In the wake of today’s global health crisis, it’s never felt more ridiculous to talk about sports.

It’s also never been more necessary.

We often use sports as a way to escape our own realities, don’t we? In fantasy football, we pretend to manage fake football teams from our couches, behind our computer screens, and in front of our flat-screen TVs. The amount of time and energy we put into it is… unreal.

But damnit, we love it. We take pride in it. We need it. After all, it’s real to us.

And that’s the point.

Yes, there are more important decisions to make than which dynasty rookies to target in 2020. But in a world that seems desperate for some sense of normalcy, where do we go? What do we do? How do we escape our own realities, even if just for a minute or two?

We stick to sports—fantasy sports. So let’s keep the dream alive, shall we?

Here are some football players to target in the first two rounds of your dynasty rookie draft.

Practice mock drafts with our FREE Dynasty Draft Simulator

Round 1 Dynasty Rookies to Target: QB, WR, RB

If you’re sitting at the back-end of round 1 in your dynasty rookie draft, you’ll likely miss out on the likes of D’Andre Swift, Jerry Jeudy, and (my personal favorite rookie) J.K. Dobbins, among others—but that’s okay. It just means you can grab a guy at the top of his position.

Joe Burrow (QB)
Widely regarded as the unanimous first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Burrow is hoping to bring his winning habits to a Cincinnati Bengals team that could desperately use them. Fortunately for them, the franchise tag is wrapped firmly around A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and John Ross remain strong targets, and an upgrade along the offensive line is almost certainly coming soon. Add it all up and Burrow could start off strong and stay hot in Cincy. Target Burrow at the very end of round 1.

Joe Burrow: Twice the TD-tossing prowess of Jameis Winston with one-fifth the interceptions. #FunWithMath pic.twitter.com/NzhcWH6GY4

— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) January 14, 2020

Brandon Aiyuk (WR)
Brandon Aiyuk isn’t the most talked about player in a stacked wide receiver class, but if you put him in an explosive offense with the right opportunities, the speedy Sun Devil could catch fire quickly. According to a recent NFL mock draft by USA Today (and others), the Saints are in a good position to select Aiyuk with the 24th overall pick. While having an aging Drew Brees might dissuade some from liking Aiyuk long-term, his presence in New Orleans could cash in a quick return for you to build on moving forward. Look for Aiyuk in the 9th or 10th spot of a 12-person rookie draft.

“He’s tough, explosive and adds special teams value.”

Watch out for @ASUFootball WR Brandon Aiyuk.
He’s one of Daniel Jeremiah’s favorite players in the @NFLDraft. (via @MoveTheSticks + @BuckyBrooks) pic.twitter.com/1oMG130Vxj

— NFL (@NFL) March 11, 2020

Cam Akers (RB)
In the handful of rookie mock drafts I’ve conducted, Cam Akers has been selected no sooner than ninth overall in all of them—typically as the fourth or fifth overall running back off the board—which makes him a bit of a steal considering his RB3 rookie ranking at Fantasy Pros. While the knock on Akers is his tendency to fumble the football, his natural athleticism and big-play ability will make him an asset out of the backfield in both rushing and passing situations for any team that drafts him.

2️⃣4️⃣8️⃣ all-purpose yards.
1️⃣9️⃣3️⃣ rushing yards.
3️⃣6️⃣ carries (school record).
3️⃣ touchdowns.
1️⃣ Cam Akers!#DoSomething | #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/5jQjNS53lD

— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 8, 2019

Round 2 Dynasty Rookies to Target: WR, TE, RB

Whether you’re picking toward the top, in the middle, or at the end of round 2, you should be able to walk away with a rookie you feel good about. Here are my three favorite rookies to target.

Laviska Shenault Jr. (WR)
If you can grab Laviska Shenault Jr. with one of the first few picks in the second round, do it. Do it and never look back. Shenault has been discussed as a draft prospect in Buffalo, but in an ironic turn of events, he could become a target in Minnesota—the very same team that just traded all-world route runner Stefon Diggs to the Bills. No matter what, any team that drafts him will probably do so in the first round of the NFL Draft, thereby instilling him in the offense right away. A long, powerful player with spectacular hands and incredible balance, Shenault is the WR8 in FantasyPros’ Dynasty Rookie Rankings. You should be able to target him somewhere in the middle picks of round 2 in your dynasty rookie drafts.

THIS JUST IN: @Viska2live To Declare For 2020 NFL Draft.

“Laviska Shenault represented our relentless culture and was one of the most dynamic, dominant and versatile players that I have ever coached.” 🗣️ @Coach_mtucker

📝 https://t.co/TW1zprxhGt pic.twitter.com/2qXRtiRhSe

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) December 3, 2019

Brycen Hopkins (TE)
I don’t know if you know this, but Brycen Hopkins is a grown-ass man, okay? The former Purdue Boilermaker is a 6-foot-4-inch, 245-pound monster who ran an impressive 4.67 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The son of a Pro Bowl lineman, Hopkins is an athletic purebred built for success at the next level. He should absolutely be the first rookie tight end selected in your rookie draft, but if you’re going to get him in Round 2, you’re going to have to do it early—probably with the first three picks.

Dynasty players really need to familiarize themselves with the name Brycen Hopkins (@Itsbhop89 ).

My top rated TE prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft Class. pic.twitter.com/6N4xjogiFg

— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) August 16, 2019

Zack Moss (RB)
Zack Moss might end up with the moniker “Beast Mode 2.0,” a claim you might not expect of a player who has the same height and weight as I do. Sure, our BMI might be a little different… and I didn’t bench press 225 pounds 19 times at the NFL Combine… but you get the point. The most elusive selection in my mock draft research, Moss was taken all over the place in round 2: 5th, 9th, 4th, 7th, and 9th (again). If you’re looking for a punishing running back who can deliver a beating as hard as he can take one, roll with the kid who rumbled for six yards per carry in the Pac-12 last year.

When Zack Moss sees the end zone… look out! 😤#goutes #NIUvsUTAH pic.twitter.com/WxoUse4Aji

— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) September 7, 2019

Thanks for reading, everyone. Stay safe. Be cool. We’ll see you on the virtual gridiron soon enough.

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Jim Colombo is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jim, check out his archive and follow him @WideRightNBlue.