It’s finally time to gear up for the 2024 NFL season. Dynasty fantasy football drafts are starting up, and managers often look for those diamond-in-the-rough players during this time. With a new crop of incoming rookies, some are bound to break out for fantasy purposes.
You can find dynasty sleepers in veteran guys, but I gravitated more toward the rookies. Looking at the incoming wide receivers, I found five candidates to make a splash in Year 1.
After you read this article, make sure to check out Fantasy Football Rookie Sleepers You Must Have in 2024 and 2024 NFL Draft Sleepers - Best Value Picks at QB, RB, WR, and TE for even more sleeper and value pick options.
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
Troy Franklin (Denver Broncos)
The Denver Broncos selected wide receiver Troy Franklin in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Broncos traded up to take Franklin with the second pick of the fourth round, overall pick 102. Franklin lands in an ideal spot. His quarterback for the last two years at Oregon was Bo Nix. Denver took Nix with the 12th overall pick in the draft.
The Bo Nix & Troy Franklin connection carries on in Denver 💯
pic.twitter.com/fuUdELaiCk— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) April 30, 2024
Franklin proved he could be a playmaker, as he had 61 receptions for 891 yards and nine touchdowns in his 2022 season with the Ducks. In 2023, Franklin put up 1,383 yards on 81 catches while hauling in 14 scores.
The Broncos have wide receivers Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Josh Reynolds on their roster. Sutton is the only wideout with decent fantasy football success. He has recently skipped voluntary workouts and is looking for a new contract. Jerry Jeudy is now on the Cleveland Browns, opening up more opportunities for the rookie Franklin. Look for Franklin to be a nice sleeper pick in dynasty drafts.
Malik Washington (Miami Dolphins)
First off, head coach Mike McDaniel really, really wanted to draft Malik Washington. He got his wish with the 184th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Washington was drafted as a playmaker to work alongside veteran wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Malik Washington is going to fit perfectly in Miami. pic.twitter.com/lENcEEs2uC
— Alfredo Brown (@ThePretendGM) April 29, 2024
Although it seems there are too many mouths to feed in Miami, this isn’t the case. Tua Tagovailoa is a solid quarterback who is used to having speedy targets. Hill has discussed retiring after the 2025 season. Washington’s dynasty value might not make itself known for a few years.
Washington had four pedestrian seasons at Northwestern before transferring to Virginia. His situation at Northwestern held him back, but in his final collegiate season with Virginia, he tallied 110 receptions for 1,426 yards and nine scores. Washington turns 24 in October, and it did take until his fifth college season to break out. You’ll be able to grab Washington late in your dynasty drafts.
Javon Baker (New England Patriots)
The New England Patriots drafted wideout Ja'Lynn Polk with the 37th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Polk finds himself in a good situation as New England needs offensive weapons. New England drafted another wide receiver in Round 4, selecting Javon Baker from UCF.
Javon Baker after the catch pic.twitter.com/oiGSXVMOuk
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) May 4, 2024
Baker could also play an impactful role in the Patriots offense this season. The wide receivers on the Patriots roster consist of Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, K.J. Osborn, and Kendrick Bourne. They’ve been needing wide receiver help for a while.
Last season, Baker caught 52 passes for 1,139 yards and seven scores. His physicality, especially downfield, helped him take off in 2023. Before playing for UCF, the rookie wideout had two seasons in Alabama. He didn’t shine until finding himself in a better situation at UCF. His current situation in New England will benefit him in Year 1.
Jermaine Burton (Cincinnati Bengals)
Jermaine Burton slipped in the NFL Draft, selected with the 16th pick of the third round by the Cincinnati Bengals. There were talks of teams passing on Burton due to off-the-field and locker-room character concerns. The Bengals took a player who led Alabama in receiving yards each of the last two seasons.
Jermaine Burton is a total dog that lands with a QB that speaks that language
Love this pick. Love this landing spot.
Ideal situation:
🔹2024 Burton plays slot and is an upgrade on Tyler Boyd thanks to his quicks and downfield playmaking
🔹2025 Burton takes over for Tee Higgins pic.twitter.com/Tji2oNfHTn— Ben Cummins (@BenCumminsFF) May 6, 2024
Burton posted 40 catches for 677 yards and seven scores in his 2022 collegiate season. He followed that up with 39 receptions, tallying 798 yards and eight touchdowns. Burton has great hands and had four drops over his four-year college career.
Ja'Marr Chase is the alpha wideout in Cincinnati. The rumors of a Tee Higgins trade have been swirling since before the draft. If Higgins finds himself traded, the outlook for Burton gets a huge boost. Third-round wideouts are hard to hit on, but Burton is in the perfect spot to be impactful for dynasty fantasy teams.
Ladd McConkey (Los Angeles Chargers)
The Los Angeles Chargers landed wide receiver Ladd McConkey in the second round of the NFL Draft. The Chargers will look different in 2024, with Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Gerald Everett no longer on the roster. Those players accounted for 320 targets last season.
How on earth did Ladd McConkey score on this play? His start/stop is something else. pic.twitter.com/OurPI8UxTq
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) May 3, 2024
New head coach Jim Harbaugh needed to replace those players. Taking McConkey in Round 2 gives the team a player who can immediately take over the slot role. Justin Herbert’s current wideouts are Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston. The Chargers are getting a guy who can make plays after the catch.
McConkey has dealt with injuries. He suffered a back injury at the beginning of his 2023 collegiate season. Additionally, McConkey had a late-season ankle injury that caused his absence. When healthy, McConkey is a solid pass-catcher. Last season, he played in nine games. He hauled in 30 of his 37 targets, posting 478 yards and two receiving scores. If McConkey can stay healthy, he is set up for success.
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