The 2024 season is upon us. Are you ready? Hopefully, you’re in for a winning campaign. But those of us who play Dynasty know it’s a 365-day-a-year endeavor. So, this is the time to make pickups and stashes that could pay off this season. Below are some players I think are worth stashing as we head toward the regular season. All roster percentages are courtesy of the NFL.
Quarterbacks
Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: This is all about Jordan Love—or rather, the gimpy knee that figures to keep him out of action for three to six weeks. Willis is the quarterback that the Packers acquired just before the season started. We haven’t seen a lot from Willis that’s encouraging, but a starting quarterback is a starting quarterback, and, at this point, Willis could very well be on the field for the Packers in Week 2.
Ryan Tannehill, Free Agent
Roster Percentage: 0
About: This is also about Love. In case the Packers don’t really want to ride it out with Willis—potentially a project who has been with the team for about two weeks—Tannehill is the best quarterback available on the free-agent market. He wasn’t great last year in Tennessee, but desperate times might call for desperate measures.
Drew Lock, New York Giants
Roster Percentage: 0
About: This is about Daniel Jones, who struggled mightily in Week 1. He was just over 50 percent on completions with only 186 yards and two interceptions. How long will the Giants let that kind of performance ride before they explore other options? My guess is not long. Lock would be the next man up and feels like a decent hedge.
Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: Winston is the QB2 for the Browns, but a player with a lot of starting experience. After watching Deshaun Watson’s meltdown at times in Week 1 against the Cowboys, it’s fair to ask questions. Given Watson’s contract, he’s a Brown for the foreseeable future. But that doesn’t mean he has to be on the field. Let’s call Winston a speculative stash.
Running Backs
Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers
Roster Percentage: 0.2
About: Wilson was a trendy pickup after the pre-season, but Week 1 showed he should be rostered. He was the RB2 and produced enough to be worthy of low-end flex consideration in deep leagues. If Wilson is still on the wire in your league, snap him up, especially with the quarterback situation in Green Bay.
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
Roster Percentage: 1.0
About: Hill is the pass-catching back for the Ravens. In Week 1, we saw that bear plenty of fruit as he saw eight targets. He turned that into six receptions for 52 yards. Can we guarantee that level of volume in every game? No, but Hill has a solid role in a good offense. He should be rostered.
J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers
Roster Percentage: 11.5
About: Dobbins’ roster percentage is on the higher end. I’m guessing a lot of people weren’t willing to give up on Dobbins, and that turned out to be wise. He had 10 carries and turned it into 135 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. His injury history is concerning, but his talent, combined with the opportunities for the Chargers, make him a player worth taking a risk on. If he’s on the wire, snap him up.
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
Roster Percentage: 0.5
About: Bigsby was an interesting prospect after the 2023 NFL Draft. But during his rookie season, he was an afterthought at best. It wasn’t clear anything changed heading into 2024, but then we saw him in Week 1. Bigsby got 12 carries—the same number as starter Travis Etienne—and turned it into 73 yards. If Bigsby didn’t survive the final roster cuts in your league, pick him up.
Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders
Roster Percentage: 0.8
About: Mattison wasn’t great in the feature role for the Vikings in 2023, but prior to that we’d seen him make some decent contributions. While Zamir White is the starter in Las Vegas, it was Mattison who delivered the day’s biggest play for the Raiders. He only had five carries for 19 yards but caught four passes for 43 yards and a touchdown on six targets. With that kind of a role, he’ll have value in fantasy.
Emari Demarcado, Arizona Cardinals
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: This is a deep, deep league add. The Cardinals have James Conner to lead the way and an interesting rookie in Trey Benson. But in Week 1, it seemed Demarcado had a pass-catching back role. He caught both targets for 26 yards. It’s not incredible, but it was a better production than Marvin Harrison, Jr. The Cardinals are an offense under construction, and Demarcado’s Week 1 showed he may still have a role.
Jeff Wilson, Jr., Miami Dolphins
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: Wilson seemed to be on the roster bubble, but he made the team. While most of the off-season, the talk was about De’Von Achane, Raheem Mostert, and rookie Jaylen Wright, Wilson led the team in rushing in Week 1. Of course, it was only 26 yards on five carries, but still worth noting. Wilson, at least for now, seems to be ahead of the rookie. And given the production of Mostert and Achane on the ground and Mike McDaniel’s commitment to riding a hot hand, Wilson might have some value after all.
Wide Receivers
Mack Hollins, Buffalo Bills
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: The Bills receiver group is wide open, and Hollins made an impression this off-season. He also made an impression in Week 1, catching two passes for 25 yards and a touchdown from Josh Allen. None of the Bills’ pass catchers dominated in Week 1, and Hollins’ touchdown gives him some appeal. He’s worth a stash at this point.
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
Roster Percentage: 0.4
About: With the 49ers drafting Ricky Pearsall and signing Brandon Aiyuk, many people let Jennings go. And while it might be hard to guarantee a week-to-week role, Monday night’s game was a prime example of why he still needs to be rostered. He saw five targets, catching all five for 64 yards. He’s a part of the offense, and if Deebo Samuel or Aiyuk misses time, that role grows.
Ray-Ray McCloud, Atlanta Falcons
Roster Percentage: 0.2
About: Things didn’t go as planned for the Falcons in Week 1. The team scored just 10 points as Cousins was held below 200 yards and tossed two interceptions. But in that performance, McCloud stood out. He saw a team-high seven targets, catching four passes for 52 yards. That makes him worth a pickup and potentially a deep league flex consideration.
Devaughn Vele, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: Most people post-draft thought rookie quarterback Bo Nix would have an instant connection with one of the Broncos’ rookie receivers. We just got the wrong one. Instead of Troy Franklin, who was a healthy scratch in Week 1, we got Vele, a seventh-round selection who saw a team-high eight targets. He caught eight passes for 39 yards. It wasn’t a huge production day, but the targets and role are encouraging.
Tyler Johnson, Los Angeles Rams
Roster Percentage: 0
About: Johnson is part of the receiver group for the Rams, and he stepped up big when Puka Nacua went out with an injury. He saw seven targets, catching five passes for 79 yards. With Nacua ailing, Johnson seems like a great pickup for those needing production and options.
Tight Ends
Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams
Roster Percentage: 1.6
About: With Tyler Higbee out, Parkinson is the option for the Rams at tight end. They brought him over from the Seahawks this off-season and Sunday night, we saw why. He saw five targets, catching four passes for 47 yards. Given the state of the tight end position, he’s worth a stash.
Foster Moreau, New Orleans Saints
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: The Saints have a lot of mouths to feed at tight end. While Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill have been more of the focus, Moreau had a big day Sunday. He has a history with Derek Carr, having played with him with the Raiders. He saw four targets, catching them all for 43 yards and a touchdown. His role is hardly a lock, but it’s worth a stash with the Saints looking for stable targets beyond Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara.
Noah Gray, Kansas City Chiefs
Roster Percentage: 0.8
About: The Chiefs like Gray enough to lock him up with a contract extension announced on the day of the kick-off game. Then, Gray saw three targets in that game, catching them all for 37 yards. That was only one target less than Travis Kelce. I’m not saying Gray is taking Kelce’s role, but it’s worth monitoring in the future, and Gray is worth a stash if you have space.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
