Names to Know for 2020 Fantasy Season
The NFL Draft is right around the corner (we think), and there are several draft-eligible players who can assist your fantasy squad this year. Here are the names you need to know:
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin. He averaged nearly 2,000 per season in three years at Wisconsin, and he blazed a sub-4.4 forty yard dash at the combine. If there’s any criticism of him, it’s that he comes into the NFL with a lot of tread on his tires and had some fumbling issues in college. Still, he should find himself as one of the first backs drafted in this class.
D’Andre Swift, Georgia. Back-to-back seasons with 1,000+ yards rushing, and he’s shown legitimate receiving chops. He battled injuries in 2019 but still finished the season with 1,400 yards from scrimmage and 8 touchdowns. NFL.com compares him to Frank Gore. That’s not bad company. He’ll be the latest in a long line of productive running backs from Georgia, which in recent years includes Knowshon Moreno, Todd Gurley, Sony Michel, and Nick Chubb.
J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State. Three-straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2019 alone. He has also shown some ability in the passing game, having shown ability both as a receiver and in pass protection.
Zack Moss, Utah. His combine left a little to be desired in terms of speed, but he claims to have suffered an injury. No matter. His game isn’t built on speed anyway. He’s more of a Chris Ivory/Marshawn Lynch, big bruiser type. He averaged over 1,200 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns each of the past three seasons at Utah. At worst, he’ll be the big back/goal line back for some team this fall, but he may win a job outright.
Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State. Time for some love for a small-school guy. Evans had over 1,500 yards and 23 touchdowns from scrimmage this past season, and he had a decent showing at the combine with a 4.41 forty yard dash. The question is whether he’s just a change of pace back, or if he can carry the load. He’s 5’10, 203, and there are certainly players in NFL history who have carried the load at that size, but he’d probably be able to hold up better if he added another 5-10 pounds of muscle - which he may be able to do on an NFL strength and conditioning program.
A.J. Dillon, Boston College. Dillon has been a fast riser on draft boards this year. The BC product has at least 1,100 rushing yards and 10 or more TDs in each of the past three seasons. He showed reasonable speed at the combine - 4.53 forty - and NFL.com compares him to Steelers’ running back James Conner. There are some concerns about his lack of ability as a pass-catcher. He caught only 21 passes in three years at Boston College.
Cam Akers, Florida State. Akers was a top ten national recruit, and those guys always get drafted highly if they have decent college careers. Akers is coming off 18 total touchdowns in his final season at FSU, and became more involved in the passing game each year. He has the potential to be a three-down back in the NFL if his body can hold up.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU. If you watched college football this year, you’ve probably heard of Joe Burrow’s sidekick: 1,400 yards rushing, 16 rushing touchdowns, and a whopping 55 passes caught out of the backfield. Although he ran slower than expected at the combine (4.6 forty), players who can run it and catch it always find ways to stick in the NFL. He’s probably more of a late day 2/early day 3 pick than full-time starter - especially because he’s only 5’7” - but he has a bright future in the NFL.
Wide Receivers
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma. The junior Sooner is an absolute stud. He compiled 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns this year, while averaging 21.4 yards per catch (3rd-best in the nation). He is a surefire Round 1 NFL draft pick.
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama. Jeudy, a 6’1” junior for the Crimson Tide, is widely regarded as one of the best route-runners to ever come out of the college ranks. In his final year in Tuscaloosa, he posted 77 catches, 1,163 yards, and 10 touchdowns, while competing for targets with fellow first-round hopeful Henry Ruggs III.
Laviska Shenault, Colorado. Think Percy Harvin meets Deebo Samuel. Shenault can help you in the receiving game, on designed runs, and in the return game. He has dealt with some injuries, but has a really solid 6’2", 220 pound frame. His draft projections are all over the board from Round 1 through Round 3, but on talent alone, he should be a first.
Justin Jefferson, LSU. The 6’3” Tiger projects as a “big slot” in the NFL. His production in his final collegiate season was outstanding: 111 catches, 1,540 yards, and 18 touchdowns. Was this a true reflection of his talent, or was it more from playing with projected #1 overall pick Joe Burrow?
Chase Claypool, Notre Dame. Claypool was an absolute STUD at Notre Dame. He’s big (6’4”, 238 pounds), fast (4.42 40-yard dash - joining former Detroit Lion Calvin Johnson as the only players at 6’4”/235 or bigger to run a sub-4.45), and incredibly productive (66/1,037/13). While most of the draft community thinks he is a third round talent at WR - or potentially even a tight end - I would not be surprised to see him selected near the top of Round 2.
Tee Higgins, Clemson. Tamurice “Tee” Higgins, like Claypool, checks in at 6’4", which is ideal size for an outside receiver in the NFL. He was incredibly productive on one of the better teams in college football the last several years, and 2019 was no different, where he posted 59 catches, 1,167 yards, and 13 touchdowns, all while averaging 19.8 yards per catch (13th in the nation). He finished his Clemson career tied with Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins for the most receiving touchdowns in school history (27). He is projected to be drafted in the first or second round.
Jalen Reagor, TCU. Reagor has lost some of his shine after not running as fast as anticipated at the combine, but his 4.47 forty is still plenty fast. He can help on returns and in the receiving game. He profiles similarly to Golden Tate, i.e. a running back playing wide receiver.
Denzel Mims, Baylor. The redshirt senior really turned heads at the combine with a 4.38 forty yard dash. Combine that with good size (6’3”, 207) and consistent production at Baylor (he averaged nearly 1,000 yards and 9 touchdowns over his past three seasons), and he’s likely to hear his name called before the end of the second round.
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama. Ruggs ran a blazing-fast 4.27 forty yard dash at the NFL combine, which has some scouts buzzing about his potential in the first round. But it remains to be seen whether he’s just a one-trick pony like fellow speedsters Darrius Heyward-Bey, Ashley Lelie, and John Ross, or if he has more to his game like DeSean Jackson and Will Fuller.
Michael Pittman, USC. One of the few seniors on this list, Pittman had an outstanding final season at Southern Cal following a slow start as an underclassman: 101 catches, 1,275 yards, and 11 touchdowns. He has great size at 6’4”, 220 pounds, and projects as a possession-type receiver in the NFL. His father was an NFL running back for many years.
Van Jefferson, Florida. Vanchii Jefferson started his college career at Ole Miss, but spent his final two seasons in Gainesville. He may not have posted gaudy college stats in college, but scouts are enamored with his route-running ability. Like Michael Pittman, his father (Shawn) also played in the NFL. This is a guy who probably will have a better pro career than NFL career. He is not likely to come off the board before the third round, and maybe later.
Lynn Bowden, UK. Bowden is the modern NFL athlete, an all-purpose beast of an athlete. He has has the ability to catch, run, and throw. He rushed for 1,468 yards and 13 touchdowns while also leading Kentucky in receiving. He has skills as a returner as well, contributing on both punts and kicks. Given that he can contribute in all facets of the game, he should hear his name called before the end of the third round.
Brandon Aiyuk, ASU. Aiyuk may not be as good of a prospect as his former teammate N’Keal Harry, but he is still plenty good in his own right, and should be an NFL starter, at worst, by the end of his second year in the league. He had 5 100-yard games in his senior season, the vast majority of which came during conference play.
K.J. Hamler, Penn State. Hamler is undersized (5’9”), but he has speed for days. He projects as a speedy slot/kick returner type. He could be drafted as early as the second round.
Keep these playmakers in mind in your fantasy drafts in 2020. Obviously, this article focuses only on running backs and wide receivers, as those are the players who are most likely to make an impact in year 1. For those in dynasty leagues, we’ll have a future column looking at quarterbacks and tight ends. Although you are not likely to get production out of those positions in 2020, you can expect reasonable returns from them as soon as 2021.