Fantasy Football 2024: 4 Players Generating Buzz Entering Preseason Week 1 (2024)

The first week of NFL preseason football brings with it fantasy drafts around the country as managers prepare to select the players they hope will help them achieve bragging rights, earn financial victories, and even avoid embarrassing tattoos at the end of the season.

It also brings buzz, both positive and negative, surrounding potential high picks and fantasy sleepers that could prove to be the difference between winning and losing.

Ahead of the first week of competition, find out the two breakout stars who could put an exclamation point on your draft and which two recognizable faces could be problematic if drafted too high, thanks to ill-timed injuries suffered in training camp.

Rams wideout Puka Nacua exploded onto the scene in 2023, breaking NFL records for most receptions (105) and yards (1486) for a rookie. He finished fourth in the league in receiving and in doing so, heightened expectations for his sophom*ore season in Los Angeles.

He was destined to be a WR1 candidate in most leagues as one of the top options at his position. That may change, slightly, after he was banged up in training camp.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Nacua is considered "week-to-week" after sustaining a knee injury. He did go on to clarify that the injury is not considered to be serious and the designation likely amounts to the team taking it slow and cautiously when it comes to getting Nacu back on the field.

Still, there is reason to be cautious if you possess one of the top picks in your draft and were thinking of adding the second-year player.

Nacua played through an AC sprain and bad hip in 2023. He has a physical style that takes its toll and could, potentially, lead to further injury. While he is as dynamic a young star as there is in the league, and wonderful weapon for Matthew Stafford opposite Cooper Kupp, getting too overzealous and taking him too early could prove costly.

For the sake of the player, his team, and the overall health of the NFL's future, one can hope Nacua recovers quickly and has an appropriate sequel to his blockbuster breakout a year ago.

Whether that means taking him in the first round or third, and his overall health as the regular season draws near, bears watching.

Justin Herbert was always going to see his numbers decline in a Jim Harbaugh-led offense. Whether in the NFL or college, history dictates that the national title-winning coach prefers a run-first offense and that was likely to be the case in Los Angeles, too, even with a stud quarterback.

Now add to that the fact that Herbert was diagnosed with plantar fascia and you have even more reason to hesitate taking the Chargers signal-caller early in your fantasy draft.

In fact, a quarterback who may have been a top 10 pick is probably a late-rounder, thanks to the combination of injury and change in offensive philosophy.

Herbert will still get his numbers. He is too good not too. He will still produce and continue his quest to earn "elite" status in the league by winning a Super Bowl.

From a fantasy perspective, though, the risk is too great that he will not be the centerpiece of the offense and will not have as prolific numbers as he has in the past.

Pass on him early, grab him late, and benefit from front-loading your roster with playmakers instead.

Grabbing JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, former Ravens-turned-Chargers, probably would not be a bad call, either.

Beginning with a Week Eight explosion of 10 catches for 95 yards, a touchdown, and 25.5 fantasy points, Trey McBride established himself late in the 2023 season as one of the best young tight ends in the league.

He would deliver 20+ points for fantasy managers three other times and three more double-digit performances on top of that.

McBride became the primary target in the Cardinals offense in the back half of the season and, even with the drafting of Marvin Harrison Jr., should be the go-to guy for quarterback Kyler Murray and a centerpiece of second-year head coach Jonathan Gannon's offense.

The Cardinals threw the ball the ninth fewest times a season ago. That figures to change in 2024, opening up more opportunities for McBride to prove himself as an elite pass-catching tight end in the league.

There will be other, higher-profile tight ends that managers take a flier on, such as Detroit's Sam LaPorta, Kansas City's Travis Kelce, or Minnesota's TJ Hockenson, but the strategic ones who know value when they see it will wait a few rounds later and grab McBride, who has the tools to finish as a top-five tight end in the NFL.

If not higher.

Luke McCaffrey played the majority of his college career at quarterback and is still learning the wide receiver position, but do not be surprised to see him push more experienced players for the No. 2 spot on the Commanders roster.

That is a staggering statistic based on the strength of this year's draft class. Then again, it is hardly surprising given the grit and tenacity that his father, former 49er and Bronco Ed, played with.

Or the attention to detail and passion that his brother, Christian, has displayed in Carolina and San Francisco.

McCaffrey, the No. 100 pick in this year's draft, has already flashed chemistry with quarterback Jayden Daniels and while he may not have the experience of Jahan Dotson, may very well eclipse the former Penn State Nittany Lion for the No. 2 spot in the offense before the season is over.

A fast, shifty player who can make opponents miss with the ball in his hands, he will have opportunities to make an impact on the field in Washington.

McCaffrey is still a late fantasy draft pick or free agent pickup, but jump on him before a fellow manager does because the last thing anyone will want to be at the end of the 2024 season is the one who let one of the year's surprise stars get away.