Nothing kicks off the start of a brand-new football season better than NFL free agency, which is sure to involve plenty of player movement.
Teams can place their franchise/transition tags on players as early as February 20, setting the stage for a wild off-season sooner than you think. The NFL never ceases to provide entertainment for all 365 days of the calendar year, and 2024 is shaping up to be no different. Free agency officially kicks off on March 13th. But deals will likely already be in place with the legal tampering period starting Monday, March 11th at noon.
So grab your popcorn and get ready for the free agency frenzy with the 2024 free agency primer. I’ll break down the most notable impending free agents across the four major fantasy positions – with some potential trade/cut candidates to widen the scope – through the lens of fantasy football to prepare you for the ensuing March Madness. This primer should also help you make optimal trades in your dynasty leagues, bet NFL futures and unearth values in early best-ball drafts before the chaos occurs.
2024 NFL Quarterback Free Agency Primer
Jacoby Brissett
In 2022, Jacoby Brissett was a stop-gap for Deshaun Watson in Cleveland, but he performed well beyond his low expectations. Brissett finished 17th in passing EPA and 12th in PFF passing grade while supporting fantasy viable weapons like Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper and David Njoku. Although Brissett’s real-life efficiency didn’t translate to much fantasy success for himself in 2022. Still, he at least shows the aptitude to keep others around him afloat in fantasy circles. He has ties to several QB-needy teams such as the New England Patriots. They drafted him and they also hired his former OC from his days back in Cleveland, Alex Van Pelt, making him a logical fit alongside a potential rookie QB should the Patriots select one in this year’s draft.
When Brissett was kept clean in 2023 during limited action, he posted the league’s highest passer rating.
Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor was more than solid in his spot starts for the New York Giants, further bolstering the case for mobility being a requirement for any QB behind a bad OL. In his four starts, Taylor averaged 16.3 fantasy points per game. The 34-year-old averaged 30 rushing yards per game and 274 passing yards per game. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Giants try hard to keep Taylor around with Daniel Jones‘ rehab from injury.
Sam Darnold
Give credit to Sam Darnold for providing a spark to a lifeless Carolina Panthers offense over the team’s last five games during the 2022 season. The former first-round selection tied a bow that season, averaging 18.1 fantasy points per game as the QB13 from Weeks 12-17. Overall, his 8.2 yards per attempt marked a career-high. Darnold is far from elite, but among the former first-round castoff QBs available on the market, he’s probably the best option in the short-term/long-term. He will only be 27 by the time the season starts, so perhaps the story with him as NFL quarterback isn’t finished. If he’s in a favorable system, he can be an average QB for fantasy purposes.
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