10 players who saved the day in fantasy football this NFL season

We’re going to spend some time taking a look at the 10 players that provided fantasy managers with the most pleasant surprises during this season. It could have been a player who dramatically outperformed their draft value, or someone who was fantastic as a waiver wire pickup that carried teams to victory. All statistics are sourced from Football Reference.

Granted, Barkley doesn’t fit into the category of waiver wire darling or late-round reclamation project. Most owners parted with a significant part of their waiver budget, or a late first round pick to get him. With that said, things could not have gone much better for anyone who snatched Barkley at a relative value.

His true potential as a fantasy superstar has been unlocked with the Eagles. Philadelphia’s superior offensive line has given Barkley lanes to run through, and the star back has also made defenders miss in the open field. The News Journal’s Martin Frank wonders whether Barkley is already the Eagles’ best running back ever, after just one season.

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Aubrey was a revelation during the 2023 campaign for Dallas, as news of his powerful leg traveled fast. However, he’s reached new heights in 2024. As the Cowboys official website covered, Aubrey has set the NFL record for most kicks made from 50 yards or more in an NFL season. Depending on the fantasy league you’re playing in, that could mean five points or more per boot.

While kickers are usually an afterthought in fantasy football, Aubrey’s ascendence has fantasy managers wondering whether they should jump on him even earlier next year. It’s a legitimate question, as it feels like Aubrey is in field goal range as soon as he enters the stadium parking lot.

Conner is one of the most boring running backs to own in fantasy football, but he just keeps getting the job done. 2024 was no different, as Conner eclipsed one thousand yards rushing for the second consecutive time. He’s a volume based play for a Cardinals team that looks to get him involved on the ground and in the air.

Prior to the 2024 campaign, the minor knock on Conner was that he would get injured a little more than fantasy owners would like. He missed four games each in 2022 and 2023, but has been durable in 2024. The New York Times’ Doug Haller profiled Conner’s punishing running style and leadership ability in November 2024.

There were a lot of red flags attributed to Pollard’s fantasy football stock heading into 2024. He didn’t exactly shine as the lead back when given the chance with the Dallas Cowboys, and he was entering year one on a rebuilding team in Tennessee. With no guarantee he’d be the lead back, and opportunities for touchdowns potentially limited on a bad team, Pollard slipped in fantasy drafts. He turned out to be one of the best values.

Titans head coach Brian Callahan was excited about using Pollard in a timeshare with Tyjae Spears, as he told ESPN before the season. “I can’t wait to start playing around and using them in different ways because they both do things differently, they’re unique.” That never really materialized, as Pollard grabbed backfield work as Spears struggled to stay on the field.

There was a possibility that Daniels would explode on to the fantasy scene with his rushing ability, but his well-rounded rookie campaign has turned the Commanders into a playoff contender. He’s also helped catapult fantasy teams to the promised land. A five touchdown pass performance in Week 16, plus 81 yards on the ground, helped fantasy teams make the championship.

Veteran Commanders teammate Zach Ertz told Fox Sports, “he’s as mature of a rookie as I’ve ever been around. I think you see how comfortable he is every Sunday. The coaches, him and Kliff are in synch. There’s not a play Jayden goes out there and doesn’t have answers.” He’ll vie for QB1 status in 2025 fantasy drafts thanks to his stellar play in year one.

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“The Cowboys have no running backs,” was a common narrative heading into the 2024 season. They didn’t really address the room notably during the offseason, declining to spend premium draft capital on the position, or notable free agent money. Dallas reunited with Ezekiel Elliott, but the team ultimately handed the keys to Dowdle, and it’s been a smart move.

Elliott doesn’t appear to have much left in the tank, which forced Dallas to funnel touches to the younger, spryer, Dowdle. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer told Athlon Sports, “We see him getting stronger and better the more carries you get…he’s looking to engage, he’s looking to knock people around and when Rico’s shoulders are square, he’s running with a lot of confidence, he’s extremely difficult to get down.”

Fantasy managers might be a little put off hearing the term “generational tight end”, considering it was applied to Kyle Pitts, who has not broken out in the NFL. With that said, Bowers came into the NFL in 2024 with the same type of fanfare, and he’s been every bit as good as advertised. Actually, he’s been even better.

The only question about Bowers heading into the year would be whether he could become a factor with the Raiders, who have one of the worst quarterback rooms in the NFL. The answer has been a resounding “yes”, as Bowers has topped 1,000 yards and over 100 catches in his rookie campaign.

At best, Mayfield was viewed as a bridge or streaming option in fantasy football heading into the season. His value is supremely tied to gaudy yardage totals and touchdown passes, but Mayfield has routinely delivered in both of those categories. He finished top five in the NFL in passing touchdowns this year, which no one would have guessed a few months earlier.

Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein chronicled Mayfield’s NFL journey in October 2024, writing “fourth time’s the charm? How Baker Mayfield, Bucs found unlikely success in marriage.” Mayfield even lost star wideout Chris Godwin for the season halfway through the year, but that has not slowed his production.

No one thought that Smith would be an integral part of the Dolphins offense. Sports Illustrated’s Dante Collinelli wrote in July 2024 that “under Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins haven’t focused much on tight end.” There was no reason to think that utilization pattern would change, which is another reason why Smith’s campaign has been so shocking.

It wasn’t just the Miami part of the equation. Smith had never caught more than 50 passes in a season in his previous three NFL stops. Smith was on the waiver wire in most leagues heading into Week 1, and whoever picked him up got a tremendous boost. In what has been an uneven year in Miami, Smith has brought consistency week in and week out.

Perhaps the most unlikely hero during the 2024 fantasy football season has been Hubbard. He’s always been viewed as a handcuff or as a timeshare back, but had a phenomenal campaign as the lead back in Carolina. Despite not playing on a strong NFL team, Hubbard has found a way to thrive despite limitations around him.

Hubbard has doubled his career high in touchdowns for a single season in 2024, which not many would have seen coming. Rookie running back Jonathon Brooks was supposed to take his job when healthy, but the transition didn’t take place. Pro Football Focus wrote in November 2024 that “Hubbard’s 2024 emergence comes after years of climbing the ladder.”

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