Welcome to the final Red Zone Report of 2024, where I dive into the important stats and information you need to know from 20 yards and in. Unlike the past 16 editions of this article, this piece will focus on the entire 2024 season rather than just a single week. We’ll be taking a final look at the stats and trends from this season and considering how this information may help us next season.
Check out the Red Zone Report tool as part of the Ultimate Draft Kit to look at every player’s usage in the red zone, 10-zone, and five-zone.
Let’s begin by taking a look at our final efficiency graph, which shows EPA per play in and out of the red zone.
While many expected the Ravens, Bills, Lions, and others to show out as the league’s best offenses, the Washington Commanders shocked the NFL this season. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury created one of the most unexpected and exciting offenses to watch; as a result, Commanders fans were rewarded with their first playoff berth since 2020. On the other end of the spectrum, the New York Jets’ offensive struggles were one of the main reasons they failed to make an appearance in this year’s playoffs. The team currently has the league’s third-worst red zone offense in terms of efficiency. Garrett Wilson dynasty owners should keep an eye out for the next steps taken in addressing the quarterback situation, as it has been rumored that he may seek a trade. Let’s dive into some of the best red zone rushers from this season.
The graph below shows the relationship between rusher EPA per play and success rate in the red zone over the course of the season.
2024 was a very interesting year for the running back position. Many new faces found success as some veterans fell victim to injury. The 2025 running back draft class is headlined by studs with a strong depth of hidden gems waiting to be uncovered in the later rounds. Though at the end of the season, it can be exciting to look ahead to next year’s rookies, there were plenty of rushers who became red zone heroes in 2024.
Tampa Bay’s 2024 fourth-round pick Bucky Irving began the season behind Rachaad White, splitting carries and making the most of his opportunities. Over time, Irving began outperforming his teammate and earning more time on the field. He wasn’t just turning heads in Tampa; Bucky quickly gained national attention across the league. In our red zone efficiency graph, Irving rated higher than any other running back. This translated to incredible fantasy success, including seven red zone rushing touchdowns. From the waiver wire in redraft leagues and the late rounds of rookie drafts in dynasty leagues, Bucky Irving became a league winner for his fantasy owners. Thanks to the success of him and others, the Buccaneers now have the opportunity to win the NFC South division title with a win next week against the Saints.
We confirmed in 2024 that both David Montgomery AND Jahmyr Gibbs can be successful for fantasy at the same time. Each of the Lions’ running backs ran for over 1,000 yards on the season; in addition, Montgomery got a larger share of goal-line work while Gibbs was more involved in the passing game. Both players can be found near the top of our red zone efficiency graph. As a result, both players ended up well within the top 20 running backs in fantasy points per game. Behind one of the most talented offensive lines in the NFL with arguably the league’s best offensive coordinator and play-caller, this group was set up for success from the very beginning.
One of the most electrifying and exciting running backs of the last decade skipped town and moved into a much stronger offense with greater opportunities in the red zone. Despite this change of scenery, many fantasy managers decided to let him fall to the second and third rounds of drafts. Derrick Henry proved these managers wrong in his age-30 season. “King” Henry finished with 14 touchdowns on the ground, 12 of which were in the red zone. Derrick Henry is at the top of the red zone efficiency graph, and for good reason. With one of the best mobile quarterbacks of all time and one of the most physical running backs of all time, this Ravens offense is sure to do some serious damage in the playoffs.
While 2024 yielded plenty of other amazing red zone running backs for fantasy football, various quarterbacks crowded the top of our efficiency graph. Top MVP candidate Josh Allen stole the show this year with his incredible throws and amazing runs. In the process, he also “stole” plenty of touchdowns from James Cook once they got down to the red zone. In fact, Josh Allen had nine red zone rushing touchdowns. When you add that to an impressive passing resumé, it’s easy to see why Allen had so many fantasy points this year.
Speaking of quarterbacks stealing red zone touchdowns, Jalen Hurts “hurt” many Saquon Barkley fantasy managers this year. Hurts scored 11 tush push touchdowns this season, a clear and obvious reason for his red zone success that is well documented on the red zone efficiency graph. Expect more of the same for next season.
One final quarterback to mention in the red zone is Jayden Daniels, who scored five red zone rushing touchdowns, many of which came via read-option plays in short-yardage situations. This was well on display last night in Washington’s playoff-clinching win against Atlanta.
Similarly to the previous graph, this will show receiver EPA per play against success rate in the red zone.
While on the ground it may have been the year of the quarterback, in the air it was the year of the tight end. Various tight ends pop out at the top of our red zone receiving graph—a surprise to few, as their generally larger frame allows them to succeed on routes to the end zone. Let’s take a final look at the most successful red zone receivers of 2024.
George Kittle has caught eight red zone touchdowns in 13 games ahead of tonight’s match against Detroit. As one of the league’s best blocking tight ends, Kittle is on the field incredibly often. As a result, his high volume of snaps has landed him atop our red zone receiving efficiency graph.
Despite a slower start to the season, Mark Andrews made an excellent comeback, scoring 10 red zone touchdowns. Another valuable piece of the aforementioned Ravens offense, Mark Andrews finds himself in the red zone often. This Ravens offense will continue to produce amazing fantasy options for years to come.
Drafted in the third round of the 2023 draft behind his teammate Luke Musgrave, who was selected 36 picks earlier, Tucker Kraft didn’t have the highest expectations for 2024. However, when injuries sidelined his teammate, Kraft stepped up and delivered for fantasy managers who likely scooped him up off waivers. He scored six red zone touchdowns in 2024 and finds himself in good company atop our red zone receiving graph.
All three of our top tight ends have in common the fact that they are on strong and efficient NFL offenses; this is mainly due to the position’s touchdown reliance for success. This is a trend/idea to definitely keep in mind going into 2025.
We’ll close our final red zone report of the season with the most efficient red zone receiver in the NFL—Amon-Ra St. Brown. The recently-extended Lions receiver lives in the middle of the field, the red zone, and of course the end zone. In addition to his eight red zone touchdowns, he brings with him an incredible intensity and work ethic that prevents him from making many mistakes. As the go-to guy in the passing game for one of the top offenses in the league, St. Brown will be a surefire pick for years to come.
2024 showcased a unique combination of fresh, young talent and strong, returning veterans. Like any other year, no fantasy leagues are won at the draft. Instead, strategic trades, pickups, and drops must be made throughout the year based on different trends within the league. Red zone trends can tell us a lot about who coaches trust with the ball both on the ground and in the air.
Thank you for your continued support throughout the season reading my weekly red zone report. To those of you who won your leagues, congratulations! To those of you who came up short, better luck next year. Thank you for making this fantasy football season special!
For more insights and a full breakdown of red zone rush and target data, try using the Red Zone Report tool as part of the Ultimate Draft Kit.
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