The sentiment surrounding the QB and TE positions has changed drastically amongst the fantasy football community. The old-school mindset suggested that these positions were not worth selecting in the early rounds of drafts. Typically, these positions each occupy only one spot in your starting lineup. For this reason, the traditionalists would argue that you are better off prioritizing WR and RB depth with your valuable draft selections.
That being said, we are seeing these “onesie” positions move further and further up draft boards with each passing year. Fantasy managers are beginning to emphasize the positional advantage that some of these top-tier players offer. For instance, Travis Kelce has been the quintessential example of elite production at the TE position. He’s been well worth the investment for those who have taken him in the early rounds of drafts. Kelce’s fantasy managers have benefitted from having a massive advantage in terms of TE fantasy production on a week-to-week basis. What’s more, his production closely mimicked that of the WRs typically selected in the same range. The same can be said about many QBs, such as Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts.
The sentiment surrounding the QB and TE positions has changed drastically amongst the fantasy football community. The old-school mindset suggested that these positions were not worth selecting in the early rounds of drafts. Typically, these positions each occupy only one spot in your starting lineup. For this reason, the traditionalists would argue that you are better off prioritizing WR and RB depth with your valuable draft selections.
That being said, we are seeing these “onesie” positions move further and further up draft boards with each passing year. Fantasy managers are beginning to emphasize the positional advantage that some of these top-tier players offer. For instance, Travis Kelce has been the quintessential example of elite production at the TE position. He’s been well worth the investment for those who have taken him in the early rounds of drafts. Kelce’s fantasy managers have benefitted from having a massive advantage in terms of TE fantasy production on a week-to-week basis. What’s more, his production closely mimicked that of the WRs typically selected in the same range. The same can be said about many QBs, such as Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts.
The following list contains players who will join the elite ranks at their positions in 2024. Depending on your roster construction, they may be worth leveraging your RB and WR depth to acquire.
Joe Burrow’s disappointing 2023 campaign should not make managers shy away from drafting him. It’s well documented that Burrow started the season nursing a grave leg injury that greatly impeded his throwing mechanics. In light of this, he struggled massively and the Bengals got off to a very slow start. Around Week 8, the LSU alum started to get healthy again. This coincided with his most impressive stretch of the season: from Weeks 8-10, Burrow averaged 23.9 fantasy points and the Bengals offense looked better than ever. To our great dismay, he suffered a season-ending injury the following week.
With an entire off-season to gain a full bill of health, Burrow heads into the 2024 season at full force. A full-strength Burrow is still, without a doubt, an elite fantasy profile. In his last healthy season in 2022, Burrow earned an impressive 89.4 PFF passing grade as he compiled 35 passing touchdowns.
Burrow also has the benefit of working with an exceptional pass-catching crew. Fantasy managers are already well aware of what Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are capable of. Chase is coming off a formidable season where he earned an 86.7 PFF receiving grade. On the other hand, Higgins’ career 1.93 yards per route run (per PFF) is an indication of how effective he can be. In the offseason, the team added WR Jermaine Burton and TE Mike Gesicki, who are both enticing pass-catchers in their own right.
These transactions, along with the departure of veteran RB Joe Mixon, would suggest that the Bengals are looking to employ a more pass-heavy approach in 2024. Expect Burrow to see an increase in pass attempts. He’ll also benefit from more touchdown upside without Mixon’s presence as a goal-line back.
The importance of rushing ability for QB fantasy production has become increasingly evident over the years. Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson finished as the top-ranked fantasy QBs in 2023. What these QBs share in common is the ability to accumulate yardage on the ground. Their athletic ability and rushing production offer a great compliment to the fantasy points they earn through the air.
In terms of athleticism, few can be compared to Jayden Daniels. In his final collegiate season, Daniels tallied an absurd 1,250 yards and 10 touchdowns as a runner. This level of explosiveness is bound to translate to the NFL, where he’ll continue to generate big plays on the ground.
Ridiculous 51-yard touchdown run by Jayden Daniels
Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury has already shown the ability to make the most of a QB’s rushing acumen. Kyler Murray enjoyed some of his best football under Kingsbury’s system in Arizona. During the 2020 season, Murray carried the ball 82 times and rushed for 11 touchdowns. Expect Daniels to be employed similarly during his rookie year.
Daniels will frequently benefit from positive game scripts in 2024. This is a defensive unit that ranked 30th in PFF defensive grade this past season. The Commanders will often find themselves in shootouts where Daniels will be forced to push the ball downfield. Fortunately, this is Daniels’ strong suit. In 2023, he earned an incredible 99.2 PFF passer grade on throws 20+ yards downfield. He and Terry McLaurin are bound to form a great connection over his rookie season. Daniels is the ideal low-risk, high-reward option in the mid-to-late rounds of fantasy drafts.
Much has been said about the Bills’ perceived lack of depth at the WR position. The offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis vacate a total of 237 targets in this offense. Among the pass-catchers at Josh Allen’s disposal, Dalton Kincaid is the favorite to step into a primary role. He will easily eclipse the 90 targets he saw in 2023.
Kincaid has the talent to make the absolute most of this opportunity. The Bills selected him in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and he showed great promise as a rookie. Among TEs with at least 50 targets, he ranked seventh in contested-catch rate (PFF).
According to PFF, Kincaid lined up as a wide receiver on an impressive 17.6% of his routes. The other Bills pass-catchers, including the likes of Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel, profile primarily as slot receivers. With the lack of boundary receivers currently on this roster, Kincaid will be relied upon to stretch the field both vertically and horizontally. He’ll have the opportunity to earn valuable downfield targets from one of the best arms in the NFL.
What’s perhaps most encouraging about Kincaid’s fantasy profile is his touchdown upside. Over the years, it has become abundantly clear that Josh Allen loves targeting his big-bodied TEs in the end zone. Dawson Knox compiled 15 receiving touchdowns during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. As the established TE1 in this offense, Kincaid will be given frequent looks in the red zone. He’s another candidate for positive regression after only tallying just two touchdowns in his rookie year.
At the tender age of 24 years old, Trey McBride has already established himself as one of the league’s best TEs. During his sophomore season, his efficiency metrics were elite. Among TEs with at least 50 targets, McBride ranked second in yards per route run and seventh in yards after catch per reception (per PFF).
McBride finds himself in an offensive scheme with a very consolidated target tree. He and incoming rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. will undeniably be the primary reads. Given his established rapport with QB Kyler Murray, McBride should be the favorite to lead the team in targets. Once Kyler returned from injury in Week 10, McBride averaged 8.25 targets per game for the remainder of the season.
This Arizona Cardinals team ranked dead last in PFF defensive grade in 2023. Needless to say, they’ll concede points at an incredibly high rate and will need to keep pace with opposing offenses. To do so, they’ll be heavily reliant on McBride and his ability to make plays after the catch. McBride presents the rare combination of volume and talent at the TE position. From a fantasy football standpoint, these players can be complete difference-makers for this season.
