Noteworthy Fantasy Football Players Who Landed on the Reserve/PUP List: Jonathon Brooks, Keaton Mitchell, Odell Beckham Jr. and More

Running Backs

Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

Chubb suffered a horrific knee injury early last season that continues to keep him off of the field this year. While he is now forced to miss at least four games to start the season, he is likely out for closer to half the season. There is also a real chance he is unable to return to form at all in 2024 even once he's cleared to play.

Meanwhile, Jerome Ford should be considered the back to both own and start in all fantasy formats. The team just cut D'Onta Foreman, who was expected to steal goal-line touches. However, there are rumors that the Browns will re-sign him in the coming days. Pierre Strong Jr. is also in the backfield but brings little more than a limited scatback role.

Until further notice, Ford is a solid start and it's very possible he will remain so for the entirety of the season depending on how things go with Chubb's health.    

Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers

Brooks also suffered a major knee injury in 2024. Despite the injury coming much later in the season, he is much more likely to have a quicker and easier return to form. He suffered a clean tear of his ACL and his youth will be a significant benefit to his recovery. We anticipate him missing about four games, perhaps a bit more, and then be eased back onto the field.

Chuba Hubbard will maintain his role from late in 2023 until Brooks is able to return - a role Hubbard had a ton of success in and helped carry fantasy teams into and through their playoffs. We don't expect Brooks to see anything close to a full workload until around Week 10 if the team even decides to give him bell-cow touches at all this season.   

Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints

It's unclear what the issue between Miller and his head coach Dennis Allen is but Allen won't stop hurling negative comments his way about his injury issues. This isn't normal and there is a decent chance that Allen is fired by the time Miller is eligible to return from his hamstring injury which would solve a lot of problems.

Once healthy, there is no reason that Miller shouldn't be the primary ball carrier in New Orleans other than a grudge held by his coach. He is by far the most talented runner on the team and could be a league winner for teams down the stretch if he can stay healthy. If you have an open IR spot, he's worth stashing for the first month of the season. 

Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens

You can make a strong case that Mitchell is the most dynamic of any player listed here. He moves at a different speed comparable to other running backs in the 2023 NFL Draft class like De'Von Achane and Chase Brown. After suffering a torn ACL in Week 15 last year, he also finds himself out until at least Week 5 this season.

While if things fell right he would have the highest upside here as an explosive back sharing a backfield with Lamar Jackson, he also has the lowest floor. This is because the odds are once he is ready to return Derrick Henry will be there to eat up the vast majority of the carries in Baltimore. Nevertheless, he is worth an IR spot and is a sneaky good dynasty target, especially if he's on a team trying to win now. 

Wide Receivers

Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots

Prior to tearing his ACL in 2023, Bourne was the Patriots' most dynamic playmaker in the passing attack. It's not impossible that he will reclaim that role once he gets back on the field in 2024.

However, the additions of rookies Ja'Lynn Polk, and to a lesser degree Javon Baker, could throw cold water on that idea. He should be viewed as little more than a late-round flier in best-ball leagues at this point, but he will be worth monitoring on the waiver wire once he's back in action.   

Odell Beckham Jr., Miami Dolphins

Beckham is only being mentioned here because he needs to be mentioned. He will not bring your fantasy team any value at any point this season and isn't even worth consideration as a stash candidate. River Cracraft is on the same list and is a more important player on the Dolphins but no one clicks on an article to read about River Cracraft.

Tight Ends

T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

Hockenson is one of the most drafted and notable fantasy options to land on the reserve/PUP list. Like most of these players, he suffered a major knee injury late in the season that has dragged into 2024. There is a ton of ambiguity with his status for this year -both the length of his absence and how he'll look once he returns is a complete unknown.

Fantasy owners have been willing to roll the dice on his upside to this point, but understand relying on his return is a massive risk that may never come to fruition the way you hope. 

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Higbee is essentially a poor man's Hockenson in this case, but worse on all levels. Like Hock, Higbee tore multiple ligaments in his knee, however, he did it in the playoffs and doesn't have the same talent or production to be worth the trouble of stashing.

If you are so desperate to get a piece of the Rams' offense that you want to roster a tight end, it looks like Colby Parkinson is the guy to own for now.