Win Your Fantasy Football League With These MVPs

We are under a week from kickoff, and drafts are in full swing. Football is officially back, and it’s time to lock in that last-minute edge to elevate your team from average to unstoppable. If you’re aiming for a championship, these fantasy MVPs — handpicked by the Ballers and a few special guests — are the players you need to build your squad around. These are the flag plant guys that you can have confidence in. No fluff, just the key players you can’t afford to miss.

Double the Love for Kyle Pitts

Rich Hribar — @LordReebs

• “Fake Football Meteorologist” at Sharp Football Analysis
• Sleeper ADP: TE7/6.01 || Ballers Consensus: TE8

Kyle Pitts turns 24 in October, highlighting just how young and full of potential he still is. To put that in perspective, Travis Kelce didn’t even catch his first NFL pass until he was almost 25, while Pitts has already posted a 1,000-yard season. Transitioning to Kirk Cousins and Zack Robinson’s offense could be a game-changer for Pitts, especially considering how much he’s struggled with inaccurate passes in his career. Since entering the league, 16.2% of Pitts targets have been inaccurate due to poor quarterback play. His new QB Kirk Cousins, on the other hand, had the second-lowest inaccuracy rate and fourth-lowest inaccuracy rate to TEs in 2023, which will significantly boost Pitts’ production.

Nathan Jahnke — @PFF_NateJahnke

• Senior Software Engineer & Lead Fantasy Analyst at Pro Football Focus
• Sleeper ADP: TE7/6.01 || Ballers Consensus: TE8

Kyle Pitts is still younger than some of the rookies coming into the league, and he’s already shown flashes of what he can do, even though he wasn’t running enough routes and had to deal with bad QB play. Last year, he was only on the field for about 64% of the offensive snaps, but you can bet that number’s going up. Pitts needs more short targets, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to get them. Considering he’s been playing with some of the worst QB play in the league — only the Jets were worse — it’s clear he’s got plenty of room to improve with the right opportunities.

The Golden Ticket

Kyle Pitts is Parks and Recreation pic.twitter.com/WKKg54yFuY

— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) August 30, 2024

Garrett Wilson Breakout Season

Ben Gretch — @YardsPerGretch

• Stealing Signals Newsletter
• Sleeper ADP: WR7/2.01 || Ballers Consensus: WR7

As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, third-year wide receiver Garrett Wilson is primed to break into the elite tier in 2024. Last year, Zach Wilson struggled with reading defenses and pushing the ball downfield, which is why Breece Hall ended up leading all running backs in targets in 2023. This changes with an upgrade to Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. If you look at what Garrett Wilson excels at, it’s clear that his skills will shine with Rodgers under center. Expect him to command a massive target share in an offense lacking strong secondary options, and double-digit touchdowns are definitely within reach with Rodgers at the helm.

Go Birds

Kyle Borgognoni – @kyle_borg

• Editor in Chief // Host: DFS & Betting/Dyno Pod

Draft players from the Philadelphia Eagles. What if it’s everybody? What if the offense takes a leap forward together? Jalen Hurts has the potential to finish as the QB1, and Saquon Barkley could easily be a top-five RB again. Imagine A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith ending up both as WR1s, especially with Smith likely to benefit from valuable slot targets in Kellen Moore‘s new offense. They both achieved WR1 status in 2022, so why not again? If this offense steps up, it could be a high-scoring powerhouse, and you’ll want as many pieces of it as possible. Who is the MVP of this offense? If Kyle can’t draft them all, he’s drafting DeVonta Smith.

With new OC Kellen Moore’s arrival, the Philly passing game should get an overall upgrade in 2024.

Part of that shift is his emphasis on pre-snap motion (Eagles ranked dead last in 2023) and more “layup” type throws for WRs in the slot.

— Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg) August 18, 2024

Rice Rice Baby

Matthew Betz — @TheFantasyPT

• Injury Expert/Head Writer// Host: DFS & Betting/Dyno Pod
• Sleeper ADP: WR38/7.10 || Ballers Consensus: WR29

If it weren’t for the off-the-field legal issues, Rashee Rice would be going much higher in drafts. He emerged as Patrick Mahomes‘ go-to option down the stretch last season. Is there some risk in drafting him? Sure, he could face a suspension later in the year, but that’s baked into his ADP. We just got word that he won’t be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, and they’ll let the legal situation play out, potentially pushing any consequences into the 2025 season. Rice was outstanding as a rookie, averaging 2.21 yards per route run. Suppose the Chiefs continue to manage Travis Kelce‘s snaps to keep him fresh. If that’s the case, Rice could step up as Mahomes’ go-to receiver in what should be a high-flying offense. Everything the Chiefs are doing shows they want to bring back that explosive passing game. While his ADP is currently in the back of the seventh round, grabbing him in the fifth still offers excellent value if you want to reach for this impactful player who could see a big breakout in year two.

Great Prospect + Great Opportunity = MVP

JJ Zachariason – @LateRoundQB

• Host of the Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast & Living The Stream
• Sleeper ADP: WR47/9.09 || Ballers Consensus: WR38

Brian Thomas Jr. scored an impressive 94.5 in J.J. Zacharison’s prospect model, showing he’s got some serious potential. This year, he might step into a role similar to Calvin Ridley‘s in the Jaguars’ offense. Even though Ridley had a rough season last year, he was still a borderline WR1 in expected fantasy points per game. So, we’re talking about a solid prospect in a great spot. At his current price, Thomas is definitely worth the pick. He’s got a great opportunity as the explosive option for Trevor Lawrence to outperform his ADP and win your fantasy leagues.

Justin Jefferson Is HIM

Kay Adams — @heykayadams/@upandadamsshow

• Up and Adams Show
• Sleeper ADP: 1.04/WR3 || Ballers Consensus: WR6

When it comes to value, production, and track record, it’s hard to ignore how Justin Jefferson is going eighth overall in ADP — that seems wild. Being ranked fifth among receivers, he has a great chance to outproduce everyone. Despite playing with a rotating cast of subpar quarterbacks last year, he still managed to rack up 1,000 yards in just eight full games, even with four different QBs. Sure, there are questions about Sam Darnold, but I have faith in this offense and Kevin O’Connell. Jefferson’s production isn’t tied to who’s throwing him the ball, as he demonstrated last season. He averaged the most yards per game of his career, proving he’s going to be a target hog no matter what.

Take Cooper Kupp Everywhere

Andy Holloway – @andyholloway

• Sleeper ADP: WR20/4.03 || Ballers Consensus: WR15

Andy mentioned at the live show in L.A. that he’s picking the Rams to win the NFC West this year. With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp both potentially finishing as top-12 receivers, Kupp’s value right now is outstanding. His current ADP is WR14. The two areas Kupp edged out Nacua last year were in the slot and inside the red zone. The news in camp is that the “offense runs through Cooper Kupp,“ making him an intriguing WR2 pick, a price we used to pay three to four years ago. He is ranked above his ADP by all three Fantasy Footballers and is an absolute must-draft. Still need more reasons to draft Cooper Kupp? Check out Javier Manzanera’s “Respect Your Elders: Cooper Kupp“ article for a deeper dive.

The Elite TE You Can Draft in the Fifth Round

Jason Moore — @jasonFFL

• Sleeper ADP: TE5/5.03 || Ballers Consensus: TE5

Dalton Kincaid‘s draft cost in the fifth round is a steal, offering you access to an elite tight end on a high-powered offense without the hefty price tag of LaPorta or Kelce, who go two rounds earlier. This lets you invest in top RBs and WRs early while still potentially landing the TE1. While Sam LaPorta might have overshadowed Kincaid, it’s worth noting that Kincaid quietly amassed the fourth-most receptions ever (73) for a rookie tight end. He also had seven top-12 finishes, matching Jake Ferguson and Trey McBride. Jason projects Kincaid as the top target earner in the Buffalo offense. With Josh Allen as his QB and an offense that has opened up significant target opportunities, Kincaid is poised for a breakout year and could emerge as the Bills’ number two target. Find out why he’s staff writer Aaron Larson’s My Guy here.

Kenneth “Bone” Walker SZN

Mike Wright — @FFHitman

• Sleeper ADP: 4.09/RB16 || Ballers Consensus: RB17

“He’s in the BONE ZONE!“ If you know, you know. From Weeks 1 to 10 last season, Walker was the RB6 before an injury sidelined him in Week 11. During that stretch, he handled 77% of the team’s RB attempts, the fifth-highest in the league. Once fully recovered, his share of attempts jumped to 82%, which would have been the third highest. Although he had just an 8% target share, Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb is already talking about upping his target share. Seattle was dead last in offensive plays per game last year — that tempo will go up under Grubb. If Walker can hit a high 70% of RB attempts and a 10% target share, he will crush his ADP. At just 23, Walker is sandwiched in drafts between Joe Mixon (28), Alvin Kamara (29), Aaron Jones (30), and James Conner (29). Walker is an excellent value in drafts and a home run.

With kickoff just around the corner, draft these MVPs with full confidence. From breakout stars like Kyle Pitts and Garrett Wilson to solid values on vets like Cooper Kupp, these players will lead your team to a championship. As you wrap up your draft prep, remember to check out the Ultimate Draft Kit — the Footballer’s comprehensive resource designed to help fantasy football managers dominate their drafts.