Pondering some tough flex choices for your fantasy lineup? Adam Rank sorts through the running backs, receivers and tight ends to present his top 150 flex options each week for the 2024 fantasy football season, with some useful nuggets of analysis sprinkled in. The ranking is based on a 0.5 PPR scoring format.
NOTE: In a typical week, this ranking will be posted on Tuesday. Injury designations will be added, adjusted or removed as teams' official injury reports are made available. The following three designations will be reflected:
- (Q) -- Player is listed as questionable on his team's official injury report.
- (D) -- Player is listed as doubtful on his team's official injury report.
- (O) -- Player has been ruled out on his team's official injury report.
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FLEX RANKINGS: 1-50
There are a lot of moving parts this week with so much happening. We have Tua Tagovailoa possibly returning in Week 8, which should raise the projections for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Honestly, I thought a matchup against the Colts was going to do the trick last week. Didn't happen. But Tua's return would make those guys must-plays this week. We need them back because not only are we going to be without Brandon Aiyuk, but Mike Evans and Chris Godwin suffered injuries on Monday night, with Godwin's appearing to be season-ending. (UPDATE: Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Friday that Tagovailoa has cleared the concussion protocol and is expected to play.)
What a huge bummer. Have we seen Godwin play his last game with the Buccaneers? I sure hope not, but he's due to become a free agent this offseason. Godwin had saved me in a ton of leagues so far this year. Bucs rookie Jalen McMillan is a player I liked coming into this season. Is he ready to take over the WR1 role for Tampa Bay? Maybe. (A glowing endorsement, I know.) The injuries could lead to more opportunities for running backs Rachaad White (who caught two touchdowns on Monday night) and Bucky Irving.
And hey, maybe we'll see Cooper Kupp return from injury on Thursday night! OK, on to the rest of the notes ...
- Justin Jefferson has been amazing this year. The funny thing is there were tons of people who were apprehensive about Jefferson this summer because of his quarterback situation. Although there are those on the internet who swear this never happened (it did, I have proof). Jefferson has scored 15-plus fantasy points in all six of his games this season (Lamar Jackson has done the same in all seven of his contests). Jefferson also has one touchdown catch in five games -- Drake London is the only other player who can make that claim.
- Make sure you get your Bears and Cowboys players back into your lineups this week after their Week 7 bye. DJ Moore has three touchdowns in his last three games. He's had nine red-zone targets in the last five games and his Week 8 opponent, the Commanders, have allowed 22-plus fantasy points to five different receivers this year. I believe Caleb Williams is poised for a huge game. There's no doubt in my mind the Bears have noticed the other rookie quarterback in this matchup (Jayden Daniels, assuming he's healthy enough to play) has drawn so much attention for his great start to this season. Just saying.
- Joe Mixon has scored 26-plus points in each of the last two games since returning from injury and he did everything he could to help the Texans against the Packers on Sunday. If I can make a slight detour here for a moment, what is going on with C.J. Stroud? He has only one game this season with more than 20 fantasy points. I know part of the blame could also go to Tank Dell, who dropped a pass in the end zone against Green Bay, but it will turn around for Stroud soon. As for Mixon, he accounted for the bulk of the team's scrimmage yards in Week 7. What you might not realize about Mixon is that he's scored 26-plus fantasy points in three games this season. The only non-QB with that many such games this year is Saquon Barkley.
- I owe Mike Tomlin an apology. Benching Justin Fields for Russell Wilson worked out pretty well on Sunday night, I have to admit. Four different Steelers players scored a touchdown in the game, but it seems like George Pickens is going to feast.
- Tank Bigsby posted a team-high 26 rushing attempts in Week 7 with Travis Etienne inactive due to injury. I'm not saying Bigsby is going to take over the RB1 job completely when Etienne returns, but he's scored 23-plus fantasy points in two of his last three games, with four rushing touchdowns in the last three contests.
FLEX RANKINGS: 51-100
- Cole Kmet should be considered a top-five tight end moving forward. He's one of the best in the game at the position. He does it all -- blocking, receiving, . All of it. He has a great matchup this week against Washington.
- Tank Dell has only one receiving touchdown in his six games this season. He's also been held to less than 65 receiving yards in each of those games. It hasn't been great.
- Brock Bowers has been amazing this year. He's scored at least 11 fantasy points in five of his seven games. He's been even better in the absence of Davante Adams, scoring 16-plus points in three straight contests. Speaking of Adams, how do you think he's feeling about his life choices after a rough debut with his new team? Maybe the Jets are just a Jordy Nelson away from truly competing.
- I'm still waiting for Rhamondre Stevenson to get going again. The Patriots RB has scored more than nine fantasy points in only one of his last four games and he missed Week 6 with a foot injury. In Week 8 he'll face the Jets, who have allowed just three rushing touchdowns to running backs this season. That's the fifth-fewest in the NFL.
- Browns WR Cedric Tillman had eight receptions in Week 7, and I like him to become the go-to receiver in this offense following the departure of Amari Cooper. The Ravens, who'll visit Cleveland in Week 8, have allowed a lot of production to receivers this year. It's kind of weird to be targeting the Ravens defense like this, but it's been working out.
FLEX RANKINGS: 101-150
- David Njoku has been getting hot. His 10 receptions in Week 7 tied a career high and he finished with 23.6 fantasy points on a day when the Browns had to play three different quarterbacks due to injuries. Njoku has had at least six receptions in three of his last four games against Cleveland's Week 8 opponent, the Ravens. Baltimore has allowed the most receiving yards to tight ends this year.
- You might need to stream a tight end this week. Might I suggest the Panthers' Ja’Tavion Sanders. His fantasy scoring has increased in four consecutive games. He led the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards in Week 7. While the Broncos, Carolina's Week 8 opponent, have been good defensively this year, they have allowed the sixth-most receptions to tight ends.
