The 2024 fantasy football season culminated with a wide variety of players leading their teams to championship glory, but one name stood above the rest: Lamar Jackson. The Ravens superstar quarterback was the most common player on rosters of teams that made it to the finals, appearing in a whopping 38% of ESPN championship matchups. However, he was far from alone in his heroics.
While no individual player appeared on more than 38% of finalists’ rosters, an impressive 39 different players could be found on at least 25% of championship squads – the most in the past decade. This parity demonstrates that there were many paths to building a title contender in 2024.
Rookies and Late-Round Gems Shine Bright
Jackson may have led the way, but some of the biggest difference-makers were rookies and players who lasted until the later rounds of drafts. Lions rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs landed on a stunning 37.8% of finalist rosters despite an average draft position (ADP) of just 16th overall. His teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown made a similar impact at receiver, appearing on 37.6% of finalist rosters after an ADP of 7th.
Other rookie sensations like the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels (32.5% of finalists) and Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (35.3%) vastly outperformed their draft slots to carry teams to the promised land. Daniels in particular came on strong in the playoffs, with the 2nd most QB points in Weeks 16-17.
Massive Weeks When They Mattered Most
Several players saved their best performances for the playoffs, swinging countless matchups. The Dolphins’ unheralded Jonnu Smith was the top tight end over the final six weeks and appeared on over 29% of finalist rosters as an undrafted afterthought. Keenan Allen, Tyjae Spears, and Chig Okonkwo were semifinal heroes who fell just short of the overall top 50 despite massive performances.
Proving that you have to get your fantasy teams into the playoffs in order to capitalize upon a hot December, the Lions’ Jared Goff, the top-scoring quarterback in Weeks 16-17 (66.40 fantasy points), finds himself on a finalist’s roster in only 19.6% of ESPN leagues and outside the above top 50.
– Tristan H. Cockroft, ESPN
End of Season Busts and Injuries
Of course, not everyone was so fortunate. Cooper Kupp, who was on 56.4% of ESPN playoff teams, completely busted in the semifinals with back-to-back games under 6 PPR points. No player on more than half of playoff rosters missed the top 50 for finalists by a wider margin.
Injuries also dramatically reshaped the landscape, with David Montgomery dropping from 50.4% of playoff rosters to just 16.3% of finalists after getting hurt. Managers who dodged those landmines had a massive advantage.
Lessons Learned for 2025 and Beyond
Looking ahead to next season, the 2024 results show that elite quarterbacks are as valuable as ever, with three of the top ten most common players on finalist rosters. However, nailing mid-round RB and WR picks was also crucial, as evidenced by the likes of Gibbs, Achane, Cook, and others in that range.
- Don’t be afraid to trust talented rookies, even at thin positions like TE
- Lean into players on high-powered offenses like the Ravens and Lions
- One subpar semifinal week can sink a stud like Kupp – choose matchup-proof stars
As always, it takes a combination of savvy draft picks, smart in-season management, and a dose of good injury luck to capture a #FootClanTitle. You can bet that 2025 will bring its own cast of characters to the top of the mountain. Fantasy managers will be studying this year’s results intently to gain an edge and put themselves in position to hoist the virtual hardware next December.
