Ah, late January. What a time in the fantasy space. All the counting is done, the stats are tallied, and the trophies and winnings are meted out. The 2024 rookie class has all declared. The NFL Playoffs are in full swing, and the redraft casuals have slunk into the background like Homer Simpson into the bush.
If you listen closely, however, you can hear a faint skittering. Imagine an ASMR of roaches running around on your kitchen floor. That’s the sound. That faint skittering is the clamor of fantasy football degenerates.
Degenerates like me – writing this.
Degenerates like you – reading this.
The fantasy season never stops in Devy; it changes its leaves like the maples in Ann Arbor. We’re here together because the grind never stops. I don’t stop writing. You don’t stop reading. You’re looking for that edge. That singular nugget that will set you apart in your leagues. I’m here to give it to you. I will do the work so you won’t have to.
Let’s get a jump start on some 2024 Devy targets before your league mates. Most eyes are on Dynasty rookie mocks and rankings. Those are for 2024. In Devy, we’re looking at 2025 or 2026. They’re playing checkers. We’re playing 5-D chess. They’re zigging. We’re zagging. We’re uncovering the new projected starters and class risers that will bring value in Devy startup drafts and are good trade targets in established leagues.
In startups, we want to focus on later picks. We want to uncover the gems from smaller or less hyped schools.
In established leagues, we want to identify guys with a good likelihood of NFL production that you can acquire in exchange for your high-production points-getters who helped you on the campus side but likely won’t transition to the NFL side.
This is the edge.
Irresponsibily Early Top 10 Devy League Targets for 2024
1. Rocco Becht – QB – Iowa State – 2023 Starter
Rocco, son of former NFL TE Anthony Becht, is entering his Redshirt (RS) Sophomore season for the Cyclones in 2024. He’s coming off a season that saw expected highs and lows for a Freshman starter. Against Oklahoma, Becht finished with a 45.5% comp on 33 passes and two interceptions. That isn’t good. The 2023 Liberty Bowl was a different story. That game was Becht’s coming out party. He threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns, following another three-TD performance in the last game of the regular season. Becht isn’t on a lot of radars. He didn’t register a Fantrax ADP in 2023, which will change. Becht is a “get in on the ground floor” prospect. Early production, a (roughly)3:1 TD/INT rate as a Freshman, and NFL bloodlines.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your QB4 in startups; Target as a waiver wire pickup or trade throw-in.
2. Taylen Green – QB – Arkansas – 2023 Starter
Green was the dual-threat starter at Boise State in 2023 after showcasing his skills in the conference championship game, throwing for two TDs and rushing for two. He finished the season 5th in QB YPC among QBs with 75 or more carries. Green announced he was transferring to Arkansas. The departure of KJ Jefferson in Fayetteville left an opening for a QB of that style with a system already in place. At 6’6″, Green is a tall QB and a long strider in the run game. He’ll likely play at U of A in 2024 and 2025, giving him time to add more bulk and showcase his talents at an SEC school.
PATH FORWARD
Draft in Round 12 or later in startups; Target in trades.
3. Alex Orji – QB – Michigan – 2024 QB Competition
Orji isn’t a “dual-threat” QB. He is a triple-threat QB/KR. You read that right. Kick returner. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh thinks Orji could be a great one. “Alex Orji has got a chance to maybe be one of the greatest kick returners of all time.” It’s not often a QB returns kicks, but here we are. Orji was used sparingly during the Wolverines’ National Title run and will enter Spring Ball in a competition at the QB position. Acquiring him in Devy is a wager on his athleticism. He may stick at Quarterback. He may become a TE. Nobody is sure right now, but I’m banking on the athleticism of a Michigan QB recruit who weighs 235+ and is faster and more elusive than the other guys on the field.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your QB5 in startups; Target as a waiver wire pickup or trade throw-in.
4. CJ Donaldson – RB – West Virginia – 2023 Starter
Donaldson is what some people would call a “bruiser.” He is listed at 238 lbs. running a 40-yard dash somewhere in the 4.4s; he’s a load to bring down. This is not a satellite back. With only nine receptions as a true Sophomore, Donaldson’s future lies between the tackles and picking up the tough yards. He has the physical profile and early production that screams “Top 12 Dynasty finish.” A significant indicator of this is his TD production that matched more highly touted running backs such as TreVeon Henderson and Bucky Irving and more than 2024 rookies Jonathan Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, and Frank Gore Jr. The 2024 season should be Donaldson’s statement to the NFL that he’s a great one.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your RB2 in startups; Target in trades.
5. Trey Holly – RB – LSU – 2024 RB Committee
Did you know that 10,523 yards is the Louisiana state high school rushing record? I bet you didn’t, and now you do. Holly did that. He is one of the most coveted running backs in state history, and his role for the Bayou Bengals will be established in 2024. Holly is a smaller running back. Please think of the stature of De’Von Achane or Deuce Vaughn, and he has the 4.3 40-yard dash time to go with it. Holly and his 225 lb. backfield mate, Kaleb Jackson, will look to create a Thunder and Lightning tandem in Baton Rouge and lead the program back to Championship contention. This Spring Ball season will tell us more where he fits.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your RB6 in startups; Target as a waiver wire pickup or trade throw-in.
6. Jordan Louie – RB – North Carolina – 2024 Backup
Jordan Louie is a few years away. Sharing a backfield with a bucketload of NFL prospects, including the presumptive 2025 #1 Omarion Hampton, won’t be easy. A true Freshman in 2023, Louie could elect to redshirt to give himself time to establish a role. He could enter the transfer portal at some point, as well. Only time will tell, but with a good size and speed profile, Louie projects as an all-around bell-cow that will make waves when he decides to enter the NFL Draft between 2026 and 2028.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your last RB in startups; Target as a waiver wire pickup.
7. Kojo Antwi – WR – Ohio State
It may be redundant to list the Ohio State wide receivers that have impacted fantasy since WR coach Brian Hartline ascended to WR Guru, but I’m gonna. Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Chris Olave. That’s a lot. Wait! I wasn’t done. Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Terry McLaurin, and Parris Campbell.
Apart from Egbuka returning to school, the next crop of 6-8 studs that will emerge is to be determined. The history of success sustained by the Buckeyes program means that it’s more likely than not that taking a chance on receivers recruited to the program will pay off. Enter Antwi. He stands 6′, 200 lbs., fast, explosive, “a playmaker”. It seems to fit the profile. While he didn’t break out during his second year, he has stuck with Hartline’s program and impressed his coach. Antwi is worth the flyer as a later-round addition and will be easy to move on from if he doesn’t break out in 2024.
PATH FORWARD
Draft late in startups; Target as a waiver add.
8. Monaray Baldwin – WR – Baylor
Tyreek Hill vibes. Baldwin exudes Tyreek Hill vibes. He can run 23 MPH. Monaray bench presses 405, squats 550, and power cleans 300. He’s also a team leader, jumping on Baylor teammates for not putting in enough effort. Baldwin’s production may not get him to the league, but his freakish athleticism and competitiveness should. Entering his Senior year in 2024, he seems to have found his niche in the Bears’ offense. Finishing with similar fantasy points scored, yards (565 and 623), TDs, yards per catch, and yards per game two seasons in a row alludes to his LACK of value in campus leagues, but things break right for him; he could become a star for cheap. Remember, Tyreek was a JUCO recruit and a 5th rounder out of West Alabama, who had 281 yards receiving as a Junior returner/gadget player at Oklahoma State.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your WR7 in startups; Target as a waiver add or trade throw-in.
9. Noah Rogers – WR – North Carolina State
You might recall my effusive praise of Ohio State WR recruits when discussing Kojo Antwi. Well, for the sake of brevity, I won’t repeat it. Go back and re-read if you forgot, I’ll wait. OK, now that you’re back, apply that to Noah Rogers. But wait! You might be saying out loud now. The header says “North Carolina State.” Well, it does. That’s because, for whatever reason(s), Rogers decided to enter the transfer portal and take his talents to Raleigh. Rogers was a Top 50 WR recruit nationally, so the talent is there. He should be able to thrive in a less loaded program, and with no statistics after two seasons at OSU, there won’t be a market for him. Take advantage now.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as late as Antwi in startups; Target as a waiver add.
10. Amari NiBlack – TE – Texas
Uh oh – here comes another juke! The header says, “Texas,” but the uniform in the picture is from Alabama. We have another portal transfer! If I were NiBlack, I would have left, too. The Alabama offense isn’t geared toward tight-end production. Texas, however, is a more TE-friendly environment. Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas’ TE1 in 2023, had 682 receiving yards on 45 catches. That was 3rd behind Brock Bowers and Dallin Holker. By contrast, NiBlack had 20 catches for 327 yards. That’s less than half the production. But NiBlack had a higher yard per catch than Sanders, Bowers, and Hooker. Double the opportunities by moving to a new program. NiBlack is a Top 5 TE, and you’ll be the first to see it coming. Well, the second.
PATH FORWARD
Draft as your TE2 in startups; Target in trades.
Caveats
I have a couple of caveats to finish this up. First, I don’t like writing about situations I don’t mirror. I put my money where my mouth is, so these are all players I own or will trade for or pick up. The second is that these situations are fluid. Spring practices may change some things, so follow me here and on Twitter and YouTube as I keep us up to date on things like that. I need to know, too.
Finally, I suggest making trades, but you’ll want to know who you should trade away. That’s next time. See you then.
