Fantasy Football 2024: Dynasty Draft Rankings, Keeper Advice and Team Names

We're well into the second week of the NFL preseason, which means we're also right in the middle of fantasy draft season.

Though perhaps not as popular as traditional redraft leagues or daily fantasy sports (DFS), dynasty leagues can be an extremely fun endeavor for the serious fantasy enthusiast. Finding immediate success is difficult, but building a perennial contender is a rewarding experience.

As is the case in the NFL, smart drafting and savvy roster management can propel a team into contention quickly.

Below, you'll find some dynasty tips, tricks and rankings for the 2024 season that can help newcomers and returning managers alike. We'll kick things off with a start-up dynasty mock draft.

All rankings and picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Round 1

1. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

2. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

3. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

4. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

6. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

7. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

8. Breee Hall, RB, New York Jets

9. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

10. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

11. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

12. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

Round 2

1. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

2. Malin Nabers, WR, New York Giants

3. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

4. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

5. Kenneth Walker III, WR, Seattle Seahawks

6. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions

7. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

8. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

9. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

10. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

11. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

12. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

As their name would suggest, dynasty leagues involve teams whose rosters don't always change significantly from year to year. The entire point is to build a roster of centerpiece star players who will make your team a yearly playoff threat.

However, managers typically add new players each year through a rookie draft. That means if you're hoping to add a potential future star like Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr. or MAlik Nabers, you'll have to clear a roster spot.

Choosing which players to keep in dynasty is a little different than in keeper leagues, though some of the same rules apply. Obviously, you're going to want to hang onto reliable high-floor players like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Christian McCaffrey. Dynasty leagues require more of a long-term approach, however.

Most keeper leagues apply keeper slots in the first two rounds of an otherwise standard redraft. The guidelines there are fairly simple. If you have one or two players on your roster who you believe will out-produce anyone potentially available in your draft slot, you keep them.

In dynasty, however, it can be beneficial to move on from aging stars, even if they're still playing at a high level. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, for example, is still a fantasy star, but he's also 34 years old and possibly nearing the end of his career—even if he's still going strong.

"I know I can go out there and catch a flat route and turn it into a 15-20-yard gain and make a few guys miss, the moment that I can't do that, I think that's when I'm going to be when I'm like, alright, what am I doing this for?" Kelce said on the New Heights podcast in June (h/t Jaclyn Hendricks of the New York Post).

Keeping a player like Kelce may only be worth it if your team is firmly in a championship window. If it's not, trading an older star for draft picks could be a winning strategy—which is why rebuilding teams in the NFL often do it.

Don't discount players returning from injury or coming off a down season if they've been a high-level fantasy producer in the past. Injuries limited Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow last season, for example, but he should consistently be a top-10 fantasy QB when healthy.

Josh Jacobs had an underwhelming year for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, but the 2022 rushing champ is now eyeing a fresh start with the Green Bay Packers.

While running backs like Jacobs and McCaffrey are undoubtedly valuable, managers shouldn't favor them quite as much as quarterbacks and receivers—who typically have much longer careers.

And managers choosing to keep older players should consider targeting their positions in rookie drafts. Managers should always have a succession plan for players in their 30s. That doesn't mean you need to dump Aaron Rodgers before he even plays a full season with the New York Jets. Keeping him, however, means that grabbing a young quarterback like Williams or Jayden Daniels is a virtual must.

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

3. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

5. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

6. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

7. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

8. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

9. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

10. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

11. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

12. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

13. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

14. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

15. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

16. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions

17. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

18. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

19. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

20. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

21. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

22. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

23. Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears

24. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

25. D.J. Moore, WR, Chicago Bears

26. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

27. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

28. DeVona Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

29. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans

30. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

31. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

32. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

33. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

34. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

35. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

36. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

37. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

38. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills

39. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

40. Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans

Stroud Control

Burrow-ken Records

Stop Josh'n Me

Maye the Force Be With You

For Those About to Brock

Spicy Bijan Mustard

Baby Back Gibbs

Kenneth Walker, Texas Ranger

There Can Be Only Saquon

Taylor Gang

London's Balling

Howdy, Nabers

Ja'Marr Wars

CeeDee Juke Box

Puka Shell Shock

Up Pitts' Creek

Bowers' Hour

Father of the McBride

Mark It Up

Are You Njoking Me?