80-Page NFL Team-By-Team Player Blurbs with 2020 Fantasy Football Projections and Draft Strategy Guide
This article is filled with Rise or Fall 2020 Fantasy Football Projections and subsequently analysis in the form of player blurbs. This is my way to give back to such a wonderful and supportive community. Please feel free to use this research for your own articles and podcasts, I just ask that you reference Rise or Fall and help out the little guy trying to make this a career.
Special thanks to all of the guests on the Rise or Fall: Defining Moments podcast. You ultimately inspired me to relentlessly pursue happiness and the project has profoundly impacted me. I’m so very honored to have helped share your stories.
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AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen
- In 2018, he threw for 2074 yards, 10 TDS, and 12 INTS. Had 631 Yards Rushing and 8 TDS
- In 2019, he threw for 3089 yards, 20 TDs, and 9 INTS. Had 510 Yards Rushing and 9 TDS
- Linear progression could continue due to Stefon Diggs joining the WR Corps, John Brown being healthy and in a more natural WR2 role, Zack Moss replacing Frank Gore as the short-down RB and rotational back, and a second year promising tight end in Dawson Knox improving
- Top 6-8 upside in 2020 and built for FFPC and/or Best Ball Leagues
Devin Singletary
- In 2019, Frank Gore had 166 carries for 599 yards
- In 2019, Devin Singletary had 151 carries for 775 yards
- Inside the 10-yard line, Gore had 18 carries while Devin only had 3
- Inside the 5-yard line, Gore had 11 carries while Devin only had 2
- If Zack Moss takes up the Gore role, which he likely will – then Singletary is capped
- However, Devin only played 12-games. He was explosive and is super talented. Major upside
Stefon Diggs
- In 2019, Diggs finished the season with 63 RECS for 1,130 YDS and 6 TDS
- He is now the Alpha Dog of the Buffalo Bills WR corps and has immense upside if Josh Allen progresses
- I tentatively have him projected for 68.9 RECS, 1,085 YDS, and 7.2 TDS. I think this is also his floor. He is just outside the top-20 in all league formats, again that was a conservative projection on my part
- While he had just 94 targets in 2019, his catch rate was a healthy 67%. An increase in targets and a likely decrease in catch rate due to potential inefficiency of Josh Allen should offset one another
- I love him for Best Ball leagues
John Brown
- He was the #1 WR for the Buffalo Bills in 2019 and it was not a role he is built for
- A downfield threat and a mediocre intermediate route runner, Brown did what he could for the Bills but he clearly was held in check by top corners when he faced them
- Brown finished with 72 RECS, 1,060 YDS, and 6 TDS on 115 Targets
- With Stefon Diggs there, I have my doubts that Brown will garner that many passing targets in an offense that will not be airing out the football week in and week out
- I have Brown projected for major regression. He is not in my top-40 WR’s for any league format and currently is projected for 61.1 RECS, 882.1 YDS, and 4.1 TDS
Dawson Knox
- The 2019 rookie tight end finished the season with just 28 RECS for 388 YDS and 2 TDS. Not great but rookie tight ends often do not produce significant fantasy stats in Year 1
- Here is a nugget for you. Out of all tight ends that received 50 or more targets, only Noah Fant and Jared Cook had higher yards per reception rates. His 13.9 yards per reception rate was higher than every other TE in the league
- Here is another nugget for you. Dawson had the 11th highest Target Share inside the 10-yard line at the TE position.
- If he progresses in Year 2, Knox could be a bit more efficient and garner a few more targets. While his upside is limited due to the offense he is in, Knox is a nice Best Ball target and my 13th ranked Dynasty TE
Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa
- In the long-term, health likely to return to full-strength and no residual issues
- Potentially without a preseason. This might make the jump from the college field to the gridiron exceedingly difficult for certain positions. Quarterbacks might have a really hard time adjusting to the NFL playbook without months and months of being around the team, practicing, and preseason football.
- I like his dynasty stock, but he is someone I would not really go out of my way to grab in any sort of redraft league
Ryan Fitzpatrick
- Chance he opens the season as the starter with Tua not getting the off-season work with the team
- In 13 starts last season, he threw 502 passing attempts and finished with 3,529 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. He is one of those DFS darlings every once in awhile due to his capacity to explode randomly, but his touchdown rate of 4.0% was well below league average
- He is more gun powder than gun, as he often can ignite the offense in short spurts but rarely keeps things firing smoothly
- He is efficient enough to make the players around him viable fantasy options if he is the starter for a prolonged period
Matt Breida
- I am a Breida believer. The guy just plays great football. It is too bad he’s always injured and banged up because he continuously loses opportunities to other talented running backs in committee situations
- Here we go again. Breida once again finds himself in a situation where he will share the job with another running back
- Jordan Howard might rotate at running back between the 20’s, but likely will steal most red-zone work from Breida. This means Matt needs to garner most of his value through the passing-game and/or between the 20’s
Jordan Howard
- Jordan likely will be the 1A running back in this offense. Even though his YPC last season was 4.4 and Breida finished with a 5.1 YPC, Jordan has shown before that he can handle 15-18 touches per game. Breida has not.
- Howard earned a ton of red zone work last year for a part-time back. He had 22 carries for 86 yards and 6 touchdowns inside the 20-yard line
- Inside the 10-yard line, he had 12 carries and 5 touchdowns
- Inside the 5-yard line, he had 8 carries and 5 touchdowns. That is VERY efficient red zone work.
- I personally believe Breida might not start at the beginning of the season, but if he stays healthy should take this job from Howard for as many games as he can stay active.
DaVante Parker
- Parker was an absolute stud at times in the second half of the season
- He finished tied for third in the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 9 in total
- He hauled in 72 RECS for 1,202 YDS on 128 Targets
- The return of Preston Williams might eat into his target total
- Tua might be an inefficient passer when he takes the field which could lower Parker’s efficiency on a potentially already lower target count
- I conservatively project him for regression with 71.4 RECS, 1,083.6 YDS, and 6.4 TDS. But understand that there is room for upside. Better suited for standard leagues
Preston Williams
- Preston was having himself a solid season prior to his injury. In just 8-games, Preston garnered 60 targets and hauled in 32 receptions for 428 yards and 3 touchdowns
- Despite playing in just half the games, he only had 4 fewer red zone targets than DaVante Parker, and managed to score 3 times on his 6 receptions
- Preston is more of a PPR option than anything else and is waiver-wire material to start the season
Mike Gesicki
- Finished with 51 RECS for 570 YDS and 5 TDS
- Tua, if named starter, might lean on Mike Gesicki like a lot of rookie quarterbacks do
- Tua is an athletic kid and if he runs around behind the line of scrimmage and creates on broken plays, there could be opportunities for Gesicki to have some long gainers and pay off nicely in DFS or spot starts in Fantasy Football
New England Patriots
Jarrett Stidham
- The 133rd pick in the 4th round of the 2019 draft is now the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots
- How bizarre is this? And what a shadow to have to follow. It’s going to be difficult as the Patriots and the AFC East have the toughest schedule in the NFL as their opponents in 2020 totaled the most wins in 2019
- Stidham has some dynasty appeal as playing for one of the sharpest minds of football will keep you relevant, but in redraft he is someone that does not move the needle one bit
- A suddenly weak offense lacking true game changing talent, Stidham is likely going to struggle to find solid footing
Sony Michel
- He should open the season as the starter in an offense that will surely turn to its running game to move the football
- Michel averaged just 3.7 YPC in 2019. It was a blown opportunity for Sony after he received 247 carries, the 9th most in the NFL
- Sony did have 7 rushing touchdowns, so there is upside there. But he was not and will not be a factor in the passing game after hauling in just 12 receptions on 20 targets through 16 games
- I think this offense is going to really struggle this season with no field stretchers, a new quarterback, and a lack of running game. I have Sony as the 31st ranked running back in Standard Leagues and that’s the highest rank he has over the six leagues I have ranked. Yikes!
James White
- The pass-catching weapon out of the backfield finished with the sixth most targets (95) for all running backs in 2019
- He racked up 72 receptions for 645 yards receiving with just a 7.3 YAC rate
- I think it’s the first year we will see him not make a significant impact for the passing game
Julian Edelman
- In 2019, Julian finished with the 4th most targets (153) in the entire NFL
- He managed to haul in 65.4% of those and finished with 100 REC, 1,117 YDS, and 6 TDS
- He still has PPR value as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3, but this offense might struggle to move the football
- I have him projected for 72.1 REC, 930.8 YDS, and 4.8 TDS which are all well below his average career numbers with Tom Brady by a significant margin
N’Keal Harry
- The 32nd pick of the 2019 draft might have a chance to turn some heads in 2020
- He is talented, he’s big (6-2, 213), and he has upside
- However, Jarrett Stidham. We did not see Harry make an impact at all with Tom Brady, so there is nothing really to hang your hat on and say he will with the unknown Stidham
- Raw talent that has yet to show he’s polished enough as an actual WR to make significant strides in Year 2 and now is surrounded by unsteadiness
Devin Asiasi
- There is a shot that he is not even the starter in 2020
- The 3rd round pick likely will struggle in his rookie year and we never see rookies really make any type of significant impact
- Matt LaCosse likely begins the season ahead of him on the depth chat
- Holds dynasty value at a watered down TE position
New York Jets
Sam Darnold
- Finished the season with 3,024 passing yards and 19 touchdowns with a 61.9% completion rate in 13-games
- There were times when Darnold looked good last season, but the pass-catching options were subpar at best
- 2020 really looks no different which is unfortunate for him. Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, and Denzel Mims is the likely 3-WR set to start the season
- Talented tight end, Chris Herndon has a chance to take a step forward after a healthy off-season as well
- He needs another offensive weapon to be important in dynasty. In redraft, he is waiver-wire material to start the season
Le’Veon Bell
- It was an atrocious season for Le’Veon. He played 15 games and had 245 carries but managed to only rack up 789 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns
- He did look smooth out of the backfield, as usual. Finishing the season with 66 receptions and 461 receiving yards on 78 targets
- The offense should take a step forward in 2020 with a young squad hopefully taking a step forward
- Bell has barely any competition and is locked into a full workload. Dynasty stock is trending down, but his redraft stock is still solid. I currently have him as my 19th ranked redraft PPR running back and that is very conservative. There is upside here for high-end RB2 production if the offense can just not be terrible this season
Jamison Crowder
- The smallish slot wide receiver was basically the WR1 for the Jets in 2019. He finished the season with 78 receptions, 833 yards receiving, and 6 touchdowns on 122 targets
- Likely in store for another WR3 type season with an incredibly low ceiling but moderate floor due to target volume
- Denzel Mims could open the offense a bit and allow for some breathing room on the shallow and intermediate routes for Jamison Crowder
Breshad Perriman
- Robby Anderson is gone now and so are his 96 targets, 52 receptions, 779 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns
- Breshad had 6 touchdowns on just 36 receptions in 2019 and did have a 17.9 YPC rate
- That was the 5th highest rate in the NFL for receivers that finished with over 500 receiving yards
Denzel Mims
- He had a very solid run at Baylor in college and was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft
- He has great size, at 6-3 / 215. Excellent ball skills and tremendous speed
- But he is a rookie, he isn’t currently getting the off-season work in with the team, and I am worried about most rookies in 2020
- He is currently my 39th ranked Dynasty league WR but I have left him unranked in the other formats. He is going to likely open the season behind both Crowder and Perriman in the pecking order on an offense that will likely struggle to move the football with consistency
Chris Herndon
- Basically, the last time we saw him play was in 2018
- He racked up 39 receptions, 502 yards receiving, and 4 touchdowns in 14 games that season
- He served a four-game suspension to start 2019 and then was basically hurt immediately upon his return in his first game
- Backup Ryan Griffin finished the season with 34 receptions for 320 yards and 5 touchdowns
- The arrow is pointing up for Herndon in all formats now that he is healthy, and the offense should not be as bad in 2020 as they were last season
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson
- Led and offense that outscored every single NFL team in the league by more than 50 total points
- He had the sixth most rushing yards in the NFL last season and broke the NFL record for quarterback yards rushing by almost 200 yards
- He finished 2019 with 3,127 yards passing and 36 touchdowns with only 6 interceptions
- He finished 2019 with 1,213 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns on the ground
- The only thing he is not projected as my #1 quarterback in the Rise or Fall rankings, is Dynasty leagues and only due to the slight concern of injury someday
- I have him conservatively projected for 3,391 yards passing, 33 passing touchdowns, 968.3 rushing yards, and 5.8 touchdowns. If he stays healthy, I believe this is his floor
- Target him with confidence in all formats
Mark Ingram
- He had a fantastic season in his first year with the Ravens
- He racked up 1,018 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns on just 202 carries
- He tacked on another 5 receiving touchdowns on 26 receptions for 247 yards
- He finished 3rd in the NFL in both carries inside the 5-yards line (15) and touchdowns inside the 5-yard line (8)
- He was rewarded by the Ravens with J.K. Dobbins being drafted in the second round this season and now enters a likely committee
- He still has massive upside here due to the touchdowns, but I believe his touch totals will decline
- If he loses 30-50 total touches (carries and receptions combined), he will become a player that relies on touchdowns alone to provide value
- I have him projected for 876.7 yards rushing, 7.4 rushing touchdowns, 22.1 receptions, 226.8 yards receiving, and 1.8 receiving touchdowns
- He is someone I do not have much faith in for 2020. I have left him outside the top-30 in all league formats
J.K. Dobbins
- A very talented running back out of Ohio State and was the 2nd round pick of the Ravens
- Very soft hands and can excel in the open field. Has great size at 5’10 and 215 pounds
- Likely will open as the change of pace running back but is well-rounded
- Dynasty stock is fantastic as Mark Ingram is no spring chicken as far as NFL standards go
- Redraft stock is low, due to the bevy of role player type running backs the Ravens have
Marquise Brown
- Marquise is blazing fast and excelled when he was asked to get behind the secondary
- He finished the 2019 season with 46 RECS, 584 YDS, and 7 TDS on just 71 targets
- Should the Ravens have to pass more in 2020, Brown can absolutely explode if he garners more targets
- He’s a fantastic Best Ball option and someone I have just outside the top-20 in all league formats
- I project him for 68.9 RECS, 1,085 YDS, and 7.2 TDS. These are higher than a lot of projections around the industry. I think we have plenty of upside in 2020
Mark Andrews
- Mark is my 4th ranked tight end in every league format
- He finished 2019 with 64 RECS, 852 YDS, and 10 TDS. That was an increase of 30 RECS, 300 YDS, and 7 TDS from his 2018 rookie season
- In 2020, I think Marquise Brown will emerge quite a bit
- This could lead to a few less targets for Andrews. I have him projected for 58.6 RECS, 787.0 YDS, and 8.3 TDS. All still superb numbers for the 4th ranked tight end in the Rise or Fall rankings
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow
- Was an absolute stud and was the 1st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft
- Has talent surrounding him with a healthy A.J. Green, emerging Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon in a contract year
- Could be difficult to be effective without being fully immersed in the normal NFL Rookie pre-season
- Absolutely tore it up against college kids on a powerful LSU squad, will NFL speed be tough to adjust to without summer camp and preseason?
Joe Mixon
- A three-down running back with very little competition for touches (sorry Giovani Bernard, we know who you are at this point)
- Mixon played all 16-games in 2019 and finished with 313 touches for 1,425 yards and 8 touchdowns
- The only thing missing for him to be a high-end RB1 last season were the lack of touchdowns
- I am not sure if that will improve very much either. In 2019, Mixon had the second most rushes inside the 5-yard line (16) and was only able to score on 4 of those carries
- What kind of offense will the Bengals have and will it be efficient with Burrow missing so many NFL activities this preseason?
Tyler Boyd
- In 2018, had 108 targets. Hauled in 76 receptions for 1,028 yards, and 7 touchdowns
- In 2019, had 147 targets. Hauled in 90 receptions for 1,045 yards, and 5 touchdowns
- A massive increase in targets did not lead to more production at higher levels
- With A.J. Green returning and a rookie QB that isn’t getting the normal preseason, his ceiling is likely capped again. He is a low-end WR2 in PPR leagues
A.J. Green
- In 2017, Green racked up 143 targets, 75 RECS, 1,078 YDS, and 8 TDS
- In 2018, Green played just 9 games. He did have 77 targets, 46 RECS, 694 YDS, and 6 TDS
- His per game averages were better than Tyler Boyd in all categories
- I have Tyler ahead of AJ this season though for a few reasons
- First, he’s emerging and he’s young. He also is the type of WR that a rookie might lean on.
- Second, A.J. did not play a single snap in 2019. We have no clue what we are getting out of him in 2020 and at what capacity is athletic ability remains
Tee Higgins
- The second round draft pick out of Clemson is big and strong (6’4 / 213)
- Has excellent body control and can win contested catch battles with smaller corners
- Will be buried on the depth chart behind John Ross in 3WR sets most likely at the start of the season
- Dynasty upside if A.J. Green and John Ross aren’t part of the future plans for the Bengals
- Gets to build chemistry with franchise QB, Joe Burrow from Day 1
C.J. Uzomah
- Has been around since 2015 and never really flashed
- Had just 27 RECS for 242 YDS and 2 TDS in 2019
- Leave him on the waiver-wire to start the season
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Rothlisberger
- Is he cooked? He looked terrible in the first two games of the 2019 season before succumbing to a season ending elbow injury
- In 2018, we saw him explode for 5,129 yards passing, 34 touchdown passes, and threw 675 passes
- Immense upside with a lot of very young talent all around him. If he’s healthy, strong, and has something in the tank, Ben could surprise. Currently, I project him for a subpar year. I think he is cooked. But the upside is there IF I am wrong due to the players I will discuss in the next section
James Conner
- It was an awful season for James Conner without a passing threat to alleviate the box for the running game
- Conner struggled through 10-games. He had 116 carries for 464 yards and just 4 touchdowns
- Excelled in the passing game again, racking up 34 RECS, 251 YDS, and 3 TDS
- Him missing 6-games allowed the team to see what they had with Jaylen Samuels and Benny Snell, who both could play small roles this year and take away some touches each game
- Conner needs Ben to inject some upside into this offense and be able to push the ball down the field or Conner is in trouble in 2020
Jaylen Samuels
- He was tremendous in the passing-game, racking up 47 RECS, 305 YDS, and 1 TD on 57 targets
- Had just 2.7 YPC on 66 rushes and looks like he might be a role-player in the NFL
Benny Snell
- Looked the part as a two-down thumper that offered solid between the tackle running
- Had 108 carries for 426 yards rushing and 2 TDS
- Offered nothing in the passing game with just 3 RECS for 23 YDS on 4 targets
- If Conner goes down, Snell and Samuels likely form a committee, with some type of role being available for Anthony McFarland Jr
JuJu Smith-Schuster
- In 2018, had 166 targets, racked up 111 RECS, 1,426 YDS, 7 TDS
- In 2019, missed Big Ben. It’s that simple. It was an awful season for JuJu
- One thing he still did very well last season was create yards after he caught the ball and broke tackles. He had an average of almost 6.0 yards after contact with the football in his hands
- Separation is there, the ball needs to find him this year. Totally dependent on Big Ben
- Dynasty stock is at 15th right now because he is an unrestricted FA in 2021. If this year does not go well with Big Ben, then I doubt he sticks around with poor QB play while entering his prime
Chase Claypool
- The second round pick has massive upside down the road
- Is likely to not make much of a dent in 2020 and is a pretty raw prospect
- I think he is the contingency plan for the Steelers potentially losing JuJu in 2021
Diontae Johnson
- The 2019 third round pick looked stellar in 2019
- He led the 2019 Rookie WR class with 59 RECS and finished with 680 YDS and 5 TDS
- There is a lot of Antonio Brown’s type game in Diontae Johnson. Truly, they are both lightning quick, run sharp routes, and have good hands.
- DJ was exceptional with the football in his hands. He was top-3 in broken tackles at the WR position
- He excelled with horrendous QB play. The arrow is pointing up in 2020 if Big Ben is not running on fumes
James Washington
- The former 2nd round pick in 2018, had a solid second season with backup QBs in Pittsburgh
- He finished with 44 RECS, 735 YDS, and 3 TDS. He was a big play WR and got down the field in a hurry.
- If JuJu leaves in 2021, the WR corps of Pittsburgh would be full of exciting young talent still
Eric Ebron
- He is going to be very helpful in the red-zone for the Steelers
- In 2019, Ebron found paydirt just 3 times. But in 2018, he racked up 66 RECS and had 13 TDS
- The upside is there. Ben might even target him more IF his elbow does not allow him to push the ball down the field
- He is just outside my top-20 TE’s this year
Vance McDonald
- The last season we saw Vance with Ben, he had 50 RECS, 610 YDS, and 4 TDS
- Those are serviceable numbers. Should Ebron go down with injury, Vance could be a fine bye-week or streaming option
Cleveland Browns
Baker Mayfield
- In 2018, Baker took the league by storm and looking like a budding star. He threw for 3,725 yards, had 27 passing touchdowns, and threw 14 interceptions as a rookie
- With OBJ in town and an electric offense on paper in 2019, Baker and friends fell apart. Baker had just 3,827 yards passing, 22 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions
- The offensive line was atrocious. I personally believe a majority of the blame is on the o-line.
- In 2020, the Browns drafted Jedrick Willis with their first round pick to bolster the line. They also grabbed Jack Conklin in free agency, a strong linemen that blocked for Travis Henry in 2019 on the Titans
- OBJ was hurt for most of 2019. His WR’s are now fully healthy and talented
- Austin Hooper was added to the mix as well. A nice two-tight end tandem will be useful for Baker when David Njoku, a talented pass-catcher on his own right, both are on the field
- There is tremendous upside for Baker in his third year. I think he has top-12 potential
Nick Chubb
- Chubb rushed for 1,494 yards and had 8 rushing touchdowns last season
- I am projecting him for just 1,020 yards and 7.1 touchdowns on the ground this year with major regression inbound and workload issues
- Kareem Hunt clearly capped Chubb’s potential in the second half of the season.
- In the final 8-games of 2019, Chubb only had 2 touchdowns
- Kareem Hunt 37 receptions in those 8-games, 2 more than Chubb’s season total of 35
- Chubb had 3-games with 20+ touches in Hunt’s first three with the Browns. After those three games, Chubb never reached the plateau again
- Before Hunt? Chubb had five games with 20+ touches in a six game span
- Some have said, “well, Chubb will be the red zone guy”. To them I point out the fact that Chubb had 15 carries inside the 5-yard line last season and only scored 2 times. He also had 32 inside the 10-yard line and only scored 4 times. BIG YIKES
Kareem Hunt
- In 2019, Hunt was used primarily as a pass-catching option
- He racked up 37 receptions and 285 yards with 1 touchdown through the air in just 8 games
- He only was given 44 carries. He did rush for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns though
- In 2020, I believe Hunt takes a TON of work from Chubb, as Hunt is the better all around running back
- This backfield truly might be a full blown committee as early as Week 1, and Chubb is being over drafted as the 7th or 8th running back going off the board in most formats. There might not be a better handcuff in all of the NFL. If Chubb goes down, Hunt could win you your fantasy football league
Odell Beckham Jr.
- In an injury plagued 2019 season, OBJ still finished with 74 receptions, 1,035 yards, and 4 touchdowns
- I think that is his floor and he is primed for an explosive 2020 season
- While he’s been more hype than anything else over the last three years, he’s fully healthy and is in an offense that should take a major step forward
- His 55.6% catch rate should come up with Baker Mayfield having more time to throw
- If we use his 5-year rate with the Giants of 61.5%, add in a return to health and the Browns offensive line issues being fixed, there is plenty of reason to believe he can return to elite WR1 production again
- I am projecting him to be a top-12 WR in all formats
- His 2020 stat projection currently sits at 78.0 RECS, 1,144.2 YDS, and 7.5 TDS
Jarvis Landry
- With Baker not having much time to throw, he settled for short passes often
- Jarvis feasted at times due to the offensive line issues and ended up with a career high 14.1 YPC
- Jarvis finished with 83 RECS (11th in the NFL), 1,174 YDS, and 6 TDS
- In 2020, I think he takes a back seat to Odell Beckham Jr.
- I still project him for 68.2 RECS, 1,019.2 YDS, and 5.8 TDS. He’s a fine high-end WR3 in PPR leagues
Austin Hooper
- He’s already established himself as a quality TE in the NFL
- In 2018, he had 71 RECS, 660 YDS, and 4 TDS in 16-games
- In 2019, he has 75 RECS, 787 YDS, and 6 TDS in just 13-games
- He now slides into a solid role with an offense that should improve in Year 3 under Baker Mayfield and a beefed up offensive line
David Njoku
- The first-round pick in 2017 had a very good Year 2 with the Browns
- In his rookie year, he had 32 RECS, 386 YDS, and 4 TDS
- In 2018, David had 56 RECS, 639 YDS, and 4 TDS
- In 2019, the wheels fell off. He played just 3-games and recorded barely any stats while being a healthy scratch to close out the season
- A new coaching staff is here, but they also brought in Austin Hooper to be the TE1 for the Browns
- Should Hooper go down with injury, Njoku should be someone on your short list to pickup during that week of the waiver wire. He has solid upside
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson
- At this point, we are in a bit of uncharted territory for Watson now that DeAndre Hopkins is gone
- The team still has solid weapons around him. As he has Kenny Stills, Will Fuller, Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks at his disposal at WR and newly added David Johnson
- But there it will be hard to replace the talent that Hopkins had and I think we see a little regression this season
- I have him projected for 3,746.3 YDS, 26.9 TDS, 513.2 YDS rushing, and 4.8 TDS
- Upside for more, but we need to see someone fill the void of those passing targets now left behind by Hopkins (30% target share)
David Johnson
- I think that David Johnson has a shot to be a solid PPR RB2 running back this season
- I also think that he has a lot of upside in this offense and with a fresh start, could return to some of his 2016 glory
- But that is a long time ago in running back years. I conservatively project him for 771.8 YDS, 4.7 TDS on the ground with 46.5 RECS, 459.5 YDS, and 4.0 TDS
Brandin Cooks
- It is hard not to be a little worried about Brandin Cooks’ health. He continues to deal with concussions and there are offseason rumblings that he now has five documented in the last few seasons
- That said, he’ll be the WR1 for the Texans and as long as he stays healthy, he should garner a solid amount of targets
- The issue with Cooks is that he is not a touchdown scorer and he is also not really a PPR machine. He is good at both but does not excel at either in the scope of fantasy football
- I conservatively project him for 63.5 RECS, 989.5 YDS, and 4.2 TDS. These numbers would be a hair under his 2017 and 2018 numbers. If he stays healthy, I think these projections are his floor
Will Fuller
- In Year 3, Fuller took moderate steps forward. He has made incremental positive steps forward in his career in all three seasons. Will Year 4 be the one where he puts it all together?
- I am actually intrigued. My best guess is, no. He wont do it and he’ll remain an inconsistent deep ball role player, in the same vein as Kenny Stills
- But if he does progress once more, then my current projection of 57 RECS, 844.9 YDS, and 4.5 TDS will look like child’s play. He’s very fast and talented. There is room here for growth with a ton of targets leftover from Hopkins departing
Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill
- The comeback player of the year winning was exceptional in 2019
- He finished with 2,742 yards passing, 22 touchdown passes, and just 6 interceptions
- He efficiently tacked on another 185 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns on the ground
- He thrived in the smashmouth offense that would then run play-action and allow Tannehill to comfortably sit in the pocket after the linebacker bit the fake, and he’d throw it to a lot of open players in the second level of the defense already
- He did not throw the ball a ton and I doubt he has to this year either
Derrick Henry
- What an absolute beast. Henry imposed his will on defenses in 2019. Rumbling to 1,539 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns. He tacked on another 18 receptions for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns.
- He does not have competition for touches, even though people are pointing to the drafting of Darrynton Evans. But Evans looks more like a replacement for Dion Lewis than anything else.
- I have him projected for 1,303 yards rushing, 10.9 rushing touchdowns, and similar receiving stats like the ones he finished with in 2019
- While my projections show regression in most categories, he still is a fine RB1 for the season and a top-8 RB selection in all formats
A.J. Brown
- Here we go, now some excitement comes. The hype train is crazy on AJ Brown this offseason and I won’t even try to stop it
- AJ Brown was electric in 2019 as a rookie. He finished with 52 RECS, 1,051 YDS, and 8 TDS
- He had a 20.2 YPC rate which was second in the NFL at the WR position when ranking by WRs with 40 or more receptions (Mike Williams of the Chargers had 49 RECS and a 20.4 YPC rate)
- He is already one of the most dangerous players in the open speed due to his size and speed combo
- I have him projected for 72.0 RECS, 1,152.8 YDS, and 9.4 TDS
- He’s a top-12 WR in all formats for me. I doubt he sees the target volume that other top-12 type WR’s do, but I think the efficient targets he will receive and the natural progression in his game will allow him to sneak into the top-12
Jonnu Smith
- The former 3rd round pick in the 2017 draft took a few more baby steps forward in 2019
- He finished with career high’s in REC, YDS, and TDS (35, 439, 3)
- In his second season without Delanie Walker, Jonnu has the opportunity for once again – a breakout
- But with the emergence of A.J. Brown, former first round pick Corey Davis, and the offensive focal point being on red zone monster, Derrick Henry, Jonnu is very low in the pecking order
Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers
- We are seeing major signs of slowing down in Rivers’ game
- He had trouble pushing the ball a bit last year and although he had 4,615 yards passing, he had just 23 touchdowns and had 20 interceptions.
- He goes to a more talented offense which should help, along with a much better offensive line
- He is surrounded by talent and it should keep him relevant for another season or two
- Everyone knows TY Hilton is great, but Zach Pascal and Parris Campbell both flashed last season. And the team added Michael Pittman Jr in the draft.
- He also has Nyheim Hines to catch the football out of the backfield and two great running backs to hand the ball of too
Jonathan Taylor
- The 41st pick in the draft is a fantastic runner. He racked up 2,000 yard rushing seasons back-to-back at Wisconsin and looks to be the real deal
- I am not concerned about the lack of receptions in college. Scouting reports are saying that he just rarely was called upon to move the chains by catching the football. When he was given the opportunity, he delivered in the receiving game
- Taylor likely isn’t going to have 200+ carries this season and neither will Marlon Mack. But in 2021, Mack is an unrestricted free agent. In Dynasty leagues, you’ll want to have Taylor. He has the talent and potential opportunity to be the clear cut RB1 behind one of, if not the best offensive line in football
Marlon Mack
- Mack had a good season, rushing for 1,091 yards on 247 carries. He had 8 TDS, 1 less than he had in 2018 when he had 9
- There was room for more last year and Mack just didn’t take it. Behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, Mack ran hard, but didn’t create anything for himself
- He’s going to be the 1B, potentially outright RB2 in this offense by as early as Week ¾
- A two down thumper that doesn’t deliver exactly what they need. He’s talented, but he’s going to let you down if you draft him to be a starter this season (barring JT injury)
T.Y. Hilton
- In 2018, Hilton had 76 RECS for 1,270 YDS, and 6 TDS
- In 2019, he tore a calf muscle and finished with just 45 RECS, 501 YDS, and 5 TDS in 10 games
- It was a bad season, injury or not. In 2019, I expect some positive regression.
- I project him for 74.6 RECS, 1,002 YDS, and 7.5 TDS. That won’t win you a league outright, but he’s never been that player. He is a serviceable low-end WR2 in all formats
Michael Pittman Jr.
- I think he makes very little impact at all in fantasy football this season, even if TY Hilton were to succumb to injury
- He’s buried on the depth chart and likely wouldn’t become a high-volume target this year
- He’s 6’4 and weighs over 220 pounds. He is fast, too, as he ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the combine
- In 2021, TY Hilton is an unrestricted free agent. We could see a bit of a changing of the guard if both Mack and Hilton leave and Rivers retires or is “retired”
- This is when Pittman would have opportunities to provide value to your team. Target him in dynasty formats
Jack Doyle
- Here we go again. The legend of Jack Doyle will never die
- Rivers loves throwing to running backs and tight ends. Doyle has a chance to deliver a quality season for the Colts and your fantasy roster
- Currently being drafted as TE 17 in PPR leagues, Doyle can squeeze into the top-12 by the end of the year if he fills that role that Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry did for 16 years with the Chargers for Rivers
Jacksonville Jaguars
Gardner Minshew
- As exciting as Gardner Minshew was in 2019, the defense really looked like the figured him out when he returned to the lineup in Week 13 after missing two games
- From that point forward, Gardner cleared 201 yards passing just once (295 in Week 17)
- He was held to 201, 181, 162, and 147 passing yards in the other four games, tossing just 5 touchdowns in those games as well
- If the defenses figure him out and he really was playing above his talent level as a 6th round QB, then the entire offense is going to regress and players like D.J. Chark are going to miss their potential by a wide margin
Leonard Fournette
- Every running back in the NFL with 30 or more red zone carries scored 5 or more touchdowns
- Fournette only scored 3 on 43 carries. That about sums up Leonard’s season
- He was inefficient with his high-volume role
- Leonard finished with 1,152 yards rushing and just 3 rushing touchdowns
- He racked up 76 RECS for 522 YDS on 100 targets which really saved him fantasy scoring wise
- I envision another inefficient year filled with tumult due to the Jags trying to trade him this offseason
Dede Westbrook
- The former Heisman Trophy finalist still looks great with the football in his hands. The problem is he does not garner quality looks
- He received a solid 101 total targets, but as evidenced by his 66 RECS for 660 YDS, he rarely is targeted down the field
- With the low average depth of target, Dede has a capped ceiling
D.J. Chark
- The second year wide receiver looked fantastic in 2019
- He finished with 73 RECS, 1,008 YDS, and had 8 TDS on 118 targets
- Entering Year 3, breakout alert is in full effect
- The issue with Chark is that I think defenses started to figure out Minshew at the end of the season. Chark is conservatively projected for 69.1 RECS, 956.3 YDS, and 6.0 TDS
- There is plenty of upside for him to smash those numbers but it all depends on Gardner progressing as a passer
Tyler Eifert
- He finally played 16-games
- Unfortunately, he finished with just 43 RECS, 463 YDS, and 3 TDS on 63 targets
- The upside just isn’t there anymore for this once promising 1st round draft pick
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Drew Lock
- Pat Shurmer, former New York Giants HC, is now running the Broncos offense
- Daniel Jones flashed a bit with Shurmer last season and I think this is going to be helpful for Lock’s progression
- He’s surrounded by talent. Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler were first and second round picks in 2020
- Courtland Sutton is a rising talent (more on that down below)
- Noah Fant is primed to explode this season (more on that down below)
- He had just a 4.5% touchdown rate on his 156 passing attempts
- However, full year as a starter with more talent surrounding him and in the backfield could lead to upside. He’s just outside of my top-20 QB’s in the rankings but has appeal in Dynasty formats
Melvin Gordon
- In 2020, Melvin Gordon gets a fresh start. In 2017, Melvin racked up 12 touchdowns, 1581 total yards and had 58 receptions to boot
- In 2018, Gordon totaled 1375 yards, 14 touchdowns, and had 50 receptions. This was in just 12 games, too. His per game averages were the highest for every single category in his career.
- Then in 2019, everything fell apart. Gordon played just 12 games for the second season in a row, he netted just 908 total yards, and had 9 touchdowns. He did rack up another 42 receptions.
- Here we are. It is 2020 and he is a Bronco now. The Broncos offense looks explosive and if Drew Lock is serviceable, I think we see MG3 get featured in between the 20’s, in the red zone, and in the passing game.
- Philip Lindsay is a talented backup, but offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has rarely used a committee and loves to feature one guy. If this happens, MG3 has Top-8 upside.
- Currently being drafted as the RB 15-20 depending on league format and size, he’s a massive bargain with league winning potential.
Phillip Lindsay
- The NFL is bonkers sometimes. Lindsay is coming off a 1,011 yards rushing season and averaged 4.5 yards per carry with 7 rushing touchdowns
- He tacked on another 35 receptions for 196 yards
- He now finds himself as the likely backup to Melvin Gordon
- Best case scenario, I believe with Shurmur’s propensity to feature one running back, Lindsay ends up as a rotational running back for MG3 between the 20’s
- He does have solid upside if Melvin were to go down with an injury due to his performance history and he is in a contract year.
Courtland Sutton
- Courtland took nice strides in his second year as a pro
- He’s heading into his third season (breakout alert) and had excellent rapport with Drew Lock during the final stretch of the 2019 season when he garnered 40 out of the 156 passing attempts
- 6’4 and 215 pounds, a physical beast who could establish himself as a Top-12 WR in all formats in 2020. The main concern is not his talent, it’s Drew Lock’s talent and ceiling
- Should Drew show up in 2020, Sutton could be one of those potential league winning selections in your draft
Jerry Jeudy
- The 15th overall pick out of Alabama is potentially the steal of the draft
- I am that high on his talent. He’s so incredibly talented and is not raw like other WR’s in the 2020 draft class
- He comes out of college ready to produce. He has great hands, runs fantastic routes, and has superb play-making ability
- The downfield efficiency of Jeudy is primed to be perfect for the cannon-armed Drew Lock
- Target volume is going to be his major drawback, as is a less than comfortable off-season due to COVID camp issues potentially hindering the chemistry building period with the team
Noah Fant
- The only tight-end in the NFL with a higher YPC rate at the position was Jared Cook
- An elite tight end athletically speaking
- Large, fast, strong, and fearless
- Showed well as a rookie which is a rarity for tight-ends
- I don’t doubt his talent at all. But I worry about his role within the confines of the offense in 2020 with more talent being in town than in 2019
- He might not get the red zone work with Melvin Gordon arriving
- He also likely isn’t the second receiving option with Jerry Jeudy now arriving
- 10th ranked Dynasty TE, but middle of the road TE 17 in PPR and Standard leagues
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes
- People keep talking about the stats from 2018 to 2019 and fail to highlight that Mahomes basically missed three-games with a knee injury
- Running game was weak, Tyreek Hill issues, and a knee injury…and he still went bonkers
- 2020 does not have those issues. In fact, the offense should take a step forward this season with all of their weapons returning and adding the dangerous Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the draft
- I have him projected for 4,446.7 passing yards, 316.3 rushing yards, and 36.3 total touchdowns.
- That could be conservative in the passing department
Damien Williams
- The incumbent starter might not remain as such for very long
- He is a better pass-blocker at this stage of his career than CEH, but that’s about all he does better right now
- However, that is one of, if not the most important trait that the Chiefs need out of their RB with Mahomes under center. They need to protect him at all costs
- Damien likely starts the season as the 1A in the backfield. But if CEH gets acclimated quickly with the offense and pass-pro, then he’ll steal the lion’s share of opportunities on this incredibly potent offense
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- There could not be a better landing spot for CEH as far as upside goes
- He’s likely going to find a notable role in the passing game right off the bat
- Will begin the season as a rotational back and give Damien a breather
- If Damien goes down with an injury, all bets are off for him coming back to the team as the starter
- CEH just needs opportunity, along with being competent enough as a pass-blocker to not let Patrick Mahomes get clobbered
- If he proves adept as pass-pro, sky is the limit for CEH as I believe he’d take over and provide instant Top-10 upside at the running back position
Tyreek Hill
- In 2018, Tyreek had six games with over 100 yards receiving
- In 2019, he had just two games with over 100 yards receiving
- A troubled off-season, an injury that had him miss four games, and Mahomes then missing three games absolutely ruined the ceiling for Hill in 2019
- He still managed to garner 88 targets and would have been on pace for 118, a significant 19 target drop from 18′ to 19′
- But there is room for positive regression in 2020 with a healthy Mahomes, a healthy Tyreek, and an offense that looks to improve with all it’s normal pieces returning
Sammy Watkins
- He exploded in Week 1 of the 2019 season against Jalen Ramsey of the Jacksonville Jaguars
- It was a career game for Sammy as he hauled in 9 REC for 198 YDS and 3 TDS
- He did not catch another touchdown for the remainder of the 2019 regular season
- At this point in his career, he is who we thought he was. A very talented and very athletic wide receiver who is prone to explode here or there but go dark for long stretches of the season
- The WR’s in Kansas City are talented, too. He is not just the standard #2 for the team. That role goes to Travis Kelce
- Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson will rotate in at wide receiver and provide a downfield presence when they’re in the game as well
- Out side of Kelce and Hill, all of these WR’s just eat from one another’s production while helping Mahomes raise his scoring ceiling due to their talent, albeit lack of opportunity
Travis Kelce
- He’s a perennial stud year in and year out at the position
- He’s averaged 94 REC, 1,200 YDS, and 7.5 TDS in the last three years
- He’s the safest and most consistent of the elite tight ends
- Nothing changes in 2020, you don’t need me to tell you he’s good. But just in case, the dude is good
Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr
- Statistically speaking it looked like Carr improved
- The only QB with a better completion rate (70.4%) was Drew Brees
- He threw for a career high 4,054 yards passing, and had a nice 21 TD and 8 INT season
- The bad part was that he offers no upside and threw for no more than 22 TD’s for the third straight year
- The offense has some nice weapons around him but lacks true upside due to his own deficiencies as a quarterback
Josh Jacobs
- He has upside for days and could really take a step forward in 2020 if the passing game can free up a defender from the box
- Jacobs ran for 1,150 yards on 242 carries and tacked on 7 rushing touchdowns in 2019
- Only Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry, and Christian McCaffrey had higher YPC for running backs with over 240 carries in 2019
- Finished 8th in the NFL in red zone carries with 41
- Upside for days if the youthful wide receivers help Carr open up the offense a bit
Henry Ruggs
- Viewed as a deep threat due to his 4.27 forty yard dash combine time, Ruggs is kind of overlooked when discussing the rookie class talent at the position even though he was the first WR off the board
- Ruggs is smaller at just 6 feet and 190 pounds compared to some of the other physically imposing rookie WR’s in this loaded class
- Might be stepping into the best situation for a team that does not have a true #1 WR
- Could legitimately be the primary target for Carr in 2020
- Unfortunately, no off-season time with the team or chemistry building camp with Carr
- Lacks the upside other rookies have due to Carr’s inability to push the envelope on offense
- Hunter Renfrow and Tyrell Williams both will steal looks as well
Darren Waller
- A sixth round pick in the 2015 draft, Waller absolutely erupted in 2019 with the Raiders
- Having just 18 receptions entering the 2019 season, Waller finished with 90 REC for 1,146 YDS, and 3 TDS
- He earned a massive $27M extension this off-season
- Incredibly fast and very strong, Waller is one of the best after the catch tight ends in the NFL
- The true number one passing-option in this offense and likely not dethroned in 2020 even with Henry Ruggs arriving
Los Angeles Chargers
Tyrod Taylor
- The last time we saw him with a long-term full-time role was in 2017 with the Buffalo Bills
- He is not someone who has ever been a high-volume passer in his 46 career starts
- Has just ONE 300-yard passing game in his career
- Has just 13 games with multiple touchdown passes
- Has just a 4.0% TD Rate
- For as long as he is the starter, the skill position players are going to have their ceilings capped even if Justin Herbert takes over early in the season
Austin Ekeler
- He was a stud in PPR leagues, racking up 92 receptions, 993 yards receiving, and 8 touchdowns
- He tacked on 132 rushes for 557 yards rushing and 3 rushing touchdowns
- No more Melvin Gordon so hello league winning upside, right?
- Not so fast. This offense is going to be much more conservative, have fewer sustained drives, and likely loses 100-125 total passing attempts in 2020
- I also think Justin Jackson garners a fair share of the carries between the 20’s and in the red zone. The Chargers also drafted Joshua Jackson in the fourth round of the 2020 draft and I doubt he doesn’t carve out some type of role this season in what looks to be a rebuild
Keenan Allen
- An elite PPR WR for three straight years, racking up 104, 97, and 102 receptions, he suddenly finds himself in a weird situation
- Rivers had thrown the ball 575 times or more in 4 out of the last 5 years
- Tyrod Taylor has never thrown for more than 3,100 yards and Justin Herbert is a raw QB prospect that won’t have a normal rookie off-season
- I am down on Keenan Allen in 2020 and think a season similar to his 2013 stat line of 71 REC, 1,046 YDS, and 8 TD’s might be the ceiling
Mike Williams
- Had the highest YPC in the NFL for WR’s with over 40 receptions (20.4)
- Has immense upside that won’t be tapped into in 2020
- Very low floor with Tyrod and Herbert as the passing options
- I am off Keenan Allen in 2020 so I am definitely off Mike Williams, too
Hunter Henry
- He is just about the only Charger I am targeting in 2020 and only if he falls to me in all draft formats
- I have him projected for 58.8 REC, 705.8 YDS, and 4.9 TDS
- Hardly season-winning stats but we know who he is and we know he has upside
- A big injury risk as usual, Henry has plenty of upside if he can stay healthy as he does not need an abundance of targets to return solid value at a volatile position
NFC East
New York Giants
Daniel Jones
- More upside than you’d imagine with a young nucleus around him
- Lost Pat Shurmur who led Jones to being a QB1 in 12-team leagues using per game fantasy points
- 279 yards rushing showed off athleticism and a 62% completion rate was a surprisingly solid number in his 13 starts
- 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio on 459 passing attempts. He was very underrated in his rookie season and still is in 2020 pre-draft rankings
- Giants have the fastest 40-yard dash time when averaging the skill position players. Faster than the Chiefs!
- Tons of upside if Jason Garrett can highlight Jones’ strengths
Saquon Barkley
- Third year pro entering the season healthy after being plagued with injuries in 2019
- He was miserable to have rostered from Weeks 3-14 due to injuries and inefficiency but looked healthy in the final 3 weeks of the season when the offense really opened up and got aggressive
- He had 539 total yards and 5 TDS in those game
- No worries about losing touches to Dion Lewis or Wayne Gallman
- You don’t need me to tell you Barkley is a top-3 draft pick in all formats
Darius Slayton
- Has the highest upside of the three wide receivers as he enters his second season with veterans Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard stealing looks. Although, Slayton finished with 83 targets on fewer snaps than both vets
- The 5th round pick finished with 48 REC, 740 YDS, and 8 TDS including a hand full of incredibly athletic, traffic-laden receptions where he high-pointed the football and secured the catch
- He is likely to run out of the slot this season and should Tate and/or Shepard go down with injury, Slayton could provide WR2 value all year. Draft him as a WR4 and enjoy the upside
Golden Tate
- In 11-Games he finished with 49 REC, 676 YDS, and 6 TDS on 85 targets
- At this point in his career, he’s exactly who we think he is and that is a PPR WR3 with upside on any given week. Please draft him as such and don’t go overboard here on the 32 year old WR who has struggled in the last two seasons since turning 30
Sterling Shepard
- The talented 26 year old wide receiver cannot stay healthy
- He finished with 85 targets, 57 REC, 576 YDS, and 3 TDS
- When all the wide receivers were playing together and Slayton started to get more snaps, Shepard looked like the third wheel
- Injuries look to be sapping his athleticism. Should he start the season healthy and remain healthy, he likely has the talent to return better numbers than Tate and luckily you can draft him at a value right now
Evan Engram
- After a dynamite rookie season with 64 REC, 722 YDS, and 6 TDS, Evan cannot stay healthy and has seen total production drop in each of the next two seasons in 2018 and 2019
- The positive outlook is that he had tremendous per game averages last season and pro-rated for 16-games (looking unlikely he makes it), he would have had 88 REC, 934 YDS, and 6 TDS and finished as the 5th highest scoring TE
- That’s right about where he should be drafted, too. It’s hard to justify taking an injury prone tight end in an offense with uncertainty of who will become the Alpha target for Daniel Jones when there are four consistent and strong TE’s ahead of him (see our Rise or Fall rankings!)
Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott
- Dak Prescott had the best season of his career finishing as the QB3 in fantasy points per game (21.8), compiling 4,902 passing YDS, 30 passing TDS, and 11 INT
- Prescott also provides a solid rushing floor. In 2019, he had 277 rushing YDS to go with 3 rushing TDS, and 14 red zone carries
- Per PlayerProfiler, he also had the 2nd highest deep ball completion % at 48.7%
- Interestingly, Prescott’s receivers led the league in total dropped passes (42) in 2019
- Dak Prescott is currently ranked as my QB3 with 4,304.8 passing YDS, 27.5 passing TDS, 257 rushing YDS, and 3.9 rushing TDS
Ezekiel Elliott
- Ezekiel Elliott had another stellar season finishing with 1,357 rushing YDS, 419 receiving YDS, and 14 total TDS
- Among RBs in 2019, Elliott had the most red zone touches (68) and 3rd most goal line carries (12)
- Since being drafted in 2014, Zeke is 1st in the league in rushing yards (5,405), 2nd in rushing TDS (40), and is 3rd in PPR points per game with 20.9
- Assuming he enters the season healthy, he should be a weekly RB1 for your fantasy teams
- I currently have him projected for 1,282.7 rushing YDS, 522.1 receiving YDS, and 12.5 total TDS
Amari Cooper
- In his first full season with Dallas, Amari Cooper finished as a WR1 in PPR leagues, totaling 1,189 receiving YDS and 8 total TDS on 79 receptions
- Per PlayerProfiler, Cooper had the 10th highest Yards per Pass Route (2.60) and 3rd most completed air yards (978)
- The downside with Cooper is his inconsistency; in 2019, he had 5 weeks where he scored less than 10 PPR points despite playing at least 50% of the snaps in those games
- For 2020, Amari Cooper should once again be a high ceiling, low floor WR1 in this Dallas offense
- I have him tentatively projected for 1,198.6 receiving YDS, 79.5 receptions, and 8.1 TDS
Michael Gallup
- Michael Gallup quietly had a very productive sophomore season, compiling 1,107 receiving YDS, 66 receptions, and 6 total TDS
- After Dallas’ bye week, Gallup would outscore Amari Cooper by 21.2 PPR points and 2.4 PPR points per game
- Despite the addition of CeeDee Lamb, expect Gallup to remain heavily involved in this Dallas offense
CeeDee Lamb
- CeeDee Lamb was selected by the Cowboys with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft
- At Oklahoma, he compiled 173 receptions, 3,292 receiving YDS, and 33 total TDS
- Lamb is one the more complete receivers coming out of this draft class, and should immediately challenge Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup for targets
- My current projections estimate 62 receptions, 801.1 receiving YDS, and 4.1 TDS in 2020
Blake Jarwin
- Opportunity knocks for Blake Jarwin after signing a 3-year extension with the Cowboys
- He finished the season with 365 receiving YDS, 31 receptions, and 3 TDS
- Expect these numbers to improve with Jason Witten no longer in Dallas. Jarwin should assume the lead TE role in this offense
- I have him projected for 40.6 receptions, 473.9 receiving YDS, and 3.4 TDS
Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Wentz
- In 2019, Wentz finished with 4,039 Passing YDS and 27 Passing TDS on 607 attempts
- Wentz was 7th in Total Carries (62) and 10th in rushing yards (243) among QBs in 2019
- Of those 62 carries, 13 were in the red zone (8th most among QBs)
- He enters the 2020 season with an improved receiving corps after the additions of Jalen Reagor and Marquise Goodwin
- For 2020, he is projected for 4,060 passing YDS, 27 TDS and 168 rushing YDS, making him the 8th highest ranked QB in my Best Ball and Redraft rankings
Miles Sanders
- Despite starting the season in a running back committee with Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders would finish his rookie season with 818 rushing YDS and 509 receiving YDS
- Despite playing limited snaps, he had the 7th most receiving yards (509) and 12th most receptions (50) among RBs
- After Howard went down with a shoulder injury, Sanders took over the backfield and was the RB10 in PPR points per game (17.2) from weeks 11 to 17
- Boston Scott will likely steal some rushing and receiving opportunities from Sanders, and will be the handcuff to own in this backfield
- I currently have him projected for about 983.8 rushing YDS, 484.8 receiving YDS and 7.4 total TDS
Jalen Reagor
- Jalen Reagor was selected with the 21st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after 3 seasons at TCU
- He joins a Philadelphia Eagles team that was in desperate need of an upgrade at the WR position
- Considering the current Eagles depth chart, Reagor should contribute immediately alongside Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson
- I have him tentatively projected for 51.5 receptions, 729.8 receiving YDS and 5.1 TDS
Alshon Jeffery
- Alshon Jeffery only played 10 games in 2019 while battling several injuries to his ankle, calf, and foot
- He finished the season with only 490 receiving YDS, 43 receptions, and 5 total TDS
- When healthy last season, he was still relatively productive with Carson Wentz averaging 13.6 PPR points per game from weeks 1 to 13
- My current projection has him finishing with 44.1 receptions, 537.2 receiving YDS and 3.9 TDs
Zach Ertz
- Zach Ertz had another productive season finishing with 134 targets, 88 receptions, and 916 receiving yards
- Among all TEs in 2019, Ertz finished 5th in red zone receptions (9), 4th in total TDS (6), and 2nd in completed air yards (666) per PlayerProfiler
- Even with the addition of Reagor, Ertz will continue to be heavily involved in the Eagles’ offense
- I have him projected for 86.4 receptions, 787 receiving YDS, and 8.3 TDS
Dallas Goedert
- Dallas Goedert took a big step forward in his Sophomore year; he concluded the 2019 season with 87 targets, 58 receptions, and 607 receiving YDS
- Like Ertz, he was very involved in the red zone, finishing with 8 red zone receptions and 5 total TDS
- Goedert saw a massive increase in target share from his rookie season, improving from 8.4% to 15.6%
- Goedert should continue to produce in a TE heavy Eagles offense
- My projections estimate he will finish with 56.6 receptions, 579.6 receiving YDS, and 5 TDS in 2020
Washington Redskins
Dwayne Haskins
- Dwayne Haskins started the 2019 season playing behind Case Keenum and Colt McCoy
- He would conclude his rookie season with only 1,365 passing YDS, 7 passing TDS, and 7 INT
- Among QBs with at least 100 passing attempts, Haskins ranked 40th in completion percentage (58.6%) and 35th in TD percentage (3.4%)
- I have Haskins projected as QB32 in Best Ball and Redraft with 2,636.5 passing YDS and 15 passing TDS
Derrius Guice
- Guice has battled several injuries to his ACL, MCL, and Meniscus in his two seasons in the league
- He would finish the 2019 season with only 245 rushing yards, 79 receiving yards, and 3 total TDs
- Guice did have a productive stretch from weeks 11 to 14 as the RB16, averaging 12.7 PPR points per game
- He will likely split touches with Antonio Gibson forming an RBBC
- My projections have him finishing with 642.8 rushing YDS, 336.4 receiving YDS, and 6.2 total TDS
Antonio Gibson
- Antonio Gibson joins Washington after being selected with the 2nd pick in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft
- Gibson is an athletic RB, finishing in the 98th percentile for the 40-yard dash (4.39) and 99th percentile in Speed Score (122.8)
- In his last season with Memphis, he was a versatile weapon rushing for 369 YDS on 33 attempts, while adding 735 receiving YDS on 38 receptions
- Despite his limited production, I expect him to challenge Guice for backfield touches
- My projections have him finishing with 209.9 rushing YDS, 380.5 receiving YDS, and 2.48 total TDS
Terry McLaurin
- Terry McLaurin had an outstanding rookie season despite dealing with multiple QB changes
- He would finish with 93 targets, 58 receptions, 919 receiving YDS and 7 total TDS
- McLaurin also accounted for 36.7% of his team’s total receiving YDS and TDS in 2019 (2nd most among WRs)
- Per PlayerProfiler, he was also 12th in yards Per Target (9.9) and 19th in Yards Per Pass Route (2.38) among WRs last season
- With only a few additions to the offense, I have McLaurin projected for 66.1 receptions, 1,073.7 receiving YDS, and 6.1 TDS
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Nick Foles
- After suffering a clavicle fracture in week 1, Nick Foles would return for 3 games, only to be benched for Gardner Minshew in week 13
- After signing a four-year contract with the Jaguars, he would only play one season in Jacksonville before being traded to the Bears
- Nick Foles enters the 2020 season in a QB battle with Mitchell Trubisky
- My projections estimate 2,978.7 passing YDS and 15.9 passing TDS for Foles in 2020, slotting him as my QB30 in Redraft and Best Ball
David Montgomery
- David Montgomery finished his rookie season with the 13th most carries (242) among RBs, accumulating 889 rushing YDS, 185 receiving YDS, and 7 total TDS
- Per PlayerProfiler, Montgomery ranked 13th in evaded tackles (75), but was 60th in Yards Created Per Touch (1.19)
- We did see his efficiency improve as his YPC increased from 3.3 in his first 11 games to 4.3 in the last 5 games of the season
- Montgomery will continue to share the backfield with Cohen, slightly capping his upside
- I have him projected for 861.4 rushing YDS, 198.1 receiving YDS, and 7.71 total TDS in 2020
Tarik Cohen
- Tarik Cohen was once again heavily involved in the Chicago passing game, accounting for 79 receptions and 465 receiving YDS to go along with 213 rushing YDS and 3 TDS
- Cohen saw the 3rd most targets among RBs with 104
- I expect Cohen to remain heavily involved in the passing attack, only behind Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller
- My projections have him finishing the 2020 season with 324.4 rushing YDS, 63.4 receptions, 624.6 receiving YDS, and 4 total TDS
Allen Robinson
- Allen Robinson had a very productive season despite inconsistent QB play, finishing with 98 receptions, 1,147 receiving YDS, and 7 total TDS
- Robinson was ranked 4th in targets (153) among all WRs in 2019
- Per PlayerProfiler, he was also 8th in deep targets (27), 6th in completed Air Yards (908), and 9th in Red Zone Receptions (11)
- Robinson should continue to be the focal point of the Bears passing offense
- My projections have him finishing with 72.6 receptions, 1,055.4 passing YDS, and 6.6 TDS in 2020
Anthony Miller
- Anthony Miller started the 2019 season with inconsistent weekly snaps, which led to a very low fantasy output for the first 10 weeks of the season (4.1 PPR points per game)
- From weeks 11 to 16, he was on the field for 85% of the offensive snaps and was the WR17 in total PPR points, averaging 14.9 PPR points per game
- With not much behind Allen Robinson on the WR depth chart, Miller should assume the WR2 role in this Bears offense
- I have him projected for 53.3 receptions, 735.3 receiving YDS, and 3.7 TDS
Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford
- Matthew Stafford’s season would be cut short due to back fractures; but before he was sidelined, he was on pace to for the 2nd best fantasy season of his career.
- For the first 9 weeks of the 2019 season, Stafford was QB6 in points per game at 21.4
- His 16-game pace would have totaled 342.4 points per game, which would have slotted him as QB3 for the season
- My projections have him finishing with 3,934.3 passing YDS, 25.35 passing TDS, 197.95 rushing YDS, and 1.15 rushing TDS
D’Andre Swift
- D’Andre Swift was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL draft
- In his last two seasons with Georgia, he totaled 2,267 rushing YDS, 513 receiving YDS, and 13 total TDS
- Swift is a very elusive running back that offers versatility, especially in the receiving game
- He should immediately challenge Kerryon Johnson for carries and receptions in the Detroit Lions backfield
- I have him projected as the RB24 in Best Ball PPR and RB21 in Redraft PPR, totaling 698.9 rushing YDS, 31.7 receptions, 384.9 receiving YDS, and 6.3 total TDS
Kerryon Johnson
- After suffering a meniscus tear in week 7, Kerryon Johnson’s would miss 7 games in his Sophomore season. He would total 403 rushing YDS, 127 receiving YDS, and 4 total TDS
- Before suffering his injury, Kerryon was the RB23 in PPR leagues, averaging 13.2 points per game
- He will share the backfield with D’Andre Swift limiting his week to week upside in fantasy
- I have him projected for 657.7 rushing YDS, 22 receptions, 245.6 receiving YDS, and 7.5 total TDS
Kenny Golladay
- Despite not having Stafford for the second half of the season, Kenny G would have the best season of his young career
- He would finish 2019 with 1,190 receiving YDS, 65 receptions, and 11 total TDs
- He also had the 4th highest yards per reception (18.3) and 6th highest yards per target (10.3) among all WRs in 2019
- Per PlayerProfiler, Golladay was ranked 1st among all WRs in deep targets with 27
- With Stafford back fully healthy, I expect Golladay to continue to lead this offense in receiving yards and TDS
- I have him projected as the WR8 in Best Ball and WR10 in Redraft, with 76 receptions, 1,128.9 receiving YDS, and 7.9 TDS
Marvin Jones
- Marvin Jones was on his way to a productive year until an ankle injury forced him to miss the last 3 games of the season
- He would finish the 2019 season with 779 receiving YDS, 62 receptions, and 9 total TDS
- Despite only playing 13 games, he was 9th in red zone receptions (11) and 3rd in total TDS (9) among all WRs
- Marvin Jones could be a value in both Best Ball and Redraft because of his week-winning potential, as evidenced by his 43.3 PPR point game in week 7 of 2019
- My current projection has him estimated at 60.7 receptions, 899.1 receiving YDS, and 6.7 TDS
T.J. Hockenson
- After being selected 8th overall in the 2019 NFL draft, many fantasy players were likely expecting a productive season from T.J. Hockenson. However, TEs generally take a year or two to develop
- He would only finish with 367 receiving YDS, 32 receptions, and 2 total TDS
- Hockenson was 20th among TEs in targets (59) but only 37th in red zone receptions (3)
- With another off-season to develop chemistry with Matthew Stafford, expect a slightly more productive season for Hockenson
- I have him projected for 51.6 receptions, 575.9 receiving YDS, and 3.4 TDS
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers
- Aaron Rodgers was once again a QB1 in 2019, finishing with 4,002 passing YDS and 26 passing TDs on 569 attempts
- With only 5 weekly QB1 finishes in 2019, Rodgers did not provide the same week to week consistency that fantasy players have grown accustomed to
- Per PlayerProfiler, Rodgers had the 2nd most deep ball attempts (94), while compiling the 11th most completed air yards (2,133) in 2019
- He is currently my QB10 in Best Ball and Redraft, with a projection of 3,894.5 passing YDS, 27.7 passing TDS, 108.7 rushing YDS, and 1.1 rushing TDS
Aaron Jones
- Aaron Jones had a breakout season in 2019, totaling 1,084 rushing YDS, 474 receiving YDS, 49 receptions, and 18 TDS
- In PPR leagues, Jones was the RB3 in points per game at 19.7, only behind Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey
- Per PlayerProfiler, among RBs in 2019, Jones had the 4th most evaded tackles (86) and 6th most Yards Created (501)
- Jones was an efficiency machine inside the 10-yard line. He compiled 23 total touches and converted them into TDS at an impressive 52.17% rate (12 TDS total)
- For 2020, I have him projected for 890 rushing YDS, 395.1 receiving YDS, and 12.8 total TDS
Davante Adams
- Despite suffering turf toe early in the season, Davante Adams would have a very efficient year finishing with 997 receiving YDS, 83 receptions, and 5 total TDS
- While his statistical and fantasy totals were lower due to injury, Adams ranked as the WR6 in PPR points per game with 17.7
- Per PlayerProfiler, among WRs in 2019, he was 5th in yards per pass route (2.87), 3rd in red zone receptions (16), and 3rd in target share (30.3%)
- Considering the options behind Adams on the depth chart, he should once again be targeted heavily by Aaron Rodgers
- I have him projected for 101.7 receptions, 1,288.7 receiving YDS, and 8.3 TDS
Allen Lazard
- Allen Lazard emerged as the WR2 towards the back half of the 2019 season, totaling 477 receiving YDS, 35 receptions, and 3 total TDS
- Prior to Green Bay’s bye week, he was on the field for 30.1% of snaps; after the bye week, that number increased to 67.6%
- With Devin Funchess joining the Packers, Lazard will have added competition for those WR2 targets
- I have him projected for 45.5 receptions, 670.3 receiving YDS, and 3.1 TDS in 2020
Jace Sternberger
- Jace Sternberger had a very quiet rookie season after an ankle sprain caused him to miss the first half of the season
- While he was unable to contribute in the regular season, he did catch 3 passes for 15 receiving YDS and 1 receiving TD in the postseason
- He enters his sophomore year as the potential lead TE for this Green Bay Packers offense
- My initial projections have him finishing with 37.3 receptions, 375.7 receiving YDS, and 3.8 TDS
Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins
- Kirk Cousins finished 2019 as the QB18 with 3,602 passing YDS, 26 passing TDS, and 6 INT
- Per PlayerProfiler, if we removed unpressured throwaways and dropped passes, Cousins ranked 5th in passer rating (110.6) and 5th in completion % (76.0%) among QBs in 2019
- Cousins will enter the 2020 season without Stefon Diggs, but with the new addition of Justin Jefferson
- I currently have him projected as my QB17 in Best Ball and Redraft, finishing with 3,722.3 YDS, 23.6 passing TDS, 81 rushing YDS, and 1.2 total TDS
Dalvin Cook
- Dalvin Cook was an elite fantasy RB in 2019, finishing was the RB2 in PPR points per game with 20.9
- He compiled 1,135 rushing YDS, 519 receiving YDS, 53 receptions, and 13 total TDS
- He was also 4th in evaded tackles with 86, and 5th in Yards Created (519) per PlayerProfiler
- Cook was the focal point of the Vikings offense, accounting for 30.5% of their total TDS and total YDS
- Approaching a contract year, there is always the concern of a holdout. Alexander Mattison should be the handcuff for Dalvin Cook
- I have him projected for 1,117 rushing YDS, 594 receiving YDS, and 11.9 total TDS
Adam Thielen
- After an impressive season in 2018, Adam Thielen’s 2019 season was unfortunately derailed by injuries
- He would only finish with 418 receiving YDS on 30 receptions, while adding 7 total TDS
- Prior to his first injury in week 7, Thielen was the WR9 averaging 16.5 PPR points per game
- Since Stefon Diggs is no longer with the Vikings, Thielen will have a new running mate in Justin Jefferson
- Assuming he comes back fully healthy, initial projections have him finishing with 81.2 receptions, 1,090.2 receiving YDS, and 7.3 TDS
Justin Jefferson
- Justin Jefferson was selected with 22nd overall pick by the Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft
- In 2019, Jefferson had an extremely productive season with LSU. He had 1,540 receiving YDS and 18 receiving TDS while leading the nation in total receptions (111)
- He was also a very reliable receiver, catching an impressive 91% of his targets in 2019
- He should have plenty of opportunity after Diggs was traded. His tentative projection has him finishing with 47.6 receptions, 737.5 receiving YDS, and 3.5 TDS in 2020
Kyle Rudolph
- Kyle Rudolph finished the 2019 season as the TE14 with 39 receptions, 367 receiving YDS, and 6 total TDS
- Per PlayerProfiler, among TEs in 2019, Rudolph was 6th in red zone receptions (8) and 1st in true catch rate (97.5% – which only accounts for catchable targets)
- Minnesota was 2nd in the league in 12 personnel (44% of their passing plays) which means Rudolph should remain heavily involved despite the emergency of Irv Smith Jr
- I have Rudolph projected for 38.9 receptions, 376.8 receiving YDS, and 5.4 TDS in 2020
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan
- Matt Ryan was the QB11 in 2019, finishing with 4,466 passing YDS, 26 passing TDS, and 14 INT
- He had the 3rd most passing attempts inside the 20-yard line with 81
- In addition, Ryan had the 3rd most completed air yards in 2019 with 2,842, according to PlayerProfiler
- The Falcons led the league with 45.9 pass plays per game in 2019, which should be a trend that continues going into 2020
- Ryan’s tentative projection has him projected for 4,226.0 passing YDS, 27.4 passing TDS, 170.6 rushing YDS, and 1.5 rushing TDS
Todd Gurley
- After two very dominant fantasy seasons, Todd Gurley’s total attempts and efficiency would drop in 2019
- He would finish with 857 rushing YDS, 207 receiving YDS, 31 receptions, and 14 total TDS
- Despite the dip in efficiency, Gurley had the 5th most total TDS among RBs in 2019, which helped him finish as the RB14 in PPR leagues
- Gurley now joins another high-powered offense, which should lead to plenty of opportunity in both the running and passing game
- I have him projected for 811.8 rushing YDS, 397.1 receiving YDS, and 9.5 total TDS
Julio Jones
- To no one’s surprise, Julio Jones was once again dominant in 2019, finishing as the WR3 in PPR leagues
- He would total 1,394 receiving YDS, 99 receptions, and 6 total TDS in 2019
- Per PlayerProfiler, Julio was 6th in yards per pass route (2.82), 2nd in completed Air Yards (1,054), and 2nd in deep targets (31) among WRs in 2019
- Over the last 5 seasons, Julio Jones leads the league in receiving yds (7,795), receptions (519), and Yards Per Game (101.2)
- I expect another dominant season from Julio as I have him projected as the WR4 in Best Ball and Redraft, finishing with 100.8 receptions, 1,442.5 receiving YDS, and 6.9 TDS
Calvin Ridley
- Calvin Ridley was on his way to his first 1,000 yard season when an abdominal strain caused him to miss the last 3 games of the season
- He would finish the 2019 season with 866 receiving YDS, 63 receptions, and 7 total TDS on 93 targets
- Prior to his injury, Ridley was the WR14 up until week 14 averaging about 15.2 PPR points per game
- A potential breakout candidate, I have Ridley projected for 77.2 receptions, 1,018.4 receiving YDS, and 7.6 TDS
Hayden Hurst
- In 2019, Hayden Hurst would split snaps with Mark Andrews, compiling 349 receiving YDS, 30 receptions, and 2 total TDS in 2019
- Even with limited opportunities, according to PlayerProfiler, Hurst was 6th in Yards Per Pass Route (2.44) among TEs in 2019
- He now enters an opportunity to be the lead TE for the Atlanta Falcons, so expect his numbers to improve
- I have him projected as the TE14 in Best Ball and Redraft, finishing with 51.7 receptions, 607.7 receiving YDS, and 3.4 TDS
Carolina Panthers
Teddy Bridgewater
- After spending the last two seasons as the backup to Drew Brees, Bridgewater enters the 2020 season as the starting QB for the Panthers
- In 2019, he was the starting QB for 6 games while Brees recovered from a hand injury. From weeks 2 to 7, he was the QB20 averaging about 15.5 fantasy points per game
- Bridgewater will have a plethora of receiving weapons at his disposal with D.J. Moore and Christian McCaffrey as his primary options
- I have Bridgewater projected for 3,634.3 passing YDS, 19.3 passing TDS, 118.2 rushing YDS, and 1.3 rushing TDS
Christian McCaffrey
- Christian McCaffrey had a season for the ages. He finished with 1,387 rushing YDS, 1,005 receiving YDS, 116 receptions, and 19 total TDS
- He is the only RB in fantasy history to score 400+ PPR points with both 1,000 rushing YDS and 1,000 receiving YDS
- Per PlayerProfiler, among all RBs in 2019, he was 3rd in evaded tackles (87) and 12th in Yards Created (415)
- After signing a record-breaking deal, McCaffrey enters the 2020 season as the highest paid RB
- I have him projected for another dominant season, finishing with 1,110.6 rushing YDS, 948.4 receiving YDS, and 13 total TDS
D.J. Moore
- After a stellar rookie season, D.J. Moore would top that finishing the 2019 season with 1,175 receiving YDS, 87 receptions, and 4 total TDS on 135 targets
- Before missing the last 2 games with a concussion, Moore was the WR8 averaging about 16.4 PPR points per game
- His 16-game pace would have totaled 262.4 PPR points, which would have slotted him as the WR6 in 2019
- Per PlayerProfiler, D.J. Moore excelled in yards after the catch, finishing 8th among all WRs with 392 YDS
- My current projections have him finishing with 77.7 receptions, 1,121.1 YDS, and 6.2 TDS in 2020
Curtis Samuel
- Curtis Samuel played behind D.J. Moore as the WR2, and finished the season with 627 receiving YDS, 54 receptions, and 7 total TDS on 107 targets
- According to PlayerProfiler, Samuel was only 39th in completed air yards (501) among all WRs in 2019, despite ranking 8th in total deep targets with 27
- He will enter the season with added competition after the Panthers signed Robby Anderson this off-season
- I expect a slight improvement from Samuel as I have him projected for 61.9 receptions, 844.5 receiving YDS, and 5.1 TDS in 2020
Robby Anderson
- Robby Anderson had a very subpar season with Sam Darnold and Adam Gase in New York; he would finish with only 778 receiving YDS, 52 receptions, and 5 total TDS
- In 2019, he was 11th among WRs in deep targets (26) per PlayerProfiler, but only 30th in completed air yards (613)
- Anderson and Samuel will likely cap each other’s upside as they battle for targets behind D.J. Moore
- I have Anderson projected with 49.1 receptions, 830.8 receiving YDS, and 4.3 TDS
Ian Thomas
- After playing 2 seasons behind Greg Olsen, Ian Thomas is finally set to assume the lead TE role in this offense
- With Olsen out of the lineup from weeks 14-15 in 2019, we saw a glimpse of what Ian Thomas could do. He was the TE10 for those two weeks, averaging 6.5 targets, 3.5 receptions, and 10.5 PPR points per game
- I have him projected for 46.2 receptions, 439.5 receiving YDS, and 3.4 TDS
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees
- Drew Brees suffered a hand injury, which led to a shorter 2019 season. He finished with only 2,979 passing YDS, 27 passing TDS, and 4 INT
- While his season totals were low due to injury, Brees was still QB8 in points per game at 20.8
- Brees was once again very accurate, as evidenced by his league leading true completion % (79.6%) – which excludes all unpressured throwaways and dropped passes
- He was also 5th in red zone completion % (72.1%), 7th in deep ball completion % (42.4%), and 7th in pressured completion % (45.5%)
- I have him projected as the QB12 in Best Ball and Redraft, finishing with 3,688.6 passing YDS and 24.6 TDS
Alvin Kamara
- Alvin Kamara battled through ankle and knee injuries, missing 2 games in 2019. He still finished with 797 rushing YDS, 533 receiving YDS, and 6 total TDS
- In PPR leagues, he was still an RB1, averaging the 8th highest PPR points per game (17.8) among RBs
- In Kamara’s first two seasons, he had 28 touches inside the 10 which he converted at a 33.9% TD rate. Those numbers dropped to 19 touches at a 15.8% TD rate in 2019
- With Kamara back healthy, expect him to bounce back this coming season
- My initial projections have him estimated at 866.4 rushing YDS, 650.0 receiving YDS, and 10.3 total TDS in 2020
Michael Thomas
- Michael Thomas had a historic season in 2019, setting the NFL record for most receptions in a single season with 149
- In addition, he led all WRs in receiving yards (1,725), targets (186), and PPR fantasy points per game (23.4)
- Per PlayerProfiler, Michael Thomas was also 1st in completed air yards (1,175), 3rd in yards after catch (550), and 3rd in yards per pass route (3.17)
- Expect a slight decline in 2020 with Emmanuel Sanders joining the Saints
- I have him projected as the WR1 in all formats with 116 receptions, 1,379.9 receiving YDS, and 7.9 TDS
Emmanuel Sanders
- Emmanuel Sanders joins the Saints after spending the 2019 season with the Broncos and 49ers, compiling 869 receiving YDS, 66 receptions, and 5 total TDS on 96 targets
- Sanders is arguably the best WR2 the Saints have had since Brandin Cooks was traded in 2017
- I expect Sanders to be heavily involved in the passing game; I have him projected for 68 receptions and 922.4 receiving YDS for 2020
Jared Cook
- Jared Cook had an extremely productive first season with the Saints, totaling 705 receiving YDS, 43 receptions, and 9 total TDS on 65 targets
- Cook finished 8th in deep targets (9), 8th in completed air yards (469), and 7th in yards per pass route (2.42) among all TEs in 2019, according to PlayerProfiler
- He should continue to be involved in a high-powered Saints passing offense, despite the addition of Sanders
- For 2020, I have him projected for 46.2 receptions, 699.2 receiving YDS, and 6.2 TDS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady
- Tom Brady ranked 16th in fantasy points per game (17.0) in 2019, finishing with 4,057 passing YDS, 24 passing TDS, and 8 INT
- 2019 was Brady’s lowest 16-game yardage total since 2010. In addition, his 3.9 TD % was the lowest of his 20-year career in seasons where he’s played more than 10 games
- While his 613 attempts in 2019 were well above his career average (560.7), his completion % (60.8%) and YPA (6.6) were below his career numbers of 63.8% and 7.5, respectively
- Joining a Buccaneers team with plenty of receiving weapons, Brady’s numbers should improve in 2020
- My current projections have him at 4,501.7 passing YDS, 28.7 passing TDS, 78.2 rushing YDS, and 1.4 rushing TDS
Ke’Shawn Vaughn
- Ke’Shawn Vaughn was drafted with the 12th pick in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and now joins a revamped Brady-led Bucs offense
- In his last two seasons with Vanderbilt, he showcased his versatility, accumulating 2,272 rushing YDS, 21 rushing TDS, 440 receiving YDS, and 3 receiving TDS
- With Ronald Jones, Vaughn will likely form a running back committee in 2020, capping his week to week upside
- My current projections have him as the RB36 in Best Ball and RB35 in Redraft, totaling 601.9 rushing YDS, 259.2 receiving YDS, and 6.3 total TDS
Ronald Jones
- After an uneventful rookie season, Ronald Jones saw a massive increase in opportunity and production in 2019.
- Jones totaled 724 rushing YDS, 309 receiving YDS, 31 receptions, and 6 total TDS
- Among RBs in 2019, per PlayerProfiler, Jones was 24th in Evaded Tackles (48) and 22nd in Yards Created (296) despite seeing a stacked front on 30.8% of his carries (6th most)
- Ronald Jones will likely battle Vaughn for consistent opportunity throughout the 2020 season
- I have him tentatively projected for 780.1 rushing YDS, 279.8 receiving YDS, and 7.0 total TDS
Chris Godwin
- Chris Godwin finally assumed a starting role in the offense, seeing his snap % increase from 64% in 2018 to 82% in 2019
- He accumulated an impressive 1,333 receiving YDS, 86 receptions, and 9 total TDS on 119 targets
- Per PlayerProfiler, Godwin had the most yards after the catch (574) among all WRs in 2019. He was also 9th in yards per pass route (2.61) and 6th in true catch rate (91.5%)
- Brady favors his slot WRs (see Julian Edelman), so expect Godwin, who played 50.5% of his snaps out of the slot in 2019, to be targeted heavily
- My projections have him finishing with 84.2 receptions, 1,171.2 receiving YDS, and 7.6 TDS
Mike Evans
- Despite the emergence of Godwin, Mike Evans was still 5th in PPR points per game (17.9) among all WRs in 2019
- Evans totaled 118 targets, 1,157 receiving YDS, and 8 total TDS in 2019 on 118 targets
- Per PlayerProfiler, among WRs in 2019, he accumulated the 4th most deep targets (30) and the 5th most completed Air Yards (918)
- He was slightly ahead of Godwin in yards per pass route with 2.67, ranking 8th among all WRs (PlayerProfiler)
- My projections have him estimated for 68.6 receptions, 1,162.5 receiving YDS, and 9.2 total TDS
Rob Gronkowski
- Rob Gronkowski joins Brady in Tampa Bay a year after announcing his retirement
- Back in 2018, Gronk had the 6th most receiving yards (682) and 12th most targets (72) among all TEs
- He will likely play alongside OJ Howard in several 2 TE sets. In 2019, the Bucs ranked 10th in 12 personnel frequency (23%) and 16th in 22 personnel frequency (3%)
- I have him projected as the TE5 in Best Ball and Redraft with 56.9 receptions, 742.8 receiving YDS, and 8.1 TDS
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray
- Kyler Murray had an outstanding rookie season with the Cardinals, finishing with 3,722 passing YDS, 544 rushing YDS, and 24 total TDS
- Since 1920, among rookie QBs with 300+ attempts, Murray’s rookie season ranks 7th in passing Yds and 5th in total rushing YDS
- In 2019, per PlayerProfiler, Murray ranked 3rd in red zone carries (19), 2nd in rushing YDS (544), and 3rd in carries per game (5.8) among all QBs
- Murray was also one of the best deep ball throwers with a 44.3% completion rate (6th best in 2019) on 70 deep ball attempts (9th most)
- Kyler is currently projected for 3,774.6 passing YDS, 25.9 passing TDS, 490.7 rushing YDS, and 3.4 rushing TDS
Kenyan Drake
- Kenyan Drake finished the 2019 season with 817 rushing YDS, 345 receiving YDS, 50 receptions, and 8 total TDS
- Drake saw a spike in opportunity after he was traded to Arizona. With Miami, he averaged 9.1 PPR points per game (RB37). With the Cardinals, he was the RB3 averaging 19.9 PPR points per game.
- Expect a heavy workload for Drake as the lead RB in a high-powered Kliff Kingsbury offense, which now includes DeAndre Hopkins
- I have him slotted as the RB11 in Best Ball and Redraft with 906.7 rushing YDS, 456.4 receiving YDS, and 10.6 total TDS
DeAndre Hopkins
- DeAndre Hopkins enters the 2020 season with the Cardinals after spending the last 7 seasons with the Texans
- He was 2nd among WRs in receptions (104), 10th in receiving YDS (1,165), and 5th in targets (150) in 2019
- Per PlayerProfiler, he was also 11th in completed air yards (809), 14th in yards per pass route (2.45), and 11th in yards after catch (356) among WRs in 2019
- In a high-powered offense, expect Hopkins to be targeted heavily as the focal point of the Cardinals passing attack
- I have him projected as the WR6 in Best Ball and WR5 in Redraft with 91.2 receptions, 1,161.4 receiving YDS, and 7.2 TDS in 2020
Christian Kirk
- Christian Kirk missed 3 games in 2019 due to an ankle injury. As a result, he only finished with 68 receptions, 709 receiving YDS, and 3 total TDS on 108 targets
- Despite only playing 13 games, he was 9th in red zone receptions (11), and 26th in targets (108)
- If Kyler Murray can take a step forward, even with the addition of Hopkins, Kirk should still be a productive WR2 in this offense
- My current projections estimate 68 receptions, 757.3 receiving YDS, and 4.6 TDS for Kirk in 2020
Larry Fitzgerald
- After spending many years as the lead WR for Cardinals, Larry Fitzgerald will likely take a backseat to both Hopkins and Kirk
- Fitzgerald was once again a very reliable target for his QB, as evidenced by his 92.6% True Catch Rate (only includes catchable targets) – 4th best among WRs in 2019
- Expect a slight decline in targets and opportunity for Fitzgerald in 2020
- I have him projected for 47.3 receptions, 576.1 receiving YDS, and 3.9 TDS in 2020
Los Angeles Rams
Jared Goff
- Jared Goff finished 2019 as the QB21 in points per game (16.5), totaling 4,638 passing YDS, 22 passing TDS, and 16 INT
- Goff led the league in passing attempts with 626, while finish 3rd in passing YDS (4,639), and 6th in completed air YDS (2,474), per PlayerProfiler
- Interestingly, the Rams offensive line allowed the fewest sacks in 2019 (22) at a league leading adjusted sack rate of 3.7%, according to Football Outsiders
- Goff is currently projected as the QB20 in Best Ball and Redraft with 4,297.7 passing YDS, 22.9 passing TDS, 60.7 rushing YDS, and 2 rushing TDS
Cam Akers
- Cam Akers was taken with the 20th pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft
- In his 3 seasons with Florida State, he compiled 2,875 rushing YDS, 486 receiving YDS, and 34 total TDS
- Akers will likely split touches with Henderson in 2020, forming a running back committee
- While their O-Line ranked 1st in pass protection, their rushing grade is not as favorable. They ranked 19th in 2019 with 4.27 adjusted line yards per carry (Football Outsiders)
- Akers is currently projected as my RB26 in Best Ball and RB24 in Redraft with 711.6 rushing YDS, 252.5 receiving YDS, and 7.07 total TDS
Darrell Henderson
- Henderson played behind both Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown in 2019, but should have a much clearer path to opportunity this coming season
- He only received 39 carries and 6 targets in 2019, turning that into 147 rushing YDS and 37 receiving YDS
- Henderson should receive his fair share of carries in this offense, but it doesn’t bode well for him that the Rams used their first pick in the draft to address the RB position
- I project him to split touches with Akers, accumulating 608.9 rushing YDS, 277.6 receiving YDS, and 5.5 total TDS in 2020
Cooper Kupp
- Cooper Kupp finished 6th in PPR points per game (16.9) in 2019, totaling 1,161 receiving YDS, 94 receptions, and 10 total TDS on 134 targets
- Kupp was Goff’s primary red zone target in 2019, as evidenced by his 13 receptions and 7 TDS inside the 20
- Kupp was also 4th in yards after the catch (525) per PlayerProfiler
- One thing to note is Kupp’s involvement during Higbee’s breakout. Prior to that, he averaged 9.5 targets per game. During the breakout, his targets declined to 6 per game
- I have Kupp projected as the WR13 in Best Ball and WR 11 in Redraft with 82.2 receptions, 1,038.7 receiving YDS, and 6.9 TDS
Robert Woods
- Robert Woods was 13th in PPR points per game (15.5) among all WRs (minimum 10 games played)
- He totaled 1,134 receiving yards, 90 receptions, and 3 total TDS on 140 targets in 2019
- Among WRs with at least 100 targets, since 2018, Woods ranks 7th in total receiving YDS (2,353), 6th in receptions (176), and 8th in yards per game (75.9)
- After Brandin Cooks was traded to the Texans, expect Woods to remain heavily involved in this Rams offense
- I have him tentatively projected for 70.1 receptions, 1,011.4 receiving YDS, and 5.1 TDS in 2020
Tyler Higbee
- Tyler Higbee had a breakout season in 2019, finishing with 734 receiving YDS, 69 receptions, and 3 total TDS on 89 targets
- Most of Higbee’s production came when the Rams transitioned into a TE heavy offense after week 13, where he accumulated 71.1% of his yards and 62% of his receptions
- From weeks 13 to 17, Higbee was the TE1 in PPR points per game, averaging 21.4 points
- Higbee was also 1st in red zone receptions (14), 12th in completed air yards (366), and 4th in yards per pass route (2.80) among all TEs in 2019
- I have him projected as the TE10 in Best Ball and Redraft with 68.4 receptions, 739.9 receiving YDS, and 4 TDS
San Francisco 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo
- Jimmy Garoppolo played his first full season as a 49er, finishing as the QB22 in points per game (16.3) with 3,979 passing YDS, 27 TDS, and 13 INT
- According to PlayerProfiler, in 2019, Garoppolo was 1st in deep ball completion % (55.6%), 2nd in pressured completion % (46.9%), and 3rd in true completion % (76.7%)
- Garoppolo should continue to excel in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, especially with the newest addition of Brandon Aiyuk
- I have him projected as my QB18 in Best Ball and Redraft, finishing with 3,605.9 passing YDS, 23.4 passing TDS, 142.7 rushing YDS, and 1.1 rushing TDS
Raheem Mostert
- Raheem Mostert played in a committee with Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman, until taking over the backfield starting in week 13
- He would finish the season with 772 rushing YDS, 180 receiving YDS, and 10 total TDS
- From week 13 on, Mostert was the RB11 in PPR points per game with 18.2
- He was 12th in yards created per touch (1.89) despite seeing a stacked front on 29.9% of his carries (7th highest among RBs) per PlayerProfiler
- I expect Mostert to lead this backfield, finishing with 878.6 rushing YDS, 184.9 receiving YDS, and 9.4 total TDS
Tevin Coleman
- Tevin Coleman finished the 2019 season with 544 rushing YDS, 180 receiving YDS, and 7 total TDS
- After their bye week, Coleman was the primary RB up until SF committed to Mostert in week 13
- From weeks 5 to 12, Coleman was the RB20 in PPR points per game (14.3). However, he was very inconsistent finishing outside the top 24 in 37.5% of those games
- Coleman will be a high upside handcuff to Mostert in 2020; I have him projected for 621.3 rushing YDS, 173 receiving YDS, and 6.3 total TDS
Deebo Samuel
- Deebo Samuel would see inconsistent snaps to start the year. However, after week 10, Deebo would average 16.1 PPR points per game (WR15) after seeing his snaps increase
- He would finish the season with 803 receiving YDS, 159 rushing YDS, and 6 total TDS
- Deebo was also 5th in yards after catch (561) among WRs in 2019, per PlayerProfiler
- Unfortunately, Samuel recently suffered a Jones fracture, which could affect his availability to start the season
- Assuming he is healthy, I have him projected for 69.2 receptions, 884.4 receiving YDS, and 5.1 TDS
Brandon Aiyuk
- In the 2020 NFL Draft, the 49ers would move up to select Brandon Aiyuk with the 25th overall pick
- He would finish his collegiate career at Arizona State with 1,666 receiving YDS, 98 receptions, and 11 total TDS
- Per PFF, Aiyuk leads the 2020 WR class with a career average of 9.9 yards after catch per reception
- With Samuel’s injury, Aiyuk might have a significant role to start the season. But if Samuel is healthy, I have him projected for 584.8 receiving YDS, 39.5 receptions, and 4 TDS
George Kittle
- George Kittle led the 49ers in receiving despite missing 2 games. He would finish the season with 1,053 receiving YDS, 85 receptions, and 5 total TDS on 107 targets
- Per PlayerProfiler, Kittle led all TEs in yards per pass route (4.20), yards after the catch (569), and PPR points per game (15.9 – tied with Travis Kelce)
- Kittle was also one of the more reliable TEs in the league, finishing 4th in true catch rate (94.4%), which excludes uncatchable targets
- I expect Kittle to remain the lead receiver for the 49ers. He is my TE2 in Redraft and Best Ball with 83.8 receptions, 1,050.6 receiving YDS, and 5.7 TDS
Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson
- Russell Wilson added yet another QB1 finish to his already impressive career
- He was the QB7 in points per game (20.8) in 2019, finishing with 4,110 passing YDS, 31 passing TDS, 5 INT, 342 rushing YDS, and 3 rushing TDS
- Wilson was also 3rd in deep ball attempts (83), 4th in completed air yards (2,521), and 8th in red zone carries per game (0.8) per PlayerProfiler
- In addition, Wilson was very efficient in 2019, finishing 10th in true completion % (71.2%), 12th in deep ball completion % (39.8%), and 1st in clean pocket completion % (81.5%)
- I have him projected as the QB5 in Best Ball and Redraft with 3,760 passing YDS, 28.8 passing TDS, 406 rushing YDS, and 2.3 rushing TDS
Chris Carson
- Despite missing the last 2 games due to a hip fracture, Chris Carson was RB12 among RBs in PPR points per game (15.5)
- He would finish the season with 1,231 rushing YDS, 267 receiving YDS, and 9 total TDS
- Per PlayerProfiler, among RBs in 2019, Carson was 6th in evaded tackles (85), 4th in yards created (526), but also 1st in total fumbles lost (6)
- With Penny recovering from an ACL & meniscus injury, Carson should start the season as the lead RB in a run heavy offense
- I have Carson projected for 1,012.1 rushing YDS, 313 receiving YDS, and 8.8 total TDS for 2020
Tyler Lockett
- Tyler Lockett had a productive season in 2019, finishing with 1,057 receiving yds, 82 receptions, and 8 total TDS
- Lockett was 22nd in PPR points per game (14.7) among WRs. However, he was very inconsistent, finishing 43.8% of his games outside of the top 24
- In 2019, Lockett finished 11th in deep targets (26), 12th in completed air yards (803), and 2nd in red zone receptions (17) among WRs, per PlayerProfiler
- With not much behind them on the depth chart, Lockett and Metcalf will remain the focal point of the Seattle passing offense in 2020
- Lockett is currently projected to be the WR18 in Best Ball and Redraft with 76.7 receptions, 1,070.4 receiving YDS, and 7 TDS
D.K. Metcalf
- D.K. Metcalf would finish his rookie season with 900 receiving YDS, 58 receptions, and 7 total TDS. He was the WR42 in PPR points per game (11.7)
- Metcalf would finish 11th in red zone targets (17) among WRs in 2019; however, of the top 12 WRs in red zone targets, he had the lowest red zone catch % with 29.4%
- He was also 17th in deep targets (24) and 27th in completed air yards (653)
- Look for Metcalf to remain involved in the Seattle passing game. I have him projected for 67 receptions, 1,044 receiving YDS, and 7.1 TDS
Greg Olsen
- Greg Olsen was the TE13 in PPR points per game (8.8) among TEs in 2019
- He would finish the season with 52 receptions, 597 receiving YDS, and 2 TDS
- Prior to his injury, Will Dissly was the lead TE for the Seahawks finishing as the TE9 in PPR points per game (12.3). If Olsen takes over that role in 2020, he could have similar upside
- I have Olsen tentatively projected for 44.4 receptions, 531.6 receiving YDS, and 3.1 TDS
Shine the Light
I truly hope that this has been informative and helpful. Life feels so chaotic right now and I wanted to shine the light on the darkness in my own peculiar way. If you’re anything like me, Fantasy Football is an outlet you turn to for both social interaction and stress relief.
I hope that this research allows you to thrive at whatever this beautiful disaster of a season ends up being. Should you want more, or have a desire to play Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), I have a plethora of offerings available via Rise or Fall | Hyper-Efficient Content