2024 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings (Preseason Updates): Malik Nabers, Keon Coleman, Trey Benson, Luke McCaffrey, Xavier Worthy, Rome Odunze, more

August 29, 2024

RotoBaller's updated fantasy football rookie rankings for 2024 preseason drafts. Our top NFL rookie rankings help you identify fantasy football rookie sleepers.

Hey, RotoBallers! We are back with our updated fantasy football rookie rankings for your 2024 fantasy football drafts. The NFL rookie rankings are for fantasy football drafts of all formats, including 2024 redraft leagues, 2024 rookie drafts, and dynasty leagues.

We are months past the 2024 NFL Draft, and the biggest fantasy football drafts are finally taking place. The 2024 rookie class for fantasy football is led by wide receiver Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. who has a very high ADP and very high expectations. The biggest offseason news for this year's rookies was Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy being ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee.

Rookies have a ton of fantasy upside and can be potential league winners. Which NFL rookies will be fantasy-relevant for 2024, and who should be prioritized in fantasy football drafts? Let's look at the rankings to find out where rookies such as Malik Nabers, Keon Coleman, Ricky Pearsall, Trey Benson, Luke McCaffrey, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Ben Sinnott are listed in our updated rankings. By the way, our very own Andrew Lalama had the 6th most accurate NFL Draft mock in the industry for the 2024 1st round. These rankings will be updated regularly until the start of the 2024 NFL season.

Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings Analysis

Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the rookie outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2024 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today and start reading all 300+ of our 2024 player outlooks, along with many other premium articles and tools available exclusively in our 2024 Draft Kit.

Malik Nabers, Giants - Fantasy Football Outlook

The New York Giants selected LSU wideout Malik Nabers sixth overall in April's draft. He immediately projects as their No. 1 receiver alongside Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt.

The uncertainty of Darren Waller's career and the loss of Saquon Barkley's receiving prowess increases the volume outlook for Nabers. He broke out as a sophomore, pacing LSU with over 1,000 yards before topping 1,500 yards with 14 touchdowns as a junior.

The 4.35-second 40 time and 42-inch vertical speak to his athleticism, even if his route running and hands aren't as refined as other top WR rookies. His explosiveness with the ball is illustrated by 0.31 missed tackles forced per reception, per PFF. Expect Nabers to be at the center of an offense that increases its 518 pass attempts from 2023.

The Giants have created more efficient throws under Brian Daboll, resulting in completion rates above 67% in 2022 and '23 for Daniel Jones. Nabers may struggle to reach 1,000 yards in this offense but can force his way into the top-20 WR conversation on athleticism alone if schemed into space.

- Nick Mariano, RotoBaller

Keon Coleman, Bills - Fantasy Football Outlook

The Buffalo Bills kicked off the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Keon Coleman 33rd overall. The Florida State standout fits the sizeable "X" receiver mold that Buffalo needed following the loss of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, who combined for 15 receiving touchdowns and nearly 2,000 yards in 2023.

At 6-foot-3, Coleman is capable of "Mossing" defenders and creating big plays over the top via contested catches. But this skill is connected to a lack of agility and separation that requires him to win with little space.

PFF cited Coleman with an 11th-percentile grade in separation percentage against single coverage since 2021, yet he scored 11 touchdowns for FSU on just 50 catches. Josh Allen boasts a big arm and won't shy from taking deep shots, but Allen also scored 15 rushing TDs and is the alpha for red-zone opportunities.

It's worth noting that fellow WR starters Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel are 3-4 inches shorter than Coleman. The rookie might be a red-zone weapon out of the gate in an offense where teams can't afford to pull safety help away from the line of scrimmage, which could put him into the top-30 WR conversation.

- Nick Mariano, RotoBaller

Trey Benson, Cardinals - Fantasy Football Outlook

Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson was the second ball carrier off the board during the 2024 NFL Draft, and his landing spot sets him up to potentially make an impact in Year 1. The former Florida State Seminole is athletically comparable to Kenneth Walker and J.K. Dobbins, meaning he has tremendous size-adjusted speed.

This was demonstrated by his 4.39 40-yard dash time at 216 pounds. He also averaged over 11.0 yards per reception in college, suggesting he can be a weapon in the passing attack.

While James Conner remains the team's starter for now, he is set to enter his age-29 season, and he's never played a full season in his seven-year career. With Kyler Murray fully healthy and Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride looking like future stars at their positions, the Arizona offense could exceed expectations in 2024.

Benson will likely see touches alongside Conner right away, and his role could grow as the season moves forward. In any potential Conner absences, he's likely to see workhorse volume behind an improved offense line that could yield at least high-end RB2 production.

At his current cost outside the top 100 picks, he's a great running back handcuff stash with flex standalone potential.

- Jackson Sparks, RotoBaller

Xavier Worthy, Chiefs - Fantasy Football Outlook

Texas WR Xavier Worthy was taken 28th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 NFL Draft. Any receiver who gets to play with Patrick Mahomes is automatically intriguing, let alone one who the team deems worthy of a first-round pick.

And especially one who set the NFL Combine record for the 40-yard dash at 4.21 seconds. Worthy is more than a strict burner as well, posting low drop rates around 5-6% outside of 2022 when he played through a broken hand (and a change at QB).

Worthy gives them another shot at filling Tyreek Hill's sprinter shoes. Ideally without the inconsistency of Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Mecole Hardman. KC doesn't typically give rookies starting run out of the gate, but Rashee Rice may also be facing a suspension, which would vacate valuable playing time early next to Marquise Brown and Travis Kelce.

The big-play threat mixed with Patrick Mahomes' arm makes Worthy enticing in best ball as a fourth or fifth wideout, while Rice's status will determine his seasonal redraft outlook.

- Nick Mariano, RotoBaller

Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 2024 Drafts

Fantasy football rookie rankings updated as of August 2024. Our 2024 fantasy football rankings portal also has PPR Rankings, Half-PPR rankings, Non-PPR (Standard) rankings, Best Ball rankings and more.

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