Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Follow along with the fantasy-related pick analysis from Rounds 2 and 3.
The 2024 NFL Draft enters Day 2, consisting of the second and third rounds. Follow along for real-time analysis of the opening round’s impact on fantasy football plans for the upcoming season and beyond.
Fantasy draft season may not be close to hitting its crescendo, but hardcore gamers have been selecting players prior to the conclusion of the collegiate bowl season. It’s time to let the real fun begin!
Follow along with the fantasy-related pick analysis from Rounds 2 and 3.
The 2024 NFL Draft enters Day 2, consisting of the second and third rounds. Follow along for real-time analysis of the opening round’s impact on fantasy football plans for the upcoming season and beyond.
Fantasy draft season may not be close to hitting its crescendo, but hardcore gamers have been selecting players prior to the conclusion of the collegiate bowl season. It’s time to let the real fun begin!
Keep up with our real-time fantasy reactions for the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 2024 NFL Draft is finally upon us, and prospects are now rookies with NFL cities to call home. Follow along for real-time analysis of the opening round’s impact on fantasy football plans for the upcoming season and beyond.
Fantasy draft season may not be close to hitting its crescendo, but hardcore gamers have been selecting players prior to the conclusion of the collegiate bowl season. It’s time to let the real fun begin!
Keep up with our real-time fantasy reactions for the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 2024 NFL Draft is finally upon us, and prospects are now rookies with NFL cities to call home. Follow along for real-time analysis of the opening round’s impact on fantasy football plans for the upcoming season and beyond.
Fantasy draft season may not be close to hitting its crescendo, but hardcore gamers have been selecting players prior to the conclusion of the collegiate bowl season. It’s time to let the real fun begin!
Marvin Jr. looks to improve the Harrison brand as an NFL wideout
There is a consensus best wide receiver in every NFL draft. But no rookie prospect has a father who was a Top-5 receiver in NFL history. To say that expectations are high is an understatement.
In high school, Harrison helped St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia to win three consecutive state championships while setting career receiving yardage (2,625) and touchdown (37) records for the Philadelphia Catholic League. He left as a four-star prospect and was heavily recruited as one of the top receivers entering college in 2021. He selected Ohio State over his father’s alma mater Syracuse.
Harrison was little used as a freshman, playing behind Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Chris Olave. With Wilson and Olave opting out of the Rose Bowl before entering the NFL draft, Harrison’s first start resulted in six catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns to help win the game.
As a sophomore, he became the primary wideout and recorded two straight 1,200-yard seasons with 14 touchdowns in each. Harrison played with C.J. Stroud in 2022 and recorded his career-best marks in catches, yards, and touchdowns. Harrison was considered the best wideout in college last year and won the 2023 Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the NCAA.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 209 pounds
40 time: 4.3ish estimated
Harrison attended the NFL Combine and was measured but declined to participate in any drills. He had nothing to win by doing them. Harrison is not considered a burner per se, but then again, he recorded a 22.2 mph touchdown catch versus Youngstown State. That matches up with D.K. Metcalf’s 22.23 mph as the NFL’s fastest play for last year. There’s no concern about any physical attribute or measurement for the future star.
Marvin Harrison Jr. stats (2020-23)
| Year | School | Games | Catch | Yards | Avg. | TD | Rush | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ohio State | 13 | 11 | 139 | 12.6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Ohio State | 13 | 77 | 1263 | 16.4 | 14 | 2 | 32 | 0 |
| 2023 | Ohio State | 12 | 67 | 1211 | 18.1 | 14 | 2 | 26 | 1 |
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While a few believe Malik Nabers should be the first wideout taken, the majority of analysts and scouts expect Harrison to be the first selected, likely the fourth-overall after the Top-3 quarterbacks are selected. He is a lock for the Top-5 by all accounts and will be drafted by a team looking for an immediate difference-maker. Likely the Arizona Cardinals who currently hold the No. 4 pick, or the Los Angeles Chargers who pick at No. 5.
There is always a chance of a trade. Unless some team moves up to grab him or a different player which slides him back, Harrison should be paired with either Kyler Murray or Justin Herbert and either case bodes well for the rookie since both teams have a glaring need at wideout and above average-quarterbacks who are in their first or second year of a new offense.
Harrison is as hyped as any wideout in recent memory, boosted not only by the production of the last two seasons but also with his bloodlines. He’ll be an exciting pick in a fantasy football redraft league and an expensive acquisition in a dynasty league.
Bucky Irving searches for a third-down role as a rookie
Bucky Irving was a productive running back in high school but did not play during his senior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which temporarily shut down their football program. He joined the Minnesota Golden Gophers as a freshman and played in 12 games as a part of a three-man backfield and finished out the year as the primary rusher.
He transferred to Oregon in 2022, where he became the starting running back, playing alongside quarterback Bo Nix and wideout Troy Franklin. He led the team in rushing for two seasons while the Oregon Ducks enjoyed successful years, ending No. 6 in the nation for 2023. Irving topped 1,000 rushing yards in both seasons while quickly growing into a dangerous weapon as a receiver.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 192 pounds
40 time: 4.56 seconds
At 192 pounds at the NFL Combine, Irving was one of the lightest running backs in the class and his 4.56 40-time was just a tick below average for the group. Irving doesn’t stand out in size or speed. What has set him apart is his football IQ and overall ability to make a difference. Irving shouldn’t be measured by just his physical specs.
Bucky Irving stats (2020-23)
| Year | School | Games | Runs | Yards | Avg. | TD | Catch | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Minnesota | 12 | 133 | 699 | 5.3 | 4 | 8 | 73 | 0 |
| 2022 | Oregon | 13 | 156 | 1058 | 6.8 | 5 | 31 | 299 | 3 |
| 2023 | Oregon | 14 | 186 | 1180 | 6.3 | 11 | 56 | 413 | 2 |
The concerns with Bucky Irving are naturally about his size and speed, and how much he benefitted playing behind a great offensive line on a team with a great passing game. But Irving has undeniably shown the characteristics of an NFL-quality running back as a highly productive rusher and an equally valuable receiver. He’s not likely to step into a three-down role in the NFL and may not be a primary back from the start, but he can be a significant contributor at the next level.
Irving has been compared to Keaton Mitchell and De’Von Achane – though both showed great promise last year and yet dealt with injuries.
Irving is expected to be a Day 2 pick, likely in Round 3 when the first backs should show up. Irving has the look of a third-down back that can expand into more if a need arises. He’s been linked to the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cincinnati Bengals. But as a likely third-rounder, he could end up nearly anywhere. He should produce fantasy value as a rookie, but his role and volume of work rely heavily on the scheme and backfield personnel of his new team.
Brian Thomas led the NCAA with 17 receiving touchdowns
Louisiana-born Brian Thomas Jr. elected to remain at home when he committed to LSU in 2021. He played in 12 games as a freshman alongside Kayshon Boutte and Malik Nabers. The Fighting Tigers improved in 2022 with the addition of quarterback Jayden Daniels, but Malik Nabers was the only receiver to see a marked increase that season. Last year, Daniels threw for 40 touchdowns, and Nabers (89-1596-14) and Thomas (68-1177-17) led LSU in receiving and are in this draft.
It was a breakout season and has propelled him up the draft boards. Nabers may be drafted as early as fifth overall. Thomas is also expected to be selected in Round 1, and may be taken as high as the fifth wideout in the latter half of the initial round. The LSU passing offense was prolific for these last two years and Jayden Daniels is expected to be drafted among the first three quarterbacks that kick off the Day 1 selections.
Thomas was fortunate to have one of the best college quarterbacks for these last two years, but Daniels was also blessed with Nabers and Thomas. While Nabers ranked No. 2 in the nation with 1,569 receiving yards, the 17 touchdown catches by Thomas were No. 1 in the NCAA – two more than any other receiver.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 209 pounds
40 time: 4.33 seconds
Thomas did well at the NFL Combine. His 4.33 40-time was the second fastest of those who tested. His height and weight was identical to both Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze who are expected to be among the first five receivers taken.
Brian Thomas Jr. stats (2021-23)
| Year | School | Games | Catch | Yards | Avg. | TD | Rush | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | LSU | 12 | 28 | 359 | 12.8 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 2022 | LSU | 13 | 31 | 361 | 11.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | LSU | 13 | 68 | 1177 | 17.3 | 17 | 1 | (-6) | 0 |
Thomas had just one one monster season, and he was inside of a prolific offense. But he has all of the desired attributes of an NFL outside wide receiver and he led the country in receiving scores while playing in the SEC. He’d be a tremendous addition to an offense that already has a No. 1 wideout and wants to pair him with a talented rookie that may take a year or two to reach his potential.
Thomas started out this spring as a potential Top-10 pick but more recent projections have him somewhere in the middle. That means any NFL team could potentially move up or down to reach him.
Potential landing spots include the Bengals as an attractive option, especially if Tee Higgins were to be traded. The Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs have also been mentioned, though the Chiefs would need to move up to reach him. It’s not impossible for him to end up with the Chargers if they move back a few spots. The Bills and Steelers could also be interested.
Thomas may evolve into an elite No. 1 wideout for an NFL team, but he could be equally valuable as part of a tandem in any of the top passing teams. Thomas should offer at least moderate fantasy value even as a rookie, but his ceiling is not yet known.
Penix matches his obvious risk with being arguably the best rookie passer
You cannot say that Michael Penix Jr. is a raw recruit. His 13, 741 passing yards rank No. 15 all-time in NCAA football history. That trails No. 6 Bo Nix (15,352) and even the lesser known Sam Hartman (15,656 Notre Dame) and Dillon Gabriel (14,865 Oklahoma) who also played last year in the pass-happy NCAA, where additional years of eligibility thanks to COVID rewrite career records.
Both Penix and Gabriel had rare six-year careers in college. Penix spent four at Indiana where he was the starter for two years but never played in more than seven contests. Penix suffered season-ending injuries every year as a Huskie – two shoulder issues and two torn ACLs. He was productive when playing, but he always missed about half of the games each year.
Penix transferred to Washington for the final two years. He finally remained healthy and led the nation with 4,903 passing yards last season. In 2022, during his first campaign with the Huskies, he passed for 4,641 yards to rank No. 2 in the nation. He claimed he returned in 2023 just to prove that he was truly over his injury problems. That was two straight seasons as no worse than the No. 2 passer in the nation.
Penix excelled in Washington thanks to staying healthy and playing in their pass-intensive scheme. Head coach Kalen DeBoer parlayed his two seasons there into becoming the new head coach at Alabama for 2024. The last two seasons were a magical time for the Huskies offense.
Ironically, had his only time in college been the last two years, Penix would likely have been a candidate for the first quarterback selected this year. Still, he is a first-round grade that is a lock to be a Top-5 quarterback and may end up in the first half of Round 1.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 218 pounds
40 time: 4.46 seconds unofficial
Penix attended the NFL combine where his 6-2 height and 216 pounds are prototypical, and his hands (10 1/2″) and wingspan (81″) were the largest among all quarterbacks there.
Michael Penix Jr. stats (2018-23)
| Year | School | Games | Runs | Yards | TD | Pass | Complete | Yards | Avg. | TD | Int |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Indiana | 3 | 7 | 45 | 0 | 34 | 21 | 219 | 6.4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | Indiana | 7 | 22 | 119 | 2 | 160 | 110 | 1394 | 8.7 | 10 | 4 |
| 2020 | Indiana | 6 | 18 | 25 | 2 | 220 | 124 | 1645 | 7.5 | 14 | 4 |
| 2021 | Indiana | 5 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 162 | 87 | 939 | 5.8 | 4 | 7 |
| 2022 | Washington | 13 | 35 | 35 | 4 | 554 | 362 | 4641 | 8.4 | 31 | 8 |
| 2023 | Washington | 15 | 35 | 35 | 3 | 555 | 363 | 4903 | 8.8 | 36 | 11 |
Penix enters the NFL draft as a quarterback of extremes. That likely drops his draft stock slightly, but he is still much coveted after throwing for more yardage over the last two years than anyone in the NCAA. As he himself said, he cannot do anything about his extensive history with injuries other than point at the last two seasons of health and elite stats.
He’ll always carry risk after four straight years of landing on injured reserve, so his placement in the NFL depends on which team values his potential more than his risk. Penix isn’t likely to do much as a rusher in the NFL, but he just threw 1,109 passes over the last two years and is a perfect fit in the pass-happy NFL.
Penix is likely outside of the Top-10 picks in April, but the further he falls from that, the more likely a team will move up to grab him. He’s been linked to the Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Commanders.
Penix doesn’t need the seasoning that most rookie quarterbacks do since he played for six seasons and the last two were as good as any college quarterback. All players are sensitive to the situation they find with their new team, but Penix deserves fantasy consideration, even as a rookie, no matter where he ends up. He’s not offering rushing production. He offers a scary history of injury. But he is also in the argument as the best passer entering the NFL this year.
Ray Davis leaves his monster season in Kentucky for the NFL
Ray Davis began his collegiate career at Temple where he was the primary back as a freshman. He was still the most productive back in 2020 but his season was limited for four games due to the impact of COVID on their schedule and the Owls were only 1-6 on the year. Davis entered the transfer portal and landed at Vanderbilt.
After only appearing in three games in 2021 playing in the Commodores backfield committee, Davis took over as the clear starter and logged 1,042 yards on 232 rushes as a senior, and tacked on 29 receptions. His first season at Vanderbilt ended with a knee injury as his only notable health history.
Davis then transferred to Kentucky as a fifth-year senior where he ran for a career best 1,129 yards on 199 rushes and totaled 21 touchdowns. He attended the NFL Combine where he recorded solid results though at 5-8, he is one of the shortest rookie running backs. Davis needed an extra year in high school due to academic grades and coupled with his five seasons in college, he’ll turn 25 years old in November.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 211 pounds
40 time: 4.53 seconds
Ray Davis stats (2019-23)
| Year | School | Games | Runs | Yards | Avg. | TD | Catch | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Temple | 12 | 193 | 936 | 4.8 | 8 | 15 | 181 | 2 |
| 2020 | Temple | 4 | 78 | 308 | 3.9 | 1 | 12 | 62 | 0 |
| 2021 | Vanderbilt | 3 | 44 | 211 | 4.8 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 0 |
| 2022 | Vanderbilt | 12 | 232 | 1042 | 4.5 | 5 | 29 | 169 | 3 |
| 2023 | Kentucky | 13 | 199 | 1129 | 5.7 | 14 | 33 | 323 | 7 |
Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Ray Davis bounced around three schools over the last five years, finally gaining notice last season in Kentucky as a powerful rusher and capable receiver that can play on all three downs. He is already the same age as Travis Etienne and Jonathan Taylor, which is concerning in a long-term view.
This is considered to be a poor year for rookie running backs and none may be drafted until the third round. Davis will be a Day 3 pick but he can offer immediate help to his NFL team. He is considered to be one of the most fundamentally sound backs in this class and while he may not be elite in any area, he is very good in most.
He could go anywhere to a team that is looking for backfield depth and may end up becoming the immediate No. 2 back depending on the situation he encounters. The Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and Dallas Cowboys would be the more advantageous landing spots, but Davis could end up almost anywhere. He’s one to track regardless of where he lands because he is older and more mature, and able to step into any needed role.
Adonai Mitchell offers fantasy points even as a rookie
Adonai Mitchell is still more potential than proven, having gone to two high schools and then initially playing for the Georgia Bulldogs. He started as a freshman and ended up as the No. 3 receiver behind tight end Brock Bowers and wideout Ladd McConkey as the team advanced to the 2021 national championship. While Bowers and McConkey excelled in 2022, Mitchell lost most of his second year to a high ankle sprain.
While that was a disappointment after his encouraging freshman campaign, he still ended with four receptions for 65 yards and two scores during the College Football Playoff games. After two seasons playing behind Bowers and McConkey and wanting to be closer to family, he entered the transfer portal and went to the Texas Longhorns for his junior season.
There he paired with Xavier Worthy as the top receivers for what would become the No. 3 Longhorns and Mitchell topped 100 yards on three occasions while his 11 receiving touchdowns easily led all Texas receivers.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205 pounds
40 time: 4.34 seconds
Both Worthy and Mitchell declared for the NFL draft and attending the combine where they owned the 40-yard dash. Worthy set the new combine record with a 4.21 while Mitchell ranked No. 3 with his 4.34 40-time.
Adonai Mitchell stats (2020-23)
| Year | School | Games | Catch | Yards | Avg. | TD | Rush | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Georgia | 15 | 29 | 426 | 14.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Georgia | 6 | 9 | 134 | 14.9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Texas | 14 | 55 | 845 | 15.4 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Mitchell’s potential is hard to gauge since he only caught 38 passes in two seasons at Georgia and then only played one year at Texas. But there’s plenty to suggest that he’s already NFL-ready and may top out as an elite WR1 for his team. It speaks volumes when he is expected to be a mid to late first-round pick despite only 93 college receptions. He may be selected as highly as the fifth-overall wideout drafted.
He has it all – size, speed, power, and athleticism. The top four wideouts in the draft seem as near locks, but Mitchell should lead the rest of the rookie class and may be as good as any first-year receiver. He’s been linked to the Jaguars, Bills, Buccaneers, Panthers and Browns. The most ideal landing spot would be the Bills at pick No. 28 since they’ve dealt away Stefon Diggs and will be in the market for immediate receiver help. The Jaguars are another attractive landing spot as they try to replace Calvin Ridley.
