2024 NFL Mock Draft: Dynasty Rookies In The Top 100

In my penultimate seven-round mock draft of the season for Draft Countdown, I attempted to find some good fits for teams that still allow values to match up.

Below is a breakdown of the skill position players selected in the top 100 of the draft, where they went in the mock, and how their fantasy value would look if they had these landing spots.

Quarterback

1.01: Caleb Williams, CHI

It is a foregone conclusion that Williams will be selected first by the Bears. The landing spot is one of the best we have seen for a #1 overall pick in the past few decades. With weapons DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, and Cole Kmet, Williams will have plenty of veterans to rely on. If the offensive line improves, the sky’s the limit for Williams and the Bears offense.

1.02: Jayden Daniels, WAS

The NFL appears much higher on Daniels than Drake Maye, so he makes sense for the Kliff Kingsbury offense in Washington. Daniels rushing upside and deep passing fit what Kingsbury has run, especially at Texas A&M and Texas Tech. With two good WRs in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, Daniels’ fantasy upside would be tremendous.

1.03: Drake Maye, NE

The Patriots would need a huge package to pass on a QB at the third overall pick. I don’t buy the JJ McCarthy talk and trading down would be too risky. Maye gives the Patriots a QB with good size and mobility while boasting the arm strength needed to be an NFL starter. If he can clean up his footwork, the Patriots may not be a fantasy wasteland soon enough.

1.11: JJ McCarthy, MIN

The McCarthy top-ten talk seems a bit ridiculous with his lack of passing volume. We have never had four QBs go in the top nine picks in the modern era, and it isn’t likely to happen now. If McCarthy is there at 11, he would be a slam dunk for the Vikings and Kevin O’Connell’s offense though. With a good offensive line and a stud WR duo in Jordan Jefferson/Jordan Addison, McCarthy could pay dividends instantly in superflex.

2.44: Michael Penix, LV

There is chatter of Penix and Bo Nix going in the first round, but we go through this every year (see: Will Levis, Malik Willis, Matt Corral, Kyle Trask, Jake Fromm, Drew Lock, etc). Penix has the arm to make all the NFL throws, but he doesn’t use his athleticism to his advantage. With the Raiders, Penix would compete to start immediately and have Davante Adams and Michael Mayer to throw to. His fit in Luke Getsy’s offense would be very different than Justin Fields.

2.47: Bo Nix, NYG

Nix would give Brian Daboll a similar QB to Daniel Jones as a multi-faceted rusher and passer at the position. It would allow Nix to sit for a bit and improve his decision-making while the Giants throw Jones to the wolves again. Nix would fix the offense and give a bit more upside than a capped-out Jones. Nix could be a value in rookie drafts if he has to sit due to his rushing fantasy upside.

3.76: Spencer Rattler, DEN

Rattler has a shot to sneak into the top 100. If the Broncos don’t address the position earlier, Rattler could be drafted as the best QB on the team. He didn’t work out well, but the former 5* has the arm and consistency to be fantasy-relevant.

Running Back

2.56: Trey Benson, DAL

Benson’s 4.39 at the Combine along with his receiving ability should force a team to take a chance by the end of the second round. As a bigger back with speed, he would fit Mike McCarthy’s offense and would run effectively from the spread. The landing spot and draft capital could vault Benson up to be the 1.04 or 1.05 in 1-QB rookie drafts.

3.69: Jonathon Brooks, LAC

Brooks has a shot to go in round two, but the early third is still solid capital for him. His ACL tear has hampered Brooks’ stock, but going to the Chargers to pair with Gus Edwards would be an ideal scenario. Brooks’s outside rushing ability could be used in a Jahmyr Gibbs type of role, and Jim Harbaugh will certainly want to run and throw to his RBs. Brooks would immediately be fantasy-relevant.

3.70: Blake Corum, NYG

The Giants signed Devin Singletary to replace Saquon Barkley, but he won’t be a bellcow. Drafting Corum would give the Giants a new lead back who has the short-area agility and bulk to handle short-yardage carries. Corum played behind a great OL, but his footwork and football intelligence make him attractive to become an RB2 in fantasy.

3.86: Jaylen Wright, HOU

Joe Mixon is the starter for the Texans, but bringing in a runner who excels more in a zone-blocking scheme is necessary. Wright is an elite athlete who picked up big chunks in Tennessee’s zone scheme. His home run ability is tremendous, but Wright wasn’t asked to do much as a receiver. He has upside, but even at third-round draft capital, he could be risky.

Wide Receiver

1.04: Marvin Harrison Jr, ARI

Harrison Jr has been a stud since the Rose Bowl of his true freshman season. His body control and ball tracking are unmatched, along with Harrison’s ability to fake defenders with impeccable foot and upper body work. He is nearly situation-proof, but landing in Arizona with Kyler Murray as a bonafide WR1 screams the next coming of AJ Green or Larry Fitzgerald.

1.05: Malik Nabers, LAC

Nabers is an elite athlete with two top years of production. He is top-five-pick-worthy and should be an instant fantasy stud. The Chargers landing spot may be a double-edged sword. He would be the clear WR1 and most talented weapon on the entire roster. But the Greg Roman/Jim Harbaugh-led offense is concerning for fantasy production.

1.06: Rome Odunze, NYG

Odunze is in the same tier as MHJ and Nabers. He has the athleticism, size, and has succeeded at a ridiculous clip in college. Despite a slightly gimmicky offense, Odunze would be a true X for the Giants offense that they have never had. Daboll could use him like Stefon Diggs in Buffalo with big upside for production.

1.17: Brian Thomas Jr., JAC

Thomas is raw, but his size and athletic combination are among the best in the entire draft. He was an elite red zone option for Jayden Daniels, exactly what the Jaguars need. Thomas playing the Zay Jones role could lead to a ton of targets from Trevor Lawrence including some intermediate shots if Gabe Davis takes the top off the defense. If Thomas can get the fundamentals down, he has top-ten fantasy WR upside.

1.28: Adonai Mitchell, BUF

Mitchell didn’t produce up to a first-round standard in college, but his RAS score indicates that Mitchell is the second most athletic WR EVER (behind Calvin Johnson). When Mitchell made plays at Texas, they were incredible, but he lacked consistent effort. In Buffalo, being Josh Allen’s top WR would be motivation enough. You can’t ask for a better landing spot.

1.32: Xavier Worthy, KC

The one-year deal for Marquise Brown indicates that the Chiefs want to add speed to their offense. You can’t get more speed than Worthy’s 4.21 40 time. It may seem lazy to just try and rehash Tyreek Hill with Worthy, but he showed that upside early in his college career. Another weapon for Patrick Mahomes is never a bad thing.

2.36: Ladd McConkey, WAS

McConkey doesn’t have the production profile, but his route running and short area quickness make him so difficult to cover. Injuries knocked out McConkey for much of the year this past season, but he dominated for Georgia the rest of the way. McConkey would finalize the top trio for the Commanders and give another outside option with McLaurin while Dotson plays inside.

2.39: Xavier Legette, CAR

Jonathan Mingo looks like a bust, so another X WR for the new offense under head coach Dave Canales. Mike Evans excelled in this type of role last season. Legette outplayed SEC corners this past season and is such a physical WR with high-end athleticism. Legette’s super late breakout is concerning, but he may be Bryce Young’s top receiving option alongside Diontae Johnson if drafted here.

2.61: Keon Coleman, DET

Coleman has tumbled down draft boards after people have watched his inconsistent film, but he still holds upside as a deep threat at his size. Coleman would pair well with Amon-Ra St. Brown after Jameson Williams has disappointed. Coleman has the ball skills if he can just get open more.

3.68: Ricky Pearsall, NE

Pearsall is one of the best route runners in the draft and would give an easy slot option for Drake Maye to throw to on the Patriots. He also lacks the requisite career production, but some crazy catches have pushed Pearsall up the board. He could be a target hog in a wide-open offense like this.

3.71: Devontez Walker, ARI

The Cardinals could certainly double-dip at WR to continue adding to a depleted unit. With Harrison manning the outside with second-year player Michael Wilson, Walker would slide into a slot role within the Drew Petzing offense that mirrors Kevin Stefanski’s offense in Cleveland. Walker’s explosion is an asset, but he has struggled in the offseason to show off separation skills.

3.75: Ja’Lynn Polk, CHI

Polk was extremely productive in the Huskies’ offense this past season showing his route abilities from the slot as well as outside. His versatility could be valued in round three by a team like the Bears who need to add depth. Polk would give yet another third-down option for Caleb Williams to ease him into the league.

3.82: Troy Franklin, IND

Franklin is often mocked higher than this (and is much higher in my rankings) but he won’t fit every team. The Colts are a team that only drafts super athletic players, and Franklin certainly is one as a deep threat. He would take over the outside role in the Colts offense, similar to what DeVonta Smith plays for the Eagles. It would be a great fit and may even happen in the second round. Franklin could utilize his deep speed and develop into a more multifaceted WR.

3.84: Malachi Corley, PIT

Corley draws Deebo Samuel comparisons and for good reason. He can run, catch screens, and use his play strength to excel after the catch. With one of the highest football IQs among the WRs, Corley would fit for the Arthur Smith-led Steelers as a jack-of-all-trades weapon who can play in the slot or outside. With Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in town, this would be helpful to the Steelers offense.

3.87: Roman Wilson, DAL

Wilson was used in a number of different roles at Michigan from catching screens to deep touchdowns. The Cowboys have had to gut their WRs a bit, but Wilson could step in as the #3 and help the offensive cog to keep running.

3.97: Jalen McMillan, CIN

McMillan was the forgotten WR for the Huskies, but he outperformed Rome Odunze in 2022. He explodes off the line and played all over the Washington offense. Tee Higgins isn’t going anywhere, but McMillan could fill the Tyler Boyd role for now with an eye on starting if Higgins does leave.

Tight End

1.10: Brock Bowers, NYJ

Bowers will be what Kyle Pitts was supposed to be. The fact that Bowers had success running the football on jet sweeps and reverses alongside his receiving prowess shows how he utilizes his skillset to crush defenses. On the Jets, Bowers would instantly become the second-best weapon on the team and a safety blanket for Aaron Rodgers. Expect immediate results.

2.46: Jared Wiley, IND

A surprise second TE off the board, Wiley stands at a massive 6’6 but moves like a 6’2 TE. He produced for TCU over the past two seasons with soft hands and the ability to box out. The Jelani Woods experiment for the Colts hasn’t quite worked out, so Wiley could give Anthony Richardson a red zone target that will be a mismatch.

3.67: Ja’Tavion Sanders, WAS

Sanders has fallen a bit this off-season due to mediocre workouts and a showcase of his raw ability. A fall to the third round may not be the worst thing if Sanders can land in Washington to be paired with Jayden Daniels. Sanders still has a ton of upside as a physical presence who can run routes.

3.80: Ben Sinnott, CIN

Sinnott was one of the best TEs in college football last year and his workouts leaped off the page. As an H-Back, he lined up all around Kansas State’s offense. The Bengals have a huge glaring hole at TE and Sinnott could give them a blocking presence who adds another Joe Burrow weapon.