PlayerProfiler is home to the very best dynasty rankings and tools in the industry. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out. This article focuses on NFL Free Agency Rankings. Which players are the most important free agents in fantasy football?
Are you looking for the top fantasy-relevant free agents? Look no further. We will not waste time on the non-fantasy football players in this article. If you are looking for the top defenders and offensive linemen, look elsewhere. This article is a fantasy-only look at NFL Free Agency.
These are the Top 20 NFL Free Agents for Fantasy Football in 2024.
1 – Kirk Cousins – QB | Minnesota
Age: 35
As much excitement as there will be for the RBs and WRs highly ranked on this list, no player has more potential fantasy impact than Kirk Cousins. In 2023, Cousins was leading the NFL in passing TDs before injuring his Achilles. When Cousins went down, he had 18 TD passes to only five interceptions. He would immediately be a QB upgrade for more than half of the league.
I would anticipate that Cousins re-signs with Minnesota. However, if the two sides do not agree on terms, he would be an option for the usual suspects of QB needy teams (Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas, New England) and a wild card upgrade option for a team like Miami. His return to Minnesota would be the ideal scenario for players like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and his arrival could raise the fantasy outlook for multiple WRs.
2 – Mike Evans – WR | Tampa Bay
Age: 30
The NFL’s leader in TD receptions in 2023 would be an incredible addition for any offense. Evans has been the model of consistency in Tampa Bay. He’s had ten straight seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards and a staggering five seasons with 12 or more TD catches. Despite his age (30), Evans should command a three-year mega deal. He has shown no sign of slowing down, and had his most targets since 2018 this past year. There will be an effort made by Tampa Bay to sign Evans and keep the Evans-Mayfield connection, but Evans may be looking to win another Super Bowl and attach himself to one of the game’s top signal callers. He could also exceed Davante Adams’ Las Vegas contract and sign with an out-of-nowhere team willing to change and upgrade their offense significantly.
3 – Michael Pittman Jr. – WR | Indianapolis
Age: 26
Pittman Jr. had a perfect storm of fantasy production during his contract season. Anthony Richardson went down with a season-ending injury, and Pittman stepped up as Gardner Minshew‘s preferred target, finishing with a 30.5-percent target share. He posted career highs in targets, catches, receiving yards, and air yards.
Pittman has established himself as one of the NFL’s top possession receivers. It seems like a no-brainer for Indianapolis to franchise tag or sign Pittman Jr., but if he somehow becomes available, he would be red hot on the market.
4 – Tee Higgins – WR | Cincinnati
Age: 25
Multiple NFL teams will have Higgins as their top Free Agent target among skill position players. While his 2023 season was disappointing, Higgins has a strong sample size, big play ability, and relative youth at only 25 years old. He has posted two seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards and has caught 24 TD passes. Higgins would see a significant increase in target volume if he was in an offense without a proper Alpha like Ja’Marr Chase. Cincinnati wants Higgins back, but they may not be able to afford him long term, and this offseason we could see a change.
5 – Saquon Barkley – RB | NY Giants
Age: 27
New York could choose to franchise tag Barkley or extend him. But If he hits the open market, it will be one of the most pivoting Free Agent RB signings ever for fantasy. Barkley has bounced back from an injury riddled 2020 and disappointing 2021 to finish with back-to-back seasons of 17.8 and 15.9 fantasy points per game and 20 combined TDs.
His receiving ability, coupled with his strong running, makes Barkley an instant impact player wherever he lands. Barkley has five seasons with 40 or more receptions and could immediately be a 60-65 reception player in the right system. This RB class is deep, but Barkley is the largest domino to fall and is the player with the largest potential fantasy impact.
6 – Josh Jacobs – RB | Las Vegas
Age: 26
Jacobs’s production leveled off last year. This is just one season after his career year in 2022. He should still be a very appealing player for teams looking for an upgrade at RB. Jacobs has never averaged less than 13.9 fantasy points per game in any season of his career and is underrated as a receiver with 197 catches in five seasons as a pro. Despite his experience, Jacobs is still only 26 years old. His situation resembles Miles Sanders‘s last year when he signed with Carolina, but Jacobs has been far more productive as a pro. There will be a long line of suitors for Jacobs this offseason.
7 – Calvin Ridley – WR | Jacksonville
Age: 29
Ridley had a meteoric rise in ADP last summer and failed to deliver to the fantasy managers who bet on him posting WR1-level numbers. But his season overall was a huge success and a positive. He missed the entire 2022 season with a suspension and only played five games in 2021. Ridley finished the 2023 season with his second 1,000-yard receiving performance of his career. He also posted his second-highest target and catch totals. The 29-year-old Ridley could return to Jacksonville or test the market. There is also a lack of clarity on potential pick compensation that the Jaguars will owe Atlanta if Ridley extends his contract with the Jaguars.
8 – Derrick Henry – RB | Tennessee
Age: 30
King Henry is most likely on the move after an illustrious career in Tennessee. New Head Coach Brian Callahan has left the door open for Henry to return, but it seems unlikely as the two sides are trending in opposite directions. Tennessee needs to get younger and rebuild, and Henry has a short window to chase a Super Bowl ring with a contender.
Baltimore tried to trade for Henry last season, and his name has been mentioned in connection with Dallas and Philadelphia. The final chapter of Henry’s career could be very exciting.
9 – Marquise “Hollywood” Brown – WR | Arizona
Age: 26
We are less than two years removed from Arizona sending a first round pick to Baltimore for Brown and a third rounder. The 2023 season was an odd one for Brown. He had some strong moments with Josh Dobbs behind center to start the season, and then failed to capitalize on Kyler Murray‘s return. He finished the season with his lowest PPR fantasy points per game mark of his career with 9.6. The market could be more enthusiastic on Brown than fantasy managers. Brown will be 27 years old in 2024 and has flashed big play ability in multiple seasons.
10 – Dalton Schultz – TE | Houston
Age: 27
Tales of Schultz’s 2024 demise were greatly exaggerated. The narrative that Schultz was simply a product of Dak Prescott‘s love of the TE position was partly put to bed. Schultz landed in Houston and had another TE1 finish with rookie sensation C.J. Stroud. Few TEs have been as consistent as Schultz over the past three years, with PPR PPG finishes of TE 5, TE 9, and TE 11 overall. Houston will most likely try to re-sign Schultz, but he could take advantage of a relatively weak NFL Free Agent market and play for his third different team in three seasons.
11 – Tony Pollard – RB | Dallas
Age: 26
Pollard failed to deliver on his borderline first round ADP in 2023, finishing with 13.1 PPG. His volume increased significantly from 2022, but his production and efficiency dipped considerably. Pollard had his first season with more than 200 carries and rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive year.
A consistent pass catcher, Pollard has had three straight seasons with 39 or more receptions. The depth of the RB position this year in Free Agency could make Pollard a bargain for someone. Whether he can maintain his production level outside of Dallas remains a big question.
12 – Baker Mayfield – QB | Tampa Bay
Age: 28
Mayfield had a career renaissance in his first season in Tampa. He posted career highs in nearly every category: passing yards, TD passes, and completion percentage. Mayfield also supported Mike Evans on his way to a top six WR finish. All indications are that Mayfield has earned an extension. Look for him to earn a comparable deal to Geno Smith in Seattle.
13 – D’Andre Swift – RB | Philadelphia
Age: 25
Swift had a solid first season in Philadelphia and finished with the first 1,000-yard season of his career. He played 16 games, which was a career high. The Eagles seem unlikely to pay any RB a huge amount of money, and Swift will test the waters. Re-signing with the Eagles would be an adequate fantasy result, but Swift could see his receiving numbers increase dramatically if he were to sign elsewhere. Swift’s 39 receptions were the lowest total of his career.
14 – Austin Ekeler – RB Los Angeles
Age: 29
Ekeler’s PPG average fell off sharply this season, and his play down the stretch was disappointing. The market could be very cool on Ekeler, but he can still thrive as a receiver for the right team. There is also a chance that Los Angeles could bring him back and he finishes his career as a Charger. The Jim Harbaugh hire has left a shroud of mystery over the skill position players in LA.
15 – Hunter Henry – TE | New England
Age: 29
Henry finished as TE15 overall in PPR fantasy points per game and displayed his reliability in the red zone, finishing with six TD catches.
Much like Schultz, Henry will take advantage of a limited TE market as an appealing option for several teams. Henry could land well or simply re-sign with New England.
16 – Ryan Tannehill – QB | Tennessee
Age: 35
Tannehill is entering his 12th season in the league. Tennesse turned to Will Levis last season, and Tannehill’s career as a Titan looks to be over. He will be viewed as a stop gap option for some teams and a backup for others, but there will be a strong market for a QB with his level of experience. Teams like Pittsburgh and Atlanta could have Tannehill as a fallback option. There is also a chance a team that drafts a QB like JJ McCarthy could bring Tannehill in as a temporary starter.
17 – Gabe Davis – WR | Buffalo
Age: 24.8
Davis is a strong candidate to be this year’s “huh, they paid him THAT much” NFL Free Agent signee. While he has seen his peaks and valleys in fantasy, Davis is not yet 25 years old and has caught 27 TD passes. He is an inconsistent fantasy producer and a classic “better in best ball” type of player, but Davis can help many NFL teams stylistically as a deep threat. Look for him to receive similar money to Marquez Valdes-Scantling a few seasons back.
18 – Devin Singletary – RB | Houston
Age: 26
Singletary arrived in Houston with little fanfare or enthusiasm with fantasy managers. The expectation was that second year running back Dameon Pierce was the running back to roster on the Texans, and Singletary was simply a handcuff. Singletary went onto outplay Pierce and finish as an RB3 or better for the fourth season of his NFL career. He has three straight seasons with 800+ rushing yards and has caught 30 or more passes for four straight seasons. The Texans have a ton of cap space and could look to upgrade the RB spot. However, they also could re-sign Singletary to a team friendly deal and add a running back in the NFL Draft.
19 – Noah Fant – TE | Seattle
Age: 26
After leaving Denver in the Russell Wilson trade, Fant took a significant step back in fantasy production. As a Seahawk, Fant never finished higher than No. 23 in PPR fantasy points per game.
Still, Fant has had two TE1 seasons and is a former first-round draft pick. The market for him should be higher than what we saw with Irv Smith last season when he landed in Cincinnati.
20 – Darnell Mooney – WR | Chicago
Age: 26
Mooney had a very promising second season in the league in 2021, finishing with over 1,000 receiving yards and 81 receptions. Since then, his production has taken a major step back. Chicago will attempt to re-sign Mooney, but if he moves on, he could see a volume increase.
BONUS RANKINGS!
21- Curtis Samuel – WR | Washington
Age: 28
Samuel has played for Ron Rivera for almost his entire NFL career- first in Carolina and then Washington. With Dan Quinn now in charge, and Kliff Kingsbury running the Washington offense, Samuel could be looking for a new home. He played well the past two seasons, with 60+ receptions and 600+ receiving yards in both. Samuel also offers teams the versatility of his rushing ability (45 carries the last two seasons combined).
22- Odell Beckham Jr. – WR | Baltimore
Age: 31
Beckham’s production was at an all-time low in 2023, finishing with his lowest PPR fantasy points per game mark of his career. Look for him to chase a ring with another contender. He will be a bye week fill in at best no matter what his team situation is in 2024.
Others to Watch
AJ Dillon – RB | Green Bay
JK Dobbins – RB | Baltimore
Zack Moss – RB | Indianapolis
Mike Gesicki – TE | New England
Gerald Everett – TE | Los Angeles Chargers
Tyler Boyd – WR | Cincinnati
Noah Brown – WR | Houston
KJ Osborn – WR | Minnesota
