The 2024 NFL Draft is loaded with talent at wide receiver. I think this class has the potential to produce impact starters very similar to the 2021 Draft when we saw players like Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith make an immediate impact. The draft is headlined by receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy and Keon Coleman. We will have a better feel for where these guys rank in terms of dynasty fantasy football value after the draft. But for now, we are going to look into where these players would fit in the best.
LSU standout Malik Nabers is my second-ranked WR in the class and I believe he is a lot closer in talent to Marvin Harrison Jr. than what people believe. Nabers had a phenomenal season, catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. I believe he is a “plug and play” type of player who would fit into almost any offensive scheme. I think it is realistic that he is selected by any of these three teams in the top 10: the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants or Chicago Bears.
Which of these teams is the best Malik Nabers fantasy football fit? For my money, it’s the Chargers.
Chargers Are the Best Malik Nabers Fantasy Football Fit
The Chargers front office has some questions to answer about the status of wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Even with the salary cap rising to $255.4 million in 2024, I find it unlikely that the Chargers retain both of them. I believe they will move on from WIlliams even though he is younger than Allen strictly due to his injury history. Allen, who turns 32 in April, had a huge season last year and seems like he has a few more years left in the tank. He caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in only 13 games. If the Chargers drafted Nabers, he would likely have a few seasons to learn from Allen, who is a veteran WR who has been productive his entire career.
In his time at LSU, Nabers was an explosive receiver who displayed great ability to create yards after the catch. I feel like he could complement Allen, who gets most of his production due to his great route-running ability. This could allow Nabers to possibly take over the receiving corps in 2-3 years, as he is entering his athletic prime.
It is always difficult to determine dynasty fantasy football value for a player when there is uncertainty about who the coach and quarterback will be. That is not the case with the Chargers, as they have a top-five quarterback of the future in Justin Herbert and a coach in Jim Harbaugh who has had success at every stop throughout his entire coaching career. A great YAC receiver like Nabers would be a great fit into Jim Harbaugh’s scheme in Los Angeles. The Chargers drafted WR Quentin Johnston with their 2023 first-round pick, but he has looked as well as FlurrySports told you he would this time last year (not great). Still, I am higher on Johnston than most people in the fantasy community, even though I find it hard to see him fill the role the team had hoped he would.
I believe that Harbaugh would like to beef up the offensive and defensive line in the draft, but Nabers is a special talent that would be difficult to pass up if you are the Chargers. If they do indeed select him at No. 5, expect the Malik Nabers fantasy football value in dynasty leagues to be valued in the top three in rookie drafts.
