Fantasy Football Rankings 2024: NFL sleepers, busts, breakouts by model that called Deebo Samuel's hard year

The news that 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell was placed on IR and is out for the season may not have much of an effect on the 2024 Fantasy football rankings unless you plan on drafting Christian McCaffrey. Targeting 2024 Fantasy football handcuffs as insurance for your top running backs is a tried and true 2024 Fantasy football strategy. The Niners have several backup running backs on a stacked roster that includes Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, but which should McCaffrey be tied to? Outside of McCaffrey, San Francisco running backs combined for nearly 700 scrimmage yards and seven TDs last year, so this position could have standalone value as one of the top 2024 Fantasy football picks.

With reliable 2024 Fantasy football rankings, you can find value throughout your upcoming drafts and identify potential 2024 Fantasy football sleepers, 2024 Fantasy football breakouts, and 2024 Fantasy football busts. Before setting your 2024 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2024 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

Last year, the model accurately predicted that Buccaneers running back Rachaad White was being dramatically undervalued. White was coming off the board in the seventh round on average in 12-team PPR leagues, but he emerged as Tampa Bay's workhorse ball carrier and provided significantly more value than expected, finishing No. 4 at his position. White rushed for 990 yards and six touchdowns while adding 64 catches for 549 yards and three more scores as a receiver. Anybody who followed the model's advice scored an every week starting running back in the middle rounds.

The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as a sleeper in 2020 and nailing Jonathan Taylor's monstrous season in 2021. Additionally, it's called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.

The model is powered by the same people who generated projections for all three major Fantasy sites, and it beat human experts last season when there was a big difference in ranking. The 2024 Fantasy football PPR rankings and 2024 Fantasy football standard projections update multiple times daily, so you're always getting the best Fantasy football advice.

Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest 2024 Fantasy football rankings, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them .

Top 2024 Fantasy football sleepers

One of the 2024 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting: Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. A second-round pick out of USC in the 2020 NFL Draft, Pittman emerged as the No. 1 receiver on the Colts roster in 2021 and he's averaged 99 catches and 1,053 yards with 14 total touchdowns in the three years since despite the fact that Indianapolis cycled through Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan and Gardner Minshew as its primary starters.

However, now he should have an opportunity to settle in with Anthony Richardson as the long-term starter and their rapport is already strong. Richardson targeted Pittman at least 11 times in each of the first three weeks of the season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4. That expected workload is a big reason why the model likes Pittman over D.J. Moore and DK Metcalf, who are both being drafted a round earlier on average. See more Fantasy football sleepers 2024 here .

Top 2024 Fantasy football breakouts

One of the 2024 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting: Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. The LSU product led the FBS in touchdown receptions (17) and finished his career in Baton Rouge by catching 68 passes for 1,177 yards. With Calvin Ridley leaving for the Titans this offseason, the Jaguars selected Thomas with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft with hopes that he'll slot immediately into the starting lineup.

At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Thomas gives Trevor Lawrence an enormous catch radius to work with and should be one of his favorite targets in the red zone as a rookie. Those are all big reasons why the model ranks Thomas ahead of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jameson Williams and fellow rookie Rome Odunze, who are all being drafted ahead of him on average. See more Fantasy football breakouts 2024 here .

Top 2024 Fantasy football busts

As for players to avoid, the model lists Jets receiver Garrett Wilson as one of its 2024 Fantasy football busts. Wilson was primed to take a leap last year, but the Jets' quarterback situation caused him to go from the WR21 (2022) to the WR36 (2023). Aaron Rodgers will presumably last more than four plays this year, but the 40-year-old also hasn't been an elite quarterback since the 2021 season. Additionally, Wilson will have more competition for targets with a legitimate No. 2 option in Mike Williams in the fold, Allen Lazard still around, and the Jets drafting receiver Malachi Corley in the third round.

Then there's the fact that the Jets offense won't revolve around Rodgers and the passing game, as running back Breece Hall will be the focal point. Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett has spent 10 years as either an offensive coordinator or a head coach and his teams have ranked in the top 10 in pass attempts just once. Meanwhile, his teams have led the league in rushing attempts twice, as he prefers to lean on the ground game. With all of these factors, the model slots Wilson as the WR19 this season, despite him being drafted among the top 10 receivers on average. See more Fantasy football busts 2024 here

How to find proven 2024 Fantasy football football rankings

SportsLine is also extremely high on a surprising quarterback you aren't even thinking about being taken in the middle rounds of 2024 Fantasy football drafts. This quarterback is listed as a shocking top-10 option ahead of stars like Trevor Lawrence and Aaron Rodgers. You can only see who it is, and the 2023 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine .

So which 2024 Fantasy Football sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade, and which QB shocks the NFL with a top-10 performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2024 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that nailed Deebo Samuel as a bust last year , and find out.