2024 Fantasy Football Strategy. Ranking the Top 10 Dynasty Prospects.

Fantasy football season never really ends in dynasty leagues. There's still one game left to determine the Super Bowl champions, but our team at Fantasy Life has already been hard at work completing a 2024 fantasy mock draft, forecasting veteran values in dynasty leagues, and identifying the top regression candidates for next season.

Today, we’re going to dive into the top dynasty prospects for 2024. From a high level, what jumps off the page is the fact that this is a very strong WR class and a pretty weak RB class. The QB and TE positions have some elite talent at the top with some high-upside pieces further down the draft board.

Dynasty rookie drafts will be here before we know it but if you’re ready to draft now, you can put this information to work over on Underdog Fantasy where they already have 2024 season-long best ball contests available.

1. Marvin Harrison Jr. - WR, Ohio State

Get used to hearing Marvin Harrison Jr.’s name at the top of pretty much every rookie preview show or article. Not only is he the top overall player on most draft boards, but Harrison is also considered one of the best WR prospects of the last 15 years, if not all-time.

In case you aren’t familiar with his work, Harrison tore up college football over the past two seasons, having topped 1,200 receiving yards and 14 receiving TDs in both his sophomore and junior seasons. He checks every box you could want in an elite WR prospect: measurables, athleticism, production against elite competition, breakout age, and even NFL bloodlines.

Harrison is the latest in a long line of pro-ready WR prospects to come out of Ohio State, and he might be the best one yet. The two-time All-American can win during all three phases of his routes and is capable of stepping in as the top WR for any NFL team on Day 1.

No prospect is perfect, but with no glaring weaknesses in his game, the question is really just how high Harrison will go in the NFL Draft. Some have even called for the Bears to draft Harrison with the first overall pick, and while I don’t agree with those takes, it's simply due to positional value and not a knock on Harrison's talent.

It would be a legitimate surprise if he isn’t a top-five overall pick come April, and most early mock drafts have him slotted in as the third overall pick after the top-two QBs are off the board.

My final thought here is that there is already some prospect fatigue with Harrison since he's been billed as a top-10 NFL Draft pick for multiple years now. Power through the fatigue. Yes, there are other great prospects at the top of this class, but Harrison is as elite as they come.

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2. Malik Nabers - WR, LSU

Beyond Harrison, there are a handful of prospects that are deserving of consideration for this No. 2 spot, but for me, Malik Nabers is above the rest. I’m not even opposed to putting him in the same tier as Harrison because Nabers is just that special with the ball in his hands.

He isn’t quite as polished as Harrison and is a few inches shorter, but Nabers is the most explosive player in this class and is capable of changing games with just a few touches. It's far-fetched to compare any WR prospect to Tyreek Hill, but Nabers is in that rare class of playmaker makes defenders around him look like they're playing at half-speed.

His production profile is pristine, and Nabers ended the 2023 regular season with the most receiving yards in college football and the second best yards per route run (YPRR). He's also the most fun player to watch, as his acceleration and ability to create yards after the catch (YAC) make Nabers a threat to score on any play.

Nabers should be an impact player right away and can succeed regardless of landing spot, but his true ceiling would be unlocked if paired with a creative play-caller who can put him in motion and find ways to get him the ball in space. He can stretch defenses vertically and horizontally and is a perfect fit for what modern NFL offenses want to do.

I expect Nabers to be one of the superstars of the NFL Combine (assuming he tests) and end up a top-10 overall draft pick.

3. Brock Bowers - TE, Georgia

The TE position went through something of a renaissance this season with multiple young breakout stars to go along with the trusted veteran producers. Despite the position being deeper than at any point in recent memory, we shouldn’t devalue a stud prospect like Brock Bowers.

In fact, the success of rookie TEs in 2023 could signal that the trend of early-career relevance for fantasy football has finally reached the TE position. After Sam LaPorta showed that rookie TEs can in fact provide elite fantasy production, Bowers could absolutely be the next rookie TE to continue that trend and change how we think about the position.

Bowers was productive all three seasons at Georgia and broke out as a true freshman with a 20% target share and 13 receiving TDs. He has excellent agility and speed that make him a great YAC threat, and his route-running skill makes him a mismatch against most linebackers.

Additionally, Bowers has the ability to win as both a vertical threat as well as a possession receiver who can help consistently move the chains for an offense. He's a natural receiver with good hands, is great at the catch point, and can play physical when he needs to, all of which makes him poised to immediately contribute.

He's widely expected to be a top-10 NFL Draft pick and should be a difference-maker both on the field and in fantasy no matter where he lands.

4. Rome Odunze - WR, Washington

Some may rank Rome Odunze in the top tier alongside Harrison and Nabers, but while Odunze is an excellent prospect, I have him in a tier just slightly below those two despite a really strong career at Washington, including a national championship appearance this past season.

With 2,785 receiving yards and 22 total TDs over his final 27 collegiate games, there aren’t any holes to poke in his production profile, and the tape backs that up as well.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze (1) is unable to make a catch against the Michigan Wolverines during the third quarter in the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Odunze is a big, physical WR who really developed during his time in college and will enter the NFL with a very high floor. He's a versatile piece with the ability to line up all over the field and is very fluid for an athlete his size. Faster than expected for his body type and a proven vertical threat, Odunze led the NCAA in contested catches this season. The Washington product also shows great ball-tracking ability on deep passes with the concentration and hands to make difficult catches when needed.

The only things that hold Odunze out of the elite tier are his lack of explosiveness and ability to separate. To be clear, he isn’t poor in either area, but they won’t be strengths when playing against NFL-caliber defensive backs. Those weaknesses could make Odunze more of a contributor at the NFL level rather than a true game-breaking No. 1 WR.

5. Caleb Williams - QB, USC

In superflex formats, Caleb Williams will likely be the 1.01 in most rookie drafts due to positional importance. He's a plus athlete at QB with a dynamic arm and the ability to make every throw on the football field.

Williams is very accurate and excels at throwing on the run, both attributes that should help him succeed early on even if he were to land on a team with a questionable offensive line. He made a number of jaw-dropping throws throughout his time in college, and his playmaking ability is truly off the charts.

He has all the arm talent you could ever want, and the rise of QBs like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have taught the rest of the league to chase the upside of QBs with that skill set.

Despite all the physical traits, it's worth noting that Williams’s final season at USC was a step back from his Heisman-winning campaign in 2022. He showed some inconsistency and made more poor decisions than he did the year prior. From the outside, it's hard to pinpoint exactly why that was, but his relatively weak final season will be thoroughly evaluated by potential NFL suitors.

Still, Williams is elite at making plays out of structure when the play breaks down. And while he has room to improve at playing within the offensive system, something NFL teams will require more than college programs, Williams has the highest ceiling in this rookie QB class and is a favorite to be drafted first overall, whether by Chicago or another team trading up for him.

6. Brian Thomas Jr. - WR, LSU

The second LSU WR in my top six, Brian Thomas Jr. flew a bit under the radar with modest production in his first two seasons and due to having been overshadowed by his teammates. However, Thomas exploded onto the scene in 2023 in his third year with 17.3 yards per reception and 17 receiving TDs, which led all college WRs.

He brings a rare blend of size (listed at 6’5) and speed that will make him a nightmare matchup with the NFL having recently trended towards smaller WRs and defensive backs. 

Thomas also showed some nice route-running savvy with the ability to win on double moves and enough of a route tree in college to think that he can be a complete WR in the NFL. He's excellent after the catch and should be a very QB-friendly target at the next level thanks to his big frame and YAC ability. 

He does leave a bit to be desired in contested catch situations considering his size but makes up for it by regularly dusting defenders with his acceleration and long speed. If Thomas is paired with a strong-armed QB at the NFL level, he could quickly become a premier deep threat with the potential to develop into a true No. 1 WR over time.

Thomas seems to be shooting up draft boards and is very likely to be a first-round NFL Draft pick, so I expect his ADP to eventually settle in the mid-to-late first round of dynasty rookie drafts.

7. Jonathon Brooks - RB, Texas

One of the key pieces of a resurgent Texas team in 2023, Jonathon Brooks looked like the best RB in college football through the first 10 weeks of the season before suffering an ACL injury in November. Prior to his injury, Brooks had accounted for at least 112 scrimmage yards in eight straight games and was the engine of a prolific Longhorns offense that featured multiple NFL talents.

The injury will cause a disparity between redraft and dynasty rankings, but don't discount his talent even if Brooks may start his career slowly working his way back from the ACL tear.

Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks (24) jumps over Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Reggie Pearson (21) for the first down in the third quarter during an NCAA college football game at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. This game makes up the119th rivalry match up. Photo Credit: Ricardo Brazziell / USA TODAY NETWORK

In spite of the injury, I still have Brooks as my top RB prospect in this rookie class thanks to his complete skill set and explosive play ability. He has great vision as well as the size and receiving chops to be a three-down back at the pro level.

Brooks may not be a league-winner in Week 1 as a rookie and could take some time to ramp up to a full workload, but he still has elite potential in the long run.

8. Jayden Daniels - QB, LSU

I went back and forth on who should be the No. 2 rookie QB in this class and ultimately decided on the 2023 Heisman winner. Thanks to his rushing ability, Jayden Daniels has an immense fantasy ceiling if he can develop into a reliable passer.

Daniels started his career at Arizona State, where he was very up-and-down over those three seasons. He then transferred to LSU and took a big leap forward, which ultimately resulted in him claiming college football’s top individual award for his electric 2023 campaign.

He has prototypical NFL QB height and a big arm to create explosive plays in the passing game. Daniels is also the best dual-threat QB in the 2024 class as a legitimate threat on scrambles and designed runs, which can open up an extra dimension for offenses if he's utilized properly.

Normally, a prospect who played five seasons in college would rightfully get dinged a bit when compared to players who dominated at a younger age and declared for the NFL Draft earlier.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels 5 as the LSU Tigers take on Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, November 25, 2023. Photo Credit: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

However, context is important, and the combination of the COVID season and a bad situation at Arizona State make Daniels’s early-career struggles in college less concerning to me.

The buzz is growing for Daniels to potentially be a top-five overall pick in the NFL Draft, and he has the traits to be a valuable fantasy asset with his legs, which is why he ultimately gets the nod as my No. 2 rookie QB in 2024.

9. Keon Coleman - WR, Florida State

This is where you can really start to see some divergence in rookie rankings between various evaluators. You can make a strong case for a number of rookies in this range, but Keon Coleman stands out to me even without yet knowing draft capital or landing spots.

It's difficult to pass on the upside of a WR prospect like Coleman, who's an extremely gifted athlete. He has the size to win contested catches, and Coleman's burst and top-end speed allow him to separate from defenders before and after the catch.

At just 20 years old, it's scary to think what he could be after a couple of years of NFL coaching with his physical traits.

That being said, there is a reason Coleman is notably lower than the elite tier of WR prospects. He needs to improve his consistency, as Coleman disappeared at times within the Florida State offense and would benefit from playing across from a true No. 1 WR early in his career.

Coleman is a perfect risk-reward target in the late-first round of rookie drafts as there are few prospects in the 2024 class with his range of ceiling outcomes.

10. Drake Maye - QB, North Carolina

It was tough to decide on this final spot, but I ultimately went with the player who will likely be drafted the highest among the remaining options. Drake Maye isn’t as flashy as my top-two dynasty QBs above, but he has a solid floor and is going to be coveted by NFL teams more than dynasty managers.

At his best, Maye is an aggressive passer with the ability to process a defense and make every throw on time. He has plenty of arm strength and shows the ability and understanding to layer throws over defenders and adjust the velocity on his passes.

Better yet, Maye isn’t just a pocket passer. He showed the ability to throw on the run and can also pull the ball down and pick up yards with his legs. Although Maye doesn't have the same rushing upside that Daniels does, he won’t be a zero in that category either. Maye's size in particular makes him an effective runner in the red zone, as evidenced by his 16 rushing TDs in his final two seasons at North Carolina. 

When things are clicking, Maye looks like he could be an elite passer. However, his decision making under pressure hasn’t been great, and he's less consistent as a deep passer than Williams and Daniels. The highlight throws are absolutely there, but there are some ugly misses as well.

Maye rounds out my top-10 rookie prospects at this point mostly because he could be a serviceable NFL starter for many years. By the time rookie drafts come around, I wouldn’t be surprised if Maye were to drop a spot or two once we know the draft capital invested in the remaining non-QB skill-position players. 

Honorable mentions: Adonai Mitchell (WR, Texas), Troy Franklin (WR, Oregon), Trey Benson (RB, Florida State), Braelon Allen (RB, Wisconsin), Xavier Worthy (WR, Texas), Ja’Lynn Polk (WR, Washington), Ja’Tavion Sanders (TE, Texas)