB1 entering the pre-draft process, the Jonathon Brooks injury news cemented his status as a top 10 player in our fantasy football rookie rankings 2024. Brooks is going to not only be a nice check-down option for his quarterback, but his vision, contact balance and early explosiveness can make him a dangerous three-down player. There’s risk because he is coming off an ACL tear, but we’ll also highlight the fact that Brooks only had 266 career touches in college. That light workload bodes very well for a longer NFL shelf life as a starter.

Also Read: Most overrated prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft

2. Trey Benson, Florida State Seminoles

If Trey Benson lands with an NFL team that boasts a great offensive line, he should be a top-10 pick in FYPD drafts. Benson’s juice is even better than what Brooks brings to the table and that added home-run ability, especially when combined with Brooks’ willingness to take on contact, gives him a future RB1 upside. However, Benson doesn’t have great vision and getting stuck in traffic with worse run blocking could limit his frequency of explosive runs. At the very least, Benson can become an RB2 in fantasy as soon as this fall.

3. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee Volunteers

One theme you’ll notice in our dynasty rookie rankings at running back is prioritizing players who received a lighter workload in college. In three seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers, Jaylen Wright only had 398 touches. Wright is an outstanding athlete (9.81 RAS) at 5-foot-10 with game-changing speed that can lead to multiple 40-plus yard runs at the next level. The big-play ability jumps out, but Wright’s improvements as a receiving back and his ability to get yards after contact also stand out. Just recognize, fumbling and average vision might prevent him from being a star at the next level.

4. Audric Estime, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

In the second tier of our fantasy rookie running back rankings is a different archetype. Audric Estime doesn’t have a lot of lightning, a sub-par showing at the NFL Combine proved that. However, he’s faster with pads on than his 4.71-second 40 time indicates. What matters is that Estime runs with violence and that mentality gels so nicely with some nice wiggle and vision to make him a starting-caliber running back. Plus, he can do a little as a pass-catcher too. NFL comparisons for Estiem range from Jamaal Williams (NFL.com) to Chris Carson (Mina Kimes) and that caliber of running back offers plenty of starting appeal in fantasy football.

5. Marshawn Lloyd, USC Trojans

Marshawn Lloyd didn’t receive a ton of opportunities at South Carolina, but that also means he heads to the NFL with just 325 career touches in college. At USC, though, Lloyd averaged 7.1 yards per carry and showed considerable ability as a receiving threat out of the backfield. While Lloyd isn’t Will Shipley in terms of pass-catching, he might be the best receiving threat among our top five rookie running backs. The ball-carrier vision isn’t great, but Lloyd could be a FLEX starter during his rookie season and later develop into a fantasy RB2.

Related: 2024 NFL Draft RB rankings

Fantasy rookie wide receiver rankings

1. Marvin Harrison Jr, Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr. is a future first-team All-Pro at wide receiver. He doesn’t offer the game-changing speed you see from Malik Nabers and he wasn’t as dominant last season as Rome Odunze, but the son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer is just a special offensive weapon. Harrison Jr. excels at creating separation from cornerbacks, whether it’s going vertical, along the sideline or making plays over the middle. He isn’t dependent on quarterback play either, as last season at Ohio State proved. To put it simply, Harrison Jr. is the caliber of wide receiver who will be drafted in the top six picks of fantasy football redrafts for the next decade.

Kyler Murray has his No. 1 receiver and the connection with Harrison Jr. should be special. We won’t set expectations at Harrison Jr. being a top-10 fantasy wide receiver this year, but he can be a top-20 wideout in fantasy football. In the years to come, however, we do expect Harrison Jr. to be the caliber of offensive weapon who can help teams win fantasy championships.

2. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears

It’s splitting hairs between Odunze and Nabers for our WR2 in dynasty rookie rankings, but the edge goes to Odune. He’s drawn NFL comparisons to Davante Adams and Larry Fitzgerald (NFL.com), with skills that can simply be defined as someone who can be just as successful pulling in contested catches as he is getting an early release to make a quick catch that moves the chains. Ball skills like these are only found in No. 1 wide receivers and what gives Odunze the edge here is the likelihood of getting more receptions and touchdowns.

Also Read: 2024 NFL Draft edge rusher rankings

Perfect landing spot for Odunze. Yes, he’ll have to share targets with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, but he also already has rapport with Caleb Williams. Landing in a high-end passing attack, Odunze has the opportunity to become one of the best fantasy wide receivers in the NFL by 2026. The Williams-Odunze connection should also be a popular pairing in dynasty leagues, because it has Rodgers-Davante Adams potential.

3. Malik Nabers, New York Giants

In any other year but this one, Malik Nabers would be the highest-rated player in our fantasy football rookie rankings. Everyone has heard the NFL comparisons to Tyreek Hill and in terms of both his YAC ability and the ease with which he blows past defenders, it’s accurate. While Nabers might not become a PPR wizard and there could be a few more disappointing box scores, he’s also the type of offensive weapon who will have multiple 200-yard games in his career. No matter which of the trio you land, it gives you a WR1 for years to come.

The landing spot for Malik Nabers re-affirms our decision to put him behind Rome Odunze in our fantasy football rookie rankings. Daniel Jones is a bad quarterback and he’s not the type of passer you want lofting passes to Nabers. If you want an optimistic view, Brian Daboll will find plenty of ways to get Nabers open on quick-designed plays and he is the most explosive player in the 2024 NFL Draft. The destination could’ve been better, especially since the 2025 quarterback class isn’t viewed as strong either, but Nabers’ talent matters most and he can still be a fantasy star long term.

4. Adonai Mitchell, Texas Longhorns

There aren’t supposed to be 6-foot-3 wide receivers who can run a sub-4.35 40 time. Adonai Mitchell has also demonstrated the ability to win at every level, flashing the talent to get open 40-plus yards downfield and to get off tight coverage and create a passing window underneath. However, Mitchell also has a tendency to disappear for long stretches and the so-called “alpha” mentality is a lot more hit-and-miss compared to other wide receivers. Mitchell’s floor is a frustrating WR3 for fantasy managers, but he has the physical ability to become a low-end No. 1 receiver in his prime.

5. Ladd McConkey, Georgia Bulldogs

We are always going to have a soft spot for receivers who run crisp routes and get open quickly after the snap. Ladd McConkey isn’t going to make a ton of downfield catches nor is he going to be a YAC monster, but McConkey will be a quarterback’s best friend. Cooper Kupp comparisons are way too rich, but McConkey was made to be an excellent No. 2 receiver in PPR scoring.

Also Read: NFL defense rankings 2024

6. Brian Thomas Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars

LSU Tigers wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. drew an NFL comparison to D.K. Metcalf from Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon and it makes sense. The explosiveness Thomas Jr. brings to the table (4.33 40 time and 9.84 RAS) puts him in elite company at 6-foot-3. He is very limited as a route runner right now and there are some durability concerns, adding even more risk to the profile. Still, there’s enough big-play ability to be a No. 2 wide receiver and there’s upside to eventually become a No. 1 wideout if all goes right.

The Jaguars sure do love speed. They have a lot of it already with Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis, but Brian Thomas Jr. can bring even more. He’s not refined as a route runner, but there’s a clear path to him making an immediate impact in Jacksonville. We see him as a WR3 in fantasy for the 2024 season, but he can absolutely become a high-end WR2 for fantasy managers in the future.

7. Keon Coleman, Florida State Seminoles

The 40-yard dash time from Keon Coleman (4.61 seconds) and the lack of separation ability with the Florida State Seminoles are concerning. However, it also needs to be mentioned that even at 6-foot-4, Coleman recorded the fastest time (20.36 mph) during the Gauntlet drill. So, there is clearly some speed there and he has the frame, length and ball skills to make a lot of contested catches. The NFL comparisons to Drake London are a little rich for us, but Coleman could absolutely develop into a WR2 for fantasy managers with the right quarterback throwing his way.

8. Xavier Legette, South Carolina Gamecocks

He’s been called the next Deebo Samuel. Standing at 6-foot-1, Xavier Legette (221 pounds) packs a lot of muscle in his frame which makes him difficult to bring down. Not only does he have the strength to break tackles, but Legette’s speed (4.39 40 time) and the burst to make him a threat to rack up plenty of yards after the catch. Obviously, it will take being in the right system for Legette to be truly unlocked, but the size, ball skills and juice are enticing enough.

9. Troy Franklin, Oregon Ducks

Troy Franklin (6-foot-2) is on the thinner side (176 pounds), but he brings plenty of speed (4.41 40-yard dash) to the table. Unlike pure speedster Xavier Worthy, Franklin showcased the ability at Oregon to make some contested catches and he’s had some success against press coverage. While we don’t see a massive ceiling with Franklin, he could become a solid No. 2 receiver in a pass-first offense at the NFL level.

10. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs

We’re going to be lower on Xavier Worthy than others. He’s likely going to be the fastest player in the NFL and if you can get the football in his hands, watch out. We certainly trust Patrick Mahomes to get him the football and Andy Reid is going to find some creative ways to get the football in his hands. However, he’s a 165-pound wide receiver who can’t beat press coverage and struggles with physicality. He’s never going to be a contested catch guy and he doesn’t have enough well-rounded skills to be a consistent offensive weapon. The splash plays will be great, but good luck trying to guess when those happen. Upside is here, but there’s major risk.

11. Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

Ricky Pearsall will make his quarterback very happy. He showed significant improvement during his tenure with the Florida Gators, developing into one of the best slot receivers in the SEC. Pearsall, 6-foot-1, runs clean routes and gets open quickly after the snap and is very comfortable making plays through contact. While he’ll never be a YAC monster or big-play threat, fantasy managers in PPR scoring could find Pearsall to be a very dependable WR3 in the years to come.

There are not going to be a lot of targets for Ricky Pearsall early, barring a Brandon Aiyuk trade. So there is no real fantasy value for the 2024 season. Assuming Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel depart after the fall, then Pearsll could become an intriguing fantasy FLEX option. He’s a quality slot receiver, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in San Francisco.

Dynasty rookie TE rankings

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Brock Bowers is a better tight end prospect than Kyle Pitts, so fantasy managers shouldn’t fear a repeat of what happened last time. Plus, there’s a far greater likelihood that Bowers is picked by a team with an established quarterback and a quality play-caller. This is a top-10 talent in the 2024 NFL Draft and he can be the second option in a passing game. In terms of NFL comparisons, Bowers absolutely has the ability to be a top-five tight end in fantasy every year who could be on the same tier as Dalton Kincaid.

Not the landing spot we were expecting for Brock Bowers. He will be behind Davante Adams for targets in the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense, but that just means there will be a lot of open space in the middle of the field for Bowers to do damage. We are not fans of Aidan O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew as a starting quarterback, but they should at least get the football into Bowers’ hands with decent accuracy. Bowers’ YAC ability is what matters most here and we love that Adams will keep defensive attention away from him, but there were better destinations for Bowers’ fantasy appeal.

2. Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas Longhorns

After Bowers, just about every tight end in the 2024 NFL Draft will be a complete swing for upside by fantasy football managers. Ja’Tavion Sanders’ ran slower than expected at the NFL Combine (4.69), suggesting he’s not quite as athletic as hoped. He also isn’t a very smooth route runner, which is an area that must improve considering he won’t be trusted much as an in-line blocker. There’s enough pass-catching gifts to give him a David Njoku-like ceiling with a quarterback who would target him more than Deshaun Watson looks at Njoku.

3. Theo Johnson, Penn State Nittany Lions

Theo Johnson is our TE3 because of his upside. Johnson’s 9.93 RAS wasn’t just one of the best among players in the 2024 NFL Draft, it’s one of the highest ever recorded by a tight end. It’s just hard to find 6-foot-6 tight ends who move this fast, especially when they can also make some difficult catches in traffic. However, we must acknowledge that Johnson was a bad blocker even at the college level and there’s far more flash than substance as a consistent receiving threat. Still, if you want to bet on the ceiling at this position, Johnson is the guy.