Who Should I Draft? Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Ja’Marr Chase Fantasy Football Outlooks for 2024

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja'Marr Chase are two of the best wide receivers in the National Football League. Both have been great on the field over the past few seasons, making them prime targets in fantasy football drafts. 

However, with each player's unique skill set and situation, deciding who to draft can be tough. Their ADPs are virtually the same (Chase’s is 6, and St. Brown’s is 7).

In this article, I’ll break down the strengths and potential of both St. Brown and Chase, helping you choose the best option to dominate your fantasy league. Let’s dive in!

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Amon-Ra St. Brown 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

In 2023, St. Brown had a tremendous fantasy season. He finished with 164 targets, 119 receptions, 1,515 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns, which was good for the WR3 finish in PPR scoring leagues.

St. Brown is truly a remarkable player and will remain one of the league's best wide receivers. However, his potential decrease in targets may be too much for him to be drafted at his ADP.

The Detroit Lions are filled with explosive talent on the offensive side of the ball. They have arguably the best fantasy tight end, Sam LaPorta, two running backs with elite production last year (David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs), and another standout receiver set to improve in 2024 (Jameson Williams). 

LaPorta had 120 targets last season and is projected to stay in that range. Meanwhile, Gibbs and Williams, who saw 71 and 46 targets, respectively, are both set for a large increase.

Although this doesn’t necessarily say anything about St. Brown's ability, only so many targets will be up for grabs on any given week in Detroit. His lead over the team’s target share is set to shrink marginally. 

Jameson in the first clip and ARSB in the 5th clip 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jNbfaEgZLA

— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) August 21, 2024

 Ja'Marr Chase 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

Much like St. Brown, Chase is also one of the most talented receivers in the NFL. Unlike St. Brown, though, Chase is in store to command a huge share of his team's total targets in 2024. Last season, Chase finished as the WR11 (PPR) while predominantly catching passes from Jake Browning as Joe Burrow was out with a calf injury.

Burrow is now back and healthy, and Chase will look to regain his elite form. In their last full season together (2021, as Chase missed four games in 2022), Chase finished with 128 receptions, 1,455 yards, and scored 13 touchdowns, good for a WR5 finish.

It is also worth noting during that season with Burrow, Chase averaged a 28.5% target share as opposed to a 20.5% target share last year with Browning.

His strength
High point
Speed
Hands
& Yes Route Running…. Make him deadly lined up all over the field.

1:1 UnO #JamarrChase pic.twitter.com/3vdPRQ7dZJ

— ZIM (@zimwhodey) August 14, 2024

The only caveat to drafting Chase so early in your draft is that he is currently holding out and not practicing with the team as he is pursuing a contract extension. The Bengals are Super Bowl contenders, though, and there is urgency on both sides. I believe that a deal will get done soon, and Chase will be good to go by Week 1. 

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

At the end of the day, fantasy managers can’t go wrong with drafting either receiver. They both are true No.1 options and have the potential to carry your team a long way. However, if I had to pick one to take in the middle of the first round of your fantasy draft, I would go with Chase. 

Chase is just in a better situation than St. Brown, which will allow him more opportunity and give him a slightly higher ceiling throughout a whole season (consistent volume is key). St. Brown will surely still be his team's first passing option; however, his commanding lead over the target share is unsustainable due to all the other talented players on his team.

St. Brown feels more like someone who should be taken at the end of the first round, while Chase’s ADP in the middle feels accurate. Pay attention to news regarding his contract negotiations, though.

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