One way to ring in the New Year with the right mindset is to appreciate the special performances we saw from a handful of DFS superstars from the 2024 NFL season.
Here are some of the top DFS performers from the 2024 NFL season who could continue to tear up the league into 2025 and beyond:
Saquon Barkley
When you’ve hit the 2,000 yard rushing benchmark prior to the end of an NFL season and finished just short of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record because you sat out for the playoffs, you know you’ve accomplished something special.
Saquon Barkley had 2,005 rushing yards and 11 100-yard rushing performances on the year. If this wasn’t outstanding enough, he has topped 140 yards on the ground in seven of those contests. Many of these big performances are due to his consistent ability to rip off explosive runs this season, where he has 17 runs of 20+ yards on the season.
Barkley’s 22.2 fantasy points per game (PPG) puts him in rare company when ranking his 2024 campaign amongst the best fantasy seasons of all time, but not quite at the top. If not for being vultured on the one yard line by Jalen Hurts on 10+ occasions this season – then we may have very well seen the best fantasy season from any back since the turn of the millennium.
Lamar Jackson
It may hard to believe, but Lamar Jackson really has been better in 2024 than both of his MVP seasons in the league.
Need proof? Just look for yourself.
2019 MVP Season
Passing Yards: 3,127
Passing TDs: 36
INTs: 6
Rushing Yards: 1,206
Rushing TDs: 7
2023 MVP Season
Passing Yards: 3,678
Passing TDs: 24
INTs: 7
Rushing Yards: 821
Rushing TDs: 5
2024 Season
Passing Yards: 3,955
Passing TDs: 39
INTs: 4
Rushing Yards: 852
Rushing TDs: 4
The rushing touchdowns have dropped a touch from his previous two MVP campaigns, but that may have to do with the fact Derrick Henry is now the preferred goal line option on the ground – which has likely helped open things up for Jackson through the air.
His career best in passing yardage and passing scores combined with his continued impact as a runner has actually elevated his already insanely high fantasy floor while giving him a ceiling that no other dual threat quarterback, outside of Josh Allen, has been able to match this year.
Jackson has been a top dollar option in DFS contests, but one that has been worth every penny in 2024.
Ja’Marr Chase
Ever since Ja’Marr Chase has entered the league, he has been flirting with a breakout WR1 campaign. In 2024, he finally delivered on that upside with his 117 receptions for 1,612 yards and 16 scores.
The Bengals may have gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season, but when the team decided to put the fate of the team in Joe Burrow’s hands, it finally unleashed Chase’s insane fantasy ceiling.
Chase has averaged a very healthy 10 targets per game, but that is mostly due to him seeing north of 11 targets in seven of the last nine contests of the calendar year.
Chase also has registered five multi-score performances, which has help make him the elite fantasy DFS option at the WR position in 2024.
Brock Bowers
Sometimes history has a weird of repeating itself.
Just one year after Sam LaPorta destroyed the narrative that rookie tight ends don’t make a fantasy impact with a TE1 overall finish, Brock Bowers topped that benchmark by achieving a TE1 overall campaign in his first pro season by setting an NFL record with 1,144 yards his rookie year.
Bowers 108 receptions and aforementioned 1,144 yards led all tight ends in both categories – which has made an elite DFS option at the position in 2024.
Joe Burrow
In case we needed a reminder, Joe Burrow has quickly reminded everyone he is an elite fantasy producer under center with a career best 4,641 yards and 42 touchdowns in his bounce back 2024 campaign.
Burrow has thrown for a minimum of three touchdowns over his last eight games of the 2024 calendar year, which is absurd.
This eight game stretch includes three 300-yard performances and a pair of 400-yard performances.
Despite missing the playoffs, Burrow has firmly reestablished himself as an elite fantasy producer at the QB position entering 2025 and beyond.
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Ranking the Top NFL Players for DFS of the 2024 NFL Season