Photo: Imagn Images

The appeal of playing dynasty fantasy football is that you never stop building your rosters. There is always time to make moves to help build a contender or rebuild your struggling roster. Now that the 2023 class has come and gone, it's time to start looking ahead to the 2024 class. This season, we will provide fantasy managers with a top-36 big board that will be updated weekly to reflect the top 36 draft-eligible players in college football. The hope is that this big board will give you actual names and value to any draft picks you are trying to trade or acquire. With the college football season over, this board will only change as we learn whether players are returning to college for another season.

2024 Running Back Class

The 2024 class took a big hit this week with the announcement that University of Kansas running back Devin Neal will be forgoing the NFL Draft and returning to school for his senior year. We are still awaiting a decision from many other running backs, including Will Shipley, TreVeyon Henderson, Donovan Edwards, Jalen Berger, and Trey Sanders. Many others have also yet to make a decision as well. Here are the following players who have officially declared for the NFL draft*:

• Dylan Laube - New Hampshire
• Isaiah Davis - South Dakota State
• Jawhar Jordan - Louisville
• MarShawn Lloyd - USC
• Rasheen Ali - Marshall
• Ray Davis - Kentucky
• Aiden Robbins - UNLV
• Audric Estime - Notre Dame
• Braelon Allen - Wisconsin
• Bucky Irving - Oregon
• Carson Steele - UCLA
• Emani Bailey - TCU
• Frank Gore Jr. - Southern Miss
• Jaden Shirden - Monmouth
• Jaylen Wright - Tennessee
• Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams - UMass
• Kimani Vidal - Troy
• Miyan Williams - Ohio State
• Trey Benson - Florida State

*Credit to Andrew Harbaugh

Without the top names and lackluster 2023 from some players above, this has led to a narrative in the dynasty community that this class is bad. While it may not have top-level guys, there is still plenty of depth at the position and running backs with specific skill sets that will make them fantasy-relevant as soon as next season. This class has great pass-catching backs and runners who will be utilized in the redzone due to their downhill running style. This class will depend on landing spots, but there are diamonds to watch for as the off-season progresses. Let's dive into three sleepers that should be on your radar early.

RB Emani Bailey (Jr - TCU): 5-foot-9, 207 lbs

After losing Kendre Miller last season, many thought the TCU offense would take a hit at the running back position. That was not the case, with Bailey stepping right in, rushing for 1,209 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging just over five yards per carry. During the season, he rushed for over 100 yards in six games and added 184 yards receiving on 25 receptions. He finished the year with an 88.0 PFF rushing grade and showcased his breakaway speed by rushing for ten or more yards on 38 runs. He is elusive in the open field, and despite his size, he was dominant in between the tackles. He also has upside as a pass catcher, and if he finds himself in the right NFL scheme, he could be a value in your rookie drafts.

This jump cut by Emani Bailey was ABSOLUTELY FILTHY 😱🤯 pic.twitter.com/lQ0HGezZD4

— Texas Football Life (@txfblife) September 2, 2023

RB Jaylen Wright (Jr - Tennessee): 5-foot-11, 210 lbs

If you don’t know who Jaylen Wright is, it’s a name you should remember moving forward. Wright finished the year with 1,013 rushing yards to become Tennessee’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015. He was one of the most explosive backs in the SEC, averaging just over seven yards per carry, and graded out as PFF's highest-graded running back in the conference. He might be the most explosive back in this class with three-down potential as a runner. He is easily the most fluid athlete, and if you are looking for a player with a ton of upside, it’s Wright. He’s been invited to the Senior Bowl, and it would not shock me to see him rise up draft boards after that week.

Jaylen Wright is very good at football

pic.twitter.com/cKkYyEX35n

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 28, 2023

RB Kimani Vidal (Jr - Troy): 5-foot-8, 215 lbs

Vidal declared for the NFL draft after earning Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. He set a Troy record with 1,661 yards this season while adding fourteen touchdowns. He had 18 receptions for 201 yards and a touchdown. He’s got quick feet and can accelerate through the line of scrimmage. He’s a smaller back but knows how to use angles and create seams to run through. His burst pairs well with his contact balance, allowing him to break plenty of tackles. As a prospect, he reminds me of Doug Martin, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back.

Troy, Kimani Vidal been ON ONE today 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uU5LEkAgHv

— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) October 7, 2023

2024 Draft Pick Values

With the NFL season starting, dynasty leagues are increasingly active, which means more trades are undoubtedly occurring. The whole point of this big board each week is to help you identify where the talent in the current class is and start identifying target areas and tiers to trade for. It’s also important to understand market values and what 2024 picks cost in the dynasty market. Below, you will find players currently being moved for 2024 1sts and 2024 2nds.

2024 Early-1st

• Trevor Lawrence
• Tyreek Hill
• Garrett Wilson
• Tua Tagovailoa
• A.J. Brown

2024 Mid-1st

• Justin Fields
• Travis Etienne Jr.
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• Tank Dell

2024 Late-1st

• Jared Goff
• Bryce Young
• Stefon Diggs
• Rachaad White
• Will Levis

2024 2nds

• Jake Ferguson
• Chris Godwin
• Christian Kirk
• Keenan Allen
• Tyjae Spears
• Jaylen Warren
• Cole Kmet
• Amari Cooper
• Calvin Ridley
• Jahan Dotson
• Evan Engram
• Raheem Mostert
• Jerry Jeudy

2024 Draft Pick Trades*

• 2024 1st/2025 1st for Kyler Murray
• 2024 1st/2025 2nd for Christian McCaffrey
• 2024 1st for Chris Olave/2024 3rd
• 2024 1st/Dalton Kincaid/Bryce Young for Jayden Reed/Jaylen Waddle/Pat Freiermuth/2025 2nd/2025 3rd
• 2024 1st/T.J. Hockenson for Trey McBride/Jahan Dotson/Jake Ferguson
• 2024 1st for Jordan Addison
• 2024 1st for James Cook/2024 2nd
• David Njoku/2024 1st for T.J. Hockenson
• 2024 1st for Davante Adams
• Tee Higgins/2024 1st/2024 2nd/2025 1st for Josh Allen
• 2024 1st for Derrick Henry/Travis Kelce
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba/2024 1st/2025 1st for Jalen Hurts
• 2024 1st/Jayden Reed for Amon-Ra St. Brown
• 2024 1st/Jayden Reed for Sam LaPorta
• 2024 1st for A.J. Brown
• 2024 1st/Bryce Young for Kyler Murray
• 2024 1st/2024 3rd/Michael Pittman Jr for A.J. Brown/Christian Kirk
• 2024 1st for Deebo Samuel
• 2024 1st/Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Jonathan Taylor/2024 3rd
• 2024 1st/Jerry Jeudy for Zay Flowers
• 2024 1st for Rachaad White
• 2024 2nd/Bryce Young for Justin Fields
• 2024 2nd for Adam Thielen
• 2024 2nd/2025 2nd for Jake Ferguson
• Jordan Addison/2024 2nd for Chris Godwin/Joe Mixon/Raheem Mostert
• Anthony Richardson/2024 2nd/2026 1st/2025 2nd for Lamar Jackson
• David Njoku/2024 2nd for T.J. Hockenson
• 2024 2nd/2025 2nd for Demario Douglas/Chuba Hubbard
• Tank Bigsby/2024 2nd for 2025 1st
• 2024 2nd for Derek Carr
• 2024 2nd for Jakobi Meyers
• Travis Kelce/2024 2nd for George Kittle/2025 1st
• 2024 2nd/2026 3rd for Calvin Ridley
• 2024 2nd for Zamir White

*All trades are from FantasyCalc’s free database and are 12 Team/SF/PPR settings

Big-Board Watchlist

• QB Jordan Travis (Sr - Florida State): 6-foot-1, 212 lbs*
• RB Carson Steele (Jr - UCLA): 6-foot-1, 225 lbs
• RB Kendall Milton (Sr - Georgia): 6-foot-1, 220 lbs
• RB Jonathon Brooks (Jr - Texas): 6-foot-0, 207*
• WR Dominic Lovett (Jr - Georgia): 5-foot-10, 179 lbs
• WR Dont’e Thornton (Jr - Tennessee): 6-foot-5, 214 lbs
• WR Colbie Young (Jr - Miami): 6-foot-5, 215 lbs
• WR Roman Wilson (Sr - Michigan): 6-foot-0, 192 lbs
• WR Keandre Lambert-Smith (Jr - Penn State): 6-foot-1, 188 lbs
• WR Tez Johnson(Jr - Oregon): 5-foot-10, 160 lbs
• TE Michael Trigg (Jr - Ole Miss): 6-foot-3, 240 lbs
• TE Brevyn Spann-Ford (Sr - Minnesota): 6-foot-6, 265 lbs
• TE Cade Stover (Sr - Ohio State): 6-foot-4, 251 lbs

*Suffered a season-ending injury

Thank you for reading! Follow me on Twitter @Daboys_22 and check out my archive with Footballguys!