Training camps have begun and teams are starting to lay the foundation for the upcoming season. While most free agents have found new homes, here are the top remaining options for fantasy managers to consider.

Quarterbacks

Ryan Tannehill

Veteran QB Ryan Tannehill wound up splitting time with rookie Will Levis last season in Tennessee. In the nine games Tannehill did appear in, it wasn't pretty. He threw just four TDs and only had one weekly finish inside the top 20.

The Tennessee Titans moved on from Tannehill in favor of Levis and, as of this writing, the veteran has yet to sign with a new team. Considering how many different QBs started a game last season, I'm fairly confident Tannehill will get a shot somewhere this fall.

It was only a few years ago (2020-21) when Tannehill went on a two-year stretch where he totaled:

  • 7,553 passing yards
  • 54 passing TDs
  • 14 rushing TDs
  • Consecutive top-12 seasons

He turns only 36 years old on July 27, and is not far removed from high-end fantasy production. An NFL team could come calling if its starter goes down and it needs someone to steady the ship. I'm picturing someone like Jake Browning last season. Quality backups are necessary in the NFL, and there aren't many good ones.

For fantasy purposes, if you have space on your bench in a Superflex or 2QB league, he's someone I would be stashing right away.

Running Backs

Kareem Hunt

It's hard to believe that Kareem Hunt broke out as a rookie with the Kansas City Chiefs back in 2017. He's certainly undergone some challenges since then, but from a production perspective, he's performed admirably for the Browns.

Since 2020 (four seasons), he's averaged 9.5 rushing attempts per game and has tacked on an additional 2.5 targets per game. Add it all up, averaging 10+ opportunities each week offers a nice path to fantasy production.

Last season, Hunt shared the backfield with Jerome Ford after Nick Chubb was lost for the season and here's how they compared:

Even just box-score scouting highlights that Hunt hasn't really fallen off yet. He's been an RB4-ish for the last few years and, as mentioned, the in-game opportunities have continued to be there. With the 2024 rookie class of RBs being underwhelming and free agency really just resulting in teams shuffling veteran options, Hunt could find himself employed by a team that needs depth before too long.

Dalvin Cook

After spending his entire career in Minnesota (and playing well), the wheels came off hard for Dalvin Cook last season as he spent time with both the Jets and Ravens.

From 2019 to 2022, Cook never finished below RB16. During that stretch, he was routinely receiving 250+ carries and topping 1,100 rushing yards. He fell off in a big way in 2023.

Cook will turn 29 years old next month and is reportedly ready to roll ahead of the 2024 season. Similar to Hunt, he hasn't really fallen off (outside of one bad year) and could potentially be a late-offseason or midseason addition for a team looking to bolster its backfield. The RB position suffers a lot of attrition, so Cook should have an opportunity somewhere along the way.

Jerick McKinnon

I'll always fondly remember Jerick McKinnon for his incredible run during the end of the 2022 regular season and through the playoffs. From Weeks 13-18 (2022), he scored eight receiving TDs, totalling at least one in each game.

 

The consummate pass-catching specialist, he's played an integral role for the Kansas City Chiefs and their high-powered, versatile offense over the last few years. While he likely doesn't offer the same consistent value anymore, he's assuredly worth a look in deeper formats if he winds up back on the Chiefs as they seek to go back-to-back-to-back.

Joshua Kelley

Once considered a legitimate threat to Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley never really got much of anything going during his four years with the Chargers. He did accumulate 111 rushing attempts as a rookie, but only managed 3.2 yards per carry.

In his four seasons, he's finished between RB59-63 three times. His other finish was outside of the top 100. At this point, he's merely an OK RB by NFL standards, as highlighted by his current lack of employment. Still, he topped 100 rushing attempts and 400 rushing yards last season, and could be a solid change-of-pace option for a team in need.

Wide Receivers

Michael Thomas

Throughout his first four years in the league, Michael Thomas absolutely dominated. He finished as a top-7 wideout four times in a row to begin his career, capped off by an absurd 2019:

  • 185 targets
  • 149 receptions (NFL record)
  • 1,725 receiving yards
  • 9 TDs

It's been brutal ever since. He appeared in just 10 games total from 2020 to 2022 but finally appeared in 10 games last season. However, he's currently without a team which begs the question: How much does he have left?

"Slant Boy" is now 31 years old and has just 4 TDs since the 2020 season. Even so, he flashed some target-earning ability in his 10 games last season.

 

He hit 10+ fantasy points in seven of his first eight games while commanding a healthy dose of both the target share and air yards.

Because he hasn't signed with a team yet, it's reasonable to assume that either: 

A. He's wanting more money than teams are willing to pay. 

B. Teams are waiting until they have a greater need at the position.

If a contending team loses a wideout to injury, it's possible Thomas gets a call. He won't offer the same upside that we saw earlier in his career, but he could certainly warrant a flex spot in PPR formats.

Hunter Renfrow

Remember when Hunter Renfrow randomly finished as a low-end WR1 (WR11) back in 2021? Throughout his five-year career, that was the only time he cracked the top 50 at the position.

Talk about the epitome of an anomaly.

Now unsigned, it's unlikely that Renfrow offers much to any NFL team, let alone your fantasy roster. If he gets a call and turns into the third or fourth wideout for a pass-heavy team, and your league has deep benches, you could justify rostering him.

Russell Gage

During a two-year stretch (2020-2021), Russell Gage was actually a viable fantasy option. He finished inside the top 40 in both seasons and hit the following thresholds:

  • 90 targets
  • 65 receptions
  • 770 receiving yards
  • 4 TDs

Those aren't numbers to write home about, but he's still just 28 years old and almost a full year removed from a knee injury that cost him all of last season. Like Renfrow, if the right team comes calling, he could have fantasy value in deeper leagues.