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.
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The Paur Report
Dynasty | The Vikings currently have Sam Darnold as their QB1. Dynasty Analysis: Noted. It seems Minnesota will attempt to create a competition between Darnold and rookie JJ McCarthy, a competition McCarthy will almost assuredly win. Darnold looked like he had a chance for another legitimate shot at starting but the drafting of McCarthy has thrown a big bucket of cold water on that sentiment. It's hard to see him holding this spot for long in training camp. Darnold is roster worthy in 2QB leagues but a tough hold in 1QB formats.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh said there was 'no issue' between QB Aaron Rodgers (personal) and his teammates regarding the quarterback's absence from mandatory minicamp. Saleh added that he and Rodgers are 'on the exact same page.'
Fantasy Spin: This is pure offseason fodder that will have no bearing once Week 1 rolls around. Coming off a torn Achilles', Rodgers is a QB2 with some upside.
From TheHuddle
Carolina Panthers LB Shaq Thompson (ankle) said he feels 'amazing' after recovering from ankle surgery.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Rams CB Tre'Davious White (Achilles) is making progress in his recovery but there is no official timetable for his return, according to head coach Sean McVay. The team hopes White will be ready for the start of the regular season.
From TheHuddle
Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold is the leading candidate for the starting quarterback job at this point, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Fantasy Spin: Darnold will compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job during training camp, so fantasy players will need to keep an eye on the situation. The winner of the job probably should be considered a No. 2 quarterback in fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
Atlanta Falcons DT Grady Jarrett (knee) said he hopes to be ready to practice when training camp begins, according to ESPN.com's Marc Raimondi.
From TheHuddle
Carolina Panthers LB Shaq Thompson (groin) said he underwent groin surgery after the 2023 season.
From TheHuddle
Baltimore Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey (undisclosed) worked on the side during practice Wednesday, June 12.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent TE Jimmy Graham (Saints) said he is not sure if he will be retiring and will contact the New Orleans Saints before making a final decision.
From TheHuddle
New York Jets WR Mike Williams (knee) expects to be ready for the start of the 2024 season, he said on Wednesday, June 12.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) has increased his activity by throwing passes in 7-on-7 drills during minicamp practice on Tuesday, June 11.
From TheHuddle
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who had the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason for the 2024 campaign, has still not signed the tag and is not present for the start of mandatory minicamp this week. Because he's technically not under contract yet, Higgins will not be fined. The 25-year-old either wants to be traded or wants a new contract from Cincinnati. He officially asked for a trade in March but now expects to play for the Bengals in 2024. The former second-rounder in 2020 out of Clemson had the worst of his four seasons in the NFL last year, playing in only 12 games due to injury and finishing with 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns. A bounce-back should be coming if he can stay healthy in 2024, but Higgins' fantasy upside as a WR2/3 will continue to be capped as long as he's playing in the shadow of teammate and WR1 Ja'Marr Chase.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) said it's "tough to say" what percentage health-wise he is right now during mandatory minicamp in June, but he reiterated "I'll be ready to go by the season." Burrow said last week that he's fully cleared to do everything that doesn't involve contact this offseason as he recovers from surgery to fix a torn ligament in his right wrist. The 27-year-old resumed throwing in April and is putting most of his focus on his mechanics as he looks to bounce back in 2024. We'll continue to keep a close eye on Burrow's progress in training camp this summer, but as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks, fantasy managers should consider him a solid midrange QB1 target in drafts with two of the better receivers in the game in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal in the air attack.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Tuesday that quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) is not at mandatory minicamp, an unexcused absence that is subject to fines. Saleh said it was for an event "important to him." In the grand scheme of things, Rodgers' absence isn't a huge deal, especially since he was present for all of the team's voluntary organized team activities leading up to minicamp. Still, it's a missed opportunity for him to develop more chemistry with his receivers after missing all of 2023 with a torn Achilles tendon. The 40-year-old resumed practicing with the team late last season and should be fully ready to go by Week 1 of the regular season this fall. Rodgers could have some big games here and there if he stays healthy in 2024, but for fantasy purposes, he's firmly in low-end QB2 territory coming off a serious injury.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets linebacker Haason Reddick, who the Jets acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason to fortify their pass rush, is not present at mandatory minicamp this week. It makes Reddick officially a holdout, but head coach Robert Saleh indicated he felt Reddick would show up eventually. The 29-year-old didn't take part in any voluntary organized team activities last month, either, as he seeks a new contract with just one year remaining on his current deal. The Jets expected Reddick to take part in their offseason program when they traded for him, but apparently he's had a change of heart. The former 13th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 out of Temple has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last two seasons and has double-digit sacks in each of the last four years.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is throwing the football in 7-on-7 drills on the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, which is something he didn't do at voluntary organized team activities last month. It's a big step for Watson, who required surgery last November to fix a displaced glenoid fracture in his right shoulder. The 28-year-old has tangible QB1 upside when healthy, but he hasn't really been healthy since returning from a suspension that kept him out for all of 2021. As long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks, Watson should be a full-go for training camp this summer and be ready for Week 1 of the regular season. Because he's dealing with a unique injury to his throwing arm, Watson should be considered a QB2 in fantasy in 2024 with upside for more if he proves he's completely past the injury.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper, who is entering the final year of his current deal, is not present for mandatory minicamp this week, which means he'll be subject to fines each day he's not in attendance. The 29-year-old is officially holding out for a new extension, but it remains to be seen if his absence will extend into training camp at the end of July. Cooper had a career-high 1,250 receiving yards and 17.4 yards per catch to go with five touchdowns in 15 regular-season starts in 2023, but he'll be missing valuable time gaining chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) if he continues his holdout into training camp. With Jerry Jeudy now in town, Cooper will have a bit more competition for targets in the passing game, potentially making him a more volatile low-end WR2/high-end WR3 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (undisclosed) is sitting out of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday with a minor undisclosed injury. Jeudy's injury doesn't appear to be serious at all, but the Browns aren't going to push their new receiver this offseason. The 25-year-old should be ready to rock for training camp at the end of July, but meanwhile, he's missing valuable repetitions with quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) as he learns a new offense. Jeudy signed a lucrative three-year extension with Cleveland after being acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos this offseason. The former 15th overall pick by Denver in 2020 out of Alabama has yet to play a full season in four years in the NFL and should be viewed as more of a WR4/5 with a low ceiling and floor in fantasy heading into his first campaign with the Jets behind Amari Cooper.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and nine-time Pro Bowler, and retirement rumors have picked up steam over the last two offseasons. However, the 34-year-old is not putting a timeline on the end of his career, and he signed a two-year extension this offseason. "I really can't put a timeframe on (retirement)," Kelce said. "I love coming to work every single day. I know there's opportunities for me outside of football. I'm going to keep going until the wheels fall off. Hopefully, that doesn't happen anytime soon." For what it's worth, Kelce sits over 3,000 yards shy of passing Tony Gonzalez for the most receiving yards ever by a tight end, so he could be chasing that mark. Kelce's 984 receiving yards in 2023 were his fewest in a single season since 2015, yet he still finished second among all tight ends. The future Hall-of-Famer and clear top-five tight end of all time could fall off a cliff in production at any moment, but for now, he remains an elite player at the position. All that said, he is no longer the consensus TE1 in fantasy football thanks to emerging pass-catchers like Sam LaPorta and Trey McBride.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets running back Breece Hall (lower body) remained out of practice on Tuesday as he works his way back from a lower-body injury. The 23-year-old has been working off to the side during the team's offseason activities, but head coach Robert Saleh suggested the injury is minor. It's too early to worry about his injury considering the 2024 season is roughly three months away, but his status is worth monitoring throughout the remainder of the offseason. Hall is in play to be the first running back selected after Christian McCaffrey in 2024 fantasy drafts following an RB4 finish in half-PPR leagues last year. Despite starting the year slowly due to a lingering knee injury, Hall rushed 223 times for 994 yards and five touchdowns and caught 76 passes for 591 yards and four scores. With Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) back in action this year, Hall should have more touchdown equity in his third pro campaign. If he struggles to stay healthy, rookie fourth-rounder Braelon Allen could see plenty of action behind him.
From RotoBaller
