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Taking a look at which fantasy football rookies are sneaky stashes for dynasty in 2024. Managers should consider drafting these players during their rookie drafts.
The 2024 NFL Draft was held more than three months ago, and like every year, a plethora of young talent is injected into the league. While rookies like Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr., Brock Bowers, and Jayden Daniels are already household names, many other players will make an impact in the pros.
These rookies could help you a lot in dynasty fantasy football, as other managers might not be aware of them or have underestimated their future production. Last year, we saw the likes of Puka Nacua and Tank Dell becoming a huge part of their team's offense, and not many saw it coming.
In this article, I will talk about the five players who will be ideal to stash this year but have the potential to become big-time contributors in years to come.
Editor's Note: RotoBaller’s Dynasty content delivers year-round dynasty fantasy football rankings, trade advice, rookie analysis, and player outlooks. Build a title-winning roster with sleepers, stash targets, and our full dynasty fantasy football guide.
Jared Wiley - Kansas City Chiefs - TE
The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Jared Wiley in the fourth round this year. He impressed everyone in training camp, and people covering the Chiefs have often mentioned that he looks a lot like Travis Kelce.
Whether or not Wiley will be Kelce's replacement remains to be seen, but he will eventually see a lot of playing time in the future for the Chiefs. Wiley is currently listed as TE No. 4 on the Chiefs' depth chart, which means he might not play a lot in his rookie season, but it makes him an ideal candidate to stash.
Jared Wiley vs. Drue Tranquill in TE/LB 1-on-1s pic.twitter.com/hgfqjYQ7sG
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) August 6, 2024
In his last year at TCU, the 6-foot-6 tight end had 47 receptions for 520 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games. He will learn a lot from Kelce, and as evident by other players in the past, Andy Reid can make him a big-time player to help Patrick Mahomes.
Kimani Vidal - Los Angeles Chargers - RB
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted running back Kimani Vidal in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Troy product will start his rookie season as the team's RB3 behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards but has left a good impression in training camp.
Dobbins signed a one-year deal with the Chargers this offseason, and if he stays healthy, he will likely sign a better contract with another team next year. This perfectly positions Vidal to be the team's featured back next year, and it will be ideal to draft him in rookie drafts.
This is Kimani Vidal.
The rookie produced back-to-back seasons at Troy with 1,250+ total yards and 10+ touchdowns.
LA hasn’t had a top-10 rushing attack since 2007.
Vidal could quickly climb the depth chart under run-heavy OC Greg Roman.
pic.twitter.com/QbEuhlLN4t— Moody (@EricNMoody) August 5, 2024
The Chargers are going to rely heavily on running the ball under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman, who will allow players like Vidal, Dobbins, and Edwards to see a lot of action. As a result, the rookie running back could put up big numbers once his body adapts to the NFL.
Vidal had a lot of success in college. During four years at Troy, he rushed for 4,010 yards and 33 touchdowns on 781 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Bucky Irving is another running back you could look to get, but since he is the Buccaneers' RB2, there will be much more competition to get him than Vidal.
Javon Baker - New England Patriots - WR
The New England Patriots drafted Javon Baker in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, he has flown slightly under the radar due to the success of the Patriots' second-round pick, Ja'Lynn Polk.
Polk is currently listed as the team's WR3, while Baker is further down the order. As per reports, the Patriots' pursuit of Brandon Aiyuk has ended, and this means more playing time for their young receivers.
Javon Baker always getting open 🔥
Creates tons of seperation here
- #patriots #nfl #newenglandpatriots
Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime & @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/QD9ttT83Tl
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) August 2, 2024
Polk and Baker have the potential to form a dangerous duo in New England, and since he isn't getting much attention, you could draft the latter quite easily in the rookie drafts. After transferring from Alabama, Baker played at UCF and made a name for himself. In his last year at UCF, he had 52 receptions for 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging an impressive 21.9 yards per reception.
Drake Maye, the Patriots rookie quarterback, is unlikely to start the season. But once he gets on the field, expect him to build a great partnership with Baker and Polk.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. - New York Giants - RB
After the departure of Saquon Barkley in free agency, the New York Giants drafted Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round of the draft. The 24-year-old running back is projected to start the season as the Giants' RB2 behind Devin Singletary.
Tracy spent six years in college before entering the NFL, and he is expected to see a lot of playing time in his rookie season. The Purdue product is a good option to stash but could also be used on your active roster if needed.
Tyrone Tracy!pic.twitter.com/xecGvgyP4k
— Gridiron Media (@Gridiron_Media_) August 6, 2024
During his last year at Purdue, he rushed for 716 yards on 113 carries, scoring eight touchdowns and averaging 6.1 yards per carry. If Daniel Jones doesn't play well, the Giants will continue to rely on their running game, which should benefit Tracy. He could be a good option if you fail to get the likes of Vidal, Irving, Blake Corum, and Braelon Allen.
Jalen McMillan - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Jalen McMillan with the 92nd overall pick in this year's draft. The 22-year-old receiver played at Washington alongside Rome Odunze and pretty much flew under the radar.
He finds himself in a perfect situation in Tampa, as he will start his career behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, vying with Trey Palmer for No. 3 duties. McMillan has been impressed in the training camp so far and will see action during his rookie season.
From earlier: A smooth one-handed catch from Bucs rookie WR Jalen McMillan as the QBs and WRs were getting their work in. pic.twitter.com/6DDAy3Cy2N
— Bailey Adams (@BaileyJAdams22) August 1, 2024
People around the franchise expect big things from McMillan, and not many will be surprised if he becomes their WR2 in 2025 if Godwin departs in free agency. The Washington product played four years in college, with his best year coming in 2022, in which he had 79 receptions for 1,098 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 13.9 yards per reception.
McMillan is 6-foot-1 and had a 40-yard dash timing of 4.47 at the NFL Combine. He could become a go-to option for Baker Mayfield very soon, and you can certainly look to draft and stash him.
Other players that you could look to stash:
- Jordan Travis - QB - New York Jets
- Ja'Tavion Sanders - TE - Carolina Panthers
- Louis Rees-Zammit - RB - Kansas City Chiefs
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