Similar to stocks on the Dow Jones, a player’s fantasy football draft position and perceived value can change quickly and suddenly. Astute fantasy football managers can take advantage of dips in average draft position (ADP) or avoid overvalued players by staying updated with the latest trends on their dedicated host or provider. With rookie training camps in the rearview mirror and the 2024 Hall of Fame Game right around the corner in just over a month, it is crucial to examine which players are on the rise and which are tumbling down draft boards to make informed decisions.
Here are some examples of fantasy football players currently trending, both positively and negatively.
Similar to stocks on the Dow Jones, a player’s fantasy football draft position and perceived value can change quickly and suddenly. Astute fantasy football managers can take advantage of dips in average draft position (ADP) or avoid overvalued players by staying updated with the latest trends on their dedicated host or provider. With rookie training camps in the rearview mirror and the 2024 Hall of Fame Game right around the corner in just over a month, it is crucial to examine which players are on the rise and which are tumbling down draft boards to make informed decisions.
Here are some examples of fantasy football players currently trending, both positively and negatively.
Fantasy Football Players Trending Up & Down
Quarterbacks
Jayden Daniels (WAS): Trending UP
All aboard the hype train. Early rankings and ADP had Daniels criminally undervalued, with some sites pegging him as a low-end QB2. Recently, he has begun to ascend into low-end QB1 territory instead, surpassing Caleb Williams and Aaron Rodgers and approaching a tier shared by Brock Purdy and Jordan Love. There is no denying that his slender frame is cause for concern, and he won’t be able to absorb the same level of contact he did at LSU on scramble plays. He is surrounded by a bevy of proven veterans, and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has a history of working with mobile quarterbacks. His upside is immense, and managers are finally starting to rank potential over peril in draft rooms.
Justin Herbert (LAC): Trending DOWN
Herbert is currently the QB16 per FantasyPros ECR following his disastrous 2023 season. Due a myriad of injuries and poor offensive line play, Herbert finished with the lowest passing totals in his career, just throwing for just 20 touchdowns and 3,134 yards, finishing as a QB2. Herbert’s overall outlook went from bad to worse in the offseason following the departure of his three top targets (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Gerald Everett) and Los Angeles’ decision to reel in Jim Harbaugh from the University of Michigan. The offensive scheme that he and coordinator Greg Roman favor heavily relies upon the running game, and the expectation is that Herbert will have diminished opportunities, capping his overall upside.
Running Backs
Zamir White (LV): Trending UP
Following the departure of Josh Jacobs to Green Bay in free agency, all expectations pointed to Las Vegas addressing the running back position during the draft. Apparently, head coach Antonio Pierce never received that memo. White flashed when given an opportunity late last year, rushing for a league-high 84 times after Week 15, resulting in over 450 yards from scrimmage. With little competition for touches behind him, White enters the year as a volume-dependent RB2 option and our RB22 overall. Provided he can stay healthy and the team is competitive, the Raiders will give him plenty of opportunities to shine.
James Conner (ARI): Trending DOWN
Since entering the league in 2017 with Pittsburgh, Conner has proven to be reliably unreliable. On the rare occasion that he is fully healthy, Conner still has the overall talent to be a top-10 option at the position, given his receiving aptitude and blocking ability. Sadly, his violent running style promotes contact he cannot handle, resulting in Conner starting 13 games or less in six of the past seven seasons. Arizona drafted my top-graded rookie running back Trey Benson from Florida State as an insurance policy, and Benson will push for snaps starting in training camp. Conner is expected to head the committee, but it is only a matter of time before things change.
Wide Receivers
Rashid Shaheed (NO): Trending UP
Shaheed had a breakout sophomore season in New Orleans, setting new career highs in receptions (46), receiving yards (719), and touchdowns (5) – could this be a prelude of what is to come in 2024? A prior UDFA with a clear chip on his shoulder, Shaheed had the sixth-highest aDOT (14.4) at the position, and his breakaway speed resulted in a 15.6 YPR average. Shaheed will see a sharp uptick in snaps opposite Chris Olave, with Michael Thomas now out of the picture for the Saints. Fantasy managers are keeping their fingers crossed that he will be less boom-or-bust in 2024 after multiple game stretches where he disappeared off the map last year.
Keenan Allen (CHI): Trending DOWN
Allen’s inclusion as a downward-trending option has nothing to do with his talent level, age, or health – purely his new situation. After 11 magnificent seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he was the clear alpha option, the team decided to move on and trade him for 50 cents on the dollar with Chicago. He must now overcome several pitfalls, including a rookie quarterback under center and stiff competition for targets opposite D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet, and Rome Odunze – all while learning a new offense. We have no doubt that when Allen is thrown passes that he will capitalize and be productive, but one needs to be realistic with his expected volume.
Tight Ends
Kyle Pitts (ATL): Trending UP
Few players in recent memory have felt more like the “Peanuts” Lucy, swiping the ball away just as Charlie Brown goes for the kick. Under former head coach Arthur Smith, egregious mismanagement left Pitts with just 90 targets last year despite playing all 17 games – and most of the targets were of poor quality from replacement-level options. Insert Raheem Morris and Kirk Cousins to save the day. Arguments can be made that no player had a more beneficial offseason than Pitts, who stands to thrive during his contract year with Atlanta. A 6’6, 250 lb. athletic marvel, he is expected to thrive under the new offensive scheme, and is a popular breakout player amongst pundits.
David Njoku (CLE): Trending DOWN
Njoku finished as the overall TE5 in half-point PPR leagues last year, thanks to a tremendous 81/882/6 final split. Though his totals were encouraging, it is essential to note that the bulk of his production came when Joe Flacco replaced Deshaun Watson for Cleveland, and Watson is expected to be under center in Week 1 for the Browns. Borrowing the statistics from my colleague Pat Fitzmaurice, Njoku averaged 6.2 receptions and 80.5 yards per game with four touchdowns under Flacco, and just 4.6 receptions for 44.7 yards and two touchdowns under Watson. For Njoku to finish as a top-10 option at the position again, Watson will need to improve his play dramatically.
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