Welcome to our guide on the 3 must-draft rookies for fantasy football in 2024! As the NFL season approaches, fantasy managers are scouting the top new talent to gain an edge in their leagues. In this article, we’ll highlight three standout rookies poised to make an immediate impact in the NFL. We’ll cover their 2024 outlook, long-term dynasty football outlook, and why they should be on your draft radar right now. Whether you’re in a dynasty league or a redraft format, these rookies are set to deliver major fantasy points. Get ready to secure your winning lineup with our expert analysis!
3 Must-Draft Rookies for Fantasy Football
This article aims to give you one more tool to add to your fantasy football toolbelt. Now, before I go into the names, keep in mind I am looking at the situation, supporting cast, coaching, and opportunities. These may not be the highest-drafted players by their respective teams or the players with the highest career trajectory. But these are the players you can feel comfortable with heading into your 2024-2025 season. Here are two must-draft rookies for the 2024 fantasy football season and one sleeper candidate that could be valuable this year as well.
Jonathon Brooks RB Carolina Panthers
FantasyPros ADP: RB31, 105th overall (As of June, 1st)
One of the top rookie running backs in this 2024 draft class, Jonathon Brooks is a hot commodity. This could be largely due to the Carolina Panthers’ new Head Coach, Dave Canales, emphasizing early on that they will be a run-oriented team. Carolina was the one team most fantasy football managers had an eye on for a top running back to land in the 2024 NFL Draft.
For some, 105th overall seems a little rich for a rookie on a team that is expected to be trailing a lot. However, if you look deeper into the offense Canales just came from, you would see that Buccaneers’ running back Rachaad White finished #10 overall last year in PPR leagues. He had been featured in both the run and pass game, making him a must-start week in and week out.
Injuries hampered Brooks’ college career as he saw just 4 games as a true Freshman, 7 games as a redshirt freshman, and, once given a full workload, 11 games as a redshirt Sophomore. In that Sophomore season, he took 187 attempts for 1,139 yards. That was good for 6.1 YPC. Additionally, he had 10 rushing touchdowns, 25 receptions for an additional 286 yards, and one receiving touchdown. Needless to say, when healthy and given the opportunities, Brooks thrived.
As it is said, the best way to predict future success is to measure past results. Given Brooks’s situation, being in a high-powered offense that featured first-round pick Xavier Worthy and second-round pick AD Mitchell, garnering those numbers is a testament to his ability. With the investment put into taking Brooks, it is safe to say that regardless of the score, he will get his share of touches and, by all accounts, take full advantage of them.
Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Arizona Cardinals
ADP: WR9, 13th overall
Marvin Harrison Jr. is by a long shot the most popular name in the fantasy football community when it comes to rookie players, and rightfully so. As expected, he’s the 1.01 in all of our dynasty rookie ADP, even in Superflex formats. He landed in the perfect situation with a team starved for a potential WR1, with a former Pro Bowl quarterback coming off an injury ready to prove to people he is still one of the elites.
Yes, the 13th overall is rich, and there is a lot of expectation to put on a rookie receiver who you are spending a very high second-round pick. Having said that, we must look back at the raw numbers from rookie TE Trey McBride and wide receiver Marquise Brown. Overall, there were 207 targets with a catch rate of 63%. Now, looking at Harrisons’ target share at Ohio State of 31.8%, that is a third of the targets on his own team; with Brown off to play with the Chiefs, that leaves the lion’s share of targets to be replaced.
Furthermore, the Cardinals spent the number four overall pick on Harrison with several other pressing needs on the board. Notably, their quarterback openly lobbied for the pick, and it bodes incredibly well for him to have a top 5-10 finish as a rookie. Count me as a firm believer that Harrison will be a first-round pick in the future for years to come.
Jermaine Burton WR Cincinnati Bengals
ADP: WR77, 173rd overall
Finally, here is the sleeper pick that, in my opinion, has a lot more weight to it. From the outside, this can seem like a stretch. However, joining a team with two stud wide receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins would not be enough targets to go around. Not so fast; remember that the WR3, Tyler Boyd, who signed with the Tennessee Titans, saw 98 targets in 2023. In addition to Joe Burrow being out for the final 7 games of the season.
Burton’s collegiate numbers steadily progressed year after year, even in crowded receiver rooms. Burton started his first two seasons with the Bulldogs averaging 450 yards per season with an average of four touchdowns. Followed by two seasons with Alabama garnering a stat line of 40-677-7 in year three and 39-798-8 in his final season.
It was never a question of ability as many experts labeled him a first-round talent. Unfortunately, his off-the-field attitude, as well as on-the-field antics, labeled him as a concern. Even with that, the Bengals used the first of their two third-round picks to select the talented receiver. And although this is considered the running around in shorts time of the year, early reports have shown that Burton has made several flash plays in camp. Couple that with Higgins’ unknown status, as he is looking for a new contract, and the outlook on Burton is high. For the early drafters, take him while his ADP is lower projection.
As always, these are projections based on what I feel is both value and opportunity. Drafts vary, and you will absolutely have the person who takes the quarterback too high or loads up on a position group, leaving the draft bare at said position and rich at others. Overall, these are three rookie players who I will be targeting heavily in my upcoming fantasy drafts.
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