Murray, Mixon among 14 must-draft fantasy football targets for fast start - UPI.com (2024)

1 of 5 | Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has a very friendly fantasy football schedule to start the 2024 season. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

Getting off to a solid start through the first four weeks of the fantasy football campaign can make a large impact on your ability to make a postseason push later on in the year.

For example, data shows that teams that start 3-0 in a 12-team league that includes a six-team playoff format have an 84.8% shot at making the playoffs, which is significantly better than those that start 1-2 (36.1%) or 0-3 (15.5%).

Based on that information, and the fact that NFL players often get injured and underperform in tough matchups, it benefits fantasy football team owners to find options that can score the most points early on.

That means, at times, it may be more beneficial to reach for a player with a lower average draft position in favor of a player with an easier schedule. This strategy is especially helpful for those who use the zero-RB strategy -- drafting pass catchers in the early rounds before filling out their roster with running backs.

Those who use that strategy can hand pick from a pool running backs that have easy early schedules and play them in good matchups. Those players could even outscore running backs who were drafted earlier on opponent rosters. That advantage, paired with your superior group of pass catchers, could lift you to a winning record to start the year.

Knowing early matchups is also vital for those who choose to wait on a quarterback or a defense in their drafts.

I split my fast-start targets by position and included their average draft positions. My individual rankings for quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers and overall Top 200 players also are available.

Quarterbacks

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals, Bye Week 11, ADP 69

Murray and the Cardinals will open the season against the Buffalo Bills. They then will face three-consecutive defenses that ranked inside the Top 5 for the most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks in 2023.

Murray should provide excellent value early on in the season, as he is currently being drafted in the sixth or seventh round. His dual-threat ability always makes him a fantasy football difference maker, but he could provide better passing statistics this season with the addition of rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

The Cardinals also owned one of the league's worst defenses last season and could struggle to defend again in 2024, resulting in consistent deficits. Look for Murray, the No. 9 quarterback in my season-long rankings, to provide Top 5 value through the first four weeks of 2024.

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers, Bye Week 10, ADP 71

Love and the Packers will start their season against the Philadelphia Eagles, who allowed the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season. His schedule also features just one game against a team that ranked inside the Top 10 for the fewest points allowed to the position. He has a chance to provide Top 10 season-long value.

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions, Bye Week 5, ADP 106.5

Goff is another late-round value. The Lions' quarterback will start the season with three-consecutive games against teams that ranked inside the Top 10 for the most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. Like Love, he only has one game on his schedule against a team that was in the Top 10 for the fewest points surrendered.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams, Bye Week 6, ADP 148.5

Stafford will start the season against the Lions and Cardinals, who allowed the third and fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bye Week 11, ADP 160

Mayfield isn't even being drafted in some leagues, but was a Top-10 fantasy football quarterback in 2023. He still will be throwing to a cast to very capable Buccaneers playmakers. He also has one of the friendliest early-season schedules among quarterbacks.

The Buccaneers start the season against the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions, who allowed the respective most and third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season. The Commanders also allowed a league-high 4,627 yards to the position in 2023.

Mayfield will most likely return to Top-10 -- and maybe Top-5 -- value through his first two games. He faces four teams within the first five weeks that ranked inside the Top 10 for the most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks last season.

Running backs

Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars, Bye Week 12, ADP 15.5

Etienne has the earliest ADP of any of my targets, but could be worth his second-round value. You could also use his early schedule as a tiebreaker if you are deciding between Etienne and another running back.

The Jaguars' schedule does not include a game against a team that ranked inside the Top 10 for fewest points allowed to running backs until Week 9.

Joe Mixon, Houston Texans, Bye Week 14, ADP 43.5

Mixon, who signed with the Texans this off-season, should be a key piece in one of the best offenses in the league. The veteran running back is being drafted in the fourth or fifth round.

He could provide top-end RB1 value early on, as the Texans face the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears, who allowed the fifth and 10th-most fantasy points to running backs in 2023, in their first two games.

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots, Bye Week 14, ADP 59

Stevenson can be had even later than Mixon, with an ADP of 59. The Patriots veteran's schedule features to games within the first three weeks against two of the most running back friendly defenses in the league last season -- the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets.

Honorable mentions: Zack Moss/Chase Brown, Tony Pollard/Tyjae Spears, Gus Edwards/JK Dobbins

Wide receivers

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bye Week 11, ADP 36

Evans is one of Mayfield's aforementioned playmakers. The veteran wide receiver is as consistent as it gets, with 10-consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He also led the league with 13 receiving scores last season, reaching that mark for the third time in four years.

Three of the Buccaneers' first four games come against the Commanders, Eagles and Lions, who allowed the most, second-most and third-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2023.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders, Bye Week 14, ADP 66

McLaurin also has a very friendly fantasy football schedule, starting with three-consecutive games against teams that ranked inside the Top 10 for their generosity to wide receivers in 2023.

He should be peppered with targets by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. I also expect the Commanders to often be playing from behind, with Daniels using McLaurin all year to attempt late-game rallies.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers, Bye Week 10, ADP 97.5

Watson, who carries some injury risk, remains a top red-zone target in a Packers offense that is expected to flourish in 2024. It might be hard to predict which games will be his best, but is ADP is late enough to warrant selecting him as a WR4/5. If he reaches his potential, and stays on the field, he could develop into an every week starter.

His early schedule is also juicy, with four of his first five games against teams that ranked inside the Top 10 for the most fantasy points allowed to wide receivers last season. He is a great target for fantasy team owners who chose to use a running-back-heavy strategy early in their drafts.

Defense/special teams

Cincinnati Bengals, Bye Week 12, ADP 260

Week 1: vs. NE; Week 3: vs. WAS; Week 4: at CAR

New York Giants, Bye Week 11, ADP 261

Week 1: vs. MIN; Week 2: at WAS; Week 3: at CLE

Los Angeles Chargers, Bye Week 5, ADP 310

Week 1: vs. LV; Week 2: at CAR; Week 3: at PIT