We are now four weeks into the fantasy football season. Some of your teams have four wins, and some have four losses. Most of us fall somewhere in between. Regardless of where you land in the standings, the 2024 class should be on your mind. We say this every year, and it feels like now, but the 2024 NFL draft class is shaping up to be special. Multiple quarterbacks in the first round are a good barometer of a class’s depth. This year, we have four to seven potential first-round quarterbacks, depending on who you talk to.
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema has already assembled one of his first way-too-early mock drafts. Draft order, team needs, and prospect evaluations will change significantly between now and April 25th. However, it is good practice to familiarize ourselves with the must-know fantasy names from this draft class. Let’s examine how this first round played out with a dynasty lens. The ripple effects could be huge!
And a reminder, if you want to take a closer look at each of these prospects, there is no better place than the DynastyNerds film room. We recently added a bunch of All-22 cutups of the 2024 class. Get yourself a #NerdHerd membership and start grinding the tape yourself.
Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams, USC
And here we go! The Justin Fields era in Chicago has officially come to an end. Williams is shaping up to be one of the best quarterback talents to enter the league in the past decade. If the Bears wind up with the number one overall pick, it means Fields didn’t improve over the rest of the season. Fields is still under his rookie contract through 2024 and has a fifth-year option to exercise this summer. There could be a trade market for the former Buckeye if a team misses out on a first-round quarterback.
Chicago Bears (via Panthers): WR Marvin Harrison JR, Ohio State
And speaking of Buckeyes, the Chicago Bears can pair Williams with the best wide receiver prospect I have personally scouted in my five years of doing this. Combining the talents of these two players should immediately make a difference for the Bears offense. In non-Superflex leagues, Harrison is my clear 1.01 in dynasty rookie drafts. Darnell Mooney hits free agency this offseason, and this draft pick could quickly signal the end of his time in Chicago.
Las Vegas Raiders: QB Drake Maye, UNC
The quarterbacks are coming off the board fast as Las Vegas lands their newest signal caller with the third overall pick. Jimmy Garoppolo recently signed his latest contract, and the Raiders don’t have an out until after the 2024 season. This could serve as a perfect transition, with Garoppolo starting the beginning of the 2024 season before slowly handing the starting job over to Maye. Las Vegas is desperate for a quarterback who can push the ball down the field, and Maye might be the answer to those prayers.
Denver Broncos: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
Minnesota Vikings: QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
We are only five picks into this draft, and two NFL starters are already looking for a new employer. We can add Kirk Cousins to that list as the Minnesota Vikings select Michigan quarterback McCarthy with the fifth overall pick. Cousins is in the last year of his deal; he only has void years remaining. This could lead to an easy transition into a rookie with perhaps a veteran mentor brought in for just one year. Our available quarterback list for the 2024 offseason is beginning to grow!
New York Jets: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
Cincinnati Bengals: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
New England Patriots: QB Bo Nix, Oregon
Mac Jones has consistently struggled as a starter in New England. The franchise didn’t do much to put weapons around him, but that is a moot point now. The Bo Nix era has begun for the Patriots as they grab the Oregon and Auburn alum with the eighth overall pick. Nix brings a bit of mobility that they probably thought they would get from Cam Newton back in 2020. Does Bill Belichick have the patience to mentor another young quarterback? Perhaps there will be some changes on the sidelines of New England as well.
Arizona Cardinals: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
When you thought the 2023 rookie tight end class looked impressive, wait until Brock Bowers blows them all out of the water. It is no exaggeration that he will be a top-five tight end the second his name is announced in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. I seriously consider Bowers at the top of my rookie draft in any of my tight-end premium leagues. Arizona has shown they want to get the tight-end position involved in the passing game this season. Imagine when it’s Bowers and not 33-year-old Zach Ertz.
New York Giants: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
The New York Giants must continue investing in their pass-catching options for Daniel Jones. Luckily for them, Coleman is available at the tenth pick and brings something not seen on this roster already: size. Coleman checks in at 6’4” and 215 pounds, which makes him the biggest receiver on the roster from the start. He has a chance to carve out the WR1 role in this offense and can be started as a fantasy asset as early as Week One.
Green Bay Packers: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
New Orleans Saints: Edge Chop Robinson, Penn State
Arizona Cardinals (via Texans): CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
Houston Texans (via Browns): WR Malik Nabers, LSU
With the way the Houston Texans receiving group has been playing so far, this pick can quickly be going to the defensive side of the ball come April. Regardless of team needs, Nabers will make a great addition to whatever NFL roster he lands on. The legacy of LSU as WRU will live on with Nabers.
Los Angeles Chargers: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
Jacksonville Jaguars: OL Graham Barton, Duke
Washington Commanders: OT JC Latham, Alabama
Los Angeles Rams: EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
Atlanta Falcons: QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Penix could be the savior of Drake London and Kyle Pitts. These talented players are locked in a ‘dynasty dungeon’ in an offense that refuses to showcase their abilities. Penix has a giant arm that may be enough to convince Arthur Smith to pass more than 15 times a game. If Atlanta were to invest in a quarterback in this draft class, I would be trying to buy more Pitts and London stock in my dynasty leagues.
Indianapolis Colts: CB Kalen King, Penn State
Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
Tennessee Titans: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
As you can see by now, the 2024 draft class is loaded with talent at the wide receiver position. We now have two Buckeye receivers off the board, with Egbuka landing with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are in a weird position with so much uncertainty at the quarterback position, but passing on a talent like Egbuka would be a mistake. Egbuka could pair with Treylon Burks to form the future of this Titans offense,
Seattle Seahawks: DI Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State
Detroit Lions: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
Penix went earlier in the first round, and now his top pass catcher goes at pick 25. Detroit has been building a juggernaut of an offense and lucked out with the Amon-Ra St. Brown pick. The jury is still out on Jameson Williams, but it is never a bad idea to backfill talent at the wide receiver position.
Miami Dolphins: OT Patrick Paul, Houston
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Bralen Trice, Washington
Buffalo Bills: S Kamren Kinchens, Miami (FL)
Baltimore Ravens: DI Maason Smith, LSU
San Francisco 49ers: DI Leonard Taylor III, Miami (FL)
Kansas City Chiefs: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The Chiefs are still looking for that number one wide receiver that isn’t named Travis Kelce. Justyn Ross, Skyy Moore, and Rashee Rice have been in recent trials. While the jury is still out on Moore and Rice, Kelce will eventually hang up the cleats and leave a massive hole in the Kansas City target share. Mitchell is highly athletic and well-rounded for his age. He should be an immediate fantasy option in this Mahomes-led offense.
Philadelphia Eagles: WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina
We have tallied seven receivers as we close out the first round of this 2024 NFL mock draft. This would be the most selected in the first round in at least the past decade. Legette has been a late riser this draft cycle, as he is currently fourth in the nation in receiving yards. Philadelphia has a great one-two punch in AJ Brown and Devonta Smith. However, adding more talent to the wide receiver group never hurts.
Based on this early mock draft, the 2024 rookie class will be pretty special. In this mock alone, we had over a dozen dynasty rookies drafted. We didn’t even include any running backs, and a few quarterbacks still have a chance of being considered first-round prospects. The other major shake-up is where quarterbacks like Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, and Mac Jones wind up when the quarterback shuffle is done.
The 2023 season is finally here! Want exclusive access to my rankings and those of over twenty fellow analysts? Subscribe to the #NerdHerd, where you get exclusive content, dynasty/rookie rankings, and DynastyGM! If you want 15% off ANY SUBSCRIPTION, USE PROMO CODE ‘LUNA’ or CLICK HERE.
I hope you enjoyed this look at the 2024 NFL Draft. For more content like this, follow me on Twitter @DanT_NFL. DMs are always open for questions, comments, or craft beer recommendations!
