The 2024 fantasy football season had a little bit of everything, but what are the biggest takeaways as you look ahead to 2025?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer a complete rundown of the season with a wealth of stats and analysis, and Seth Walder provides which players earned "A" and "F" grades this season.
Jump to a topic:
MVP | Winners | Bust of the year | Losers
Rookie of the Year | Waiver wire MVP
Playoff MVP | Playoff bust
On 2025 fantasy radar | Way-too-early rankings
Walder's grades
MVP: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
He was a fourth-round pick and only the fourth quarterback off the board on average in ESPN leagues in the preseason, yet he finished the year atop the fantasy leaderboard with 430.38 points -- a single-season record for scoring by a quarterback and the eighth-best total at any position. Jackson scored 20-plus points 14 times, tied with Aaron Rodgers (2011), Christian McCaffrey (2019) and Cooper Kupp (2021) for the most by any player in history. The most-rostered player on ESPN finalists' rosters (38.0% of leagues), Jackson placed on a championship team in 20.8% of leagues, third best overall and tops among QBs. -- Cockcroft
The most electric player in the league with the ball in his hands, Jackson's dual-threat ability was maximized in his second season under Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Jackson posted a league-best QBR of 77.4, throwing 30 of his 41 touchdowns from inside the pocket. He was seeing it fast and delivering the ball with both anticipation and location. Plus, Jackson led all quarterbacks with 915 yards rushing, which included 497 yards on designed carries. Big-time stuff from Lamar, who was an easy MVP choice for us. -- Bowen
Biggest fantasy winners
Who provided the best bang for the buck after Jackson?
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Drafted as RB5 (with an ADP of 10), Barkley finished second among running backs with 355.3 points -- but led with 22.2 PPG -- in 16 games played. An explosive home run hitter who can also handle heavy volume (21.6 carries per game), Barkley had five games this season with 30 or more points, and he added 15 total touchdowns. Barkley was a game changer behind that Eagles offensive front. -- Bowen
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders: Toss aside the old fantasy axiom that rookie tight ends can't deliver big stats, because we've now seen back-to-back seasons in which the positional rookie record has been set. Bowers' 247.7 PPR fantasy points surpassed Sam LaPorta's one-year-old mark of 239.3, and he set NFL records for rookie receptions (112) and receiving yards by a rookie tight end (1,194). Bowers is already a budding superstar at a position that was in transition in 2024. -- Cockcroft
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals: With an average ADP of 52 (QB6), Burrow finished with 372.82 points (QB3) while leading the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes. Burrow, who also added 201 yards rushing and two scores, bounced back from a season-ending wrist injury in 2023 to play his best football as a pro. The timing throws. The consistent ball location. And the elite pocket movement. Burrow was dialed in here, giving managers 21.9 PPG this season. -- Bowen
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions: He emerged as a fantasy force as a rookie in 2023, earning himself a No. 14 overall (and RB6) ADP entering his sophomore campaign. Gibbs went on to lead the NFL in touchdowns (20) and score a position-best 362.9 PPR fantasy points, and he made two big statements that bode well for his future. First, he elevated his performance at the goal line, scoring four times on his six tries across his final seven games, and second, he stepped up in a big way following David Montgomery's MCL injury, exceeding 25 points in each of fantasy-playoff Weeks 15-18. -- Cockcroft
Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Taken as the 22nd quarterback on average in ESPN leagues, Mayfield's 365.8 points were good for QB4, as he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns while rushing for another 378 yards and four scores. Baker played big-time football this season. -- Bowen
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings: Drafted as WR5, Jefferson was back near the top at season's end, scoring 317.48 points, second-best at the position. He's still the best route runner in the game. -- Bowen
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens: Henry's 16 rushing touchdowns tied for the most in the league, and he scored 336.4 points. Selected as RB10, Henry dropped top-five numbers in his first year with the Ravens, and he's still forcing defensive backs to make business decisions when he gets through the second level. -- Bowen
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions: Goff posted top-six numbers despite coming off the board as QB19. Goff averaged 19.1 PPG and completed 72.4% of his throws. -- Bowen
Bust of the Year: Travis Etienne Jr.
I had Etienne on my draft board all summer. And why not? He scored 282.4 total points in 2023 (RB3). No. 1 volume. Dual-threat production. And the scoring upside (12 touchdowns). However, in a season that went south quickly for the Jags, Etienne averaged just 8.7 PPG. Sure, he missed some time with a hamstring injury, but with declining production (3.7 YPC), and the emergence of Tank Bigsby, Etienne saw only 189 touches this season, after totaling 325 in 2023. Rough. -- Bowen
Biggest fantasy losers
Who disappointed most relative to draft position after Etienne?
Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts: The preseason hype on Richardson was loud, and it pushed his ADP up to 53 (QB7). However, Richardson played in only 11 games because of multiple injuries, and despite rushing for 499 yards and six touchdowns, Richardson averaged 14.9 PPG because of his struggles as a passer. Richardson logged only three games with 200 or more passing yards, and his 47.7% completion percentage ranked 35th among qualifying quarterbacks. -- Bowen
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals: Expect fantasy managers to balk at selecting any rookie wide receiver so early ever again, as Harrison, whose 20th overall (and WR10) preseason ADP was by far the earliest among rookie wideouts since 2000 (Amari Cooper's 44th overall in 2015 was next closest), didn't even place among the top 25 in fantasy production at his position. Harrison might have future superstar potential, and he had his moments in 2024, but he was held beneath six points on a whopping six occasions and in single digits nine times. -- Cockcroft
Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, San Francisco 49ers: Samuel had an average ADP of 32 (WR16), but the numbers and overall usage didn't match here. Samuel, who I thought looked a step slower on tape this season, scored 10.2 PPG, and from Weeks 11 through 17 he posted only one game of double-digit points. Even with the 49ers losing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk early in the season to a knee injury, Samuel averaged 3.4 receptions per game, and his versatility as a runner netted him only 3.2 YPC. -- Bowen
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts: As Richardson goes, so does Pittman, apparently. A bastion of consistency entering the year, Pittman was held beneath 10 PPR fantasy points nine times, and he averaged a ghastly 8.8 points in Richardson's 11 starts. -- Cockcroft
Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets: Hall was the No. 5 pick on average but finished outside the top 15 at his position (240.9 PPR fantasy points). -- Cockcroft
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs: Despite being selected second among quarterbacks on average during the preseason, Mahomes scored fewer than 285 fantasy points for a second consecutive season, finishing 12th at the position. -- Cockcroft
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: White was the 11th running back off the board, but by season's end took a back seat to Bucky Irving, totaling only 17 touches across the final three weeks. -- Cockcroft
Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons: A bounce-back pick who went 17th among quarterbacks, Cousins had a disastrous seven games scoring fewer than 10 fantasy points before ultimately being benched for Michael Penix Jr. -- Cockcroft
Beware the No. 1 pick?
You'll notice that Christian McCaffrey is conspicuously absent from the above list, as Achilles tendinitis cost him the season's first eight games and a PCL sprain sidelined him for the final four. We typically forgive players for bad injury luck, but McCaffrey's Achilles issue was known before most leagues drafted, and he has an extensive injury history. In his three seasons as the No. 1 pick on average in ESPN leagues (2020, 2021, 2024), he has played only 14 of a possible 50 games. Extending that, each of the past eight players selected first overall in ESPN leagues has missed multiple games, with the group appearing in a total of 63 out of 132 possible games (48%). -- Cockcroft
Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Scouts and fantasy managers had faith in Daniels' mobility entering this level, but they couldn't possibly have seen him developing this quickly as a passer. The No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, and the top-selected rookie quarterback (and 12th among QBs of any age) in ESPN drafts, Daniels rewarded those who invested with a season for the ages.
His 355.82 fantasy points were second most by any rookie quarterback in history, trailing only Cam Newton (370.34, 2011), and he became only the fourth rookie to score 20-plus points 10 times (Saquon Barkley 12, 2018; Eric Dickerson 10, 1983; Justin Herbert 10, 2020). -- Cockcroft
Honorable mention:
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders: Bowers broke multiple rookie tight end records, as highlighted above. -- Cockcroft
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants: Nabers set a New York Giants franchise single-season record for receptions, his 109 catches were second to Bowers' 112 on the all-time list for rookie receivers, and he averaged a seventh-best-at-his-position 18.2 PPR fantasy points for what was a terrible football team. -- Cockcroft
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: Thomas scored the sixth-most PPR fantasy points (284.0) among rookie wide receivers in history, thanks in part to a scorching-hot finish to the season that included six consecutive games of double-digit targets as well as his position's second-most points (137.2). -- Cockcroft
Waiver wire MVP: Jonnu Smith, TE, Miami Dolphins
Rostered in just 7.3% of ESPN leagues back in Week 8, Smith eventually jumped to 81.6% -- with a start rate of 67% -- by Week 14. Smith averaged 18.6 PPG from Weeks 11 to 18, with at least one touchdown catch in six of eight games played. A smooth fit for Mike McDaniel's offense as a move target with formation flexibility, plus the catch-and-run traits to get loose in space, Smith was fantasy gold at a very fragile position in lineups. -- Bowen
Honorable mention:
Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings: Undrafted Darnold's 307.96 fantasy points were as stunningly unexpected as any player's this year; he had never scored more than 189.16 (2019) previously. -- Cockcroft
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Irving, selected in only 22% of preseason drafts, emerged in a big way following the Buccaneers' Week 11 bye, averaging 18.9 touches and 18.3 PPR fantasy points over the final seven weeks. He's primed for even bigger things as their probable No. 1 back entering 2025. -- Cockcroft
Denver Broncos defense/special teams: The Broncos proved, once again, that it makes no sense to invest draft capital in a D/ST. They resided on a roster in only 1.5% of ESPN leagues to begin Week 1, only to finish the season as the position's highest-scoring unit (166 fantasy points). -- Cockcroft
Fantasy highlights of 2024
1. Josh Allen sets QB records with his 51.88 fantasy point Week 14 performance, as well as his 93.16 two-week total in Weeks 14-15: Allen's historic efforts in Los Angeles and Detroit put an exclamation point on his MVP-favorite campaign, one in which he amassed 379.04 fantasy points. It was his fifth consecutive season scoring at least that many, and to put that into perspective, no other player at any position has more than three such seasons in his career. -- Cockcroft
2. Ja'Marr Chase scores 55.4 PPR fantasy points in Week 10, the greatest single-game total by any player in 2024: The season began with Chase involved in a contract dispute, and ended with him becoming the fourth wide receiver to score 400-plus PPR fantasy points (403.0). In addition to this outburst, he also had the season's fifth-best score, 45.1 points in Week 14, and from Week 3 forward, he scored 94.32 more than the next-best wide receiver. -- Cockcroft
3. Jauan Jennings scores 46.5 PPR fantasy points as a Week 3 fill-in for the injured Deebo Samuel Sr.: Jennings was added in 33% of ESPN leagues that week, with a 16.3% starting boost, as he grabbed 11 of 12 targets for 175 yards - with three touchdowns. Jennings added two more games with at least 25 points, while averaging 14.0 PPG this season for the 49ers. -- Bowen
4. Joe Burrow drops 36.98 PPR fantasy points, and Tee Higgins 40.1, on Saturday of Christmas week to clinch many of their managers' league championships all on their own: This was Burrow's best score in an excellent season, while Higgins' year was plenty good for someone playing in Chase's shadow. Higgins' 40.1 points were his season best, in a week where he was started in 76% of ESPN leagues, but he also had six other games with 17-plus points and another two with 12-plus. -- Cockcroft
5. Sam Darnold's 34.58 points in the Week 14 win over Atlanta: Darnold threw for a season-high five touchdowns here, while completing 78.6% of his passes. And those numbers most likely put some managers in the fantasy playoffs. Darnold, who averaged 18.1 PPG for the season, played the best football of his career under Vikings head coach and playcaller Kevin O'Connell. Darnold displayed much more decisiveness as a thrower, reading it out with speed while elevating his poise in the pocket. And we'll see if Darnold is back under center for the Vikings in 2025 as free agency looms for the quarterback. -- Bowen
Time to rant
What got under Matt's and Tristan's skin in 2024?
Chicago Bears: What are we doing in Chicago? Fired coaches. Multiple playcallers. A 10-game losing streak. Bad football. And we saw how this impacted the developmental arc of Caleb Williams in his rookie season. Sure, Williams had his moments, flashing his playmaking ability while posting 20 or more fantasy points in four games. I see undeniable talent here with Williams. However, coaching matters. So does the overall situation for young quarterbacks in this league. And this was a rough one at Halas Hall in 2024. -- Bowen
New York Giants: I've watched a lot of bad New York Giants football the past eight years, and while it's tough to claim this season stood on top, it sure felt that way. This team was unwatchable, Saquon Barkley escaped to a career-best season 100 miles down the turnpike, and Daniel Jones was cut after 10 weeks. Most enraging was the Giants dropping five straight exiting the bye to take control of the top pick of the draft, only to beat the then-7-8 Indianapolis Colts while scoring their most points in NINE seasons to completely botch their positioning in a draft thin enough at quarterback -- their screaming-desperate position of need!!! ARRRGHHH!!! -- Cockcroft
Fantasy playoffs co-MVPs: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions, and Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Gibbs played a true No. 1 RB role with David Montgomery out (knee), scoring a league-leading 31.5 PPG in Weeks 15 to 18 and averaging 150.3 scrimmage yards. His career-best 46.0 fantasy points in the Sunday night finale stole the show, making him the top choice for leagues that were decided in Week 18. He was the most-rostered player on ESPN championship teams this season (29.0%).
Where Taylor once crushed fantasy managers' spirits by getting hurt in the opening drive of his Colts' Week 15 game in 2022, he carried their teams on his shoulders during this year's playoff run. Taylor rushed for 100-plus yards in each of the season's final four weeks, the only player who can claim that, and scored a combined 102.5 PPR fantasy points, second most among running backs and fourth most among all players. -- Bowen and Cockcroft
Honorable mention:
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: From Weeks 15 to 18, Thomas averaged 25.5 PPG, catching at least one touchdown in three of four games played. The arrow is pointing up here on the rookie wide receiver. -- Bowen
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions: Goff was a fantasy star in the playoffs, scoring 30.7 points per game in Weeks 15 to 17, while throwing at least three touchdowns per game. Even with his modest Week 18 output, he was the No. 6 scorer across the final four weeks. -- Bowen
Eric Karabell examines Jonathan Taylor's hot fantasy play late in the 2024 season.
Fantasy playoffs bust: Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
I rostered Mixon this year in my home league, so I'm really trying to not make this personal -- despite being knocked out in the semis. But the playoff numbers for Mixon here? Brutal. From Weeks 15 to 18, Mixon scored just 7.1 PPG, while averaging 32.3 rushing yards and 2.3 receptions. The usage declined and the production followed. A crushing ending to the season after Mixon was a star (and a draft steal) during Weeks 1 to 14 (21.2 PPG). -- Bowen
Honorable mention:
Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams. His fading role in the offense became most evident at the absolute worst time. Rostered on a playoff team in 56% of ESPN leagues, Kupp scored a combined 9.3 PPR fantasy points from Weeks 15 to 17. -- Cockcroft
On the fantasy radar for 2025
Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos: A timing and rhythm thrower, with the mobility to get out of trouble and create as a runner, Nix should be on everyone's radar heading into '25. It took some time for Nix to settle in here, which is OK for rookie quarterbacks. It really is. But once he did, Nix showed us that he can produce in Sean Payton's system, as he scored 20.9 PPG from Weeks 5 to 18, which included seven games of 20 or more points. Nix has the traits and the playcaller to notch breakout weeks, and he should rapidly climb draft boards this summer. -- Bowen
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals: Forgive him his missed Week 18 due to an ankle injury, as Brown was outstanding in the 13 games that preceded it. Drafted three overall spots ahead of backfield partner Zack Moss (114th versus 117th) in the preseason, Brown took over the reins once Moss was lost for the season following Week 8, averaging a fourth-best-among-running backs 20.6 PPR fantasy points. Brown's explosiveness, coupled with his receiving chops, makes him a bona fide top-10 running back in my book for 2025. -- Cockcroft
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks: An ascending talent with the route-running skills to uncover, JSN averaged 14.9 PPG in 2024, hitting the 100-reception mark and checking in with over 1,100 yards receiving. While I would like to see more third-level throws for Smith-Njigba next season, which would boost his fantasy profile, he has quickly emerged as the top volume target in a pass-heavy Seattle offense. You can win with that. -- Bowen
Way-too-early rankings for 2025
Top 5 quarterbacks
Bowen: 1. Lamar Jackson; 2. Josh Allen; 3. Joe Burrow; 4. Jayden Daniels; 5. Jalen Hurts
Cockcroft: 1. Josh Allen; 2. Lamar Jackson; 3. Jayden Daniels; 4. Jalen Hurts; 5. Joe Burrow
Notable: Before suffering a concussion early in Week 16, Hurts' 22.2 fantasy points per game average through the first 15 weeks was third best at the position. -- Cockcroft
Top 10 running backs
Bowen: 1. Saquon Barkley; 2. Bijan Robinson; 3. Jahmyr Gibbs; 4. Breece Hall; 5. De'Von Achane; 6. Jonathan Taylor; 7. Christian McCaffrey; 8. Bucky Irving; 9. Josh Jacobs; 10. Derrick Henry
Cockcroft: 1. Bijan Robinson; 2. Saquon Barkley; 3. Jahmyr Gibbs; 4. De'Von Achane; 5. Breece Hall; 6. Christian McCaffrey; 7. Jonathan Taylor; 8. Josh Jacobs; 9. Chase Brown; 10. Bucky Irving
Notable: Robinson's explosive traits are on par with Saquon Barkley's, and he's an easy fit for the zone run game in Atlanta. After finishing with 341.7 total points this season (RB3), Robinson should be locked in as a top-three pick in fantasy drafts next season. -- Bowen
Top 10 wide receivers
Bowen: 1. Ja'Marr Chase; 2. Justin Jefferson; 3. CeeDee Lamb; 4. Puka Nacua; 5. Amon-Ra St. Brown; 6. Malik Nabers; 7. Nico Collins; 8. Brian Thomas Jr.; 9. A.J. Brown; 10. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Cockcroft: 1. Ja'Marr Chase; 2. Justin Jefferson; 3. Amon-Ra St. Brown; 4. Nico Collins; 5. CeeDee Lamb; 6. Malik Nabers; 7. Puka Nacua; 8. Brian Thomas Jr.; 9. A.J. Brown; 10. Drake London
Notable: St. Brown has back-to-back seasons with 115-plus receptions, double-digit touchdowns and 315-plus PPR fantasy points, and will again be the alpha in one of the game's most potent passing offenses. -- Cockcroft
Eric Karabell is feeling good about Drake London's fantasy prospects for 2025 after a great finish to the 2024 season.
Top 5 tight ends
Bowen: 1. Trey McBride; 2. Brock Bowers; 3. George Kittle; 4. Sam LaPorta; 5. Travis Kelce
Cockcroft: 1. Brock Bowers; 2. Trey McBride; 3. George Kittle; 4. Sam LaPorta; 5. Mark Andrews
Notable: After breaking through over the second half of 2023 -- seven games of double-digit PPR fantasy points in his final 10 -- McBride followed that up by catching 111 passes and scored in double digits 13 times in 2024. -- Cockcroft
Walder's grades
Who earned an 'A' in 2024?
Pat Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos: No one made life harder on opposing wide receivers -- and often ruined their fantasy managers' day -- more than Surtain. The Broncos cornerback and Defensive Player of the Year candidate allowed a mere 0.6 yards per coverage snap this season as the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats, entering Week 18. That is not only the best among all outside corners with at least 200 coverage snaps, but it is half the average for the position. On top of that, Surtain's negative-26 EPA allowed and 11% target rate ranked third and fourth, respectively.
Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles: Baun did it all in his first year in Philadelphia and was a tremendous value for the Eagles' defense. And that was borne out in both the box score and advanced numbers. Baun forced five fumbles, recovered one, recorded 3.5 sacks and had one interception -- impressive enough on its own. But it wasn't just those splash plays: Baun's 41% run stop win rate ranked seventh among linebackers, and his negative-26 EPA as the nearest defender was by far the best among linebackers (and his 0.7 yards per coverage snap was better than average).
Trey Hendrickson, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals: After his monster 3.5-sack performance in the Bengals' Week 18 win over the Steelers, Hendrickson's defensive numbers really do stand out. He leads the league with 17.5 sacks, yes, but that's not all. His 65 pressures also topped all players and 73 pass rush wins ranked second only to Danielle Hunter. To do all that on a defense that was more or less a disaster beyond Hendrickson was particularly impressive.
Who earned an 'F' in 2024?
Will Levis, QB, Tennessee Titans: The Titans added parts in the offseason in an attempt to ready their roster to immediately take advantage of a Year 2 Levis breakout. It never came. Levis was a quarterbacking liability, recording a 30.2 QBR (entering Week 18) that ranked last among all qualifiers by a healthy margin. Levis' season included 12 interceptions and 10 fumbles, along with a negative-2% completion percentage over expectation (per NFL Next Gen Stats) in 12 starts.
Alontae Taylor, CB, New Orleans Saints: Someone had to allow more receiving yards than anyone else. 2024's answer, at least after Week 18's early Sunday window: Taylor, who surrendered 941 yards as the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Not every one of those yards was necessarily on him, but there's no way to lead this category without giving up a whole bunch of big plays. A notable one for Taylor: an 89-yard touchdown allowed to Jerry Jeudy in Week 11.
Demontrey Jacobs, OT, New England Patriots: Jacobs, who mostly played right tackle for the Patriots, earned the ignominious distinction of recording more pass block losses than any other player this season (at least through the Week 18 early Sunday window). Jacobs recorded 64 pass block losses, one more than Dallas' Terence Steele. There were also 12 plays where Steele was the first beaten blocker and the quarterback behind him was sacked.