The NFL’s annual trek into free agency gives teams a chance to retool and rebuild. Franchise leadership needs to balance single-year needs with stop-gap options, long-term mega-signings, and take consideration of future NFL draft additions, all while managing to fit the contracts under the salary cap.
Below is a ranking of noteworthy players contractually eligible for free agency, ranked in order of likely 2024 fantasy football importance. Several players will hit the market after eventually being released, such as Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo . We will address those specific situations in future articles.
Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports After the year of the backup quarterback, positional depth on the market is glaringly weak. There are several promising NFL draft prospects, which is where we’ll see many QB-needy teams turn to satiate their appetite. The top handful of veteran options will be sought after, but there’s a precipitous fall from No. 1 to No. 2 and really only two players who have a concrete chance to score a starting gig.
Rk
Player
2023 team
Status
Notes
1
Kirk Cousins MIN
UFA
Returning to MIN is on the table, but Cousins is poised to be a top fantasy QB regardless of where he signs.
2
Baker Mayfield TB
UFA
Will not be tagged but figures to be re-signed after a career resurrection in 2023.
3
Ryan Tannehill TEN
UFA
Will he follow Arthur Smith to PIT for a veteran presence?
4
Gardner Minshew IND
UFA
Minshew continues to flash starter potential everywhere he goes, but the ceiling is rather low in any setting.
5
Carson Wentz LAR
UFA
Still only 31, Wentz could find himself in a starting role given the extreme positional scarcity exemplified in ’23.
6
Mason Rudolph PIT
UFA
Did he do enough to return to PIT for a QB competition? Probably not. In the right situation, he could vie for a QB1 spot.
7
Sam Darnold SF
UFA
Seems destined to be a career backup at this point
8
Joe Flacco CLE
UFA
Can he find a chance to start in 2024 after a late-season comeback from his couch?
9
Drew Lock SEA
UFA
Arm talent galore, Lock has flashed here and there but remains a turnover-prone liability.
10
Joshua Dobbs MIN
UFA
We saw Dobbs make a little noise in 2023 but ultimately proved why he’s a journeyman backup.
11
Jacoby Brissett WAS
UFA
We know exactly what he is at this stage of his career — a veteran insurance policy.
12
Mitchell Trubisky PIT
UFA
Nothing to date has given any confidence he is capable of winning a starting job.
13
Marcus Mariota PHI
UFA
Mariota is a mistake waiting to happen and may struggle to find a backup opportunity.
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
This is one of the deepest classes of impending free agents the position has offered in years, and the types of available backs run the gamut. Expect a high degree of player movement this spring, and the fantasy backfield landscape will look much different in ’24.
Rk
Player
2023 team
Status
Notes
1
Saquon Barkley NYG
UFA
Elite versatility and team-first traits; could be tagged or re-signed, but we may have seen the last of him in New York.
2
Austin Ekeler LAC
UFA
New coach wants him to return. Coming off a down year, entering age-28 season, Ekeler’s versatility offers value potential.
3
Josh Jacobs LV
UFA
Will he get tagged? Signed to a long-term deal? Still has elite ball left in him, so it comes down to money.
4
Derrick Henry TEN
UFA
Hard to see him coming back to TEN. BAL makes a lot of sense, and he’ll have no shortage of teams kicking tires.
5
Tony Pollard DAL
UFA
His lone year as the full-time back was underwhelming but serviceable. DAL may make a strong push for a huge FA splash signing.
6
D’Andre Swift PHI
UFA
Started hot and cooled dramatically. Despite durability being an ever-present issue, Swift’s versatility makes him an intriuging target.
7
Devin Singletary HOU
UFA
Closed the year strong and could return; turning 27 in Aug., Singletary is likely a short-term solution anywhere he lands.
8
Zack Moss IND
UFA
Moss filled in admirably for Jonathan Taylor and could have earned himself an opportunity for compete for a job elsewhere.
9
Kareem Hunt CLE
UFA
Remains versatile and has a nose for the end zone, but Hunt isn’t more than a piece of the puzzle entering his age-29 season.
10
AJ Dillon GB
UFA
The bulldozing veteran could be done in GB with Aaron Jones set to return. Dillon hasn’t met expectations and may find an icy market.
11
Gus Edwards BAL
UFA
He’ll be 29 years old and is one-dimensional. BAL is expected to make run at a big-name back in a loaded FA class.
12
Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC
UFA
Is there a coach who feels he can coax the most out of the former first-rounder? Perhaps, but CEH is little more than a JAG, or “just a guy.”
13
Antonio Gibson WAS
UFA
Likely done in WAS, Gibson will land softly thanks to his chops as a pass-catching outlet.
14
Jerick McKinnon KC
UFA
Getting long in the tooth, the one-trick pony won’t have many suitors. Re-signing in KC might be his best option.
15
J.K. Dobbins BAL
UFA
Coming off another major injury and offering a limited skill set, Dobbins may struggle to find a favorable opportunity.
16
Joshua Kelley LAC
UFA
Kelley has yet to showcase anything warranting more than a backup roster spot.
17
Rashaad Penny PHI
UFA
The talent is there, but mounting injuries and age (28) will keep his options to a minimum.
18
D’Onta Foreman CHI
UFA
Career journeyman with limited offerings and a similarly narrow market makes Foreman largely forgettable.
19
Cordarrelle Patterson ATL
UFA
Patterson’s hands and special teams game will give him some chances to sign, but he’s entering an age-33 season.
20
Boston Scott PHI
UFA
Scott has yet to flash for stretches. Limitations aside, he’ll at least get a few calls to serve as a change-of-pacer.
21
Damien Harris BUF
UFA
Low mileage but also slim offerings … Some team may find utility in his experience and goal-line potential.
22
Cam Akers MIN
RFA
Another Achilles tear severely hinders any chance a team will make an offer to lure him away.
23
Rico Dowdle DAL
RFA
Some NFL-caliber traits but didn’t do enough in limited touches to suggest a team will pay the cost of stealing him from DAL.
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
There’s a quality blend of top-flight receivers, midrange puzzle pieces, high-upside fliers, and one-trick ponies available in this year’s free-agent class of wideouts. That said, due to tagging and extensions, expect the field to substantially narrow before free agency officially opens.
Rk
Player
2023 team
Status
Notes
1
Mike Evans TB
UFA
The two sides remain far apart in negotiations, and he is not expected to be franchise tagged. Evans is a fantasy WR1 anywhere he signs.
2
Michael Pittman Jr. IND
UFA
Indy’s GM said he will use the franchise tag if necessary, so it doesn’t look like this blossoming star is headed anywhere.
3
Tee Higgins CIN
UFA
Higgins is a candidate to get tagged if the team cannot work out a long-term deal. CIN has the 7th-most cap space.
4
Calvin Ridley JAX
UFA
His season-long stats were respectable after missing a ton of games from 2021-22, but the sporadic production left much to be desired.
5
Marquise Brown ARI
UFA
Hollywood isn’t an A-list star, but he will shine in the right ensemble casting. He’s one of the more intriguing FA WRs on the market.
6
Gabe Davis BUF
UFA
An erratic vertical threat doesn’t usually spell strong value in fantasy, but Davis’ profile translates to a WR2 spot in real life.
7
Tyler Boyd CIN
UFA
Presuming he indeed doesn’t return to Cincy, Boyd following OC Brian Callahan to TEN makes some sense. Regardless, he’ll have choices.
8
Curtis Samuel WAS
UFA
Versatile with extensive starter experience are pluses, but Samuel has failed to wow year after year. He’ll get WR3 attention.
9
Noah Brown HOU
UFA
Flashed a few times in both DAL and HOU. It’ll be interesting to see if the Texans saw enough to offer him a contract.
10
Josh Reynolds DET
UFA
Familiarity with Jared Goff could see Reynolds return to DET. He will be on the field for three-down sets but is unremarkable.
11
K.J. Osborn MIN
UFA
Sneaky contributor who has stepped up his game in key situations, but Osborn is a situational role player through and through.
12
Darnell Mooney CHI
UFA
Starter experience, offers some downfield skills … Will have offers from multiple teams looking for a low-cost sidekick.
13
Kendrick Bourne NE
UFA
Quality possession receiver who will have a few options, even after tearing an ACL in late Oct.
14
Jauan Jennings SF
RFA
Has flashed his potential at times and is a reliable third-down weapon, but teams may not be willing to pay the RFA price.
15
DJ Chark Jr. CAR
UFA
Despite being oft-injured, Chark’s vertical traits endear him to coaching staffs seeking a field-stretcher for balance. Irrelevant otherwise.
16
Donovan Peoples-Jones DET
UFA
DPJ wound up in Detroit but never managed to catch on last year. There’s possession talents that will get him rostered somewhere.
17
Odell Beckham Jr. BAL
UFA
Injuries and age have taken an undeniable toll, and OBJ is no longer a fantasy asset.
18
Chase Claypool MIA
UFA
Three teams in as many years despite having plenty of starter traits. His career is teetering on the brink.
19
Parris Campbell NYG
UFA
Blazing speed but has yet to indicate he can offer much of anything for fantasy purposes.
20
Mecole Hardman KC
UFA
Has not once lived up to the potential of his freakish athletic traits.
21
Sterling Shepard NYG
UFA
North of 30 with a checkered injury history, Shepard’s fantasy-relevant days are done.
22
Van Jefferson ATL
UFA
A couple of years removed from a promising season, Jefferson has fallen flat since and will be on a short leash if he signs.
23
Quez Watkins PHI
UFA
Purely a deep threat, Watkins has given glimpses of his vertical potential and will wind up rostered.
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a rather shaky class of free agents once again, but it’s not entirely barren of proven talent. While none of the available players are game-breakers, serviceable options exist for teams looking to ink a warm body.
Rk
Player
2023 team
Status
Notes
1
Dalton Schultz HOU
UFA
Mixed results after taking a one-year deal to sign with HOU. Certainly could return but may once again test the market.
2
Mike Gesicki NE
UFA
Largely irrelevant the last two years, Gesicki is still young enough (age-29 season) to redeem his once-promising career.
3
Hunter Henry NE
UFA
Henry still has something in the tank but is far more of a red-zone weapon than a game-changing TE.
4
Gerald Everett LAC
UFA
The seasoned veteran has basically no upside but should find a limited role.
5
Noah Fant SEA
UFA
Offers almost nothing in terms of fantasy utility but is an experienced starter who will wind up on a roster.
6
Austin Hooper LV
UFA
Once a top-flight fantasy TE, Hooper’s best days are long behind him. A team will sign him, but gamers can punt.
