There is always excitement about what is new. Each year, the NFL Draft brings us a new crop of rookies, which means there are new players for fantasy managers to target. Additionally, targeting Rookie of the Year prop bets for the 2024 NFL season is another exciting way to get ready for the season. While all players deserve our attention and are ultimately critical towards winning football, it is all about the skill position players here.
With the Rookie of the Year, it is important to remember that the NFL is hard. Adjusting to professional football is not easy, and that is especially true for quarterbacks and tight ends. Brock Bowers had a great college career, but we know it’s not a straight line to NFL success for tight ends. Well, other than Sam LaPorta, that is what it is. It’s important to note that there are some doubts about Bowers’ role within the Raiders’ offense. Drake Mayecertainly got the buzz as New England drafted him third overall, but his lack of a supporting cast will likely make it difficult for him to make an impact this season truly. A lack of playing time will likely doom Michael Penix, and 2024 is likely not the year for JJ McCarthy.
However, that doesn’t mean this rookie class is without excitement. Let’s explore some options for your betting consideration.
The Chicago Bears didn’t draft Caleb Williams number one overall on accident. His talent and production at USC made it a relatively easy decision, which is why the payout isn’t overly attractive here. On paper, Williams is the full package. He has a pocket presence, size, speed, and a big arm. Williams had a prolific college career at USC, and the production certainly was there. While the Bears certainly struggled last year, the situation Williams is entering could be a lot worse.
Chicago’s offensive line has improved from last year, but the Bears also have a plethora of skilled players. Not only are DJ Moore and Cole Kmet back in the fold, but Rome Odunze was also drafted in the Top 10 while Chicago added Keenan Allen and D’Andre Swift. There will likely be some adjustments to be made for Williams, especially with accuracy and reading defenses, but it should be a solid season. From a fantasy perspective, the production will be there thanks to his ability on the ground, but from a betting standpoint, the risk is greater than the reward.
I understand that Williams was the first pick in the draft, but I don’t believe it warrants such a disparity with Jayden Daniels. The supporting cast is better in Chicago, but Daniels isn’t exactly devoid of weapons in Washington. Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson provide support in the backfield, and Terry McLaurin is a solid veteran receiver.
While it hasn’t been officially announced, Daniels is expected to begin the season as the starter. Washington’s offseason preparations have followed that mindset, and Daniels has been receiving praise. In coach Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, Daniels is also in the right place for success.
Accuracy was an apparent strength of Daniels in college, and he had no issues throwing the ball downfield, either. From a passing perspective, Daniels was slow to develop in college, but he certainly did so last year as he won the Heisman Trophy. And did we mention the fact that Daniels rushed for more than 2,000 yards in the previous two years to go along with 21 touchdowns?
From both a fantasy and betting perspective, Marvin Harrison is my favorite rookie heading into the season. It should come as no surprise that Harrison has earned fantastic reviews for adjusting to life in the NFL and learning the playbook.
In recent years, we have seen numerous Ohio State receivers jump right into having success in the NFL, and Harrison will be no different. To be honest, Harrison might be the best of the bunch. It also helps that he will be playing for the best quarterback, and he is upgrading under center this year as long as Kyler Murray stays healthy. The expectations are huge, but after breaking the 1,200-yard mark in each of the past two seasons, Harrison is certainly up to the task. Harrison is truly the full package; after all, he is being drafted in the second round of fantasy drafts, and his talent and tools alone should help during the adjustment phase.
While Harrison was the first receiver off the board and is receiving a fair amount of buzz (rightfully so), we shouldn’t forget about Malik Nabers. After all, the potential payout is a whole lot more attractive here. And being taken sixth overall is nothing to sneeze at, either. Yes, Nabers will have to contend with catching passes from Daniel Jones, but he is still a serviceable NFL quarterback. The Giants’ offensive line has improved, but perhaps most importantly, their defense is not expected to be very good. That means with New York trailing, they will be taking it to the air, which will only benefit Nabers.
At 6 feet and 200 pounds, size isn’t entirely in Nabers’s favor, but speed certainly is. Nabers was targeted downfield and was a large part of LSU’s offense. Last year, Nabers had 14 touchdowns and 1.569 receiving yards as he produced some monster games in the SEC. Nabers enters his rookie season as the likely number-one receiver for the Giants, and were it not for Harrison, he would have been the first receiver off the board in the draft.
The odds do reflect it, but Keon Coleman is a very interesting option heading into the 2024 season. With Stefon Diggs in Houston and Gabe Davis in Jacksonville, someone has to catch passes from Josh Allen this year. Regarding returning options, Khalil Shakir is the best remaining receiver, and Curtis Samuel is the best free-agent addition. That immediately places Coleman at the top of Buffalo’s depth chart, and few quarterbacks are better than Allen.
The initial issue here is Coleman’s 4.61 40-yard dash time, but at 6-3 and 213 pounds, size certainly works in his favor. Aside from speed, though, all of Coleman’s other physical tools and athleticism grade out well. Last year, though, the problem was that Coleman’s results didn’t quite match up with everything else. Coleman did catch 11 touchdown passes for Florida State, but he only caught 51 passes for 658 yards. As long as the price is reasonable, Coleman’s upside is worth targeting, thanks to his physical tools and situation.
