It’s officially rookie prospect season, so it is time to dive into our favorite landing spots for some of the most talented incoming rookies. Of course, a lot can change with the combine coming in the next few days, as well as the NFL draft giving us the context we need to complete prospect profiles like draft capital and, to a lesser degree, team landing spot.
Until then, we can project the best teams for each player projected to go in the first round of SuperFlex rookie drafts.
- 2024 NFL Draft Guide
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Perfect NFL Draft Landing Spots for Fantasy Football
Caleb Williams (QB – USC) to the Chicago Bears
There has been plenty of debate on what the Bears should do with the first overall pick, but the answer is clear. The Justin Fields era is over in the windy city, and Caleb Williams should be the new signal caller for DJ Moore and, if all goes as I am projecting, Rome Odunze.
Williams is not without flaws, but what he does well should make him an immediate impact player for fantasy football. With the Bears now being led by new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and the strongest supporting cast on offense they have ever had, Williams would carry top-12 QB potential in 2024 and immediately slot in as a top-10 option at the position for dynasty purposes.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – Ohio State) to the Arizona Cardinals
I graded only one WR prospect higher than Harrison Jr. going back to 2009, Julio Jones. He checks almost every box when looking at his production at Ohio State. He sports an elite 3.44 Yards per Route Run (YPRR) while amassing nearly 2,500 receiving yards and 26 TDs over his last two seasons. Now, he has the potential to land with a proven commodity at quarterback in Kyler Murray.
Harrison Jr. should immediately be force-fed the ball on an offense desperate for playmakers beyond late-season breakout Trey McBride. He should be a lock to eclipse 100 targets in 2024 and take a run at the record-breaking season we just saw from Puka Nacua. Harrison is locked in regardless of landing spot as a top five dynasty WR.
Malik Nabers (WR – LSU) to the Los Angeles Chargers
As incredible of a prospect as Marvin Harrison Jr. is, there is still some debate about whether he is even the best wide receiver in the class. That is just how special Malik Nabers and the 2024 WR class have proven to be. One of the most impressive playmakers in this class, Nabers, has incredible vision with the ball in his hands. Nabers is the next great LSU WR, setting the record for receiving yards for LSU that put him ahead of both Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.
Now let him play with one of the premier young passers in the league, Justin Herbert. While the concerns about passing volume with new head coach Jim Harbaugh are relevant, Nabers has shown us that what he can do after the catch makes him a candidate to beat out Marvin Harrison Jr. in year one if he lands in LA. Expect him to be a top 15-20 wide receiver in his rookie season, and he lands firmly inside my top-12 dynasty WRs.
Drake Maye (QB – UNC) to the Washington Commanders
Drake Maye is no longer the consensus QB2 of the class, but he is still my favorite to be the second quarterback drafted. Maye brings an impressive combination of arm strength and accuracy. He isn’t afraid to push the ball downfield and navigates those tight window throws better than most in this class.
Giving Maye weapons like Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson is the ideal blend of talent and situation for this young signal caller. He will have to improve his decision-making, but having some established route-savvy pass catchers will help his development. Maye should be in the top-12 dynasty QB conversation from day one if he lands with the Commanders, and in SF leagues, he should be somewhere between pick 1.03 and 1.05.
Jayden Daniels (QB – LSU) to the Atlanta Falcons (TRADE)
Whether you have Jayden Daniels as the QB1 or the QB3 in this class, one thing is irrefutable: this guy can ball. The 2023 Heisman winner helped his stock tremendously during his final season at LSU. One of the most impressive things about Daniels is that he never stopped improving as a passer, and I don’t think we’ve seen his ceiling. He excels when throwing the deep ball, and not only that, but as a runner, he is electric. His frame and ability to avoid big hits are troubling, especially when he steps onto an NFL field vs. playing on Saturdays. He does tend to look to run when his first read is covered, which he will need to develop if he wants to realize his full potential.
When it comes to his landing spot, he would benefit tremendously from playing for a team like the Atlanta Falcons. Surrounding Daniels with an elite runner in Bijan and giving him big-bodied targets like Drake London and Kyle Pitts is a perfect fit for his skill set. His rushing ability will make him a candidate to be the 1.03 in SF rookie drafts, but I am not quite there yet. Daniels, similar to Maye, should be in the dynasty QB1 conversation if he lands in Atlanta. My concern would be if he did go to a team like the Patriots, where he would have a weak supporting cast. He would fall to my SF 1.06 or 1.07 in that scenario, depending on tight-end premiums, falling behind Rome Odunze and Brock Bowers.
Rome Odunze (WR – Washington) to the Chicago Bears
Rome Odunze was a human highlight reel for the Huskies this year. His athleticism is his calling card in this class. He profiles as a player who should blow up the combine and be an NFL team’s X receiver of the future. The odd thing with Odunze is that his speed and strength don’t often translate to separation in his routes. That said, Odunze may be the most prolific contested catch receiver in the entire class.
Landing in Chicago would guarantee him a starting spot across from DJ Moore with a prolific quarterback in Caleb Williams. That’s not a must-have player in redraft; managers can expect a WR20-30 finish. Dynasty managers can slot him in just outside the top-15 Dynasty WRs for now, with a chance to jump much higher if he squashes the very few concerns he has in his profile.
Brock Bowers (TE – Georgia) to the Indianapolis Colts
We can keep this brief. Brock Bowers is an elite prospect at the tight end position. It doesn’t matter where he lands to see success. That’s not the game though, so let’s look at why he would be the perfect fit with the Indianapolis Colts. It would take a trade or an unexpected drop to land there, but Bowers would benefit from an offense that can get him in space and let him work. He has elite speed and versatility at the position. Pairing him with Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman and Josh Downs allows him to adjust to the NFL and immediately get involved on offense. He should also dominate red zone looks in this offense. Bowers is a top eight dynasty TE from the get-go and could see a Sam LaPorta-like emergence into greatness if he does land with a team like the Chargers or the Colts.
J.J. McCarthy (QB – Michigan) to the Minnesota Vikings
While inconsistent throughout the 2023 season, McCarthy had moments where he displayed elite NFL-caliber anticipation and pocket navigation. He regularly showed accuracy and the ability to throw from different arm angles. McCarthy is surprisingly mobile for his 6-foot-3, 202-pound frame, rushing for 632 yards while at Michigan. That said, there seems to be a lack of confidence when throwing to the perimeter; he prefers to keep the ball over the middle of the field. He may be scheme-dependent early in his career as he develops, and landing with the Vikings would go a long way in quelling any concerns about his game.
Kevin O’Connell would be a perfect fit schematically for McCarthy, and giving him some elite offensive weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson would help McCarthy avoid playing hero ball, which he has shown he doesn’t handle very well. If he does land in Minnesota, he would be a first-round rookie pick guaranteed and could flirt with top-15 quarterback production in year one with the upside to sneak into the top-12 if he can take a developmental step from year one to two.
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – LSU) to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Brian Thomas Jr. had just under 1,200 yards and 17 TDs. No, that’s not a typo. It was a true breakout season for the Tiger. If he develops his route running and can run a more complete route tree at the NFL level, he can do a lot of damage in the deep and intermediate areas of the field. My player comp for Thomas Jr. is 2023 breakout, WR Nico Collins.
He has alpha wide receiver upside. Pairing him with Trevor Lawrence and a team that will likely be without Calvin Ridley in 2024 could mean immediate opportunity for fantasy managers. If he were to land with the Jaguars, he could bring some FLEX appeal in year one with the potential to pay dividends in the fantasy playoffs. In 1QB leagues, dynasty managers can expect to pay as high as the rookie 1.04 to acquire him, but the juice is worth the squeeze.
Troy Franklin (WR – Oregon) to the Kansas City Chiefs
Speed is the name of the game for Troy Franklin. When breaking down his tape, you see the vertical speed, but he also displays impressive short-area quickness for a player measuring around 6’3. He is a high IQ player who, while he has room to grow, displays good route running. His most significant question marks lie in his ability in contested catch situations and, with his slighter frame, how he will deal with NFL-caliber DBs when he can’t beat them in a track race.
In a perfect world, he is a Kansas City Chief. This would allow Franklin to move around the formation while improving his play strength. Mahomes can help to fill the gaps in Franklin’s profile while he develops. He should impress at the combine, and if the Chiefs do select him, he has a chance to jump to the WR3/4 on some draft boards. While the talent is evident, moving him above a prospect like Rome Odunze based on his landing spot would be a mistake. Franklin will have a top-15 dynasty WR in his range of outcomes, and he will realize that sooner rather than later if he finds a home in Kansas City.
Xavier Worthy (WR – Texas) to the Buffalo Bills
Xavier Worthy is a fun prospect and maybe the fastest player in the class. He profiles as a solid WR2 in the NFL right now, but if he can improve some of his functional strength, he could join rarified air with his playmaking ability. Giving Josh Allen another talented pass catcher like Worthy, whether Stefon Diggs remains a Bill or not, would be a big win for both players.
Worthy could be used in ways that highlight his versatility in Buffalo. Worthy could highlight his underrated route-running ability and wouldn’t be forced to exclusively play the X receiver role. For Dynasty purposes, a late first-round pick is a perfect value, and for the time being, he is a low-end WR2 in the Dynasty WR16-24 range if he were to hit his ceiling.
Adonai Mitchell (WR – Texas) to the New York Giants
Adonai (AD) Mitchell may be one of the more under-the-radar WR prospects in this class with Alpha WR upside. Mitchell has a big frame and plays to his size. He has an incredible catch radius and surprisingly hip mobility when running routes. An underrated part of his game is his ability to accelerate and decelerate. Mitchell can line up outside or in the slot at the NFL level. The Giants present a massive opportunity for Mitchell. He should be able to fill the WR1 role for this offense immediately.
Mitchell profiles as a raw Tee Higgins with his frame and play style, and while I would expect some growing pains between never having to play the lead role in college and navigating Daniel Jones as his quarterback, AD should find plenty of opportunity. Mitchell is more of a wait-and-see option in redraft leagues, but in Dynasty formats, he can bring value to your roster during bye weeks and late season in 2024. More importantly, he carries top-20 upside as the go-to option in New York.
2024 NFL Mock Drafts
Here are a few early predictions for the 2024 NFL Draft. We’ll continue to add our 2024 NFL Mock Drafts leading up to the start of Round 1.
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Matthew Jones (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0)
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Russell Brown (1.0 | 2.0)
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: PJ Moran (1.0 | 2.0)
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Andrew Erickson (1.0)
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft With Trades: Mike Fanelli (1.0)
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft With Trades: Dennis Sosic
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Two-Round Writer Collaborative
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: First Round Picks & Predictions
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Top 20 Picks & Predictions
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Top 10 Picks & Predictions
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Early Picks & Predictions
- Early 2024 NFL Mock Draft with Trades: Picks & Predictions
2024 NFL Draft Coverage
- Overvalued Quarterbacks
- Undervalued Quarterbacks
- Overvalued Running Backs
- Burning Questions: Feb
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