Man, 2024 was a weird one for fantasy. If you told me in August that Baker Mayfield would outscore some of the "elite" tier QBs or that a rookie from Jacksonville would be the literal WR1 during the fantasy playoffs, I probably would’ve laughed you out of the draft room. But here we are, looking back at a season that broke a lot of brains.
Basically, the 2024 season was defined by a massive shift in where the points actually came from. We spent years being told that the "dead zone" for running backs was a place to avoid like the plague, but then we saw guys like Saquon Barkley and James Cook absolutely shatter those expectations. If you managed to snag the right fantasy point leaders 2024 had to offer, you likely spent December doing a victory lap while everyone else was complaining about injuries.
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The Quarterback Revolution: High Floors vs. Massive Ceilings
Let's talk about Josh Allen. Honestly, the guy is a fantasy cheat code. He finished 2024 with around 379.0 total fantasy points, marking his third straight year near that 380-400 range. That’s just stupidly consistent. He had this one game against the Rams where he dropped 51.88 points. Think about that. Most people are happy if their entire team gets 100 points, and Allen did half of that by himself.
But the real story isn't just Allen. It’s the dual-threat guys. Lamar Jackson was out there averaging 25.32 points per game. He had three different games where he rushed for over 87 yards. In a world where passing yards are being suppressed by two-high safety looks, those rushing yards are gold.
Then you’ve got the surprises. Baker Mayfield. Seriously. Baker finished with 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns. He was sitting on waivers in a lot of 10-team leagues in September. By December, he was carrying people to the finals. It’s a good reminder that "volume is king," and Tampa let him rip it.
The Guys Who Actually Won You Leagues
- Josh Allen (BUF): 22.3 PPG. The king of the hill.
- Lamar Jackson (BAL): 25.32 PPG. Highest per-game average.
- Joe Burrow (CIN): 21.93 PPG. One of only two guys to throw 5+ TDs in multiple games.
- Jayden Daniels (WAS): The rookie phenom who proved that rushing upside is the ultimate floor.
Why the Running Back "Dead Zone" Died in 2024
We have to talk about Saquon Barkley. Moving to Philly was the best thing that ever happened to his fantasy value, even with Jalen Hurts "vulturing" touchdowns at the goal line. Barkley was the RB1 between Weeks 1-17, averaging 21.2 points. The wild part? He got stopped at the 1-yard line 11 times. If half of those go for scores instead of Hurts "tush-pushing" them in, we’re talking about an all-time legendary season.
Christian McCaffrey was... well, he was CMC. Even with some injury scares late in the year, he finished with 24.5 fantasy points per game. That’s a massive gap over the field. He’s the only player who consistently feels like a WR1 and an RB1 packed into one roster spot.
But look at De'Von Achane. When Tua Tagovailoa was healthy, Achane was the RB2 in the entire league. His efficiency is just gross. He’s out there making defenders look like they’re running in sand. If you drafted him, you survived the weeks Tua was out and then rode him to a title.
Then there’s the James Cook situation. He tied for the most rushing TDs through Week 17 with 17 scores. Most experts thought he’d never be a goal-line guy because of his size, but Buffalo proved everyone wrong. He’s a prime example of why we shouldn't get too attached to "player archetypes."
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The Wide Receiver Landscape: A New Guard
Ja'Marr Chase didn't just play well; he dominated. He won the receiving triple crown—leading the league in catches, yards, and TDs. He had a 49.9-point explosion against the Ravens in Week 10 that probably ended a thousand fantasy seasons in one night. When Joe Burrow is healthy, Chase’s ceiling is higher than anyone else's in the league.
CeeDee Lamb had a bit of a rollercoaster year compared to his 2023, but he still finished as a top-tier asset. He had a 14.4 PPG average, which felt "disappointing" to some because he wasn't the overall WR1, but he still gave you 75 catches and over 1,000 yards despite being overshadowed by George Pickens at times.
Wait, did I just say George Pickens? Yeah. In Dallas. Pickens went 93-1,423-9. That was a move nobody saw coming that completely shifted the fantasy leaderboard.
The Playoff Hero No One Expected
The most insane stat of the fantasy point leaders 2024 season? The WR1 during the fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15-17) was Brian Thomas Jr. The Jaguars rookie averaged 23.9 points when it mattered most. If you picked him up late or drafted him as a bench flier, he was the reason you won.
Tight Ends: The Great Reset
For years, it was Kelce or bust. In 2024, that completely changed. Travis Kelce is still great, don't get me wrong, but the gap has closed. Trey McBride in Arizona turned into a target monster, finishing with 126 catches and 1,239 yards. He was essentially a WR1 in your TE slot.
And Hunter Henry? The 31-year-old was a touchdown machine toward the end of the year. It’s a boring pick, but in a year where the TE position felt like a wasteland for a while, those 64-yard, 1-TD games from Henry were actually enough to win matchups.
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What This Means for Your 2025 Draft
If 2024 taught us anything, it’s that the "hero RB" strategy is back. Getting a guy like Barkley, McCaffrey, or Bijan Robinson (who was electric late in the year) gives you a massive advantage because the middle-tier of running backs is so volatile.
Also, don't reach for a "safe" QB. The gap between the #4 and #10 QB is getting smaller. Baker Mayfield and Jayden Daniels proved you can find elite production late.
Your Actionable Cheat Sheet
- Prioritize Rushing QBs: Even a "bad" real-life QB with 50 rushing yards a game is a fantasy starter.
- Target Sophomore WRs: Brian Thomas Jr. and Puka Nacua (who was again great in 2024) show that the learning curve is disappearing.
- Ignore the "Vulture" Narrative: People stayed away from Saquon because of Hurts. That was a mistake. Elite talent in a good offense will always find a way to score.
- Watch the Target Share: Trey McBride succeeded because he was the first or second read on every play. Look for TEs who aren't just "blockers who catch."
The reality is that fantasy point leaders 2024 were a mix of the usual suspects and total wildcards. The game is getting faster, and the old "rules" about who scores points are being rewritten every Sunday.
If you want to stay ahead of your league mates, stop looking at last year's total points and start looking at how those points were scored. Was it a fluke 80-yard TD, or was it a 30% target share? The target share wins you trophies; the flukes just get you a one-week high. Keep your eyes on the volume, and you'll be the one holding the trophy next December.