2024 Fantasy Football League Winners

These guys were absolute DAWGS in week one and will continue to be for the rest of the season. Make sure to get them on your fantasy roster if you can!

Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers

Jayden Reed looked unstoppable last Friday. He carved up the Eagles' secondary for 138 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. He also added a 33-yard rushing touchdown on the night. Reed’s incredible start to the season would reward fantasy managers with 33.1 points. Reed is currently the WR1 in PPR leagues after being drafted on average as the WR36.

This past offseason it was stated that the Packers do not have a WR1 on their team, but a bunch of guys who can step in when needed. After this game, Jayden Reed has solidified himself as the WR1 in Green Bay. He is highly efficient, explosive, and versatile. The Packers manufacture touches to get him the ball and he does great things when the ball is in his hands. Reed’s production will take a significant hit now that Jordan Love is out with an injury, so there may be a few weeks with some ugly games. This should open up a buy-low opportunity to trade for Reed in redraft leagues. However, once Love returns it is wheels up for Jayden Reed so acquire him while you can because he can easily finish amongst the top-15 wide receivers this season.

JK Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

It is great to see JK Dobbins healthy and playing football again. He has only played in 10 games since 2021, with three straight seasons being cut short due to injury. Now he is finally back and running for the run-heavy Los Angeles Chargers. In his first game with the team, he logged 10 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown. He is currently the RB4 with 22.9 fantasy points. This is crazy value for a guy drafted as the RB41 on average. His injury history and uncertainty in the backfield led to such a low ranking, but people will take notice of him now.

He outplayed starter Gus Edwards by a wide margin. Edwards looked wildly inefficient against Las Vegas, registering only 26 yards on 11 carries. If Dobbins continues to outplay Edwards week after week, his touches will only increase, and therefore increase his fantasy value. With his injury concerns still giving some fantasy managers some underlying doubt, he should not be expensive to acquire in fantasy leagues and has immense upside in the Chargers run heavy scheme.  

Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Isaiah Likely’s week one performance was a pleasant surprise. Many assumed he would play second fiddle to Mark Andrews, but that was not the case. He would lead the Baltimore Ravens in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns, and it was not even close. He is fantasy’s TE1 after his 111 yards and one touchdown on nine receptions. It was a bit of an odd game as no one did anything spectacular on offense other than Likely. Even with six receptions, Zay Flowers had a dud game, and Mark Andrews only had two receptions for 14 yards.

Likely could potentially become the focal point of the Raven’s passing attack if Mark Andrews proves to be a shell of his former self. If Andrews is washed, then Likely can easily compete for the top fantasy tight end in 2024. If Andrews still proves to have some juice, then Likely will revert to a must-rostered player but not necessarily a league winner. Either way, Likely has a great chance to outperform his TE18 ADP.

Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

Is Jayden Daniels the next Lamar Jackson? He is certainly making the case for it! Daniels scored a whopping 28.16 fantasy points in his first career start and is now sitting as the QB3. His passing numbers were not all that impressive, only throwing for 184 yards on 17 completions, but his rushing numbers are what sets him apart. Daniels led the Commanders in rushing with 88 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts.

Quarterbacks with rushing ability are cheat codes for fantasy football. Even when the passing game is subpar, a quarterback with rushing upside can make up for that with rushing yards and touchdowns. What makes Daniels so special is that he is not just a rushing quarterback, but he is a very accurate passer. He struggled to show that against Tampa Bay, but it was his first game up against an NFL defense. It will take him time to get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, but once he dials in, he could legitimately make the case as fantasy’s QB1 even as a rookie. The one-game sample size already shows that Daniels will smash his QB12 ADP, barring injury. 

Recap:

Each of these guys impressed enough in week one to earn starting roles on all sorts of fantasy rosters, but some are safer than others. Of the four mentioned, Jayden Reed and Jayden Daniels have the best shot at being league winners. Reed is the assumed top target in a great offense and has shown flashes last season of the type of player he can be. He is similar to Deebo Samuel in versatility. Week one has been further evidence that his efficient 2023 season was no fluke. 

Jayden Daniel’s elite rushing ability not only skyrockets his ceiling but also boosts his floor. He can be a top-10 fantasy quarterback through his rushing alone, but if he gets on the same page as Terry McLaurin and the other receivers, he could put up some elite numbers. He will become one of the next great rushing quarterbacks and should be a top option for years to come. His QB12 ADP is the cheapest he will be for a long time.