2020 NFL Draft: Rookies that you should select in fantasy football
The 2020 NFL Draft is almost here and we will finally know who our favorite teams will be adding to their rosters. This year, in particular, is a special one. Due to recent circumstances, the draft will be held virtually. 58 players have been invited to attend from their living rooms. It will be an interesting spectacle, but at least it allows us to watch something sports-related. The 2020 class in stacked from top to bottom in talent. Positions like quarterback, wide receiver, and running back, in particular, have talent in nearly every round. Once the actual NFL Draft is finished, football fans will immediately turn to fantasy to start evaluating which fits are the best and which could under perform. Let’s take a look at some of these incoming rookies, and break down which ones you should do your best to add to your fantasy football rosters.
Three Round NFL Mock Draft: How many QBs will go in the first round?
D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
If you were to do a rookie-only fantasy football draft, D’Andre Swift would be the undisputed first overall selection. Swift is capable of becoming what is rarer and rarer in today’s NFL, a three-down back. He is a versatile runner who can be a weapon in the pass attack while also being reliable enough as a blocker.
Swift led Georgia in rushing as a sophomore, starting five of 14 games played and accumulating 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns on 163 carries (6.4 yards per attempt). When he took over as the lead back the next season, he earned first-team All-SEC honors with 1,218 yards and seven touchdowns on 196 carries (6.2 yards per attempt) and 24 catches for 216 yards (9.0 yards per catch) and a touchdown in 11 games.
D’Andre Swift: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
The best situation for Swift would be getting drafted to a team that is need of a starter right away, one that would avoid a running back by committee approach. The two teams that stick out right away are the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins. Swift and the Chiefs have long been rumored to have mutual interest. With the Chiefs having the 32nd pick in the draft, they are likely the only shot Swift has at being a first-round pick.
He would still have to deal with Damien Williams fighting for a role, but Swift’s talents are enough to overshadow anything Williams will put on the field. In a regular fantasy football league or a dynasty league, I would be comfortable with Swift as my RB2.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Jerry Jeudy is one of two Alabama wide receivers that will be highly toughed in the NFL Draft. He is currently the favorite to be taken first, and for good enough reason. Jeudy will make an immediate impact on any team he is drafted to. He has arguably the best route-running skills of any wide receiver available.
In his last season in college, he started all 13 games. He led the Crimson Tide with 77 receptions (1,163 yards, 15.1 per) and scored 10 times to repeat as a first-team All-Conference pick. Mostly used as a slot receiver in college, Jeudy is a potential high-volume receiver. He is a great fit for wideout-needy teams like the Jets, Raiders, and 49ers.
Jerry Jeudy: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
The best landing spot for Jeudy would likely be with the Jets. With the loss of Robby Anderson, the Jets offensive weapons are limited at best. Jeudy would be a day one starter and his ability to separate will help Sam Darnold and the Jets’ offense. His ability to get open with speed is one thing, but it is still his advanced route running that will make the most impact. Bringing him in would not only help Darnold’s fantasy results but would also add another weapon, allowing Le’Veon Bell to top being the sole focus of the defense.
I don’t think that Jeudy is going to have a break-out season right away, but he is a fringe WR1-2 for me. Grabbing someone early like DeAndre Hopkins and then getting Jeudy a few rounds later would be a strong one-two punch. If he does end up with the Jets, I would upgrade him a few spots in my rankings. I would compare his first season production to Michael Gallup from the Dallas Cowboys.
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
The debate between Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb is a close one. Both WRs are incredibly talented and I wouldn’t fault any team for taking one over the other. The difference between the two is how you use them in an offense.
Lamb is more of a physical, down-field threat. He isn’t a speedster, but he’s still a big-play receiver who averaged 21.4 yards per reception last season because of his sure hands and toughness after the catch. Watching tape on Lamb, you will see a play where he breaks a tackle or pushes off a defender in almost every game.
CeeDee Lamb's explosive play ability in 2019:
▫️42% of his catches went for 20+ yards (1st amongst all draft prospects)
▫️31 forced missed tackles (led all FBS WR)
▫️11.1 yards after the catch (1st amongst draft WR)
▫️26 catches of 20+ yards (Chris Godwin led NFL with 25)🚀🚀🚀
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 6, 2020
The 6’2″, 198-pound wideout led the Sooners with 62 receptions for 1,327 yards (21.4 per, tops in the FBS among those with 40+ receptions) and 14 touchdowns in 13 starts. Lamb should be able to win battles for contested catches in the NFL.
CeeDee Lamb: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
Again, with Lamb, it will depend on which team drafts him. Fantasy football-wise, his best fit might be with the Las Vegas Raiders. I can see him pairing will with Derek Carr, who can throw a deep ball with force and accuracy. People were projecting Lamb to run around a 4.60-4.65 at the NFL Combine. Instead, he came out and ran a 4.5 40-yard dash. Combining that speed with physicality will make him a dangerous weapon for any offense.
Some of his comparisons have been players like Hopkins and Odell Beckham. I don’t think they are wrong, to be honest. I think he has more upside than Jeudy and I would take him as a player with potential WR1 upside.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
Jonathan Taylor was in discussion to be the first RB off the board earlier this year. Unfortunately, because of his struggles in the passing game, his stock has fallen a bit. Then, at the combine, Taylor surprised us all and ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That speed, combined with his ability to find the end zone put him back into a prominent fantasy football discussion.
Taylor led the FBS with 2,194 rushing yards (307 carries, 7.1 per, 16 touchdowns; eight receptions, 60 yards, 7.5 average) in 13 starts. He finished the year as the team’s MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl in a win over Miami (205 yards, touchdown). Taylor’s two-year rushing total was third-best in NCAA history, behind fellow star UW back Melvin Gordon.
Jonathan Taylor: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
He’s a bigger running back at 5-foot-11 and 214 pounds, but displays phenomenal patience when running the ball. If I had to make a direct player comparison, I would go with Ezekiel Elliott. he will need to fall into a situation where he will be able to succeed, but with RBs becoming “replaceable” the only team left would be Miami.
