2024 Big 12 Conference Preview: Sleepers, Busts and All-Conference Teams

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Updated on August 8, 2024 12:12PM EST

In the new landscape of conference realignment, the Big 12 has experienced several changes. After adding four new teams to the fold in 2023, the conference invited Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah after the implosion of the Pac-12 for the 2024 season. While these additions create a seismic shift, the defection of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC has turned the race for the Big 12 crown into an open question. We'll look at the premier players via our first, second and third-team All-Conference rosters, followed by some notable sleepers and busts to watch as training camp begins.

2024 College Football Fantasy Draft Kit

Big 12 All-Conference Fantasy Teams

First-Team All-Big 12 (Overall position rank)

QB: Garrett Greene, West Virginia (6)

RB: Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State (1)

RB: Devin Neal, Kansas Kansas (4)

WR: Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona Arizona (1)

WR: Jayden Higgins, Iowa State (18)

WR: Travis Hunter, Colorado (21)

TE: Brant Kuithe, Utah Utah (4)

Second-Team All-Big 12 (Overall position rank)

QB: Avery Johnson, Kansas State (8)

RB: DJ Giddens, Kansas State (6)

RB: Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech (13)

WR: Rashod Owens, Oklahoma State (29)

WR: Kobe Hudson, UCF Central Florida (30)

WR: Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State (31)

TE: Drake Dabney, TCU TCU (13)

Third-Team All-Big 12 (Overall position rank)

QB: KJ Jefferson, Central Florida (11)

RB: Abu Sama III, Iowa State (24)

RB: Jahiem White, West Virginia (20)

WR: Josh Kelly, Texas Tech (33)

WR: Jaylin Noel, Iowa State (49)

WR: Lajohntay Wester, Colorado (34)

TE: Garrett Oakley, Kansas State (21)

2024 Big 12 Fantasy Sleepers

QB: Noah Fifita, Arizona

While Fifita will find himself in a new offensive scheme with the arrival of San Jose State's Chris Brennan as the new head coach, the Wildcats ran a similar playbook to the Spartans. Brennan favors dual tight-end sets, but it's impossible to ignore Fifita's ability to get vertical with Tetairoa McMillan. Jacob Cowing is gone, but Arizona has a deep bench at wideout to pick up the slack. One could argue that the Wildcats will face weaker competition after the exit from the Pac-12, and Fifita's arm could easily propel the team to the top of the conference.

RB: Corey Kiner, Cincinnati

Cincinnati's abysmal first season in the Big 12 is one reason why Kiner flies a bit under the radar, but he's arguably one of the best backs in the conference. One advantage in Kiner's favor is an experienced offensive line, with all of 2023's starters returning for another season. Oklahoma State is the only other team with a 1,000-yard rusher and a full complement of veterans up front, so the Bearcats have an opportunity to lead the league in rushing offense. A cornucopia of defensive additions from the transfer portal will also boost Cincy's fortunes and give Kiner more opportunities.

RB: Anthony Woods, Utah

The Utes will enter the Big 12 as a front-runner for the title. The return of Cam Rising and an imposing defense will make some waves, but a bruising running game has always been a hallmark. Micah Bernard returns as the top man in the running back room, but keep an eye out for Idaho transfer Woods, who could emerge as the lightning to Bernard's thunder. During a two-year career with the Vandals, Woods tallied 2,031 yards and 19 touchdowns. Expect the Utes to utilize Woods early and often.

WR: Monaray Baldwin and Ashtyn Hawkins, Baylor

Toledo transfer Dequan Finn is the preseason favorite to win the job under center, and his dual-threat capability should open up a Baylor offense that sputtered frequently last season. Former Texas State coach Jake Spavital is the new OC in Waco, and Hawkins came along with him. The transfer is a favorite to line up opposite Baldwin, who should also see a significant target uptick.

WR: Quentin Skinner, Kansas

It will be tough to roster QB Jalon Daniels or RB Devin Neal because they have established themselves as fantasy studs. The Jayhawks' receivers are not as well-known, with Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm, and Skinner all returning as the top three pass-catchers from a year ago. Skinner can be snagged in the late rounds of upcoming fantasy drafts and has the upside to be the No. 1 receiver in an offense that averaged over 34 points and 438 yards per game in the last two seasons.

2024 Big 12 Fantasy Busts

QB: Donovan Smith, Houston

Smith will again take first-team snaps for the Cougars after a shoulder injury required surgery in the offseason. Smith missed spring practice, and questions remain about the surgery's potential impact on performance. The team lost almost every offensive line starter through graduation and the transfer portal, so Smith's protection may face a downgrade. There may also be growing pains for Smith's offensive arsenal, as several potential transfer wideouts will try to fill the hole left by Sam Brown. Coach Willie Fritz inherited a terrible recruiting tenure from Dana Holgorsen and tried his best to raid the portal for talent, but Smith has one of the bleakest outlooks in the conference.

RB: Dallan Hayden, Colorado

The Buffaloes had difficulty running the ball last season, and the revamped running back room is filled with youngsters who have never held a full-time job in the college ranks. Hayden has arguably the best pedigree after his tenure with Ohio State, but he joins a crowded room of backs who have a shot at the top job. Isaiah Augustave, Micah Welch and Charlie Offerdahl will also compete for snaps. Although Hayden appears to have the upper hand, top-notch production is far from a lock in Colorado's offensive scheme.

BYU Position Players

Players like WR Chase Roberts, WR Darius Lassiter, RB LJ Martin, & QB Gerry Bohanon will be on some people's lists as potential breakout candidates. However, BYU struggled in their new conference with five straight losses to close the 2023 season. In a three-week stretch against Texas, West Virginia, and Iowa State, they managed just 26 total points. It's not projecting well in 2024 either, as they have one of the toughest schedules. The Cougars may be a year or two away from building a roster that can regularly compete with other Big 12 teams.

WR: Xzavier Henderson, Cincinnati

This bust projection has more to do with the Bearcats' QB situation than with Henderson as a player. It also doesn't help that Cincinnati will likely center most of their offense around the run game with the aforementioned Corey Kiner. Moreover, HC Scott Satterfield always prefers a running quarterback, and he has three of them this year, so there will be plenty of those run-first opportunities that all cut into Henderson's potential targets. Anytime it looks like there may be multiple signal callers starting for a team, that rarely bodes well for the top receiver in the offense.

TE: Garrett Oakley, Kansas State

Oakley projects to be the Wildcats' top tight end for the 2024 season, and he's entering a historically productive spot. Tight end Ben Sinnott led the team with 676 yards and six touchdowns on 49 catches in 2023. However, this year's version of Kansas State figures to be much more run-oriented with QB Avery Johnson and RB DJ Giddens. Plus, the team likes TE Will Swanson quite a bit, which likely means split playing time at this position. For fantasy purposes, it may make more sense to go with a tight end with a more defined role going into the season.