NFL's top 25 games of 2024
Wed May 15 2:01pm ET
Field Level Media
Christmas Day for NFL marketing and ticket sales departments finally arrived Wednesday with the release of the 2024 season schedule.
With subplots and peripheral angles multiplying before our eyes - hello, Netflix, welcome to NFL holiday football broadcasts - Field Level Media's football-minded contributors assembled the top 25 games of 2024.
24. Cardinals at Jets, TBD: We're grabbing our popcorn for one matchup, and one matchup alone: Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Top five draft picks likely to be near the top of the pecking order at their position for a decade.
23. Colts at Patriots, TBD: Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, meet Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. Indianapolis appeared to have a hit on its hands before Richardson was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. If he can stay healthy and Maye isn't relegated to clipboard duty behind former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett, we're eager to make early evaluations of purported franchise QBs.
22. Jaguars at Eagles, TBD: Young QBs and strong pass rush are common bonds, sure, but the plotline we're looking at is the reception for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson. He played for the Eagles (1999) but was essentially a coach-in-training for Donovan McNabb, then served as an assistant for Andy Reid and came back from a stint in KC for a five-year run that included a Super Bowl.
21. Bears at Texans, TBD: The Bears also get a meeting with the Carolina Panthers for the second consecutive season. With all due respect to Panthers 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, the top rookie quarterback last season was Houston's C.J. Stroud. His numbers would have been the best ever single-season passing total for a Bears QB (4,108 to Erik Kramer's team record of 3,803). Stroud had 26 TD passes including the playoffs despite missing time with a concussion). The Bears hitched their wagon to No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with the rookie carrying massive talent - and expectations - in Year 1.
20. Vikings at Giants, TBD: All of the QB uncertainty one can handle on the undercard, LSU products Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Malik Nabers (Giants) in the main event.
19. 49ers at Seahawks, TBD: Maybe you overlooked it. There's not a chance Brock Purdy did. He knows new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's defense - that of the Ravens - had him seeing ghosts in a five-interception laugher on Christmas Night last season. Macdonald's new club has a bunch of cross-training chess pieces determined to unseat the 49ers from the NFC West perch.
18. Jets at 49ers, Sept. 9: Week 1 on "Monday Night Football" is a familiar refrain for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers has some magic left following a season-ending injury four snaps into his first start with the team in 2023. Rodgers is local - Chico, Calif., Butte JC and Cal - and went 6-3 against the 49ers with the Packers. Now 40 years old, he'll try to tip the scales toward the Jets, who are 3-11 all-time in the series with San Francisco. Jets head coach Robert Saleh has known 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan since breaking into the NFL as a low-level assistant with the Texans 15 years ago and was defensive coordinator on his staff before taking over with the Jets.
17. Cowboys at Commanders, TBD: Dan Quinn gets his second chance as a head coach in Washington and to be the champ in the NFC East, he'll have to take down his previous employer and boss, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. Given the amount of time Quinn spent with McCarthy and Dak Prescott, don't discount the level of concern the Cowboys have entering two games with Washington.
16. Eagles vs. Packers (Brazil), Sept. 6: The youngest roster in the NFL last season belonged to the Packers, and nobody can fault what Green Bay did in the offseason. Head coach Matt LaFleur debuts his offense with Josh Jacobs at running back and a new-look defense. It'll also be a big reveal game for the Eagles, unleashing their own big-ticket offseason item, Saquon Barkley, and a number of new faces on defense.
15. Falcons at Vikings, TBD: Welcome back, Kirk Cousins, congratulations on finding a team that didn't want to invest in a young quarterback to insure its $100M guarantee to a 35-year-old starter coming off an Achilles injury. Oops. Cousins could be hailed or hated for bailing on the Vikings in free agency following 50 regular-season wins in six seasons of Skol-ing.
14. Ravens at Chargers, TBD: Los Angeles and new hire Jim Harbaugh welcome John Harbaugh and the Ravens with entertainment expected to be rich before, during and after a matchup of AFC heavyweights. John Harbaugh won the last meeting and survived a brief power outage at the Super Bowl in New Orleans to take home the Lombardi and deal Jim's 49ers a painful defeat.
13. Steelers at Broncos, Week 2: Revenge games bring out the spirit and emotion you might not otherwise find in games that don't include Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh picked up Russell Wilson after he was scrapped at a cost north of $80 million to Denver by second-year head coach Sean Payton. Payton, of course, is still in town and brought in a rookie, Oregon's Bo Nix, to train in the system that helped make Drew Brees a legend. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh had a sneaky excellent offseason while the Broncos shed leaders and linchpins on both sides of the ball (Wilson, Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy). If reunions are your thing, Payton also heads back to New Orleans this season.
12. Jets at Bills, Week 17: We know they'll get an earlier go at each other on "Monday Night Football" In October, but let's give the season time to breath and Aaron Rodgers time to round back into form. He'll be recently removed from his 41st birthday but should know the names of all of his wide receivers, a task Josh Allen might need more time to complete.
11. Ravens at Cowboys, TBD: Dak Prescott was great at home last season and Dallas fortified the offensive line through the draft. Whether new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has an answer for mobile quarterbacks - namely Lamar Jackson - might be the hot-button issue for the Cowboys. Baltimore's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023 also traveled well last season, battering Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert and limiting those three teams to a combined 36 points in Ravens' road wins.
10. 49ers at Packers, Nov. 24: Week 12 and the start of a pivotal, NFC-dominated, primetime featured stretch for Green Bay with nighttime marquee matchups at Detroit (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 15) ahead. Jordan Love's two interceptions stopped the Packers short of an upset at San Francisco in the divisional playoffs in January.
9. Texans at Cowboys, TBD: C.J. Stroud appears to be special and the Texans made sure his supporting cast wouldn't be a reason for a sophomore slump. But one warning: only the Bills and Patriots have a more difficult schedule based on 2023 results and offseason moves. Among the appealing underlying matchups: Houston wide receiver Stefon Diggs vs. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
8. Bears at Packers, Jan. 5: The Week 18 finale was meaningful for Green Bay last season, and Jordan Love guided the Packers into the postseason to sweep the Bears and continue the trend Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams makes his first foray into the likely frozen tundra. Will the Bears be playing for more than a spoiler token?
7. Dolphins at 49ers, TBD: It was Dec. 4, 2022, and far more meaningful than we knew at the time when a seventh-round rookie - 49ers QB Brock Purdy - made his first career start with two TD passes in a 33-17 home win over the Miami Dolphins. Back to the scene come the Dolphins with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel a solid bet to share some unknown intel about old boss Kyle Shanahan in the game week buildup.
6. Ravens at Chiefs, Sept. 5: Had this one been bumped back a couple months to multiply the meaningfulness in the standings and AFC playoff picture, it had an angle on a top three game of the 2024 regular season. Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes remains must-see for all the right reasons.
5. 49ers at Bills, Dec. 4: The week-after-Thanksgiving primetime game on Sunday of Week 13 should be meaningful for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.
4. Rams at Lions, TBD: Two franchises on schedule to combine for more than $350 million in deposits into Jared Goff's bank account are back at it with Detroit out to duplicate their playoff win in January over one-time Lions QB Matthew Stafford.
3. Ravens at Eagles, TBD: Star power on display? Check-check. Potential Super Bowl preview? Sure thing. Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens) add firepower to a pair of offenses with explosive potential.
2. Lions at 49ers, TBD: Other than tackle eligible, think of another phrase that could spike Dan Campbell's temperature more than "at San Francisco." Didn't think so. The Lions were halfway to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl leading the 49ers handily in the NFC Championship but coughed up a 17-point lead and bowed out of the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat instead. If Campbell circled this game on the schedule in ink, we're guessing you can't read it.
1. (tie) Chiefs at 49ers, TBD: Familiar enough to be rivals, the Chiefs left with the jewels in recent games that really mattered between teams with a combined 50-18 record the past two regular seasons. San Francisco took a lashing from the Chiefs, 44-23, at home in Oct. 23 before the dawning of the Brock Purdy era.
1. (tie) Bengals at Chiefs, TBD: Don't forget Joe Burrow, he's more than the highest-paid player in 2024. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against the Chiefs but was sidelined with a broken wrist when the teams played in 2023. Don't look for a warm reception in Kansas City, where fans aren't soon to forget Burrow's boys calling the Chiefs' stadium "Burrow-head" based on his success at the home of Patrick Mahomes.
- Pats sign former CFL, XFL and UFL G Liam Fornadel
- Cowboys sign DB Gareon Conley, LB Willie Harvey
- Steelers to release WR Denzel Mims
- Lions sign UFL K Jake Bates
- Brandon Aiyuk: 49ers 'don't want me back'
- Browns GM: Deshaun Watson ahead of schedule in rehab
- Bengals re-sign WR Tee Higgins to 1-year franchise tag
- 'Hard Knocks' to feature all AFC North teams in season
- Chiefs DL Isaiah Buggs arrested in Alabama
- Bengals WR Tee Higgins to sign $21.8M franchise tag
- Lions to sign UFL kicker Jake Bates
- Commanders sign No. 2 pick QB Jayden Daniels
- Chargers bring S Tony Jefferson out of retirement
- Chiefs' new Super Bowl rings feature factual error
- Dolphins, DE Calais Campbell agree to deal
- Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence signs 5-year, $275M extension
- Saints RB Alvin Kamara seeks new contract, exits minicamp
- Bucs' first-round C Graham Barton signs contract
- Jets sign edge rusher Takkarist McKinley after tryout
- Bengals C Ted Karras signs extension through 2025
- Fantasy Six Pack: Nico Collins, Tank Dell or Stefon Diggs provide the best draft value? | 2024 Houston Texans Fantasy Football Draft Guide
- Fantasy Six Pack: IDP NFC North Draft Guide
- Fantasy Six Pack: Bo Nix unlock Javonte Williams? | 2024 Denver Broncos Fantasy Football Draft Guide
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- Fantasy Six Pack: Beginner’s Guide To Best Ball Football Draft Strategy
The Paur Report
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) is returning from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Week 8 of the 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings, but he has expressed confidence he'll be full-go by training camp at the end of July since his arrival in Atlanta in March. That sentiment didn't change throughout the offseason program, and Cousins' participation in all aspects of the team's offseason program is promising. Cousins said he did everything at organized team activities, but it will be worth watching if he continues to do everything in training camp. The 35-year-old signal-caller will be in a non-contact jersey, but everything else should be business as usual. Cousins will still have plenty of weapons around him in Atlanta, but it's a downgrade in receivers and he's coming off a significant injury towards the end of his career. At best, fantasy managers should consider him a midrange QB2.
From RotoBaller
The Atlanta Falcons' new offense under head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will clearly run through second-year running back Bijan Robinson. "In as simple of a form as you can possibly make it," Morris said, "it's 'get the ball to Bijan as much as you can in as many ideal situations that you possibly can.'" Robinson's 214 carries for 976 yards and four touchdowns made him the top-rushing rookie in 2023, and he also caught 58 passes for an extra 487 yards -- the fourth-most among RBs -- and also had four receiving TDs. His 272 touches ranked 12th among NFL players last year, and Robinson finished 10th with 1,463 total yards from scrimmage. The 22-year-old expects to be more of a runner than pass-catcher in 2024, and with more total touches likely coming his way, he should easily be considered a top-three fantasy RB.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Doug Haller writes that there is a lot of optimism from the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, with the biggest reason being that quarterback Kyler Murray is on the field. Murray was off to the side working with the team's conditioning staff at this time last year while trying to recover from ACL surgery. Murray's recovery affected Arizona's entire season in 2023 after he missed the first nine games. He spent the rest of the year learning a new offense and trying to find his way back, and it showed. An offseason built around Murray should make a difference in 2024. The 26-year-old put in extra work with his receivers on weekends, trying to perfect rhythm and timing. Murray probably isn't going to be an elite passer, especially given the lack of standout options at receiver in Arizona besides rookie first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr., but his elite rushing ability should give him a solid fantasy floor as a low-end QB2.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Bengals' schematic expansion under new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher was on display through the offseason program, and the shift to versatility and unpredictable usage was a recurring theme for every position group. All receivers worked inside and outside, tight end Mike Gesicki shifted all around the line of scrimmage, and the running backs were more active in the passing game. Quarterback Joe Burrow talked about extra "eye candy" and being able to dictate more to defenses with new personnel groups and scheme tweaks. It's unclear exactly how this will look in competitive games, but it has to be good news for all players in the offense, especially Burrow, who is looking to bounce back after another injury-plagued year in 2023.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that he has significant questions about the Cleveland Browns' receiving corps this year. WR1 Amari Cooper missed the whole offseason program because he's seeking a new contract, and new wideout Jerry Jeudy missed the last three weeks with a minor undisclosed injury. The Browns still have Cooper and tight end David Njoku, but there are a bunch of questions beyond them, and quarterback Deshaun Watson needs playmakers. Jackson said he didn't see many big plays from the Browns offense during offseason workouts, and he still wonders what the team will get from Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman when the regular season begins. Watson has a lot of talent from under center, but injury question marks and the lack of receiving depth he has in Cleveland makes him a clear QB2 target in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers are waiving wide receiver Denzel Mims, according to NFL.com. The 2020 second-round pick by the New York Jets signed with the Steelers in October of last season and signed a reserve/futures contract in January, but his time with the team has come to an end. After a promising collegiate career at Baylor, Mims has now been released or waived by three franchises in four years. In 30 career games, Mims has racked up 42 receptions for 676 yards and no touchdowns. His future in the league is looking bleak, but another organization might give him an additional shot.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was the 12th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he will get the chance to be Sean Payton's QB of the future. So far this offseason, Denver's coaching staff has continually praised Nix's maturity level and growth. "There is a maturity level," offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. "I think when you draft a guy who is a little bit older, you hope that that comes with it, but he's certainly shown that. You can feel his 61 games played in college. With experience, a calmness comes along with it. So he certainly doesn't feel like a rookie." College football's all-time leader in career starts will be 24 years old when he takes his first regular-season snap, and he'll have to exceed expectations to elevate a weak supporting cast in the competitive AFC West. While the team expects Nix to perform well right away, he has limited fantasy upside due to a lack of weapons and the struggles rookies usually face.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II has been in trade rumors over the last calendar year, but the 24-year-old said he wants to stay with the organization long-term. The team picked up his fifth-year option a few months ago, which was a no-brainer decision after he made two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team in his first three NFL campaigns. Through the 24-year-old's first 50 contests, he has compiled 187 tackles, one forced fumble, seven interceptions, and 36 pass deflections. Denver has one of the weakest rosters in the league and is in the middle of the rebuild, so while it wouldn't be shocking if Surtain was on the trade block, it sounds like that is not the case.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford wants more guaranteed money in his deal and wouldn't mind a raise, either, as he looks to tweak his contract. Stafford will make $31 million, $32 million and $31 million in the final three years of his current deal, but nothing is guaranteed after the 2024 season. He received his deal several years ago, and the QB market just took a major leap with Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence's big extension. Stafford was a participant during mandatory minicamp, though, so no holdout is expected at training camp next month. The 36-year-old signal-caller bounced back from an injury-plagued year in 2022 to post 3,965 passing yards, 24 TDs and 11 interceptions in 15 regular-season starts last year in his third year in LA. Still, he was only the QB15 in fantasy last year and is an injury risk as he moves toward the end of his career.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki "shifted all around the line of scrimmage" during offseason programs, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Several playmakers within Cincinnati's offense had their versatility on display recently and Gesicki was no exception. The 28-year-old is coming off a 29-catch, 244-yard, and two-touchdown season in New England where he operated behind Hunter Henry. He's due for increased volume in 2024 given that he projects as the Bengals' No. 1 tight end. A versatile skill set would allow him to get on the field even more, and it seems like the Bengals will explore using Gesicki in a variety of ways. It's too early to let this impact his fantasy stock, but he could flirt with the low-end TE2 tier this season.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Brandin Cooks appear to have strengthened their rapport after playing together for a full season, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. "The connection between Brandin Cooks and Dak Prescott stood out most [from offseason programs]," Machota wrote. "It was a solid rapport last year at this time, but it was obvious during OTAs and minicamp that the two now have a full year working together. They were on the same page in all drills, but it particularly stood out on some deep ball throws." He added that Cooks has already cemented himself as the Cowboys' No. 2 receiver and could push for 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns in 2024. Such a stat line would bode quite well for the veteran's shot at being a weekly WR3/FLEX play in most fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III earned a shoutout from head coach DeMeco Ryans for making a "significant leap" over the last year, according to Mike Jones of The Athletic. Metchie sat out 2022 due to a cancer diagnosis but returned to catch 16 passes for 158 yards last year. While it's not wise to invest much stock into coachspeak, it's still worth noting that Ryans has a particularly favorable view of Metchie as he enters his third pro campaign. The presence of Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell will likely keep Metchie off the redraft radar, but he could be an appealing target in deeper dynasty leagues as the 2024 season approaches.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II continue to split reps during offseason programs, but there's no clear favorite for the starting job, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. "While they've both taken quickly to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's system, neither stood out much during practices," Reed wrote. "The defense decidedly had the upper hand regardless of who was at quarterback." Both quarterbacks will have plenty of opportunities to compete over the next couple of months, but for the time being, fantasy managers must continue to grapple with the uncertainty out of Las Vegas as they prepare their rosters for the 2024 season. Whichever signal caller wins the job would be a high-end fantasy QB3 by Week 1.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (groin) has recovered from core muscle surgery and was back on the field as a full participant at Tight End U on Tuesday, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic. The 30-year-old is coming off a huge campaign in which he was named a Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro after totaling 65 catches, 1,020 yards, and six touchdowns in 2023. He's the undisputed No. 1 tight end in San Francisco and has also firmly cemented himself as one of Brock Purdy's favorite targets. Now fully healthy and ready for the 2024 campaign, Kittle finds himself in the high-end TE1 tier for fantasy football once again.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins DL Calais Campbell told reporters on Monday, June 17, that he will be 'very surprised if I don't play literally every position on the d-line at some point in time (in 2024).'
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is ahead of schedule in terms of his recovery from shoulder surgery, according to general manager Andrew Berry.
Fantasy Spin: Watson was able to throw some during offseason workouts and should be at least a limited participant when training camp starts. He has not posted great numbers since joining the Browns a few years ago and probably should be considered a No. 2 quarterback in fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
Updating a previous report, free-agent DE Takkarist McKinley (Cowboys) signed a one-year contract worth $1.125 million with the New York Jets on Tuesday, June 18.
From TheHuddle
Updating a previous report, free-agent S Tony Jefferson (Giants) signed a one-year contract worth $1.21 million with the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday, June 18.
From TheHuddle
Updating a previous report, free-agent S Marcus Maye (Saints) signed a one-year contract worth $1.3775 million - including a $167,600 signing bonus - with the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday, June 18.
From TheHuddle
Updating a previous report, free-agent DL Calais Campbell (Falcons) signed an undisclosed contract with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday, June 18. WR Mathew Sexton was waived to make room for him on the roster.
From TheHuddle
