NFL training camps are underway. That means the fantasy football draft season has finally arrived! Our annual Flagship Feature is called Preseason Pro. This 2024 Preseason Pro: Jody Smith introduces the exclusive insight you can find only at FullTime Fantasy.
Here at FullTime Fantasy, we’ve assembled the very best high-stakes players in the world; 5 of the Top 10 World-Ranked players, and one of the top RANKERS in the country — to help you win your Fantasy Football league.
Nobody else in the industry can bring you this type of information. Also, we host the Fantasy Football World Championships and these players are gracious enough to lend us a hand to help promote the very best content in the industry.
Each of them is putting their reputation on the line for all to see and is providing us with their:
ONE Top Sleeper, ONE Breakout, ONE Bust
ONE Comeback, and ONE late-round Stash & Cash.
to help you with your upcoming draft. However- it’s only one per category! They don’t know what anyone else has submitted so you’re getting the genuine gut check from the best players in the world. High rollers have offered some of them hundreds of dollars for this kind of private advice. And that’s just for just one opinion. Here you’re getting no less than SEVEN, and Preseason Pro continues to be the elite product of the fantasy season.
This year’s Preseason Pro picks are included FREE with your FullTime Fantasy Membership!
What makes their opinion so worthy? Simple. They win. Year in and year out they’re winners. While some may ask, “Why would they help me?”, there is no question that when their pride and integrity are on the line, they step up and make bold calls to help others. When we have questions on Sunday, this is who we call. We’re essentially bringing our high-stakes connections to FullTime Fantasy.
When your league is on the line, who do you trust? A magazine that contains out-of-date news? No. Those days are over. Not all experts are considered equal.
Starting with Jody Smith who has more than 14 years of content experience. Jody was also previously Fantasy Pro’s Most Accurate Rankings Expert. Also, Jody topped the betting leaderboards in 2020 and is a top-10 overall ranker for multi-year accuracy! He’s consistently been one of the best in the business for a long time!
Finally, Jody recommended Jahmyr Gibbs last season and predicted Rachaad Whtie’s breakout. Let’s see what he forecasts this year with our 2024 Preseason Pro: Jody Smith.
— BREAKOUT —
Isiah Pacheco (RB) Kansas City Chiefs
Identifying feature backs on good offenses is key to building winning fantasy rosters. With Jerick McKinnon gone, Isiah Pacheco has a clear path to a three-down role in one of the NFL’s most potent offenses. And it’s a role we already know Pacheco can thrive in.
In his sophomore season, Pacheco saw a big boost in usage. Particularly as a receiver where he reeled in 44-of-49 targets. McKinnon accounted for an additional 32 targets. Nobody else on KC’s roster is a threat to usurp Pacheco on passing downs. Additionally, Pacheco focused all offseason on improving his pass-catching skills.
Pacheco already proved he could be an elite producer. Despite missing three games, he posted RB15 fantasy numbers a year ago. However, it was his production in games where he had a workhorse role that is indicative that Pacheco has big-time upside.
Including the postseason, Pacheco averaged 19.6 PPR points per game in the nine games he topped 20 touches. That would have ranked as the RB3 in 2023. With only Clyde Edwards-Helaire an unproven Deneric Prince behind him on the depth chart, Pacheco appears to be in line for massive usage.
Finally, Pacheco will command most of the red-zone work in an offense that significantly improved in the offseason. Isiah Pacheco checks all the boxes to contend for top-5 fantasy RB numbers. Consequently, he’s my favorite breakout pick this summer.
— SLEEPER —
Christian Kirk (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars
Maybe it’s last year’s second-half collapse that has early fantasy drafters avoiding Jacksonville. That seems like an egregious error. Even in a “down” year for Doug Pederson’s squad, the Jags offense ranked ninth in passing, 13th in scoring, and sixth with 65.5 plays per game.
More importantly, Calvin Ridley and his 76/1,016/8 line on 136 targets are gone. The team did add Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis. However, Christian Kirk is this group’s clear top dog.
Before Ridley’s signing, Kirk acted as Jacksonville’s No. 1 option and had a strong connection with QB Trevor Lawrence. Kirk finished as a fantasy WR1 in that role back in 2022. That season, he ranked top-15 in targets (133), grabs (84), yards (1,108), and scores (8).
Thomas is a promising prospect but could take time to adjust to NFL-caliber defenses. Davis is the logical choice to replace Ridley as the club’s main deep threat. However, Davis is wildly inconsistent. It all adds up to a surplus of targets for TE Evan Engram and Kirk.
Kirk is being selected outside of the top 30 wideouts in early fantasy drafts. He has a proven track record and will overcome the Jags’ tough strength of schedule with sheer volume. I believe Kirk will contend for top-15 fantasy numbers as the club’s No. 1 wideout. He’s one of my favorite sleepers to target in the middle rounds as a WR3.
— BUST —
De’Von Achane (RB) Miami Dolphins
Before you tag @FantasyRecepits and @OldTakesExposed, hear me out. I love De’Von Achane. Think he’s an elite talent. However, I firmly believe he is being drafted above his ceiling. Therefore, he’s a player I expect to have little or no exposure to in 2024.
That might not define the traditional “bust,” but the hype on Achane has lifted his ADP inside the top 20 overall. I don’t think people are considering the risk.
First, Miami brought back Raheem Mostert. Although Mostert’s role in the passing game declined, he remained the team’s leading rusher. Especially in the red zone. Last season, Mostert ranked sixth with 44 red-zone carries which he cashed in for 15 touchdowns. 11 of those came inside of five yards.
Conversely, the Dolphins didn’t use Achane much in that area. Achane had 19 carries inside the 20 all season. Only four of them were inside the 5-yard line.
Achane’s lack of size is undoubtedly a big factor in that. At 5-10, 188, he’s an explosive speed threat. He does not profile as the kind of back who will hold up well to punishing inside runs. Although he excels at yards after contact, Achane has a lengthy injury history that is likely to keep him from being used on the goal line or extensively.
Achane missed a pair of games in 2022 at Texas A&M with a foot injury. He then was carted off the field in Miami’s second preseason game and missed the remainder of the preseason and Week 1 with a shoulder injury. Finally, a sprained MCL caused Achane to be placed on IR in Week 5 last season, limiting him to 11 games.
Herein lies another concern. Achane reportedly added significant muscle to bulk up. This almost always turns out negatively for smaller speed backs, as the added weight saps the elite speed and can lead to more nagging lower-body ailments.
Finally, Miami traded away a future third-round pick for Jaylen Wright. Wright posted a higher Speed Score (114.1) than Achane. While Achane ran a 99th percentile 4.32, Wright posted a 4.38. Additionally, Wright (5-11, 210) is the biggest back on the roster and could immediately factor in as a short-yardage back or receiver. The rookie has stood out at training camp and looks poised to have a role in Mike McDaniel’s offense.
The fantasy talking heads are hyping up De’Von Achane as a league winner with top-5 upside. He certainly has that, but I just don’t think he’s going to see enough volume. The NFL caught on to Miami’s run game after a spectacular September and the team added WR Odell Beckham and TE Jonnu Smith to the mix.
Achane is being drafted as a top-10 fantasy running back and top-20 pick overall. In my 2024 projections, that’s about his ceiling, so the value in taking Achane that early is negated. I don’t think Achane will ruin lineups. He’s my RB13. But I believe he is being overdrafted with no end in sight to the momentum.
— COMEBACK —
Christian Watson (WR) Green Bay Packers
A popular breakout candidate last season, hamstring issues again derailed Christian Watson. This has been a recurring theme in Watson’s young career. Moments of brilliance interspersed with frequent hamstring injuries. However, after seeing a specialist and determining the root cause, Watson and the Packers now feel confident that they have solved the issue.
When healthy, Watson still looked like Green Bay’s No. 1 wideout. Watson led an impressive young Green Bay receiving corps in many fantasy-relevant metrics. This included ADOT (16.5), yards per catch (15.1), yards per route run (15.07), and air yards share (33.7%). However, what stands out is Watson’s group-leading 16.9% target share and 21.4% first-read rate.
Those are indicative of an alpha, No. 1 receiver. Additionally, Watson absorbed 15 end-zone targets in just nine games.
Usage also showed that Watson will be in a position to put up the best numbers of his career. Watson will remain in on most two-wide sets. This is crucial when there are rumblings that Matt LaFleur plans to employ more ’12’ sets in 2024. If that plays out, Romeo Doubs and Watson -not Jayden Reed- will stay on the field.
Looking at #Packers WR usage ONLY when Christian Watson played last season (11 games including playoffs):
3-WR set route rate:
* Jayden Reed 90%
* Romeo Doubs 83%
* Christian Watson 75%
* Dontayvion Wicks 38%2-WR set route rate:
* Romeo Doubs 78%
* Christian Watson 69%
*… pic.twitter.com/nRsRPkcLHr— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) July 19, 2024
The only risk with Watson has been those faulty hamstrings. However, he indicated he is 100% recovered. Additionally, with the symmetry issue seemingly resolved, there is a better chance that Watson finally stays healthy and balls out. Often available outside of the top 40 wideouts in fantasy drafts, Christian Watson is a screaming value who will be in a good position to contend for top-20 fantasy numbers with Green Bay’s easy WR schedule. Subsequently, he’s a prime comeback player of the year candidate.
— STASH & CASH —
Hunter Henry (TE) New England Patriots
Tight ends are being valued higher than ever after Sam LaPorta’s phenomenal rookie campaign. While the position has more depth than it has before, the top two tiers dry up quickly. That will leave most fantasy managers scrambling to target values with upside in the mid-to-late rounds.
Enter veteran Hunter Henry, who is a sneaky bet to lead New England’s offense in targets. The Patriots are rebuilding, which leaves uncertainty at quarterback and wide receiver. Henry ranked third on New England last season with 61 targets in just 14 games. This offseason, he re-signed with the Patriots for $27 million. That indicates he’s a big part of the new offensive game plan.
Additionally, Jacoby Brissett is in position to open the season as New England’s starter. Brissett has an established history of heavily featuring his tight ends.
The Patriots hit rock bottom last year, ranking dead last in scoring and 28th in pace. Yet, Henry still ranked 15th in points per game. New England projects to be a bottom-tier offense again, but Henry should develop into a solid weekly option who can be nabbed with the final pick in most fantasy drafts.
These high-stakes fantasy legends put their reputation on the line just in time for your big draft!
PreSeason Pro (a $29.95 value) is INCLUDED for FREE with Your FullTime Membership!
Plus, all summer long, these high-stakes players will be releasing their picks. Stay tuned as the PreSeason PRO Hub comes to life for the 2024 season and you’ll see who the very best of the best are taking in their fantasy drafts.
Lastly, If you have time to prepare, make sure you mock in our Mock Draft World Championships. No better way to practice for the real thing.
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