Draft or Pass

Draft or Pass

One of the most difficult facets of being a fantasy manager is knowing when it is time to lower the value you have typically placed on a certain productive player.

No matter how good a player has been, there will always come a time when, either due to circumstances, injuries, or age, their production starts to decrease drastically.

Here is a look at a handful of previously-productive fantasy options, and our take on whether or not you should draft or pass in 2024.

Saquon Barkley - Pass

There is no denying the fact that Barkley is still an incredible talent, but Philadelphia just has so many weapons on offense. In New York, Barkley was the primary focus of the offense because he was significantly better than the other weapons surrounding him. But with the Eagles’ weapons in the passing game, Barkley is likely to see a decrease from his historical workload. On top of that, everyone knows how much the Eagles love to utilize Jalen Hurts in the running game (especially in short yardage situations), which will almost certainly cut into Barkley’s first down runs and touchdowns. Again, this is not a knock on Barkley’s talent, but given where he is currently going in drafts, you should consider another option for your backfield.

Stefon Diggs - Pass

Many people haven’t seemed to realize that Diggs’ production took a significant step back in the second half of the 2023 season. Most people are in agreement that Nico Collins will be the No. 1 option at receiver for the Texans, and there is a case to be made for Tank Dell being the No. 2 ahead of Diggs. His arrival in Houston is a big win for the organization as a whole, but the Texans offense is loaded with playmakers. Maybe Diggs is so happy to be out of Buffalo that he puts together a huge season, but there are just too many other weapons around him to trust that he will be the sort of player he has been in the past.

Jaylen Waddle - Draft

Puka Nacua broke the single season record for most receptions by a rookie last season. But what many people may not know is that the holder of that record prior to Nacua breaking it was Jaylen Waddle. Though we can acknowledge that Waddle has had his struggles with injury in the past, let’s not forget how talented and dynamic this guy truly is. Furthermore, let’s not forget that Tyreek Kill has also been known to get banged up in the past, which could clear the way for even more opportunities for Waddle. Miami’s offense is so good and so fast-paced that you shouldn’t have any real concerns about how often Waddle will have the ball in his hands. DOn’t be scared away by all of the talent around him. Waddle is someone you want to have on your roster.

Brandon Aiyuk - Pass…For Now

It is obviously very hard to know how much you should value a player when you aren’t entirely certain where they are going to be playing the upcoming season. With all of the drama surrounding Aiyuk’s situation in San Francisco and the constant trade rumors, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to take him when there are so many other talented receivers available. Having said that, it would be advisable to keep paying attention to what is happening with his draft value. His ADP has fallen quite a bit in the past couple of weeks. If that trend continue, there may come a point where you may want to pick him up because the potential value is worth the risk you would be taking.