Players are drafted with high hopes each fantasy football season, and inevitably, some don’t quite meet the expectations. Injury, underperformance, foul play calling, whatever the case may be, if you’ve played fantasy football for any length of time, you’ve experienced a regrettable draft pick.
Trusting that player in your lineups again can be challenging after fantasy championship hopes are dashed. But fear not; I will introduce you to three players who have the potential to bounce back and bring a wave of optimism to your squad in 2024.
(Average Draft Position [ADP] courtesy of ESPN)
2024 Fantasy Football Bounce-Back Candidates
Kyler Murray (QB, Arizona Cardinals) | 90 Overall (QB10)
Kyler Murray might be the most obvious candidate on this list. His draft cost is still extremely palatable, and drafters may have name fatigue with Murray. After tearing his ACL in 2022, he returned to an average of 18.9 fantasy points per game last season, which is a strong performance considering his injury.
While he was getting back to form, Murray still rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns in just eight games. Rushing has become a cheat code for quarterbacks in fantasy football, and Murray has added over 400 yards on the ground each year of his career except in 2023, where he was on pace to surpass that threshold.
Murray has registered as a top-12 quarterback in points per game each year of his career. With the arrival of wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and the progression of tight end Trey McBride, along with being fully healthy, Murray may be set up for a career-defining fantasy season.
Austin Ekeler (RB, Washington Commanders) | 110 Overall (RB32)
Austin Ekeler was a top-10 Points Per Reception (PPR) running back in fantasy points per game every year since 2019… right up until last season when he finished as RB21. Despite the setbacks of the 2023 season, Ekeler’s past success is a reassuring sign of his potential. He sprained his ankle in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins last season, costing him three games. In weeks 8-10, Ekeler was a top-six running back each week. While that stretch was great, unfortunately, he also finished at or below the RB24 in nine other weeks. For reference, he only had eight such weekly finishes as the RB24 or worse since 2020.
In watching game film from the 2023 Chargers campaign, Ekeler looked quite different from the player football fans have come to love over the last several seasons. He was 31st in yards per touch and 36th in juke rate. The Western Colorado alumnus also had only four carries for over 15 yards. His health and the Chargers’ season unraveling in every way imaginable led to a less-than-desirable outcome.
Ekeler will enter his eighth NFL season in a new uniform as a Washington Commander. This change of scenery could be a fresh start for him, and he could be a valuable safety valve to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. While he’ll now split carries with Brian Robinson Jr., Ekeler boasted 38 total touchdowns in the 2021 and 2022 seasons combined. Should Robinson Jr. have the misfortune of injury, Ekeler could return to a semblance of his workhorse ways of old.
Diontae Johnson (WR, Carolina Panthers) | 110 Overall (WR37)
Diontae Johnson had a breakout effort in 2021, finishing eighth among wide receivers in fantasy points per game. In that season, he ranked 10th among all wide receivers in target separation, 18th in target accuracy and second in total targets.
Since then, Johnson has had back-to-back seasons of finishing as the PPR WR39. In those seasons, he’s had a barrage of horrific quarterback play from Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett.
The Toledo product now finds himself as the alpha in the Carolina Panthers receiving room, flanked by veteran Adam Thielen and rookie Xavier Legette. He’ll catch passes from the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick, Bryce Young. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner was less than stellar as he was subject to a change in play caller and head coach. Dave Canales will assume play calling in Carolina and looks to parlay his success in turning around Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield in their respective seasons. The Panthers also prioritized improving their offensive line in the offseason, adding guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.
Per Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire, “Head coach Dave Canales told media members earlier this offseason that he hopes to install a 2.7-seconds-or-less offense – a methodical and quick-hitting approach in which Young can get the ball out in (you guessed it) 2.7 seconds or less.”
With the goal for Young getting the ball out quickly and Johnson’s ability to separate, he could return to demanding an elite target share in this Panthers’ passing attack. If Johnson commands 130-140 targets, he’s going to smash his ADP for 2024.
Thanks for reading “2024 Fantasy Football Bounce-Back Candidates.” Find me on Twitter @ThatMattKelley for more fantasy fantasy football and entertainment content!
*Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports*