Running back Gus Edwards finished with 13 touchdowns last season, which was tied for the seventh-most in the NFL. He also finished last season with 810 rushing yards, the most of his career. However, prior to last year's breakout campaign, Edwards had recorded three or fewer rushing touchdowns in three of his past four seasons. Will Edwards be among the 2024 Fantasy football busts, or will he shine in his new role with the Chargers?
Edwards will be part of Los Angeles' running back committee in 2024, which also features J.K. Dobbins. Edwards could also see his red zone attempts take a dip following the departure of receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Should Edwards be part of your 2024 Fantasy football draft strategy, or should you look elsewhere for value at the running back position? As you begin your 2024 Fantasy football draft prep, be sure to check out the 2024 Fantasy football cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last year, the model accurately predicted that Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle would fail to live up to his Fantasy football ADP. Waddle's 2023 Fantasy football ADP was 34.86 overall and he was the 11th receiver off the board on average. He'd go on to notch a 1,000-yard season but only had 72 receptions with four touchdowns and he'd finish as the No. 34 Fantasy football wide receiver in CBS Sports PPR leagues.
The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as a sleeper in 2020 and nailing Jonathan Taylor's monstrous season in 2021. Additionally, it's called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.
The model is powered by the same people who generated projections for all three major Fantasy sites, and it beat human experts last season when there was a big difference in ranking. The 2024 Fantasy football PPR rankings and 2024 Fantasy football standard projections update multiple times daily, so you're always getting the best Fantasy football advice.
Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2024, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2024 Fantasy football busts
One of the 2024 Fantasy football busts the model is predicting: Commanders running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler has been one of the most productive Fantasy running backs in recent years, but he scored just six total touchdowns in 2023. Ekeler averaged only 3.5 yards per carry last season, which was a career low.
After spending his first seven seasons with the Chargers, Ekeler signed a two-year contract with the Washington Commanders in the offseason. Ekeler will now have to complete for carries with Brian Robinson as well as rookie dual-threat QB Jayden Daniels. Both figure to keep a cap on Ekeler's workload from week to week, including his target volume. Ekeler averaged 5.3 targets per game last year, which was a five-year low. There are too many concerns surrounding Ekeler to make him a viable option at his current ADP, with the model recommending several other running backs who are available later in Fantasy drafts.
Another bust that SportsLine's Fantasy football rankings 2024 have identified: Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He missed just three total games over his first three NFL seasons, racking up more than 900 receiving yards and six touchdowns each year. However, he missed five full games and parts of two other games last season, posting career lows in receiving yards, catches and touchdowns.
Quarterback Joe Burrow missed the final seven games of the season due to a wrist injury, so there are multiple health concerns surrounding Higgins. The 25-year-old wideout did post a career-best 15.6 yards per reception and commanded a 37% air yards share in the offense, but his target share could dip after the Bengals drafted Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton in the third round. There are too many concerns surrounding Higgins to make him a viable option at his current ADP, with the model recommending several other receivers who are available later in Fantasy drafts. See which other Fantasy football busts 2024 to avoid here.
How to find proven 2024 Fantasy football rankings
SportsLine is also low on a wide receiver who is being drafted as a top-15 player at his position. The model ranks him outside its top 20 wide receivers for 2024 and expects him to see major regression. You can only see who it is, and the 2024 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.
So which 2024 Fantasy Football busts should you avoid, and which receiver will fail to live up to expectations? Visit SportsLine now to get 2024 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that told you to avoid Jaylen Waddle in 2023, and find out.
