X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Five Oldest Fantasy Football Skill Players - How Much Value Do They Still Have?

Adam Thielen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Justin takes a look at the five oldest NFL skill position players for fantasy football in 2024. Do these veteran players still offer value this coming season?

I turned 34 this year, which doesn't feel old until you start looking at a list of the NFL's oldest skill-position players and you realize that if you'd been a football player, your career would be over at this point. There aren't many skill-position players in their mid-to-late 30s in the NFL, though there are a few left.

For the purposes of this article, we're excluding quarterbacks from the discussion. Why? Because if they were included, four of the five oldest players would be quarterbacks and three of those would be backups, and that's no fun to discuss.

Below are the five oldest skill-position players in the NFL. Do they still have fantasy value?

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Marcedes Lewis - TE - Chicago Bears

Age: 40

It's hard to believe that 40-year-old Marcedes Lewis is still in the NFL. He's the only non-QB skill-position player in the league over the age of 35 and is entering his 19th NFL season.

Of course, Lewis has been sapped of a lot of his athleticism because time has a way of doing that to a player, so fantasy managers don't need to really factor him into anything when planning for 2024. Lewis is still an exceptional run-blocker, but at this stage, he's essentially just a sixth offensive lineman. Last season, he caught just four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown. Lewis should not be on anyone's fantasy radar.

 

Travis Kelce - TE - Kansas City Chiefs

Age: 35

We go directly from a tight end who isn't a factor in the passing game to a tight end who is arguably the biggest factor in the passing game of anyone at his position: Travis Kelce.

The Chiefs star might be coming off his worst season since 2015, but he still managed to catch 93 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns while missing two games. Maybe Kelce isn't quite the destructive force that he was in his prime, but he's still option No. 1 for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and KC's addition of Marquise Brown to stretch the field should open up more of those underneath routes for Kelce.

One concern is that Kelce had just four broken tackles last season. Pro Football Reference has broken tackle data back to 2008 and Kelce's 23.3 receptions per broken tackle is his worst mark in that span by a good bit. Maybe that's one way age is starting to show for him. Still, Kelce's massive role in this Chiefs offense makes him the fantasy TE1 heading into 2024.

 

Adam Thielen - WR - Carolina Panthers

Age: 34 (in August)

Last season, 33-year-old Adam Thielen made the move to the Panthers, ending his nine-year tenure with the Minnesota Vikings. Thielen ended up serving as rookie quarterback Bryce Young's top receiver, catching 103 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. It was the most receptions and yards for Thielen since his 2018 Pro Bowl campaign.

But heading into 2024, the picture is cloudier when it comes to Thielen's production. The Panthers signed Diontae Johnson, who was a bit of a target hog during his time with the Steelers, with 140-plus targets in three of his five seasons. The team also used a first-round pick on South Carolina receiver, Xavier Legette.

All that likely means Thielen won't produce as much in 2024 as he did in 2023, though age isn't the reason why. It'll just be hard to have another 1,000-yard season when you have a QB who struggled with accuracy as a rookie trying to spread the ball around to three different talented receivers.

 

Taysom Hill - TE - New Orleans Saints

Age: 34 (in August)

It's wild that Taysom Hill is this old, right? He only emerged as an NFL weapon in 2018, which wasn't that long ago, but Hill was already in his age-28 season when that happened.

Hill has played all over the field, from QB to RB to WR to TE, but it's at the latter position that he has fantasy eligibility heading into 2024. Last season, Hill had 81 carries for 401 yards and four touchdowns while also adding 33 receptions for 291 yards and two scores. It was his best season as a receiver, and his 692 scrimmage yards were his most in the NFL.

So despite his age, it seems like Hill is still a versatile threat for the Saints. The problem when it comes to fantasy is that his production isn't very predictable. Hill had seven games with 10 or fewer rushing yards last season and in five of those had four yards or less. He also had eight games where he finished with zero or one reception. I love Hill if I'm playing TE-premium best ball, but he's super risky in normal redraft leagues.

 

Zach Ertz - TE - Washington Commanders

Age: 34 (in November)

Zach Ertz was once one of the NFL's best tight ends. His past two seasons with the Cardinals suggest that isn't true anymore, but he'll get a chance to be productive in Washington this season. Ertz, who caught 27 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown last season, should get the first shot at the starting job with the Commanders, ahead of John Bates and rookie Ben Sinnott.

In theory, Ertz could serve as a reliable short-yardage option for Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but his age, injury history, and lack of recent production make it tough to trust him in fantasy. Sinnott has more upside and Ertz should be viewed as a low-end TE3 who will likely see his best production come at the beginning of the season.

 

Bonus: Oldest Running Back

Cordarrelle Patterson - Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 33

Running back is a young man's game, which explains why no running back made the list of the top-5 oldest skill-position players and why the oldest running back on a roster right now is Cordarrelle Patterson, a converted wide receiver. If we were looking for someone who has played running back for his entire career, we'd be looking at Raheem Mostert with the Dolphins.

Patterson looks to be the team's No. 3 running back behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren and won't have fantasy value unless one of those two is injured. His biggest impact will come as a kick returner, so unless your fantasy league awards points for return yards, you can leave Patterson on the waiver wire.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nolan Arenado

Ready for Second Half
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Back in Action to Begin Second Half
Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF