The appeal of playing dynasty fantasy football is that you never stop building your rosters. There is always time to make moves to help build a contender or rebuild your struggling roster. Now that the 2023 class has come and gone, it's time to start looking ahead to the 2024 class. This season, we will provide fantasy managers with a top-36 big board that will be updated weekly to reflect the top 36 draft-eligible players in college football. The hope is that this big board will give you actual names and value to any draft picks you are trying to trade or acquire. I will also add dynasty content to this article, including players to pivot to or away from, dynasty stashes, dynasty trades, and much more.
Standout Performances
QB J.J. McCarthy (Jr - Michigan): 6-foot-3, 202 lbs
The 2024 quarterback class has a ton of question marks outside the top two options in USC QB Caleb Williams and UNC QB Drake Maye. But one player who has slowly been rising up draft boards this season is Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy. This year, he has thrown for 1,305 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He is a superb athlete and can create plays with his arm and legs—something the NFL has been transitioning to. This season, he has also shown improvement in his ability to make throws on the run and can hit any hashmark on the field. Once a weakness, his downfield accuracy has turned into a strength this season, and it's one of his best qualities as a quarterback. The most significant area of improvement for McCarthy has been his mechanics. New quarterback coach Kirk Campbell has worked wonders for McCarthy, and the improved mechanics have helped out every aspect of his game. On their schedule, Michigan has two massive games against Penn State and Ohio State. If they can win both games and McCarthy can lead them to another Big 10 championship, we could be looking at a first-round quarterback.
J.J. McCarthy's development has been amazing to watch the last two seasons. This is a rope. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/4nidqw0nw1
— Kevin (@Daboys_22) October 1, 2023
RB Jonathon Brooks (Rs So - Texas): 6-foot-0, 207 lbs
Brooks has played his way into the top 5 running back in the 2024 class discussion this season. He has rushed for 726 yards and six touchdowns on 108 carries this season. Brooks has gained 463 yards after contact, 37 missed tackles forced, and 16 runs of 10 yards or more from the line of scrimmage. He has looked like one of the best backs in the country. As a prospect, he displays incredible vision and can make the first guy miss every time he gets to the line of scrimmage. His skill set is precisely what the NFL has coveted the past two draft cycles, and he needs to be on everyone's radar moving forward.
Bijan is irreplaceable.
But #Texas RB Jonathon Brooks has done a damn fine job filling his shoes in 2023. His acceleration and body strength/balance are fantastic.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) October 5, 2023
Brooks is one of the better draft-eligible RB prospects I've studied 📈 pic.twitter.com/W2HYl69Rg7
2024 Draft Pick Values
With the NFL season starting, dynasty leagues are increasingly active, which means more trades are undoubtedly occurring. The whole point of this big board each week is to help you identify where the talent in the current class is and start identifying target areas and tiers to trade for. It's also important to understand market values and what 2024 picks cost in the dynasty market. Below, you will find players currently being moved for 2024 1sts and 2024 2nds.
2024 Early-1st
2024 Mid-1st
2024 Late-1st
2024 2nds
Dynasty Pivots
Buy - Tyjae Spears (KTC Value - RB28) Age: 22.3
Spears is one of my favorite buys of this week. He has slowly carved out a role next to Derrick Henry. Here is how the usage played out in week five per NFL Networks Michael Florio:
- Derrick Henry: 59% snaps, 13 carries, 13 routes, 3 targets (62 yards)
- Tyjae Spears: 53% snaps, 7 carries, 17 routes, 5 targets (69 yards, 1 touchdown)
Spears finished the week with over 20 PPR points. Not only is he making this backfield a committee, but there is a chance that the Titans will fall out of contention and move Henry to a running back-needy team at the deadline. If they decide to go that route, we could see Spears be in a position to win a lot of leagues down the stretch with RB1 usage. Spears is a great target to buy if you are a contender or fringe contender.
Recent Trades:
- Tyjae Spears for 2024 2nd
- Tyjae Spears/2024 2nd for Marquise Brown
- Tyjae Spears/2024 2nd/2024 4th for Jerry Jeudy
- Tyjae Spears/Ceedee Lamb for Josh Downs/Brock Purdy/2024 1st
- Tyjae Spears/2024 2nd for Raheem Mostert
Buy Low - Terry McLaurin (KTC Value - WR32) Age: 28.1
McLaurin is a tricky asset to value in Dynasty. He's currently being valued as a low-end WR3, trending down even further after the season's first five games. The Commanders have failed to utilize him this season, and he has just 25 receptions for 261 yards with no touchdowns. Against the Bears, Sam Howell threw for a career-high 388 yards based on the game script, yet McLaurin finished tied for third in receptions and was fourth in receiving yards. Things are clearly not working in Washington, but we could see him be moved before the trade deadline, which would rejuvenate his dynasty value. If he doesn't get traded, I think he'll outperform his current market value and be a solid WR2 down the stretch of the season. It's hard for me to believe offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy won't scheme up touches for McLaurin moving forward. This is a riskier buy, but his current market value is cheap enough to take the risk.
Recent Trades:
- Terry McLaurin for Jerry Jeudy
- Terry McLaurin for Brian Robinson Jr/2024 4th
- Terry McLaurin for 2024 2nd
- Terry McLaurin for Raheem Mostert
- Terry McLaurin for Derrick Henry
Sell - James Cook (KTC Value - RB14) Age: 24
Cook has been a nice story this season and has flirted with top-12 running back value the first five weeks, but there is an opportunity to sell the Bills running back for a profit right now. Through the first four weeks of the season, he had at least 12 carries in each game and finished as a solid RB2 with low-end RB1 upside. There was optimism after week four, since he finally got in the endzone that they could be leaning his way more in that area of the field. Instead, in week five, with an unfavorable game script, he split carries with Damien Harris, Latavius Murray, and Josh Allen. Cook as a dynasty asset concerns me. There is so much variance at the running back position, and Cook's range of outcomes is volatile. Now could be a good time to offload the running back for a more stable dynasty asset or a valuable draft pick.
Recent Trades:
- James Cook for Zay Flowers/2024 4th
- James Cook for 2024 1st/Rashid Shaheed
- James Cook/2024 1st for Breece Hall
- James Cook for Drake London
- James Cook/DK Metcalf for Tyreek Hill
Big-Board Watchlist
- QB Riley Leonard (Jr - Duke): 6-foot-4, 212 lbs
- QB Jordan Travis (Sr - Florida State): 6-foot-1, 212 lbs
- QB Jaxson Dart (Jr - Ole Miss): 6-foot-2, 220 lbs
- QB Shedeur Sanders (Jr - Colorado): 6-foot-2, 215 lbs
- QB Jayden Daniels (Sr - LSU): 6-foot-4, 210 lbs
- QB Carson Beck (Jr - Georgia): 6-foot-4, 220 lbs
- RB Ja'Quinden Jackson (Jr - Utah): 6-foot-2, 228 lbs
- RB Kendall Milton (Sr - Georgia): 6-foot-1, 220 lbs
- RB Emani Bailey (Jr - TCU): 5-foot-9, 207 lbs
- RB Ray Davis (Sr - Kentucky): 5-foot-10, 216 lbs
- WR Dominic Lovett (Jr - Georgia): 5-foot-10, 179 lbs
- WR Devontez Walker (Jr - North Carolina): 6-foot-2, 200 lbs
- WR Dont'e Thornton (Jr - Tennessee): 6-foot-5, 214 lbs
- WR Colbie Young (Jr - Miami): 6-foot-5, 215 lbs
- WR Caullin Lacy (Jr - South Alabama Jaguars): 5-foot-10, 190 lbs
- WR Kris Mitchell (Jr - FIU): 6-foot-1, 175 lbs
- WR Malachi Corley (Jr - WKU): 5-foot-11, 210 lbs
- TE Michael Trigg (Jr - Ole Miss): 6-foot-3, 240 lbs
- TE Brevyn Spann-Ford (Sr - Minnesota): 6-foot-6, 265 lbs
Thank you for reading! Follow me on Twitter @Daboys_22 and check out my archive with Footballguys!
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