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The 2024 NFL Draft lived up to the hype. We saw a record 23 offensive players selected in Round 1. This included 14 straight offensive picks and six quarterbacks taken within the first 12 selections.
When it comes to dynasty fantasy football leagues, one of the most intriguing aspects is the fluctuations in player value in the aftermath of the draft. Players once thought of as placeholders quickly rise draft boards, while stars who once seemed secure become losers in an instant.
Make sure you keep up to date with all your fantasy football needs by following RotoBaller on X and checking out RotoBaller.com. Let's dive in and take a look at some of the top dynasty fantasy football risers and fallers following the NFL Draft.
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Will Levis (Tennessee Titans)
Tennessee continued to show it is committed to building around its young quarterback. With the seventh pick, the Titans selected tackle JC Latham to protect QB Will Levis' blindside. They also did not add any significant competition at quarterback during the NFL Draft and Levis now appears firmly entrenched as the team's starter for the foreseeable future.
He had an up and down rookie season, but the 2023 second-round pick flashed upside throughout the year.
FOURTH TD OF THE DAY @will_levis
📺: Watch #ATLvsTEN on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/Lp2xarvRDA
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) October 29, 2023
Levis only ranked 40th in Pro Football Focus's (PFF) Adjusted Completion Percentage. He will need to make improvements in Year 2. With Tyjae Spears, Tony Pollard, DeAndre Hopkins, and Calvin Ridley as weapons, Tennessee has done everything it can to set Levis up for success.
Zamir White (Las Vegas Raiders)
There may not have been a bigger dynasty winner this offseason than Zamir White.
Nice vote of confidence from #Raiders in Zamir White this offseason:
1. Let Josh Jacobs walk in free agency
2. Only added Alexander Mattison, PFF's No. 56 RB among 63 qualifiers last season
3. Used just 1-of-8 draft picks at RB, a Round 6 pick on pass-catcher Dylan Laube
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) April 28, 2024
White played quite well in limited action last year. He finished 14th in Next Gen Stats Rush Yards Over Expectation Per Attempt (RYOE/ATT). White received plenty of work filling in for Josh Jacobs. In his four starts, White averaged over 23 touches per game. That kind of volume would put White on the RB1 radar.
Zamir White's vision was on point vs. the Chiefs, and you see it on the last two runs that ended the game.
On the 1st run, he presses the line, holding the LB with his eyes before hitting the C gap behind Johnson for 43.
2nd run, White shows patience and finds the hole backside… pic.twitter.com/CvstOJURxb
— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) December 27, 2023
The Raiders only added Alexander Mattison and rookie Dylan Laube to the backfield. Mattison has never proven to be effective. Laube is underrated as a rusher, but he profiles more as a receiving back. This is fantastic news for White, and he's a strong RB2 option in all formats.
While we should celebrate White's anointment as the Raiders' clear RB1, we need to keep an eye on the future. This was widely seen as a weak running back class. The NFL Draft confirmed it. The 2025 running back class is loaded with talent. White is likely only a short-term stopgap. As good as things look right now, we need to remember he is still a rusher with Day 3 draft capital. These backs are almost always replaced (See our Fallers section). So, while White is a clear winner and dynasty riser for 2024, keep an eye on the future and be ready to sell in-season if your team falls out of contention.
Zay Flowers (Baltimore Ravens)
The Ravens were rumored to be in the market for another receiver in the draft. Luckily for Flowers, they only used a fourth-round pick on receiver Devontez Walker. This is not a significant addition and bodes well for Flowers' future. He enjoyed a nice rookie season, posting 858 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He also finished 13th out of 115 eligible receivers in Next Gen Stats Average Separation (SEP) rating.
LAMAR TO ZAY FLOWERS FOR THE 75-YARD TD 🚀
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/1OXcCIlN4T— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 31, 2023
He is now the team's clear WR1 and his only real target competition is tight end Mark Andrews. We should expect to see Flowers enjoy a strong 2024 and see a second-year breakout that is becoming more and more common among wide receivers.
Greg Dulcich (Denver Broncos)
Coach Sean Payton has talked multiple times about Dulcich filling the “joker” role in Denver’s offense. We have previously seen Jimmy Graham experience a high level of success in this role. While he's not Graham, Dulchich can flourish in Payton's offense. Injuries have been the biggest obstruction so far in the young tight end's career.
The Broncos shipped Jerry Jeudy off to Cleveland. The only major addition they made to the receiving room was selecting Troy Franklin in Round 4 of the draft. There are targets up for grabs in this offense. It's unclear who will be rookie quarterback Bo Nix's No. 1 option. The third-year tight end is in a good position for a potential breakout season and to further climb dynasty rankings. He just needs to stay healthy to have a chance.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Fallers
Kirk Cousins (Atlanta Falcons)
Even though he turns 36 in August, Cousins' dynasty value seemed relatively secure after Atlanta signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract with $90 million guaranteed. That all changed when the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick last Thursday. It was certainly a head-scratching selection given the team's signing of Cousins. Even more so when you consider he is coming off arguably the best season of his career. The 12-year vet finished first in adjusted completion percentage last year, per PFF.
Welcome to the NFL, Jordan Addison. Kirk Cousins connects with him for a 39-yard TD.
Lethal.pic.twitter.com/E0P6Sy0nbQ
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 10, 2023
The selection of Penix also raises questions regarding Cousins' recovery from a torn Achilles tendon. Did he experience a setback in rehab? Will he not be ready for the season? Are the Falcons worried about a drop in production? These now become valid questions. The team also has an out in Cousins' contract after the 2026 season. Per Spotrac, they can move on from the veteran and only incur a $12.5 million dead cap hit.
Penix could be on the bench for the majority, if not all, of this contract similar to what we saw with Jordan Love and the Packers. He might also play sooner than expected if any of the above questions regarding Cousins are true. Either way, Atlanta has already made plans to replace its current starting quarterback. That's usually not a good sign for a player's dynasty future.
Kyren Williams (Los Angeles Rams)
The addition of Blake Corum is bad news for Williams. Corum was one of the most productive running backs in college football and now has Day 2 draft capital attached to his name. At the very least, we are looking at a timeshare here. Given Williams' history of injuries, it's possible Corum completely takes over this backfield.
This a tough pill for dynasty owners to swallow. Williams was one of fantasy football's most impactful players last season. He finished sixth in Next Gen Stats Rush Yards Over Expectation (RYOE) and was one of only two backs to average over 21 PPR fantasy points per game.
At the end of the day, though, he is a running back with Round 5 draft capital. It's hard for these backs to remain starters. We will just have to chalk this up as another reason to sell Day 3 rushers whenever they break out.
Rashee Rice (Kansas City Chiefs)
It's unclear what type of discipline Rashee Rice is facing after his legal troubles this offseason. While this was not great news, it didn't completely tank his dynasty value. What hurts more is the Chiefs trading up to select receiver Xavier Worthy during Round 1 of the draft.
39 yard receiving TD for Xavier Worthy! His first of season🤘
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 24, 2022
Worthy and Rice will complement each other well. The latter can patrol the intermediate areas while the former will work deeper down the field. It just puts a cap on Rice's ceiling and is unclear who will emerge as the WR1. At this stage, it's debatable who is the more complete receiver, but Worthy brings a unique skill set to this offense that Rice just does not possess.
The off-field issues combined with the selection of Worthy have made for a rough offseason for Rice. It once appeared he would be Patrick Mahomes' WR1. That no longer seems to be the case.
Michael Mayer (Las Vegas Raiders)
Oof. This was another tough blow. One year after using a second-round pick on Mayer, Las Vegas turned around and drafted Brock Bowers with the 13th overall pick.
Brock Bowers casually breaking 2 tackles for a 40-yard TD #Raiders pic.twitter.com/4ACguxuqW2
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) April 29, 2024
Bowers is undoubtedly a better athlete than Mayer. With a first-round investment, it's clear who the Raiders prefer as their TE1. This is a crowded situation with Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers already in the mix. With Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell as a potential starting quarterback, it's difficult to see a path to fantasy relevance for Mayer anytime soon in this offense. A trade appears to be the best shot for him to recoup any value.
How to Approach the Remainder of the Fantasy Football Offseason
With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, we have a clearer picture regarding teams' rosters and depth charts. This makes things much easier and removes the uncertainty surrounding any major free-agent signings or draft additions.
Now, we still have to watch out for potential surprise cuts or trades once we hit the summer months. Depending on the caliber of the player, this could be enough to upset the apple cart somewhere. For the most part, though, things should begin to stabilize.
Mini camps and training camps are not far away. Soon, it will be time to stop drooling over new rookies and begin strategizing how to win your dynasty leagues this year.
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