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| Wednesday, March 6, 2024 |
| It's a unique time of year for the NFL. Fans will have an opportunity to see if the free agent they've been eyeing lands on their favorite team. They'll also have the chance to see if their favorite prospects from the 2024 NFL Draft class will be selected by the team they pull for each Sunday. This blend of new and old is what makes the NFL so great and thankfully, our FFT team is here to bring Fantasy managers up to speed on the free agency and NFL Draft front. |
| A couple premier talents at the wide receiver position have already received the franchise tag while a couple other pass catchers secured deals before hitting the open market. See who else is expected to hit free agency on March 13 and future franchise tag implications for your next Fantasy draft in Jamey Eisenberg's franchise tag reaction piece. |
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| The next stud wide receiver shouldn't be hard to find thanks to the influx of talent at the position in the 2024 NFL Draft. The wide receivers showed up and showed out in Indianapolis and Dan Schneier took the time to highlight five wide receivers who are likely to shoot up draft boards following their performance at the 2024 NFL Combine. |
| Meanwhile Dave Richard touched on top performances by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends what it means for their Fantasy outlook moving forward. If you'd like more insight on the top prospects by position, feel free to use Dave's 2024 NFL Combine recap as your guide. |
| Franchise tags for Michael Pittman and Tee Higgins |
| Given the inconsistent game scripts for Michael Pittman Jr., I didn't anticipate his return to Indianapolis in 2024. However, Jamey did, especially after Colts general manager Chris Ballard explicitly mentioned bringing Pittman back during his time at the podium at the NFL Combine. |
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| As a reminder, Pittman scored 23 PPR points in Week 1 of the 2023 season with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson in the starting lineup. With improved quarterback play from Richardson throughout the entire season, Pittman could end up with more touchdowns in 2024, benefiting from scramble drill scenarios while paired with a mobile quarterback. |
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| Wide receivers moving up draft boards after the Combine |
| This could be one of the deepest wide receiver classes in recent memory, offering options for various needs well into the latter parts of the draft. For those seeking a rookie sleeper who could find playing time early in his career as a slot receiver, Malik Washington out of Virginia exists. Mississippi State's Lideatrick Griffin makes for an excellent Z receiver to stash, while Luke McCaffrey has all the makings of a sleeper X receiver. |
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| While the sleeper label is apropos for each player listed above, Keon Coleman should not be listed as such. As Dan chronicles in the five receivers to shoot up rookie fantasy draft boards, Coleman is 6-foot-3 with tremendous body control. Despite the fact he ran just 4.61 in the 40-yard dash, he did exceptionally well in the on-field drills and scored an unofficial 9.23 RAS out of a possible 10.00. His score of 9.23 placed him 238 out of 3,063 wide receivers from 1987 to 2024. If he lands in Buffalo as a potential replacement for Gabe Davis , we could be looking at a soft launch for Rookie of the year. |
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| 2024 NFL Combine recap |
| A bevy of wide receivers had stellar outings during the 2024 NFL Combine but there were prospects at other positions that certainly stood out. While the RB class in the 2024 NFL Draft leaves much to be desired, Trey Benson little to no questions as to why he should be considered the best running back in the draft. At 6-foot, 216 pounds, Benson turned in a time of 4.39 in the 40-yard dash confirming the breakaway speed that was regularly seen on film. |
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| In Dave's NFL Combine recap, he also explores the depth of the quarterback class and identifies strengths of the quarterbacks who performed at the combine. Additionally, he emphasized the upside of Penn State's Theo Johnson who posted a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash and 4.19 in the short shuttle. |
| The tight end who caught my attention the most was Washington's Devin Culp. His impressive 4.47 in the 40-yard dash prompted a review of his game film. It was frustrating to witness the Huskies confine him to short and intermediate passing plays. However, placing him in a vertical passing attack that enables him to exploit a Cover-2 shell down the seam could potentially lead to superior statistics as a pro compared to his college production. |
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