Unofficial NFL Depth Charts Are Here: Should you trust them?
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, we review the unofficial NFL team depth charts, dive into burning fantasy questions around the league, and more.
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by FantasyLife+:
While we wait on the Brandon Aiyuk situation to resolve itself, let’s discuss depth charts.
Overanalyzing the first wave of NFL team depth charts is a time-honored tradition in the football calendar and it always goes something like this:
- Fantasy gamers order players in a logical way all summer
- Team releases a depth chart in a less logical order
- Panic ensues.
But here's why you should take a deep breath …
It's widely known that these depth charts are often put on the team's official website without input from the coaching staff. At best, they are compiled by an employee in the team's marketing or PR department. At worst, it's by an intern—no offense, interns!
Fantasy Life's 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit is LIVE (and free)! Click here to access all of the content you need to dominate your drafts this summer.
These unofficial depth charts always have a familiar theme–veterans at the top, rookies comically buried behind names you've never even heard of.Â
And even if we are being generous that there is some kernel of truth within these images, it's only a reflection of how things would be ordered if football games were being played today. We still have a long way to go until meaningful football is being played.
When we draft fantasy football teams, we are drafting for not only 17 weeks, but specifically the final weeks at the end of the season when the fantasy playoffs take place and when all of the money is won.
So please, step back from the ledge. I promise you that Bo Nix isn't behind Zach Wilson.
Premium
Go FantasyLife+
Your league is unique. Your advice should be too. Get personalized tools, rankings, and projections tailored to your fantasy football league settings.
What else is in today’s newsletter?
- Kendall’s Roundtable: What rookies to draft & more.
- Watercooler: The latest Aiyuk rumors
The Fantasy Roundtable
Welcome to the Roundtable, folks! This season I will try to get many fantasy football analysts (and friends) to give us their best advice, overreactions and maybe even include some life lessons along the way. This is meant to be insightful, but also fun—so please be sure to enjoy and also give everyone a follow if you have the chance!Â
Today's Roundtable contributors include some of Fantasy Life's best in Jorge Martin and Jake Trowbridge! Let's get into it …
Who is your favorite rookie to draft right now?
Jorge: I can’t get enough of drafting Jayden Daniels. I loved his deep ball at LSU and his running ability was fantastic—Though someone please teach him to slide and show him cutups of Lamar Jackson darting out of bounds untouched.Â
He’s coming into an offense with a true WR1 in Terry McLaurin, who hopefully leaves the fraternity of wideouts we want to see with a good quarterback. I’m not giving up on Jahan Dotson after his down sophomore year, so he could be a good secondary weapon.
While I don’t love the Commanders’ offensive line, here’s hoping that Daniels’ mobility mitigates that. And their defense is undergoing a rebuild, so look for plenty of shootouts on the horizon for the Commanders. That just makes me smile for the rookie’s 2024 projections. All aboard the Daniels hype train!
Jake: Back in the 80s, a pretty rad crooner by the name of Huey Lewis sang about wanting a new drug; one that wouldn’t—among other things—make him nervous, hurt his head, or cost too much. It turns out very few rookies check every box of The Huey Index.
Enter Jonathon Brooks, my rookie drug of choice. The standout running back from this draft class, Brooks has a palatable mid-round ADP and a sure path to heavy volume in a Carolina offense that should drastically improve from last season. He’s a pick I can wrap my brain around and feel comfortable slotting into my RB2 slot every week.
Kendall: My favorite rookie to draft at the moment is none other than Rome Odunze with the Chicago Bears. Now, he is not the sexiest pick in fantasy football circles right now because he is behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, but I think the connection Odunze is going to have with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is going to be electric.
Fantasy Life projections have Odunze as a clear WR3 in the pecking order in terms of raw targets (97) and PPR points (167.8), putting him at WR49. While we NEVER want any players to get hurt, Odunze would vie for the WR3 with WR2 upside role if either Moore or Allen went down. I want exposure to Odunze, even though the path that we talked about is not as easy as other rookie wide receivers!
Fantasy Life's 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit is LIVE (and free)! Click here to access all of the content you need to dominate your drafts this summer.
Are you trusting any of the Packers' WRs?
Kendall: This is an absolutely loaded group, and funny enough the Packers have a league-low $11.5 million devoted to their wide receiver room. I want any piece of this offense that I can get because I believe Jordan Love will have another great season, but I've been trending toward the cheaper options in drafts, which has led me to the most exposure with Romeo Doubs.Â
I think that Jayden Reed is a great pick but I don't want to buy him at cost, and the same goes for Christian Watson (because I have been burned by him too much in the past too, lol). The Fantasy Life projections have Reed as the top target earner with 94 targets, then Watson with 92, and Doubs at 89 projected targets. Here's hoping being a bit frugal will pay off!
What do Jorge and Jake think about the Packers WRs?
RELATED CONTENT:
- Kendall also connected with two other industry experts for some more discussion. Can you trust J.K. Dobbins this season?
- Who is this season’s anti-Puka Nacua? Sam dives in.
Projections Matter.
And at Fantasy Life, we have some really good projections…
In-season, we provide weekly projections for all stat groups with a model that is built on historical data that focuses on expected game environment and team archetypes.
During draft season you will be able to see season-long projections across stat groups for every player while being able to compare ADPs.
Projections are available in FantasyLife+ Tier 2.
FantasyLife+ offers you tools that ACTUALLY help you win.
Start winning championships for less than $9 per month 🏆
The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness, and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds:
đź‘€ Breakouts, busts, sleepers, and more. Your WR primer for 2024.
đź’Ž The best fantasy football sleepers for 2024. Dwain has you covered.
🤔 One of the most polarizing players of the year. Who should you draft ahead of Justin Jefferson?
👂️ The latest on the Aiyuk rumors. Are the Steelers still in the running?
📆 Don't expect to see CMC this month. Hopefully it doesn't linger.
🚀 What are the expectations for Caleb Williams? Go inside the Bears front office.
🤷 Are you buying this bounceback? I'm skeptical.
⌛️ As expected, the Vikings announced their starting QB. How long will it last?
📺️ Malik Nabers highlights are basically a multivitamin. You get 'em daily.
Premium
Go FantasyLife+
Your league is unique. Your advice should be too. Get personalized tools, rankings, and projections tailored to your fantasy football league settings.