Four rookie quarterbacks in the last ten seasons have finished as a QB1 in fantasy football. Two prime candidates could extend that list.
First and second-overall picks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are at or near the top-12 cutoff in the rankings but both offer tremendous upside.
Below, we look at Williams' fantasy outlook and when you should select him in fantasy drafts.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Caleb Williams 2024 Fantasy Outlook
The Bears did what every team should strive to do: surround their rookie signal caller with elite talent. It's harder said than done, with Chicago acquiring receiver DJ Moore and the right to draft Williams in a trade with Carolina. The front office sent Moore company in the wide receiver room by adding veteran Keenan Allen and first-round pick Rome Odunze. That's two WR1s from a year ago and a promising rookie. Not to mention, tight end Cole Kmet and running back D'Andre Swift.
And the arm talent is just absurd. Williams is showing in preseason that he can make precise throws on the run against NFL defenses, just as he did in college.
Good morning. pic.twitter.com/thGsFclKk4
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) August 19, 2024
C.J. Stroud was a phenom as a rookie last season. The Texans quarterback threw for the third-most yards by a rookie in NFL history. Yet, he was the QB10 in fantasy points per game (18.7). That per-game average would be a reasonable expectation for Williams.
Which Round Should You Draft Caleb Williams In Fantasy Football?
Everything is in place for Williams to have a strong debut campaign, except history and the number of proven fantasy football assets at the position. Very little has changed for last season's QB5, Jordan Love. He's the QB10 in RotoBaller's rankings. That's how deep the position is in 2024.
In that regard, it's hard to trust someone who hasn't played an NFL game yet. Thus, Williams is ranked QB14 with his rookie counterpart, Daniels, at QB12 due to his rushing capabilities.
Williams is worth selecting in the double-digit rounds in single-quarterback leagues (10 or 12 teams) and he's close enough to the QB1 range to select him as one, should you wait on quarterback. If you choose to go that route, it's encouraged to also draft a veteran like Jared Goff or Tua Tagovailoa. They should both get off to hot starts due to matchups while fantasy managers learn what to expect from Williams.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
More Fantasy Football Analysis