NFL training camp is now underway for all 32 NFL teams. Ready or not, the fantasy football season is just around the corner. Over the next month or so, a tidal wave of information will flood our managerial minds. There will be plenty of stories to keep track of, but those below are the top training camp stories that will have a big impact on the 2024 fantasy football season.
Five Training Camp Stories You Need to Follow for Fantasy Football
5) The Availability of Jonathan Brooks
As of now, the Carolina Panthers’ rookie running back is on the active/non-football injury list. Brooks can come off the list at any time following a November ACL tear that ended his season at the University of Texas. It’s already encouraging that this new Panthers regime invested a second-round draft pick (46th overall) despite his injury. What we see from Brooks during training camp will mean even more for his fantasy value.
Assuming Brooks is activated sometime in August, or at least prior to Week 1, I don’t think fantasy managers should expect him to be a reliable starter out of the gate. Not only will he need a gradual ramp-up period following his injury, but the acclimation from college to the NFL is real. If Brooks is limited in preseason action or doesn’t play at all, that could drive his draft price down. That’s actually a better situation for fantasy football managers as I don’t expect him to begin making an impact until October at the earliest.
Until then, expect a healthy dose of Chuba Hubbard. He will probably take first-team reps throughout training camp. Head coach Dave Canales is steadfast on emphasizing the run in Carolina this season. Drafting the combination of Brooks and Hubbard for the 2024 fantasy football season could be a worthwhile investment.
4) Finding the Lead Back of the Los Angeles Chargers
First of all, there are a lot of hyperbolic projections out there regarding the run-pass balance of the 2024 Los Angeles Chargers. Will L.A. finish inside the top five in pass play percentage as they have in each of the last three seasons? Likely, no, but I don’t think they drop all the way to the bottom five just with the hiring of offensive coordinator, Greg Roman. He, of course, was the Baltimore Ravens’ O.C. from 2019 through 2022. The Ravens did finish bottom-five in passing three of those four seasons, but we can all agree Lamar Jackson’s propensity to run plays a significant role there.
The fact remains that the Ravens under Roman did run the ball at a very high rate. Additionally, two of the current Chargers running backs, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, have a history of playing for Roman during their tenure in Baltimore. While it is a new regime in Los Angeles, players accounting for 88% of last year’s backfield carries are no longer on the Chargers. It’s a very clean slate.
Determining who, if anyone, is the lead back to start the 2024 season could have serious value for fantasy football. Edwards should get first crack at it, but he does not have a 200-carry season, or even one with more than 810 rushing yards, to his name. Dobbins’ upside is seriously hampered by a lengthy injury history that includes a Week 2 Achilles tear from last season. Kimani Vidal is the other interesting name, though out of Troy University, as the team’s sixth-round pick. The split in training camp and preseason game reps will be crucial to monitor.
3) Contract Negotiations for Stud Wide Receivers
As of now, CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk are not participating in training camp. Lamb is a training camp holdout after failing to show up while Aiyuk is a hold-in after failing to participate, though at least present for practice.
Paying each wide receiver is easier said than done. Simply put, the San Francisco 49ers already have Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams under contract for big-money deals, though Williams is also holding out for contract-related reasons. Meanwhile, the elephant in the room is the looming Brock Purdy contract.
CeeDee Lamb is in a bit of a déjà vu scenario with the Dallas Cowboys. A few years ago, Dallas paid Ezekiel Elliott (6/$90 mil.) then Amari Cooper (5/$100 mil.), then Dak Prescott (4/$160 mil.) one year after another. Now, they’re facing a similar situation in which they need to decide when and what to pay Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott, and CeeDee Lamb. Prescott is notably entering the final year of his deal.
So, while this training camp storyline is focused on the wide receiver contracts, the impact on their teammates and franchises as a whole will be felt. Hopefully, this is all cleared up before Week 1 and gives us a clearer picture for each at least for the 2024 fantasy football season.
2) Quarterback Competitions Around the League
This training camp story is really a handful of situations to watch around the league. The big training camp quarterback competition to watch is in Pittsburgh between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. While Fields’ mobility brings much higher upside to the table for fantasy football, it’s hard to imagine head coach Mike Tomlin giving him the Week 1 nod over Wilson. Not only does Wilson have 164 more career starts than Fields, he has nearly as many playoff wins (9) as Fields does in three regular seasons (10). Fields figures to be more of a waiver wire add if and when the opportunity so obviously presents itself.
As always, the incoming rookie quarterback class is a big focus during training camp. Caleb Williams is already locked in to be the Chicago Bears’ starter and it’s hard to imagine Jayden Daniels sits behind Marcus Mariota to begin his career with the Washington Commanders. Both are sneaky values later in fantasy drafts, though, ironically, any positive news surrounding them in training camp will raise their draft position.
Bo Nix probably has the best chance to start Week 1 as a rookie beyond Williams and Daniels. His competition is Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham. Only one of these two will likely make the team alongside Nix. Everything out of New England suggests Drake Maye beginning the season behind Jacoby Brissett, but by no means is that a sure thing. If you’re going to watch any rookie in a training camp quarterback battle, it’s on the Patriots.
1) Aftermath of Achilles Injuries to Veteran Quarterbacks
This obviously applies to both Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets and Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons. Both veteran quarterbacks are returning in 2024 following 2023 Achilles tear injuries. While Cousins is on an entirely new team this season, Rodgers may as well be, too, after playing just four total snaps for the Jets last season.
Kirk Cousins will be 36 years old while Aaron Rodgers enters the season as a 4o-year-old quarterback. Needless to say, their age coupled with the Achilles injury itself raises the worry level that much more.
The value of those around Cousins and Rodgers on their respective offenses is directly impacted by how each performs and progresses during training camp. Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts are all players coming off of the board early in fantasy football drafts. Luckily, Tyrod Taylor is an upgrade over the three quarterbacks who took the field over time for Rodgers in 2023, but Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall pick, is hard to evaluate as a rookie behind Cousins. Let’s pray for good health and a full season for Rodgers and Cousins, starting with a successful training camp.
Other Training Camp Stories Worth Mentioning
- Following the departure of Stefon Diggs via trade, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will be looking for a new WR1 in 2024. However, we could see Allen maintain his typical top-three fantasy QB1 value while spreading the ball around more this season.
- Rashee Rice is going to get suspended at some point for his involvement in an April multi-vehicle crash this past off-season. However, it’s looking unlikely a suspension will take place in 2024. He’s already making plays with a noticeable heavy involvement in Chiefs training camp practices. Remember: Though no incident is the same, Alvin Kamara served a suspension during the 2023 season for his role in an altercation that took place in February 2022.
- Anthony Richardson’s shoulder injury is one of the more significant injuries to watch in training camp. There likely isn’t a cause for concern. However, he did report soreness to his shoulder in early June. Richardson is still worth the big swing in fantasy drafts due to his rushing upside. Luckily for those around him, if he misses time, we have reason to believe in his backup, Joe Flacco, based on last year’s heroics with the Cleveland Browns.
Who’s your favorite dark horse QB1? Drop some names in the comments below and then make sure to check out our 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit for more great rankings and analysis.