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USATSI

The 2024 rookie class was special, and we should have several stars for years to come. But these guys were also pretty awesome this past season as well.

This class produced the No. 1 Fantasy tight end (Brock Bowers), the No. 5 quarterback (Jayden Daniels), two top-six wide receivers (Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.) and the No. 12 running back (Bucky Irving). You might have been able to win a Fantasy championship with just rookies alone. They were that good.

The lone disappointment was probably Marvin Harrison Jr., who was drafted as the first rookie off the board with an Average Draft Position on CBS Sports at 20.7 overall. But he finished as WR30 and failed to make the 2024 All-Rookie Team.

Hopefully, Harrison will be better as a sophomore in 2025. But let's recognize the top rookies in 2024 with the All-Rookie Team.

All-Rookie Team

QB: Jayden Daniels

RB: Bucky Irving

RB: Tyrone Tracy Jr.

WR: Brian Thomas Jr.

WR: Malik Nabers

WR: Ladd McConkey

TE: Brock Bowers

FLEX: Xavier Worthy

We thought Daniels had the chance to be good, but he far exceeded our expectations. He finished as the QB5 at 23.8 Fantasy points per game, and he was second in rushing yards among quarterbacks with 891, trailing only Lamar Jackson (915).

The running backs in this class struggled overall, especially with Jonathon Brooks (ACL) getting injured. But Irving had a standout season as the No. 12 PPR running back, and he averaged 14.4 PPR points per game. From Week 6 on, Irving scored at least 15.4 PPR points in nine of 12 games, and he scored at least 18.2 PPR points in the final two games of the Fantasy playoffs (Weeks 16 and 17).

Tracy wasn't as successful as Irving, but he still finished as RB26 at 10.7 PPR points per game. Once the Giants made him their featured running back in Week 5, he scored at least 14 PPR points in seven of 12 games through the Fantasy playoffs in Week 17.

The receivers are a huge strength of this class, and I can't wait to debate Thomas vs. Nabers for years to come. Thomas was better than Nabers in total PPR points (284-274.2) because he played two more games, but Nabers averaged more points per game (18.3-16.7).

Thomas actually played better with Mac Jones than he did with Trevor Lawrence, and Thomas closed the season with at least 18.7 PPR points in four of his final five games, including three in a row in the Fantasy playoffs with at least 23.9 PPR points.

Nabers was one of seven receivers this season to average more than 18.0 PPR points per game. He had a rocky campaign at times because of poor quarterback play, but he closed the season strong with at least 24.2 PPR points in two of three games in the Fantasy playoffs (Week 15 and Week 17).

McConkey finished the season as WR14, and he averaged 15.1 PPR points per game. From Week 11 on, McConkey was unstoppable and scored at least 16.5 PPR points in five of seven games, with no outing worse than 14.3 PPR points. 

Worthy also got hot at the end of the season, which is why he made the team ahead of Harrison. He scored at least 16.8 PPR points in four of his final seven games, including all three outings in the Fantasy playoffs with at least 19.6 PPR points. In those three games, Worthy became the go-to receiver for Patrick Mahomes with 31 targets.

Bowers was the easy choice at tight end, and he had a special season. He was the No. 2 Fantasy tight end in PPR points per game (15.5), but he was first in total points (263.1). And he set the record for most receptions by a rookie in NFL history (112) and the most yardage (1,194) by a rookie tight end.

Honorable Mention: Bo Nix, Drake Maye, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Xavier Legette