My Yahoo Fantasy Football Draft Grade & Recap (2024)

2024 Rank: 4 - 2023 Rank: 4

The sky is the limit for Hall, who somehow seems to just keep exceeding expectations even when they're already set high. Few running backs in NFL history began their careers as impressively as Hall, who dealt with all kinds of dysfunction around him yet blazed his way to 1,457 yards and nine touchdowns on 303 carries (4.8 YPC) through his first 24 games, adding 95 receptions for 809 yards and five touchdowns on 126 targets. Of course, Hall did much of this after returning from an ACL tear that occurred Week 7 of his rookie year. Hall's 2023 season held no hints of an ACL tear the year prior, even as he ended up surprisingly reliant on receptions -- rather than rushing production -- for other reasons, namely poor blocking and playcalling. He finished second among running backs in PPR points despite the collapsing state of the offense around him. It's awfully tempting to imagine what Hall might do if he finally got some good luck for a change. The Jets made huge investments in their offensive line this offseason, leaving 40-year-old QB Aaron Rodgers and OC/playcaller Nathaniel Hackett as the offense's biggest question marks.

2024 Rank: 15 - 2023 Rank: 15

Perhaps Gibbs will never be among the league leaders in carries, checking in at around 5-9, 200, but he's already shown he doesn't need huge rushing workloads to provide big-time fantasy production. If he can improve on his rookie-year receiving numbers (73.4 percent catch rate, 6.1 yards per catch) while maintaining the excellent rushing efficiency (5.2 YPC) he might soon rank among the league's top fantasy assets. Gibbs should be able to do this even while splitting work with David Montgomery, who steals some goal-line carries but otherwise mostly gets low-value touches like handoffs up the middle. Montgomery's presence didn't stop Gibb from scoring 10 times on 182 carries last year, including five TDs on eight attempts inside the 5-yard line (where Montgomery went 9-for-17 en route to 13 total rushing TDs). Gibbs finished 20th among RBs in carries inside the 5, t-14th in carries inside the 10 (21) and t-13th in red-zone carries (37). Christian McCaffrey was the only player with more red-zone carries and more overall targets than Gibbs, who benefitted both from his own talent and the offense around him. The Lions should have a similarly favorable setup this season for the 2023 12th overall pick, bringing in Kevin Zeitler to replace Jonah Jackson (Rams) at left guard while retaining offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and all their top skill-position players.

2024 Rank: 24 - 2023 Rank: 24

Collins was one of the fantasy breakout stars of 2023, recording more receiving yards in 15 games (1,297) than he had in his first two seasons combined (927). He started 15 of 29 games over his first two years but never really broke through in bad offenses, producing 7.4 and 7.3 yards per target. He rocketed up to 11.9 YPT last year, third best in the league, and did it while drawing 7.3 targets per game (7.7 if you exclude the game he left after three snaps). Collins caught 13 of 19 targets 20-plus yards downfield -- a league-high 68.4 percent catch rate on deep passes -- and his 560 YAC ranked sixth among WRs. He was effective at every level of the field, with his combination of size (6-4, 215) and speed (4.43) proving useful both for getting open downfield and for picking up yards after short receptions. Collins should continue to have a strong connection with QB C.J. Stroud, but even then it's almost impossible to match the 2023 efficiency, and now there's some concern about target competition with trade acquisition Stefon Diggs joining Collins and Tank Dell at wide receiver. The Texans signed Collins to an extension this spring and only have Diggs under contract for a year, so the long-term plan at WR hasn't necessarily changed.

2024 Rank: 45 - 2023 Rank: 45

White was a big-play specialist at Arizona State, but he successfully rebranded as a high-volume workhorse for the Buccaneers last season, even as his big plays dried up with the transition. He took more carries in 2023 (272) than he did in his two years at Arizona State combined (224), also more than doubling his 2022 rookie-year total (129). White handled the burden with ease, averaging 50.6 snaps and 19.8 touches in 17 regular-season games en route to a No. 4 finish among RBs in PPR points (No. 8 in standard scoring). White averaged 3.6 yards per carry and had only three rushes of 20-plus yards, but his pass-catching production was elite by any measure. A 91.4 percent catch rate (64 receptions on 70 targets) led all qualified pass catchers, and his 8.6 yards per reception ranked fourth among running backs. Eight RBs got more targets, but only three caught more passes and only two had more receiving yards. The big concern with White is that he'll eventually lose playing time and touches (mostly carries) if he doesn't improve his rushing efficiency -- a risk that may be higher with Liam Coen replacing new Panthers coach Dave Canales as Tampa's offensive coordinator. The Bucs didn't sign any RBs of significance this offseason but did spend a fourth-round pick on Bucky Irving, whose draft stock had seemed to tumble after a 4.55 40-yard dash (at 192 pounds). White was a late-third-round pick, back in 2022, but he's bigger (6-0, 214) faster (4.44 40) and now much more experienced.

2024 Rank: 75 - 2023 Rank: 75

Pitts had fewer yards over the last two years combined (1,023) than in his stellar rookie season alone (1,026), but he should benefit from a fresh start in 2024 with a new coaching staff and seven-time 4,000-yard passer Kirk Cousins. The 23-year-old missed the final seven games of 2022 with a knee injury, and while he played all 17 last seasons, he told reporters in January that he'd been missing his usual explosiveness after knee surgery. Working with terrible QBs and run-heavy playcaller Arthur Smith didn't help. With former Rams assistant Zac Robinson now in charge of the offense and Cousins replacing Desmond Ridder, all the pieces are in place for Pitts to make the most of his rare combination of size and athleticism. He ran a 4.44 40 back in 2021 at 6-5, 245, right before he was drafted fourth overall. Atlanta lacks playmakers other than Pitts, WR Drake London and RB Bijan Robinson, giving Pitts an opportunity to challenge/surpass his rookie total of 110 targets. He's also likely to see an uptick in red-zone usage, after only five of his 90 targets in 2023 came inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

2024 Rank: 74 - 2023 Rank: 74

The switch from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield worked splendidly for Mike Evans, who finished 2023 with his most targets (136) and yards (1,255) since 2018. Godwin wasn't far behind in targets (130), but he got more perimeter snaps and less slot work under offensive coordinator Dave Canales, with the result being an uptick in yards per catch (12.3) but a big drop in catch rate (63.8 percent, after four straight seasons of 71 percent or higher). Godwin needed all 17 games to clear 1,000 yards, and he scored just twice on 83 catches, adding a third TD on the ground. The yardage and TDs were similar to 2022, only with 21 fewer catches and 12 fewer targets... in two more games. Godwin finished the year strong with 418 yards over the final five weeks, and he now figures to play more slot under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who said at his introductory press conference that he plans to primarily use the 28-year-old inside. That could lead to both more targets and a higher catch rate, with Godwin and Evans still the only pass catchers in Tampa Bay that demand a large share of the passing game.

2024 Rank: 56 - 2023 Rank: 56

The Texans scored a big win when they took one of the smaller WR prospects in recent memory with the 69th overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Dell started off as the team's No. 3 receiver but quickly became much more, exploding for 7-72-1 in Week 2 and 5-145-1 in Week 3. He added two more 100-yard games and five more touchdowns before suffering a season-ending leg fracture Week 13, having averaged 4.7 catches for 70.9 yards on 7.5 targets through his first 10 games. Dell got playing time both outside and in the slot, seeing at every level of the field. The only negative was durability, which admittedly might be more of a concern for someone who weighed in at 5-8, 165, at the 2023 Combine (where he ran a 4.49 40). Dell now has a second concern in the form of target competition, after the Texans traded for Stefon Diggs this offseason. Dell and Nico Collins still project as C.J. Stroud's top receivers long term, but Diggs could have a big impact on the target distribution for a year or two.

2024 Rank: 151 - 2023 Rank: 151

On his fourth team in three years, Mayfield found a home in Tampa Bay last season, passing for career highs in yards (4,044) and touchdowns (28) while leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs. The Bucs rewarded him with a three-year, $100 million contract this offseason, including 40 percent guaranteed at signing. Mayfield excelled at downfield passing last year, throwing eight touchdowns on attempts of at least 20 yards (2nd in the league) and averaging 8.5 air yards per attempt (fifth). Former offensive coordinator Dave Canales received much of the credit for Mayfield's turnaround -- so much so that Canales landed the head coach job in Carolina this offseason. Tampa Bay's new offensive coordinator is former Kentucky OC Liam Coen, who also coached with the Rams. Coen's offense is expected to be similar to a Sean McVay attack, utilizing frequent pre-snap motion and a lot of 11 personnel with bunch formations. All of Mayfield's weapons key return -- WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, TE Cade Otton and RB Rachaad White -- and rookie third-round pick Jalen McMillan may be an upgrade on Trey Palmer in the No. 3 receiver spot. Mayfield doesn't add much on the ground, but he's still a good bet for value in two-QB leagues.

2024 Rank: 901 - 2023 Rank: 901

There may be no safer IDP pick than Warner. He's a cog in the stout 49ers' defense, topping 900 defensive snaps in each of his six seasons as a pro while tallying no fewer than 118 tackles in a single campaign. Warner's impact goes far beyond his ability to stop the run, however, as he is used often in coverage and is regularly among the best in the league in the role. He's broken up at least six passes in all but one season in his career and he's coming off a career-best four interceptions in 2023. Only 27 years old, there's no reason to expect Warner to slow down heading into 2024. It's also possible that he is relied upon even more than usual early on if Dre Greenlaw isn't ready to begin the regular season after tearing his Achilles during the Super Bowl.

2024 Rank: 164 - 2023 Rank: 164

Kmet has turned into one of the top red-zone performers among tight ends, piling up 13 touchdowns and 26 RZ targets over the last two seasons after scoring only twice across his first two campaigns. Most of that recent success came with Justin Fields under center, so Kmet faces the challenge of building chemistry with a new QB after the Bears parted ways with Fields and drafted Caleb Williams first overall. Chicago's passing game has a far higher ceiling with Williams, but Kmet's target share (19.4 percent last year) likely will drop after the Bears traded for WR Keenan Allen and drafted WR Rome Odunze ninth overall. The team also added TE depth with the signing of Gerald Everett, who could replace Kmet in some obvious passing situations. There are obvious challenges for Kmet to match last year's total of 90 targets, but it isn't out of the question if Chicago's overall pass volume spikes with the switch from Fields to Williams.

2024 Rank: 1002 - 2023 Rank: 1002

2024 Rank: 144 - 2023 Rank: 144

Watson's 2023 season was marred by shoulder injuries, with a season-ending fracture in Week 10 limiting him to six games for the second consecutive year. His numbers were similar to the poor stats he posted in 2022, although he went downfield more often last season. His air yards per attempt climbed to 9.2, third in the NFL, as he threw deep on 12.3 percent of his attempts after just 5.3 percent traveled at least 20 yards the previous year. Unfortunately for the Browns, not much changed in Watson's results. Perhaps he'll have more success with the deep ball this season, as he certainly has the receiving crew to be successful. The Browns traded for Jerry Jeudy this offseason, creating a strong WR trio with holdovers Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore. Tight end David Njoku returns after a career season, and running back Nick Chubb is said to be making good progress in his rehab from an ACL tear. Another thing going for Watson is his rushing ability -- he averaged 26.5 rush yards per game the last two years, only a 15 percent drop from his 31.1 ypg in four seasons with the Texans. Better health would go a long way, even if a full return of his peak Houston form is a long shot at this point.

2024 Rank: 107 - 2023 Rank: 107

Edwards once again served as a power rushing specialist for Baltimore in 2023, and once again he got the job done. His average of 4.1 yards per carry might look bad -- especially after he averaged at least 5.0 YPC in each of his previous four NFL seasons -- but it's almost entirely explained by a massive increase in goal-line usage. Edwards took a league-high 23 carries inside the 5-yard line last year, after getting just 22 carries inside the 5 in his prior four seasons combined. Those goal-line carries accounted for 12 of his career-high 13 rushing touchdowns, and he also had new personal bests for total carries (198) and rushing yards (810). Edwards now has a one-year contract in Los Angeles, where he and J.K. Dobbins will reunite with former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman. The scheme fit should be seamless, but it's hard to envision a fantasy ceiling beyond low-end RB2 range for a 29-year-old back who has never topped 198 carries or 12 catches in a season. The Chargers also figure to use some combination of Dobbins, rookie sixth-round pick Kimani Vidal and/or another young running back.

2024 Rank: 116 - 2023 Rank: 116

Doubs has been a starter for the Packers since early in his 2022 rookie season, but he's never been targeted at an especially high rate, finishing with 425 yards on 67 chances in 2022 (13 games) and 674 yards on 96 targets in 2023 (17 games). His only 100-yard game was a 151-yard effort at Dallas in the playoffs last year, which he followed with 83 yards in a loss to San Francisco the next week. Doubs' strong finish to 2024 may be especially important because there's tough competition for WR snaps from other young players on Green Bay's roster. Doubs and fellow 2022 draft pick Christian Watson (second round) are the elder statesmen, but rookie Jayden Reed (second round) and Dontayvion Wicks (fifth round) both had superior per-route production and target rates last year. Reed figures to spend a lot of time in the slot, leaving Doubs, Wicks and Watson to compete for perimeter snaps in an offense that also got two promising tight ends from the 2024 Draft (Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft).

2024 Rank: 489 - 2023 Rank: 489

Since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Winfield has established himself as one of the better safeties in the league. Even by that lofty standard, he took a step forward in 2023, recording career-best marks in tackles, sacks, passes defended, interceptions and even forced fumbles. The Bucs rewarded Winfield with a record-breaking four-year, $84.1 million contract this offseason. This stat line also looks sustainable based on his change of usage last season, as he was used in the box at the highest rate of his career. That allowed Winfield to showcase his playmaking ability more regularly, which Tampa Bay will almost certainly want to replicate in 2024.

2024 Rank: 202 - 2023 Rank: 202

Smith ranked 15th among tight ends with 582 receiving yards last season despite ceding the majority of targets at the position to Kyle Pitts in Atlanta. Smith subsequently signed a two-year contract in free agency with Miami, where he's likely to supplant Durham Smythe as the team's top pass-catching tight end. Smythe had a career-high 366 receiving yards in 2023 and has only three touchdowns in six NFL seasons compared to Smith's 20 TDs through seven seasons, including eight as a member of the Titans in 2020. The Dolphins' tight ends combined for a league-low 52 targets in 2023, so there won't be many pass catching opportunities for the position barring a shift in coach Mike McDaniel's play-calling philosophy, but most of those limited opportunities are likely to go in Smith's direction.

2024 Rank: 415 - 2023 Rank: 415

2024 Rank: 1782 - 2023 Rank: 1782

2024 Rank: 310 - 2023 Rank: 310

Despite lacking a dominant pass rusher, Tampa Bay tied for seventh in sacks (48) last year, led by rookies YaYa Diaby (7.5 sacks) and Calijah Kancey (12 QB hits). This offseason, they lost OLB Shaquil Barrett and ILB Devin White, two veterans that had been crucial during playoff runs but didn't perform well in 2023. The departure of CB Carlton Davis without a replacement hurts, but Tampa Bay re-signed ILB Lavonte David and S Antoine Winfield, later adding S Jordan Whitehead in free agency and drafting S Tykee Smith (89th overall). With veteran leadership and a promising interior-rush duo in Kancey and Vita Vea, head coach Todd Bowles should field a respectable defense. Last season, the Bucs finished seventh in points allowed and 12th in fantasy scoring but 23rd in yards. Bowles' defenses tends to be good and always blitz heavily, including a No. 3 ranking last season for blitz rate (40.1 percent).

2024 Rank: 302 - 2023 Rank: 302

McLaughlin has kicked for seven different teams, including full seasons with the Browns in 2021, the Colts in 2022 and the Bucs in 2023. He finally got a long-term deal this spring, a month before his 28th birthday, when he re-signed for three years in Tampa Bay. The contract was well-earned, with McLaughlin converting 29 of 31 field-goal attempts (93.5 percent) for the Buccaneers in 2023 after missing six the year before (83.3 percent) and six in 2021 (71.4 percent). He even went seven of eight from 50-plus yards, bringing his career total to a ridiculous 24-for-29 (82.8 percent) in that range. The problem is that he's made just 60 percent of kicks in the 40-49 range (21 of 35), giving him a mediocre 82.8 career FG percentage overall even after his excellent 2023.

2024 Rank: 267 - 2023 Rank: 267

Detroit's defense took a significant step forward last season under third-year coordinator Aaron Glenn, finishing 23rd in points allowed, 19th in yardage and tied for 23rd in fantasy points. While these numbers are modest, they mark an improvement from 2021-22 when Glenn had one of the least talented defenses in the league. DE Aidan Hutchinson emerged as a star, teaming up with nose tackle Alim McNeill and LB Alex Anzalone to give the Lions a formidable run defense (2nd in yards, 3rd in YPC). Rookie second-round pick Brian Branch impressed as a slot corner, but the rest of the secondary struggled in coverage. The Lions aggressively addressed this weakness by trading for long-time Bucs starter Carlton Davis, signing former Raiders nickelback Amik Robertson and then drafting Terrion Arnold (24th overall) and Ennis Rakestraw (61st). They bolstered the line by signing DE Marcus Davenport and DT DJ Reader, and there's still hope 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell will strengthen the linebacker corps. With improved CB depth, the Lions defense now looks solid across the board, potentially allowing Branch to move to safety full-time.

2024 Rank: 122 - 2023 Rank: 122

Chubb went down Week 2 last season with ACL, MCL and meniscus tears in his left knee, starting a lengthy rehab process that included a follow-up surgery Nov. 14. He faces a challenge to be ready for the early part of the 2024 season, but it's worth mentioning that he already overcame an injury of similar severity in 2015 when he played at Georgia. The bad news there is that the first injury was also a tear of his left knee, and while Chubb came back the next season he wasn't quite as dominant as in his other college campaigns. Between Chubb's first, second and fourth years at Georgia he averaged 6.8 yards per carry. In his third season, the one after the knee injury, he averaged 5.0 YPC. He might be able to avoid a similar decline if the rehab process isn't rushed this summer/fall, but that would also mean holding him out and/or restricting his workloads early in the season. Jerome Ford may get another chance to lead Cleveland's backfield, at least temporarily, with D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong providing competent depth. If you're drafting Chubb in fantasy it should probably be as a bench stash to eventually help out in November and December, not with any expectation of starting early in the season.