Fantasy Football ADP Duel: Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Davante Adams (2024)

Welcome to this ADP duel comparing Marvin Harrison Jr. and Davante Adams for 2024 fantasy football drafts. One crucial aspect of building a successful fantasy football team is understanding and leveraging average draft position (ADP) data. ADP provides a snapshot of where players are selected in drafts, offering insights into market trends and helping managers make informed decisions. By comparing ADPs across different platforms and leagues, fantasy enthusiasts can identify potential value picks and avoid overhyped players, ultimately giving them a competitive edge.

The intricacies of ADP comparisons extend beyond merely noting where players are drafted. It involves analyzing the discrepancies and patterns that emerge from sources such as ESPN, Sleeper and FFPC. Each platform has its unique user base and scoring settings, which can significantly influence player rankings and draft strategies. By delving into these variations, managers can tailor their draft strategies to exploit specific league settings and capitalize on inefficiencies in player evaluations. Understanding these nuances is essential for making astute decisions, especially in high-stakes leagues where every pick counts.

Moreover, ADP comparisons are a valuable tool for identifying sleepers and busts. Players consistently drafted higher or lower than their projected performance can signal potential over- or under-valuations. Savvy managers can use this information to their advantage, targeting undervalued players who are likely to outperform their draft position and steering clear of those who may not live up to the hype.

As the fantasy football landscape evolves, staying abreast of ADP trends and comparisons will remain a cornerstone of effective draft strategy, helping managers build robust and competitive rosters. Let’s break down the ADPs of WRs Marvin Harrison Jr. and Davante Adams to see who the better pick for your fantasy football team is.

ADP Duel: Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Davante Adams

Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)

ADP: WR9, 16th Overall

The fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and a player with a Hall of Fame pedigree, Marvin Harrison Jr. enters the league with an impressive collegiate resume that puts him on the level of players like Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Throughout the last two seasons at Ohio State, Harrison was the stuff of nightmares for opposing defensive backs, combining for 28 touchdowns over that span and a whopping 2,474 yards.

Many people may look into the deeper efficiency metrics for him from the 2023 season and come away not too impressed, ranking outside the top 100 receivers in categories like yards after the catch per reception (6.4) and missed tackles forced (five). Nearly half of his yardage last season (598) came on 15 deep catches, but to try and say Harrison has a limited route tree would be foolish. The truth is, his athletic ability combined with the spread system run by Ohio State led to numerous opportunities for the offense to take advantage over the top of secondaries. Harrison has all the tools and route-running ability that leaves NFL teams drooling to add to their roster.

As the 2024 season draws near and fantasy drafts are underway, Harrison has been a hot topic for managers in the community. Some are on the fence believing the rookie could be too good to be true to spend the lofty draft capital on. Others view him on the same trajectory as some of the highly touted rookies before him to come in and make an instant impact and produce at an elite level in fantasy football. Harrison will be walking into a prime situation out of the gate as he joins the Arizona Cardinals, a team in dire need of an alpha WR1 on their roster.

As he looks to fill that void, he will be competing for targets with the returning Trey McBride at tight end, and wide receivers Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch. Although McBride is viewed as one of the elite pass-catching options in the league at his position, targets elsewhere are expected to be funneled to Harrison. Add in a Cardinals defense that will likely be putting the offense in negative game scripts and Harrison could shine in 2024 and be in the running to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Davante Adams (WR – LV)

ADP: WR10, 19th Overall

Davante Adams proved in 2023 that just because you are peppered with targets, that does not translate to fantasy production. He finished second in the league in targets (170) and was one of three receivers to accumulate a target share of greater than 30% (30.5% in 2023). But due to the poor quarterback play he was forced to suffer through, his efficiency numbers took a nosedive. Adams’ expected fantasy points per game (17.8) had him ranked at WR6, but his actual points per game (15.6) were good enough for only WR17, which was far below where his ADP stood heading into 2023 drafts.

To further expound on the poor QB play, Adams’ passer rating when targeted (81.6) ranked well outside the top 100 at the position. An even bigger eye-opening stat was that his yards per reception (11.1) were the lowest it had been since 2015. Coming into his age-31 season, this is a metric I would not expect to see rise. Truth be told, Adams checks off a lot of boxes for fantasy managers as he brings a high amount of targets and receptions to the stat column. But dipping below double-digit touchdowns (eight) for only the second time in the last eight seasons is a concern.

The offseason for Davante Adams was certainly an interesting one. Not only were we able to visibly see his frustrations come to the surface in the Netflix series “Receiver”, but there were once again rumblings and speculation of him potentially being on the move. On top of that, the team did not improve the quarterback situation either as they settled on signing Gardner Minshew to become a band-aid to a situation that requires surgery.

As we head into the 2024 season, Adams will once again be among the most highly-targeted receivers. But, the Raiders did draft tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to potentially take away some target share. Not to mention the very underrated Jakobi Meyers, who quietly put together 71 receptions and eight touchdowns on 106 targets a season ago. If you add all this together, it is hard for me to buy into Adams posting another 170 target season. Fewer targets mean fewer receptions, which ultimately lowers his fantasy production potential by a good margin for 2024.

Verdict

As you look at the two players, it’s the ultimate test of ageism. Sitting in the second round of fantasy drafts, you will be facing a decision between a highly touted rookie with lofty expectations. Or, your selection would be an aging veteran, coming off of his worst season in years while also being stuck in a poor situation with no improved quarterback play.

The choice should be pretty simple when you are put on the clock. As we have seen in recent seasons, high-profile rookie receivers drafted to position situations lead to fantasy success. This means you should be running to the podium to select Marvin Harrison Jr. as your WR1 or WR2 based on your roster construction in the first two rounds.

Articles Fantasy Draft Advice NFL Marvin Harrison Jr. Davante Adams Ja’Marr Chase Justin Jefferson Trey McBride Michael Wilson Greg Dortch Gardner Minshew Brock Bowers Jakobi Meyers