8 NFL Rookies Poised To Be Valuable Fantasy Football Assets This Season

Fantasy football draft season is in full swing, and if you’re one of the millions of people who pride themselves on their ability to manage a fake roster, you’ve probably already devoted plenty of time to analyzing stats and projections in the hopes of coming out on top (or, at the very least, avoid the punishment that comes with finishing last).

Identifying top talent can be a fairly overwhelming task—especially when it comes to evaluating the skills of people who haven’t played a single snap in the NFL. With that said, there are a number of rookies who’ve already shown they’re worth taking into consideration.

There’s no way to know how NFL rookies will adjust to making the leap from college until the season gets underway, but thanks to the amount of information we have at our disposal nowadays, it’s fairly easy to make some educated guesses.

If you’re gearing up to put together a fantasy football team, there are a number of first-year players who seem to have what it takes to make an immediate impact.

There’s no guarantee all of these guys are going to shine, but they’re shaping up to have a solid campaign.

Marvin Harrison Jr.—WR

There was no shortage of wide receiver talent in the 2024 NFL Draft, but no one stood out quite like Marvin Harrison Jr.

The son of the legendary Colts receiver of the same name was a force to be reckoned with during his time at Ohio State, as he racked up 2,495 receiving yards and hauled in 31 touchdowns during his three seasons with the Buckeyes.

Harrison’s impressive résumé led to him being selected by the Cardinals with the fourth overall pick (he was the first non-QB chosen in the draft), and he’ll likely be the centerpiece of the Arizona offense as Kyler Murray prepares to take advantage of the dangerous new weapon at his disposal.

He’ll likely be off the board in most leagues by the time the second round wraps up, so if you’re looking for a WR early on (which you probably should be), he’s a top candidate.

Malik Nabers—WR

Plenty of people would tell you LSU product Malik Nabers has a higher potential upside than Harrison based on the promise he showed with the Tigers, and it’s honestly hard to go wrong with either of them.

The Giants selected Nabers with the sixth overall pick, and most of the concerns about his potential fantasy production have nothing to do with his own skill set but rather the uncertainty surrounding Daniel Jones.

Jones hasn’t exactly inspired a ton of confidence in New York during his time as the franchise’s QB, but there’s little doubt Nabers is going to be one of his favorite targets. The latter’s output will obviously be fairly contingent on the former’s ability to find his groove, but you could reap the benefits if they end up clicking.

Rome Odunze—WR

The Chicago Bears had two picks in the Top 10 this year (we’ll get to the one they used to kick off a draft in a second), and the team used the ninth overall selection to scoop up Rome Odunze out of Washington.

Odunze isn’t on the same tier as Harrison and Nabers (he’s probably a WR3 in the grand scheme of things), but he improved in every major passing category during his four years with the Huskies and led the entire country in receiving yards during his senior season.

There’s still room for improvement, and there’s zero doubt he’s going to benefit from being an option for the next man on this list.

Caleb Williams—QB

The hype surrounding Caleb Williams is very, very real, as the Chicago Bears were in desperate need of a franchise quarterback after the Justin Fields experiment failed to pan out and found one in the form of the USC product who went No. 1 in the draft.

Based on everything we saw from Williams when he was a member of the Trojans (as well as his play in the preseason), the rookie QB is more than equipped to take the NFL by storm when the 2024 campaign officially kicks off.

Williams will have D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen at his disposal along with Odunze, and it seems like all of the pieces are in place for the dual-threat QB to become the first person in franchise history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.

He’s not the best quarterback in the league by any means, but if you’re in need of a QB1, he’s a very worthy candidate.

Jayden Daniels—QB

Jayden Daniels could’ve easily gone number one overall if he hadn’t had to contend with Caleb Williams, and the LSU standout is one of the more compelling prospects to keep an eye on as he gears up to start for the Commanders.

Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner can get it done in the air and on the ground, and his ability to scramble is a boon to his potential fantasy value.

With that said, there’s still plenty of uncertainty in Washington as the Commanders undergo a rebuild while trying to firmly move on from the Dan Snyder Era, but he should be a solid asset at QB2.

Brock Bowers—TE

Brock Bowers was an absolute force to be reckoned with during his time at Georgia, and the fact that he became the only person to win the John Mackey Award (presented to the best tight end in college football) two times during his tenure with the Bulldogs really tells you all you need to know about his dominance.

The Raiders scooped up Bowers with the 13th overall pick, and while he is on the smaller side for a TE, there’s plenty of evidence that suggests his size won’t serve as much of a hindrance.

That’s not the only potential downside, as there are plenty of questions surrounding the QB situation in Las Vegas, and Davante Adams will probably be the primary focus of the passing game.

Bowers may not be a Top 10 TE at this point, but you could still get a good return on your investment if you get in on the ground floor.

Trey Benson—RB

I feel somewhat obligated to include a running back on this list, and after the Panthers announced Jonathan Brooks is being ruled out for the season, the honor goes to Trey Benson.

Benson started his college career at Oregon before wrapping it up at Florida State, and he rushed for 906 yards on the ground while punching the ball into the end zone 14 times with the Seminoles in 2023.

As things currently stand, it appears James Conner will get the bulk of the carries for the Cardinals this season, but he’s also been plagued by injuries that could open up the door for Benson to get some touches.

The FSU product is definitely someone to avoid drafting until later rounds, but he’s still worth keeping an eye on.

Xavier Worthy—WR

The Chiefs traded up to draft Xavier Worthy with the 28th overall pick in the draft to land a very solid prospect who recorded over 1,000 passing yards and five touchdowns during his final season with the Texas Longhorns.

The Chiefs certainly have plenty of options in the air thanks to Travis Kelce, Marquise Brown, and Rashee Rice, so while he’ll be competing for catches, the fact that all four of those men have Patrick Mahomes at their disposal means he’s probably worth a shot if you’re looking for a lower-tier WR at some point.