The 2024 NFL Season is here, and with it comes some lineup questions. Which moves should you make to maximize your points? Let this weekly post be your guide as I offer one start and one sit suggestion at QB, RB, WR, and TE. These suggestions are based on my rankings against consensus each week. And because we want to measure our success, check back each week for a recap on how we did.
For the purposes of this project, a start is a player I think will finish Top 12 at QB or TE and Top 24 at RB or WR. A sit is a player I think will finish outside those metrics. Before we dive into this week’s suggestions, let’s review how we did last week. All scoring is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.
Week 16 Starts
QB: Baker Mayfield, QB6 Hit. Mayfield stays hot.
RB: James Conner, RB6 Hit. The Cardinals didn’t fare well, but Conner was hot.
WR: Terry McLaurin, WR17 Hit. McLaurin continues to produce for a hot Commanders team.
TE: Brenton Strange, TE39 Miss. Strange didn’t get the volume.
Start Record: 3-1
Week 16 Sits
QB: C.J. Stroud, QB17 Hit. Stroud isn’t putting up the numbers he did in 2023.
RB: Jaylen Warren, RB20 Miss. Warren stepped up big in Week 16.
WR: Deebo Samuel, WR5 Miss. Deebo got the volume and finally looked like himself.
TE: Isaiah Likely, TE10 Miss. A big TD was enough to vault Likely up.
Sit Record: 1-3
Now, on to the final Sit/Start of the fantasy season.
Quarterbacks
Start: Drake Maye, New England Patriots
About: While Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have gotten a lot of the headlines, another rookie has been tearing things up. Since ascending to the starting role in Week 6, Maye is QB12 on the season. Despite a dearth of weapons and the Patriots’ poor record, Maye has been giving it his all on the field. He’s worth a start in your lineup.
Sit: Michael Penix, Jr., Atlanta Falcons
About: Penix had a solid start in Week 16. Some called it near-flawless. But it was just over 200 yards and an interception with no touchdowns. The Falcons won, but Penix wasn’t a great fantasy option. He’s in prime time this week against a good Commanders’ team. I’m not rolling the dice.
Running Backs
Start: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
About: With the Falcons starting a rookie quarterback, they’re leaning even more on the running game. That’s a good thing for those who roster Robinson. He had two big rushing touchdowns in Week 16 and sits as RB3 on the season. It’s a tough matchup, but Robinson is carrying the Falcons’ offense.
Sit: Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: Etienne is RB38 on the season, one spot behind teammate Tank Bigsby. That makes them a moderately effective team for the Jaguars on the field but a gamble that’s not worth the risk in fantasy. Etienne averages under nine points per game and has been up and down in addition to that. It’s not worth the risk championship week.
Wide Receivers
Start: Brian Thomas, Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
About: Who has been the best rookie wide receiver in 2024? Though his team doesn’t get much publicity, you could make a case it’s been Thomas. He’s WR6 on the season, averaging more than 16 points per game. Though it’s been a bad season for the Jaguars, Thomas has been gold in your fantasy lineup. That’s true this week, too.
Sit: Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
About: Jeudy caught fire there for a while, and it was a beautiful thing. But the Browns got more pass-catchers healthy and moved on to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Neither of those things has been good for Jeudy or those who roster him in fantasy. He’s not in my lineup this week.
Tight Ends
Start: George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
About: It’s been an up-and-down season for many of the weapons for the 49ers, who’ve also missed time with injuries. But Kittle has remained rock-solid at the tight end position. Kittle is actually TE1 on a point-per-game basis. He’s in my lineup this week with the 49ers playing a high-scoring Lions team.
Sit: Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
About: The Jets haven’t been great, and this week, they play the Buffalo Bills. With many weapons and Aaron Rodgers seemingly only having eyes for Davante Adams in the passing game, Conklin isn’t worth a Championship Week roll of the dice.
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.
