7 Bounce-Back Candidates for Fantasy Football (2024)
Discover the top 7 bounce-back candidates for fantasy football in 2024. These players are primed for a resurgence and can provide exceptional value for your team. Our expert analysis highlights key factors behind their potential comebacks, ensuring you make informed decisions during your draft. Get ready to spot hidden gems and dominate your fantasy league this season.
Top 7 Bounce-Back Candidates to Watch in Fantasy Football 2024
When you’re looking for the exact definition of what a “bounce-back” candidate is, you’ll get mixed answers. Especially in fantasy football, where everyone has their different opinions and thought processes. Today, I’m breaking down 7 players who either had a down season last year or a “down season” for an elite player like Patrick Mahomes. He was still great, but he wasn’t as good as he could be. Let’s get into the picks.
Patrick Mahomes – QB Kansas City Chiefs
How can the QB8 last year bounce back? After all, QB8 isn’t that bad of a finish. Since becoming a full-time starter with the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes‘ worst finishes were last year as the QB7 and in 2019 (where he also missed two games) as the QB8. His other finishes? QB1, QB4, QB3 and QB1.
Last year Mahomes probably had his worst supporting cast while playing with the Chiefs. Other than Travis Kelce (who also had a down year according to his standards) his best receiver was rookie Rashee Rice who started to perform during the second half of the season.
This past offseason, saw the Chiefs provide Mahomes with more offensive weapons. They drafted University of Texas receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round and signed receiver Hollywood Brown to a one-year contract. This is perhaps Mahomes’ best supporting cast since 2021 with Tyreek Hill. All in all, Mahomes is primed this year to bounce back and produce as a top 5 QB.
Bryce Young – QB Carolina Panthers
I don’t think it can get any worse this year for Bryce Young. Last year he threw for under 3,000 yards, with only 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. To be fair, the Panthers didn’t surround their rookie quarterback with enough offensive talent. Their best weapon was a 33-year-old Adam Thielen.
This offseason, the Panthers drafted South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette and Texas running back Jonathan Brooks, traded for former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson, and signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to fortify the offensive line. As well, they hired “the quarterback whisperer” Dave Canales as their head coach. Canales did wonders with Baker Mayfield last year and Geno Smith the year before.
All signs point to a much improved sophomore season for Young. In a superflex league, Young can be a serviceable QB2 at a minimal cost.
Ezekiel Elliott – RB Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliot returns to the Dallas Cowboys this year after a one-year hiatus in New England. He finished as the RB30 last year with the Patriots with just under 1,000 total yards and 5 touchdowns. Between weeks 6-18, Elliot finished as the RB24.
Elliot turns 29 years old in a few weeks and the days of him being a RB1 are long gone. However, there is ample opportunity in the high-octane Cowboys offense for Elliot to produce. Last year Tony Pollard had the second most red zone rushes (only behind Christian McCaffrey) among all running backs. Elliot’s only competition in the backfield is an unproven Rico Dowdle and newly signed Royce Freeman.
I would not be surprised to see Elliot “eat” again in the red zone and score double-digit touchdowns. His current ADP is RB39. The cost to draft Elliot is relatively cheap yet the return can be very high.
Tony Pollard – RB Tennessee Titans
Needless to say, Tony Pollard was a disappointment last year. His 2023 ADP was RB8 and many in the fantasy community were predicting him to finish as a top-five running back – myself included. Pollard finished the year as the RB14.
Pollard was a disappointment compared to where he was being drafted and where he finished. However, his total yardage was relatively the same compared to 2022. The major difference was in touchdowns where in 2022 he scored 12, and last year he only scored 6. It’s not like the Cowboys didn’t give him chances to score. He was second in the league with 57 red zone rushes. If Pollard kept pace to his 2022 production with 12 touchdowns, he would have finished as the RB7 ahead of Kyren Williams.
During the offseason, the Tennessee Titans signed Pollard to a three-year 21.75 million dollar contract. He will be joining sophomore Tyjae Spears in the backfield. Sharing the backfield may not be a negative as Pollard’s best season in 2022 was when he shared the backfield with Ezekiel Elliot. He is also a full year and a half removed from fracturing his leg which I believe hindered his production last year more than he let on.
Pollard’s current ADP is RB29. This is an overcorrection the other way and a clear indication of how he burned many fantasy managers last year. At his current ADP, Pollard is an easy draft for me who can easily supplant his ADP.
Christian Watson – Green Bay Packers
As a rookie in 2022, Christian Watson started the year off very slowly. However, from weeks 10-18, he scored 7 touchdowns and was the WR9. Entering the 2023 season, there were some expectations placed on Watson due to his hot finish in 2022. This was demonstrated in Watson’s WR23 ADP.
Last season was a disappointment for Watson. He missed 8 games due to a nagging hamstring injury and finished the season as the WR63! This offseason, Watson went to visit a hamstring specialist that revealed that asymmetries in his leg strength could be contributing to his chronic hamstring injuries.
Watson has adjusted his training and is apparently feeling good and in great shape. His current ADP is WR44. In an ascending offense with quarterback Jordan Love, a possible solution to his nagging hamstring issues and a relatively cheap ADP, I am all in on a Watson resurgence.
Chris Godwin – WR Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin’s WR2 finish in 2019 seems like a millennia ago. His fantasy finishes since then have been WR38, WR10, WR19, and WR30 last year. In my Dynasty Buys and Sells article, I outlined how Godwin and Mike Evans had similar target numbers last year with the huge difference being in touchdowns – 2 for Godwin compared to 13 for Evans.
When Godwin finished as the WR2 in 2019 with 9 touchdowns and over 1300 receiving yards, he ran the majority of his routes out of the slot. Last season he only ran out of the slot 37% of the time. This offseason the Buccaneers have stated explicitly that they will use Godwin primarily in the slot which will hopefully produce better numbers for Godwin this upcoming year.
Godwin’s current ADP is WR35 which is almost a WR4! His days of being considered a WR1 are long gone. However, the news of Godwin going back primarily to the slot has me optimistic that he can produce at a WR2-3 level with a few spike weeks mixed in between. The best part is that with his current ADP, it won’t be costly to take a chance on Godwin this year.
Kyle Pitts – TE Atlanta Falcons
Kyle Pitts had a historical rookie season in 2021. He had 68 receptions for 1026 yards and one touchdown finishing as the TE6. He had the second most receiving yards ever as a rookie tight end only behind Mike Ditka in 1961 and almost 150 yards more than last year’s tight end sensation Sam LaPorta.
Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury during his sophomore season and never fully recovered resulting in a TE14 finish last year. It didn’t help that during those two years, he was catching passes from underwhelming quarterbacks such as Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke, and Desmond Ridder. I won’t even get into former head coach Arthur Smith’s love for tight end Jonnu Smith over Pitts.
This upcoming season brings new optimism for Pitts. Arthur Smith was replaced by Raheem Morris and Sean McVay disciple Zac Robinson was hired as the Falcons’ new offensive coordinator. The Falcons also signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a massive contract who made TJ Hockenson a top tight end in Minnesota the past couple of seasons. Pitts’ current ADP is TE6 but all the arrows are pointing up for the Falcons’ tight end.
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