Coach – Zac Taylor 6 PPG
QB: Kirk Cousins 29 PPG
Kirk Cousins is moving to Southern Pastures to close out his illustrious career. He’s joining a stacked offense in Atlanta, featuring 1st round picks Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. The offensive line is ranked as a borderline top 5 unit by most media outlets, so he’s entering a primo situation for fantasy success. There are a couple of hurdles to cross before he can for sure be a top 10 IFL QB again and that is of course his health and the new scheme. Health wise, pocket quarterbacks don’t need to be 100% comfortable with their Achillies to succeed, but it could limit some of his throw power until he fully trusts it again. Scheme wise, the Falcons are likely to have a similar playbook to the Vikings’ HC Kevin O’Connell as the Falcons’ OC Zac Robinson came from the same coaching tree under Sean McVay. In Kirk’s last full season, he was a top 10 passer in yards per game (267.5), 6th in TDs (29) and 4th in completions (424). Their offense was top 5 pass attempts as well, which should be music to every Falcons receiver’s ears after being top 3 in rush attempts under Arthur Smith. Perhaps the change won’t sway that heavily from one end to the other, but even ranking in the top half in the NFL will be a major boost to all involved.
RB/WR/TE: Amon-Ra St. Brown 23 PPG, Zamir White 20 PPG, Michael Pittman 19 PPG, De’Von Achane 19 PPG, Jaylen Waddle 17 PPG 6th men: Tony Pollard 17 PPG, Courtland Sutton 14 PPG, Keon Coleman 12 PPG
It’s rare when you find a receiver that can score at a frivolous pace that compares to running backs. Amon-Ra St. Brown fits that mold and has built himself into one of the best receivers in the game. Perfectly insulated with elite OC Ben Johnson and quality QB Jared Goff, St. Brown is one of the safest PPR bets in fantasy. While he may not have the overall WR1 ceiling, an argument can certainly be made for it. Despite missing a game, he finished 5th in targets (161), 2nd in receptions (119), 3rd in yards (1515), and 5th in TDs (10). Only 24, the former day 3 pick is now one of the highest-paid receivers and one of the best stories in the league.
The Raiders said to hell with Josh Jacobs, we have a beefy backup ready to bruise incoming defenders with his massive muscles. Zamir White has patiently waited for his time to come as a 4th round backup out for (Barry say it with me) Georgia, and looks like he has the backfield to himself. The question remains, is he good? Well, it’s hard to say. He posted a mid 4.34 YPC on 104 toats and has little to show in the receiving game. That said, in the last few weeks of 2023 he was the focal point of the run game as he received 17, 22, and 20 carries. That’ll certainly play in our league with .4 points per carry. If he remains the workhorse back, he will be a top 32 option. The upside, particularly in the receiving game with Alexander Mattison and rookie Dylan Laube in the fold is TBD, but it’s in the range of outcomes that Zamir is a top 10 RB/WR/TE.
Michael Pittman has quietly been a solid receiver for fantasy purposes, but 2024 is trending into top-10 receiver territory. What tickles my fancy the most is his bump in targets, which sat at a career-high 156 (9th) despite missing a game. He finished the year with 109 catches (5th) 1,152 yards (14th), 4 TDs (tied for 63rd), and a stellar 24 redzone targets (9th). His touchdown numbers feel primed for progression, but it should be noted, that he’s never scored more than six tuddes at 6’4”. Unless Anthony Richardson turns this offense into stale bread (in the realm of outcomes), Pittman is looking like a fringe top-10 receiver for 2024.
De’Von Achane, the pint sized GAWD. What sticks out the most is his contact balance. The man does not go down on 1st contact, which ranked 2nd in the NFL behind pint sized GAWD Jr. Keaton Mitchell. Achane burst onto the scene from a 61-point effort against the Broncos, which the Dolphins as a team scored 70! He had 4 tuddies that day and 203 rushing yards. He played 11 games, totaling 72.7 yards per carry. (5-more yards per game than Raheem Mostert) What will his usage be in 2024? It feels a bit uncertain. After an MCL sprain, he returned and was the clear 2nd string option to Raheem Mostert, dropping his average to still a respectable 16 PPG. Will that trend continue? Then what to make of the talented Day 3 pick Jaylen Wright? The upside is top player overall and he is going to explode for some massive games. The floor here is low, so expect some bust games, equaling out to a top 40 RB/WR/TE.
It was a bit of an injury-plagued season for Jaylen Waddle, who missed three and a half games with various ailments. Back and ready to reclaim his 2022 self, The Penguin netted a massive contract extension to lock in with Mike McDonald for the foreseeable future. Waddle is arguably the best #2 receiver in the NFL, ranking 15th in yards per game with 72.4 and despite missing time, finished 34th in receptions. While he’ll likely never be a touchdown machine, he is perfect to round out a fantasy squad with. The moment Tyreek leaves, it will be high time to reevaluate his fantasy value.
PK: Justin Tucker 9 PPG
PN: AJ Cole 11 PPG
DT: Leonard Williams 16 PPG (Jalen Carter 14 PPG)
Leonard Williams pumped out another quality season and was traded mid-year to boot. The deal benefitted him as he bumped up his PPG to a quality 17 PPG from week 9 on. His floor was also stable only providing two games of under 10 points after that point. (we love a high-floor king) Williams had one year of double-digit sacks and sits around the 5-6 range most seasons. That’ll likely be the case again, making him a fringe top-10 option.
DE: Aidan Hutchinson 21 PPG, Jonathon Cooper 17 PPG (AJ Epenesa 13 PPG, Haason Reddick 15 PPG)
Want to guess who led the NFL in pressures last year by a country mile? Well if you guessed Aidan Hutchinson as you were reading his blurb, look at the big brain on you! The man piledrived into 62 pressures, 12 more than Maxx Crosby and TJ Watt! (yes, this is just regular season) Unfortunately, he only actualized those pressures into 11.5 sacks and 2 of them came week 18 when we weren’t playing. A year three breakout is among us and Hutchinson is eying a top 5 EDGE jump. It would also be nice to see him tick his tackle numbers up too from 51 total stops to reach the stratosphere with his production. I think he’s being unvalued and should be regarded in the same vein as TJ Watt, Maxx Crosby, and Myles Garrett.
Jonathan Cooper was one of the 2023 darlings, posting a 297-point season out of nowhere. The 2021 7th-round pick out of Ohio State was relegated to backup duties for two years but excelled when placed in a starting role. His 72 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT, and a touchdown were big play delux on a team desperate for them. His 22 pressures ranked 55th in the NFL, so he’s certainly not an elite pass rusher, but he’d make for a fine #2. That’s exactly what he is for Nic’s team here and provides a stable floor of tackles.
LB: Bobby Okereke 21 PPG, Azeez-Al Shaair 19 PPG, Robert Spillane 19 PPG, Pete Werner 14 PPG (Daiyan Henley 14 PPG)
Life is grand for Bobby Okereke fantasy owners as they’ve received back-to-back top-10 finishes since he joined the Giants in 2022. He is a tackle machine and a rare steady presence on a terribad Giants squad. We’ll see more of the same from Okereke, which will mean 150(ish) tackles and 4-8 big plays. He’s one of the safest and best bets to build an IDP squad around.
The UDFA from Florida Atlantic was high on potential backing up Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw in San Fran, and finally got his chance for full-time snaps in Tennessee. He finished 5th in the NFL with 163 total tackles and also notched two sacks. Now heading back to his former DC, DeMeco Ryans, Azeez is locked into the middle of one of the best defenses in the NFL with a 3-yard 34 million contract. (signed through 2026) This tackle hog is going to feast for years. Only 26, he’s one of the best dynasty buys right now. Both Josh and Nic have him for less than $4 million.
Robert Spillane was one of IDPs greatest surprises last year. After joining the Raiders on a 2-year $7 million deal, he went on to lead this defense in tackles, ranking 10th in the NFL 1ith 148 total stops. This equated to an LB12 IFL finish, adding 3 INTs, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble. The UDFA from Western Michigan is locked into starting work again and is still being undervalued as a 300+ linebacker. A top 20 option heading into the season, he’s the type of IDPer you can find at value.
Pete Werner is continuing the unfortunate, unproductive trend of the LB2 spot in New Orleans. For years, Alex Anzalone was supposed to be productive in this role and had to be jettisoned to Detroit to become fantasy-viable. Werner appears to be suffering the same fate. Playing second fiddle for at least one more year to the ageless Demario Davis, Werner is not a highly recommended starting option. Oftentimes receiving part-time snaps, it appears Werner is shaping up to be a low-end starting defensive option again.
CB: Tyrique Stevenson 12 PPG, Julius Brents 11 PPG (Elijah Molden 11 PPG)
From day one of his rookie year, Tyrique Stevenson was playing 100% of the snaps. On a bad Bears team, that was likely a wise move, as he can grow and develop his game. He graded out as a mediocre option, which is a positive given it was his first look at game action. He began to turn it on at the end of last year, with 4 INTs after week 11. He also finished at the overall CB8 with 14.7 PPG, and did it at a wide cornerback alignment. I’m not sure that’ll be recreated again, but he should be one of the better IDP starters for cornerback purposes.
Julius ‘Juju’ Brents’ rookie season was inconsistent, to say the least. He missed about half the season due to injury and the Colts struggled to replace him with randos. The 2023 2nd round pick is now slotted for a full-time outside corner role and on a team that will have one of the fastest pace offenses in the NFL. That should help increase Brents’ snap count, but it probably won’t help him get out of the ‘JAG’ corner tier.
S: Jaquon Brisker 16 PPG, Jalen Pitre 13 PPG (Antonio Johnson 12 PPG, PJ Locke 13 PPG)
Jaquan Brisker has been an IDP baller since entering the league two seasons ago. Now with back-to-back 16+ PPG and 100+ tackle performances, it’s safe to anoint him as one of the most valuable safety commodities in the game. Everything in his profile checks a box – ample big plays (3 FFs, 2 INTs and 5 sacks) and he plays most of his time in the box. Expect more of the same from Jaquan and with two years left on his rookie contract, he’s dirt cheap too.
It was a major production regression for Jalen Pitre, who was widely expected to take a step back after a scheme and talent change entered Houston. His majority free safety alignment is what primarily is responsible for this, making him barely startable averaging 12 PPG in 2023. On a positive note, it appears Pitre will be playing closer to the line of scrimmage, practicing at slot cornerback. He sparsely played slot corner through two years but did play that position in college. The hybrid alignment bodes well for his outlook, and he should take a step forward, with his tackles trickling back up.
Off: Buffalo Bills 15 PPG
PPG: 347
X-Factor: Those running backs staying healthy and productive.
W-L: 12-5
It’s another quality team in the Windy City, which has been built to last over the years. Offensively, it’s led by the All-World Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was built for PPR leagues like ours. Running backs, Achane, Pollard, and White will be a major determining factor in the course of Nic’s season. Defensively, there are stars all over that side of the ball and fields one of the best in the NFC. If he can make it out of a difficult NFC North, this will be a team to contend with again come December.
