2024 Fantasy Football: Here are 3 players whose value decreased after the NFL Draft!

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The NFL draft season is over, but fantasy managers’ draft seasons are just getting started. It’s time to grind and research what players are going to be valuable fantasy assets and what players to fade. Here are three guys whose value decreased after the draft has come and gone.

🐏 Kyren Williams 

A few months ago, I wrote an article called “Five 2023 Studs Who Are Here to Stay for Fantasy Football 2024”, and Kyren was a player I mentioned. Williams had an incredible 2023 season and finished as the RB7 (PPR) despite playing in only 12 games. He was a league winner for many teams, being drafted on average as the RB52 and the 167th overall player. As of a few months ago, there is a little bit of uncertainty in the Rams’ backfield. Dynasty managers held their breath during the 2024 draft, hoping L.A. wouldn’t take a running back early and potentially spoil Williams’ workhorse role. The Rams ended up selecting Blake Corum with the 83rd overall pick. Now, I do believe the backfield still belongs to Kyren Williams. He very clearly earned it. I also believe he will put up decent numbers this next season. But with that being said, Blake Corum was drafted with decent draft capital for a reason. He will have a role and that role will take valuable touches away from Williams. Williams is by no means off my draft board, but the arrival of Corum does limit his upside and his chances of finishing as the overall RB1.

*Data pulled from top 100 NFL running backs in 2023 (min 100 attempts)

☠️ Michael Mayer

What are the Raiders doing? In the 2022 NFL Draft, they select Michael Mayer with the 35th overall pick; a highly talented and record-setting tight end out of Notre Dame. He holds the record for most receptions, yards, and touchdowns among Notre Dame tight ends. He was supposed to be the Raider’s next star pass catcher, that is until they select ANOTHER record setting tight end in the 2023 draft with the 13th overall pick: University of Georgia superstar, Brock Bowers. This wouldn’t be such a head-scratching move if an early second-round pick wasn't just used on Mayer. This surprise muddies the water for Mayer’s fantasy outlook. Michael Mayer is a great talent and was one of my favorite sleeper candidates coming into the season. He had a quiet 2023 season, catching 27 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns. He’d finish the year as the TE35, yet he had three finishes inside of the top 10. His season didn’t show much to get excited about, but there was definite hope and path for him being a key cog of the Raiders offense coming into the 2024 season. At this point in time, it is safe to assume a breakout season is highly unlikely. Who knows how or even if the Raiders will utilize two tight ends this next season? Regardless of what they do, Bowers is such a dangerous threat in the receiving game, that Mayer will likely operate as their second tight end. He can be left off of your draft board but is an intriguing dynasty option if he gets traded or signs elsewhere in the coming years. 

*Data pulled from top 100 NFL pass catchers in 2023 

💣 Gabe Davis 

Gabe Davis has been a potential breakout candidate for the past three seasons. It’s so easy to chase his monster eight catch, 201 yards, and four touchdown game in the 2022 playoffs. That game alone would boost his ADP to WR24 the following season, yet he’s never finished a season higher than the WR36 (PPR). That one playoff game showed us his potential, but he ultimately failed to live up to the hype in Buffalo and needed a fresh start. Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2023 offseason in what seemed to be a good fit. The Jaguars just lost their deep-threat experiment in Calvin Ridley and needed his replacement. Jump a few months later, and the Jaguars select wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., a big-bodied deep threat from LSU. TOUGH. If Gabe Davis couldn’t put it together as Josh Allen’s number two target, he isn’t going to break out as Trevor Lawrence’s number three (or even four) target. Christian Kirk and Evan Engram will both be the top options for Lawrence this season, with Davis and Thomas Jr. competing for targets deep downfield. 

*Data pulled from top 100 NFL pass catchers in 2023 

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