2024 NFL Draft: NFC Winners & Losers (Fantasy Football)
The aftermath of the NFL draft leaves fantasy managers to decipher which fantasy assets are better or worse thanks to the new rookies added to their rosters.
Andy, Mike, and Jason worked through each NFC team and reviewed which players were winners and losers thanks to the additions or lack of additions to their teams. Let’s take a look at which players are affected the most in their value for fantasy rosters.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Caleb Williams | QB |
| 1 | Rome Odunze | WR |
| 3 | Kiran Amegadjie | OT |
| 4 | Tory Taylor | P |
| 5 | Austin Booker | EDGE |
Fantasy Winners
Caleb Williams – QB
The clear winner for the Bears is the situation that Caleb Williams walks into to start his career in Chicago. Williams is one of the best QB prospects in recent memory and could be entering the best situation for a QB taken with the first pick in the draft. Not only did the Bears make a point to add plenty of weapons to their offense with WR Keenan Allen and RB D’Andre Swift, but they also took another deep threat with the ninth overall pick in WR Rome Odunze. Williams already had the tools to put together a great rookie season, but now his situation could help produce one of the highest expectations from a rookie QB season in recent memory.
Fantasy Losers
Keenan Allen / DJ Moore – WR, Cole Kmet – TE
While the Bears potentially added a high-end QB, the addition of rookie WR Rome Odunze muddies the waters for the receiving options in Chicago. DJ Moore and Cole Kmet turned in strong fantasy seasons last year, but adding two more WRs to a team that only lost 14% of its targets can only make predicting which player will be more valuable for fantasy rosters. With any luck, having Williams under center will increase the passing volume for the Bears, but it will be difficult to bet on a rookie QB sustaining multiple fantasy-relevant options.
Minnesota Vikings
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | J.J. McCarthy | QB |
| 1 | Dallas Turner | EDGE |
| 4 | Khyree Jackson | CB |
| 6 | Walter Rouse | OT |
| 6 | Will Reichard | K |
| 7 | Michael Jurgens | OL |
| 7 | Levi Drake Rodriguez | DL |
Fantasy Winners
Justin Jefferson – WR
Any worries that Justin Jefferson would be stuck with a bridge QB for the 2024 season were squashed with the Vikings moving up to draft QB J.J. McCarthy with the 10th-overall pick in the draft. While there’s plenty to debate about the ceiling for McCarthy in the NFL, having a player that can grow into an offense with elite receiving options is better than the alternative options for such an elite fantasy player. There can still be some growing pains with McCarthy in Minnesota assuming he’s the starter in Week 1 for the Vikings, but fantasy managers should feel better about Jefferson’s chances of returning to an elite fantasy asset.
Fantasy Losers
Sam Darnold – QB
However slight the chances were that Sam Darnold was actually being considered as a starting option for the Vikings, they had to dramatically decline with the drafting of J.J. McCarthy. Darnold is likely just a backup option to hold in SuperFlex leagues at this point.
Green Bay Packers
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Jordan Morgan | OT |
| 2 | Edgerrin Cooper | LB |
| 2 | Javon Bullard | S |
| 3 | MarShawn Lloyd | RB |
| 3 | Ty’Ron Hopper | LB |
| 4 | Evan Williams | S |
| 5 | Jacob Monk | OL |
| 5 | Kitan Oladapo | S |
| 6 | Travis Glover | OT |
| 7 | Michael Pratt | QB |
| 7 | Kalen King | CB |
Fantasy Losers
Josh Jacobs – RB
Even after getting a big bag of money to come to Green Bay, the Packers still elected to bring in competition for touches with Josh Jacobs at the RB spot. As the fourth RB off the board, MarShawn Lloyd presents a threat for Jacobs if he doesn’t break out of the ‘Fat Thor’ status fantasy managers saw for the majority of his final season in Las Vegas. Lloyd was viewed by some draft analysts as the top RB in the class, and at the very least should have a chance to start the season as the backup to Jacobs and contend for opportunities in a very capable offense.
Detroit Lions
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Terrion Arnold | CB |
| 2 | Ennis Rakestraw Jr | CB |
| 4 | Giovanni Manu | OT |
| 4 | Sione Vaki | S |
| 6 | Mekhi Wingo | DL |
| 6 | Christian Mahogany | G |
Fantasy Winners
Jameson Williams – WR
Maybe a winner that’s going under the radar after the draft, Jameson Williams is a direct beneficiary of the Lions choosing to invest in their secondary early and not in the deep talent at the WR position in this class. The jury is still very much out on whether or not Williams will ever live up to the draft capital that the Lions invested in him as a rookie, but he should have every opportunity to make an impact for fantasy rosters this season with little competition in the WR room outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown. All that said, if things don’t materialize this season for Williams, then it’s likely any chance of a fantasy-relevant career would be pretty low at that point.
NFC East
Washington Commanders
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Jayden Daniels | QB |
| 2 | Jer’Zhan Newton | DL |
| 2 | Mike Sainristil | CB |
| 2 | Ben Sinnott | TE |
| 3 | Brandon Coleman | OT |
| 3 | Luke McCaffrey | WR |
| 5 | Jordan Magee | LB |
| 5 | Dominique Hampton | S |
| 7 | Javontae Jean-Baptiste | DL |
Fantasy Winners
Entire Washington Offense
The Commanders’ offense will have a completely new look heading into 2024 behind the number two overall pick in QB Jayden Daniels. Daniels comes to Washington with a litany of solid weapons around him in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson along with new weapons like TE Ben Sinnott and WR Luke McCaffrey. A completely new coaching staff along with all the new faces in town should be enough to improve an offense that averaged just 6.6 yards per passing attempt in 2023, which ranked seventh worst in the league.
Fantasy Losers
Zach Ertz – TE
The only clear fantasy loser for the Commanders is veteran TE Zach Ertz. Washington’s addition of receiving TE Ben Sinnott could spell doom for the Commanders’ free agency signing. Ertz missed the last nine games of the 2023 season due to injury and has only played in seven of his team’s last 23 games. While Ertz may be able to contribute to some degree to start the season, it’s likely he’ll be phased out of fantasy relevance for good by the end of the year.
New York Giants
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Malik Nabers | WR |
| 2 | Tyler Nubin | S |
| 3 | Andru Phillips | CB |
| 4 | Theo Johnson | TE |
| 5 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | RB |
| 6 | Darius Muasau | LB |
Fantasy Winners
Daniel Jones – QB
It’s still pretty uncertain whether Daniel Jones stole money from the Giants or was a victim of being surrounded by subpar options in the receiving game. The good news is that New York has given him a true WR1 after drafting Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick. Jones hasn’t had a WR eclipse 800 yards in a season since he took over the starting job in 2019. If Nabers is the true alpha WR that he projects to be, it could be a resurgence to fantasy relevance in 2024.
Fantasy Losers
Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson – WR
The addition of a potentially elite receiving option could be an atomic bomb to any fantasy relevance that Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson provided to fantasy managers. Both Slayton and Robinson have teased fantasy managers as low-end flex options for most of their careers, but bringing in a true top-receiving option in Malik Nabers should end any potential they have to be on that radar going forward.
Philadelphia Eagles
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Quinyon Mitchell | CB |
| 2 | Cooper DeJean | CB |
| 3 | Jalyx Hunt | EDGE |
| 4 | Will Shipley | RB |
| 5 | Ainias Smith | WR |
| 5 | Jeremiah Trotter Jr | LB |
| 5 | Trevon Keegan | OL |
| 6 | Johnny Wilson | WR |
| 6 | Dylan McMahon | OL |
Fantasy Losers
DeVante Parker – WR
After signing with the Eagles this offseason, there was a chance DeVante Parker would be able to garner work as the WR3 in the Philadelphia offense, but the addition of two rookie WRs through the draft creates more competition for those snaps. Both Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson didn’t get great draft capital, but both have decent production profiles and could cut into any potential work that Parker would have been able to carve out in one of the best offenses in the league.
Dallas Cowboys
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Tyler Guyton | OT |
| 2 | Marshawn Kneeland | DL/EDGE |
| 3 | Cooper Beebe | OL |
| 3 | Marist Liufau | LB |
| 5 | Caelen Carson | CB |
| 6 | Ryan Flournoy | WR |
| 7 | Nathan Thomas | OL |
| 7 | Justin Rogers | DL |
Fantasy Winners
Brandin Cooks – WR
Dallas didn’t add a WR in the draft, which gives hope for Brandin Cooks to continue being the WR2 in one of the best passing offenses in the league. After a slow start in 2023, Cooks was a top-24 WR in seven of his last 12 games. Without added competition for targets and snaps, Cooks could be in for another season as a strong flex option week-to-week for fantasy managers.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Marvin Harrison Jr | WR |
| 1 | Darius Robinson | DL |
| 2 | Max Melton | CB |
| 3 | Trey Benson | RB |
| 3 | Isaiah Adams | OL |
| 3 | Tip Reiman | TE |
| 3 | Elijah Jones | CB |
| 4 | Dadrian Taylor-Demerson | S |
| 5 | Xavier Thomas | EDGE |
| 5 | Christian Jones | OT |
| 6 | Tejhaun Palmer | WR |
| 7 | Jaden Davis | CB |
Fantasy Winners
Kyler Murray – QB
Getting one of the best WR prospects in recent memory is an instant win for Kyler Murray’s fantasy value. When Murray returned from injury in 2023 he was still able to produce four top-12 QB finishes despite not having a real arsenal of passing weapons to lean on. With a true alpha WR in Marvin Harrison Jr. added to the WR room, Murray and the Cardinals offense should take a large step forward in 2024.
Fantasy Losers
James Conner – RB, Michael Wilson – WR
The main options at both RB and WR for the Cardinals seem to have a short shelf life ahead of them after Arizona made big additions through the draft with WR Marvin Harrison Jr and RB Trey Benson. There were plenty of fantasy managers who were reliant on James Conner down the stretch of the season, but Trey Benson could definitely cut into his workload which made his usage elite among RBs. Meanwhile, Michael Wilson’s days as the main WR option for Murray are practically over if Harrison comes into the league as pro-ready as advertised.
Seattle Seahawks
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Byron Murphy II | DL |
| 3 | Christian Haynes | OL |
| 4 | Tyrice Knight | LB |
| 4 | AJ Barner | TE |
| 5 | Nehemiah Pritchett | CB |
| 6 | Sataoa Laumea | OL |
| 6 | DJ James | CB |
| 6 | Michael Jerrell | OT |
Fantasy Losers
Noah Fant – TE
The Seahawks did very little to add pieces to the offensive skill positions, but they did spend a fourth-round pick on a TE which might mean Noah Fant‘s window for any fantasy relevance could be nearing an end. Fant has struggled to return the first-round value that was spent on him in 2019 and hasn’t eclipsed 500 yards in back-to-back seasons since joining the Seahawks. While the addition of rookie AJ Barner won’t be a threat to Fant in regards to targets to the TE position, Barner could see the field more since he’s known for his blocking ability and could limit Fant’s usage overall.
Los Angeles Rams
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Jared Verse | EDGE |
| 2 | Braden Fiske | DL |
| 3 | Blake Corum | RB |
| 3 | Kamren Kinchens | S |
| 5 | Brennan Jackson | LB |
| 6 | Tyler Davis | DL |
| 6 | Joshua Karty | K |
| 6 | Jordan Whittington | WR |
| 6 | Beaux Limmer | OL |
| 7 | KR Leveston | OL |
Fantasy Winners
Davis Allen – TE
Possibly the only slight winner for the Rams offense is Davis Allen who could now open the season as the starting TE for Los Angeles with Tyler Higbee still recovering from a torn ACL. Allen only had a total of 95 receiving yards as a rookie, but showed some promise with a TE7 finish in Week 14 when he brought in four receptions for 50 yards and a TD. With the Rams not adding another TE through the draft, Allen could hold some value for fantasy managers who decide to punt the TE position in redraft.
Fantasy Losers
Kyren Williams – RB
After such a strong season in 2023, the only thing that could derail Kyren Williams from being a surefire top-six RB heading into 2024 would be significant competition the team adds through free agency or the draft. L.A.’s addition of Blake Corum in the third round should be enough competition to make fantasy managers at least be a bit more hesitant about the ceiling for Williams in the Rams offense. Possibly the biggest concern with Corum’s presence in the offense would be any goal line work that he could siphon away from Williams, where nine of Williams’ 12 rushing TDs came from last season. Jason did make a good point of betting on talent instead of shying away from a team adding competition, but the Williams-Corum dynamic will be one to monitor heading into the season.
San Francisco 49ers
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Ricky Pearsall | WR |
| 2 | Renardo Green | CB |
| 3 | Dominick Puni | OL |
| 4 | Malik Mustapha | S |
| 4 | Isaac Guerendo | RB |
| 4 | Jacob Cowing | WR |
| 6 | Jarrett Kingston | OL |
| 7 | Tatum Bethune | LB |
Fantasy Losers
WRs on the roster
The WR saga in San Francisco takes another turn with the 49ers drafting Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing in the first and fourth rounds respectively. While neither rookie would contend for significant snaps with the current makeup of the WR room in San Francisco, their additions could signal that change – or changes – could be on the horizon for the position. Brandon Aiyuk has reportedly requested a trade from the team so that could be the first domino to fall to help create a little clarity for fantasy managers. Depending on the circumstance that the 49ers enter the season with their current WR makeup, choosing which WR you want in a fantasy lineup could be more difficult than usual.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers
[ffb_table]| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Xavier Legette | WR |
| 2 | Jonathon Brooks | RB |
| 3 | Trevin Wallace | LB |
| 4 | Ja’Tavion Sanders | TE |
| 5 | Chau Smith-Wade | CB |
| 6 | Jaden Crumedy | DL |
| 7 | Michael Barrett | LB |
Fantasy Winners
Bryce Young – QB
After one of the more disappointing rookie seasons for a number one overall pick, the Panthers made a point to bring more to the table to help Bryce Young succeed in his second season as a pro. Carolina moved back into the first round for the highly debated WR Xavier Legette and took the first RB in the draft with Jonathon Brooks. When you consider the other additions that the Panthers made to their offensive line and adding WR Diontae Johnson via trade, Young should have all the pieces to succeed heading into his sophomore season.
Fantasy Losers
Chuba Hubbard / Miles Sanders – RB, Jonathan Mingo – WR
While there’s excitement around the new pieces to the offense in Carolina, the existing ones are the clear losers in this situation. Both RBs the Panthers used last season – Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders – enter the season playing on expiring contracts and are surely just a stop-gap for whenever Jonathon Brooks is ready to take the full workload out of the backfield. Jonathan Mingo on the other hand seems to be the odd man out in the WR room for Carolina. Despite solid draft capital spent on his last season, Mingo was never able to take advantage of the 89% of snaps he played as a rookie, only finishing inside the top-30 WRs once on the season. At this point, it’s tough to see a path for Mingo to return to that type of usage or any fantasy relevance for 2024.
Atlanta Falcons
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Michael Penix Jr | QB |
| 2 | Ruke Orhorhoro | DL |
| 3 | Bralen Trice | EDGE |
| 4 | Brandon Dorlus | DL |
| 5 | JD Bertrand | LB |
| 6 | Jase McClellan | RB |
| 6 | Casey Washington | WR |
| 6 | Zion Logue | DL |
Fantasy Losers
Kirk Cousins – QB
It’s tempting to list the whole city of Atlanta as a loser here, but the drafting of Michael Penix Jr. just a little more than a month after signing Kirk Cousins to a $180m deal with the Falcons is head-scratching. The window for Cousins and the Falcons seems to be over the next two to three seasons, so it would make the most sense for Atlanta to invest in win-now pieces to put on the roster, but Penix likely won’t take the field until he’s 27 at the earliest and doesn’t seem to make a ton of sense for the roster that’s being built. On the bright side, the Falcons have now drafted an offense skill position player in four straight drafts so I can’t wait to see how they treat the 2025 draft.
New Orleans Saints
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Taliese Fuaga | OT |
| 2 | Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB |
| 5 | Spencer Rattler | QB |
| 5 | Bub Means | WR |
| 5 | Jaylan Ford | LB |
| 6 | Khristian Boyd | DL |
| 7 | Josiah Ezirim | OL |
Fantasy Winners
Rashid Shaheed – WR
After quietly having a handful of fantasy meaningful performances in 2023, Shaheed should be able to continue growing his role in the Saints offense with no significant draft capital invested in another WR through the draft. Shaheed was a good bet for a handful of deep targets from Derek Carr last season and could be a difference-maker on a fantasy roster with just one play. There’s a chance that Shaheed could develop into a consistent second target for the Saints with Michael Thomas no longer on the roster and a clear path ahead of him to more targets.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| 2024 Draft Picks | ||
| Round | Player | Position |
| 1 | Graham Barton | OL |
| 2 | Chris Braswell | EDGE |
| 3 | Tykee Smith | S |
| 3 | Jalen McMillan | WR |
| 4 | Bucky Irving | RB |
| 6 | Elijah Klein | OL |
| 7 | Devin Culp | TE |
Fantasy Losers
Rachaad White – RB
While there may not be a huge investment in the RB position from the Buccaneers, the presence of rookie Bucky Irving will be something to monitor for fantasy managers. Irving only has fourth-round draft capital, but he profiles as a player who should be able to contribute in the passing game, which is where Rachaad White got an extra bump in his value for fantasy finishing with the third-most receiving yards from an RB last season. If there’s any dip in White’s receiving work out of the backfield, it could mean a decent downgrade for him from a fantasy perspective unless he can improve on his lackluster 3.6 yards per carry last season.
Trey Palmer – WR
More additions to the WR room for Tampa Bay could spell the end of Trey Palmer’s chance to break into fantasy relevance in 2024. Palmer wasn’t great as a rookie, only managing 385 receiving yards in his first season, but he did show some ability to make plays, finishing as the WR19 in Week 17. The Buccaneers added the third WR from Washington, and while he probably has the worst production profile of his fellow Huskies, he should be viewed as a threat to work himself into the third WR option for the passing game in Tampa Bay.