As we wind down the 2023 NFL season, we begin to look forward to 2024. In Dynasty, there is no off-season. At DFF we have a motto, “Always Be Building.” Our staff will be working diligently over the next few months towards preparing for the Dynasty rookie draft with loads of coverage on the incoming rookie class.
Here I break down an early 2024 mock draft while providing additional context for the players you will be looking at for your Dynasty rookie drafts.
1. Chicago Bears (From Carolina Panthers)
QB, Caleb Williams, USC
We have seen it backfire before: analysts get prospect fatigue and vault the shiny new toy up the prospect rankings. We are starting to hear that maybe teams should look at Marvin Harrison or Drake Maye as the number-one pick. Make no mistake: Caleb Williams has been the no doubt, number-one overall pick since before last season. He is the closest thing to Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC) we’ve seen come out of college since Mahomes was drafted. You don’t pass up on that kind of talent. The only red flag in his profile is his height at 6’1”, something that some teams may take seriously after Bryce Young’s (QB – CAR) struggles this year.
2. New England Patriots
QB, Drake Maye, UNC
Drake Maye is not a bad consolation prize for the Patriots. After a promising rookie year, Mac Jones (QB – NE) has regressed substantially and there is almost no doubt the Patriots need to move on. At 6’4”, Maye has more of the prototype size than Caleb Williams. He comes from a family of athletes who played basketball and football for the Tar Heels and is polished, having top-tier arm strength and the mobility so desired in today’s NFL. He threw for 63 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while amassing nearly 8000 yards passing in his two years as a starter.
3. Arizona Cardinals
WR, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio St.
Harrison is the total package. He has everything you want in a true “X” alpha. He is 6’3”, 205 lbs, and could run in the 4.3’s for the 40-yard dash. He broke out as a true sophomore with 1263 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns. His weighted dominator (TD/Rec Yrd team Share) leads the top prospects in this class with a 39.3% mark. His lineage is well publicized as the son of NFL legend Marvin Harrison Sr, with some saying he’s a larger version of his father. Harrison is a polished route runner who should be an immediate impact player.
4. Washington Commanders
OT, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn St.
5. Chicago Bears
WR, Malik Nabers, LSU
As good as Marvin Harrison is, Malik Nabers is right there with him in my scouting. Only three players in the last 15 years have a better best-season RYPTPA (Receiving yards per team pass attempt) than Nabers: Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, and DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI). Thomas and Bryant combined for seven top-12 fantasy finishes, so this metric is highly predictive of future success at the NFL level. Nabers is almost unguardable with his incredible twitch and seemingly can accelerate while changing direction. A trio of Nabers, D.J. Moore (WR – CHI), and Caleb Williams could lead the Bears into a new chapter.
6. New York Giants
OT, J.C. Latham, Alabama
7. New York Jets
OT, Joe Alt, Notre Dame
8. Los Angeles Chargers
TE, Brock Bowers, Georgia
I am a big fan of Brock Bowers so I am willing this one into existence. The Chargers are in a world of trouble with the salary cap, as Khalil Mack (OLB – LAC), Joey Bosa (DE – LAC), Keenan Allen (WR – LAC), and Mike Williams (WR – LAC) are all in danger of being traded or cut. Enter Bowers, who the Chargers select due to their need for both blocking and receiving. I am not a fan of the term generational but Bowers has put up offensive production like the tight end position has never seen. He was a freshman breakout with 882 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns. Adding to that, he has a college career of 15.9 fantasy points per game, right in line with the top wide receiver prospects in the class.
9. Tennessee Titans
EDGE, Dallas Turner, Alabama
10. Atlanta Falcons
QB, Jayden Daniels, LSU
Desmond Ridder (QB – ATL) is not the answer in Atlanta. The Falcons need to draft a QB to unlock the world of talent surrounding that position in Drake London (WR – ATL), Bijan Robinson (RB – ATL), and Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL). Daniels is a dynamic dual-threat QB who Arthur Smith would salivate over given his rushing acumen. Daniels put up video game numbers this year for the Tigers, throwing for 40 touchdowns and a microscopic 4 interceptions, accumulating 3812 yards passing and 1134 yards rushing.
11. Green Bay Packers
OT, Amarius Mims, Georgia
12. Las Vegas Raiders
DB, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
13. New Orleans Saints
DL, Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
14. Denver Broncos
EDGE, Jared Verse, Florida St.
15. Seattle Seahawks
EDGE, Laiatu Latu, UCLA
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
QB, Bo Nix, Oregon
The Kenny Pickett (QB – PIT) experiment is over. The Steelers reset at quarterback and go with Bo Nix from Oregon. Nix always had talent but hadn’t put it all together. He was a top recruit for Auburn before truly blossoming at Oregon, completing an incredible 77% of his passes in 2023 with 40 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Nix is an excellent athlete with good mobility and a solid arm. His game is well-suited for the modern NFL.
17. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston Texans)
CB, Cooper Dejean, Iowa
18. Buffalo Bills
WR, Rome Odunze, Washington
Odunze had a prolific career for the Huskies, amassing 3060 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns. He has a prototype size of 6’3”, 215 lbs. Odunze is not a burner but he is a polished route runner who can create easy separation. He is one of the better receivers at the catch point in this class. Gabe Davis (WR – BUF) is not the answer alongside the aging Stefon Diggs (WR – BUF). It is time for the Bills to give Josh Allen (QB – BUF) another weapon at WR.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CB, Nate Wiggins, Clemson
20. Minnesota Vikings
EDGE, Demeioun Robinson, Penn St.
21. Los Angeles Rams
CB, Terrion Arnold, Alabama
22. Indianapolis Colts
OT, Troy Fautanu, Washington
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
EDGE, Bralen Trice
24. Cincinnati Bengals
OT, Taliese Fuaga, Oregon St.
25. Kansas City Chiefs
WR, Troy Franklin, Oregon
Rashee Rice (WR – KC) is a keeper but the Chiefs have to add to their pass-catching arsenal. Travis Kelce (TE – KC) is aging and the Chiefs’ Superbowl window remains open as long as they have Patrick Mahomes. Troy Franklin is a discount version of Malik Nabers. He is an explosive, dynamic route runner with a 4.3 forty-long speed. Franklin has short-area twitch in spades. He is not Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA), but he can be a reasonable facsimile, perhaps being the most attainable version of what Mahomes once had. Franklin had an impressive 3.32 yards per route run in 2023. His counting stats included 1383 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns.
26. Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns)
WR, Emeka Egbuka, Ohio St.
Egbuka is reunited with C.J. Stroud (QB – HOU) as the Texans add another weapon to their arsenal. Nico Collins (WR – HOU) is going into the last year of his contract and the Texans will need to decide on whether to extend him. Egbuka will fill the slot role as Robert Woods (WR – HOU) and John Metchie (WR – HOU) are not the answer there. Egbuka broke out in a big way as a sophomore with 1151 yards and 10 touchdowns. Once Stroud left, Egbuka regressed his junior year amid an injury-filled campaign. Egbuka is lethal against zone and has an innate feel for the soft spots in the defense. He has excellent hands and a polished technique. Egbuka is one of the better natural separators in the class with exceptional change of direction.
27. Detroit Lions
DL, Leonard Taylor, Miami
28. Philadelphia Eagles
CB, Kalen King, Penn St.
29. Miami Dolphins
OT, Troy Fautanu, Washington
30. Dallas Cowboys
WR, Keon Coleman, Florida St.
I am noticeably lower on Keon Coleman than other mock drafts. While he is largely considered to be a top-15 pick in this draft, he is my pick to be that player the cameras are pointed toward after every other top prospect has gone up to the stage. I would not be surprised at all to see Coleman fall out of the first round completely. I feel the NFL will wise up to this archetype of player, as others who have fit this mold, such as Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC), have been busts. To his credit, Coleman’s 34.5% contested target rate is enormous and downright scary, but the passing game is all about who can create separation now: if you can get open you don’t need to be 6’4”. Despite this, Jerry Jones loves a good value and he will notice the fall of Coleman down draft boards, picking him up to go alongside Dak Prescott (QB – DAL).
31. San Francisco 49ers
OT, Graham Barton, Duke
32. Baltimore Ravens
CB, Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
I hope you enjoyed reading my article. My goal is to provide actionable advice you can utilize to improve your dynasty team. You can follow me on Twitter @force_fantasy. #DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #NFLDraft #NFLTransactions #NFLTrades #AlwaysBeScouting
