Fantasy Football Player Notes
2020 Draft Rankings
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1.
Christian McCaffrey
CAR (vs . NO)
You can try to make the argument that McCaffrey shouldn't go No. 1 overall this year, but you'd lose the argument. Outside of saying, "running backs don't repeat as the top option," there's nothing that should suggest McCaffrey won't. He's not just a running back. He's a wide receiver. He scored 182.5 half-PPR points through the air alone, which would've been the No. 20 wide receiver in fantasy last year, ahead of Stefon Diggs. Even if McCaffrey simply stopped playing football in Week 12, he would've finished as the No. 1 running back by a massive 22.1 PPR points. The new offense and improved quarterback play shouldn't hurt at all.
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2.
Saquon Barkley
NYG (vs . DAL)
After an extremely impressive rookie season, Barkley came back down to earth a bit in 2019, though 4.6 yards per carry behind that Giants offensive line is nothing to scoff at. Playing through injury was a clear net-negative to his overall numbers, and something he hopefully learned from. The biggest difference was breakaway runs of 15-plus yards, as Barkley rattled off 20 of them in his rookie season, but just nine of them in his sophomore season. With all the weapons in this offense, you have to wonder just how many targets Barkley will get, but trust me, the Giants are building their offense around him and not anyone else. If Daniel Jones can take a step forward in year two, it'll help open lanes for Barkley. It also doesn't hurt that they dramatically improved the offensive line this offseason.
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3.
Ezekiel Elliott
DAL (at NYG)
There's only one running back over the last five years who's finished top-six three times, and that's Elliott. Oddly enough, he's never finished as No. 1 though. The Cowboys passing offense just got better with the addition of CeeDee Lamb, and while that may put a cap on Elliott's targets in the passing game, he should be free to rock against seven-man fronts. He saw eight-plus defenders in the box 19.3 percent of the time last year, a number that may dip down into the single digits, provided the Cowboys go three-wide more often than not. Stop trying to find "the next big thing," because Elliott has proven time and time again that he's among the safest picks at the top of the draft. He's posted RB2 or better numbers in 92.9 percent of his career games, which is better than any running back I've ever charted. In fact, the closest is Le'Veon Bell, who's hit that mark 87.0 percent of the time.
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4.
Derrick Henry
TEN (at HOU)
Yes, Derrick Henry finished with 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns last year en route to a No. 3 finish. Yes, he was dominant in the playoffs. We still can't forget that he was the No. 14 running back in points per game before Week 10 last year, behind David Johnson and Mark Ingram. Should we automatically assume Henry picks up where he left off in 2019? My issue with Henry is that he's not involved in the passing-game, which lowers his weekly floor. That alone will allow us to choose someone like Alvin Kamara over him. Henry is best-suited as a second-round pick rather than one in the first round.
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5.
Dalvin Cook
MIN (at DET)
It turns out Gary Kubiak is very good for a run-game. Cook took his game to another level in 2019, finishing as the No. 5 running back despite missing two games. Not only did he total 18-plus carries in eight games, but he also ranked third in yards per route run among running backs. With Stefon Diggs gone, we could see him highlighted even more in the passing game, though Justin Jefferson will eat some of them. Cook also led the league with 21 carries inside the five-yard-line. Health has always been a question mark with Cook, but when healthy, he's easily a top-10 back.
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6.
Alvin Kamara
NO (at CAR)
There's just one running back who's had a higher "boom" percentage (25-plus PPR points) than Kamara over the course of their careers, and that's Christian McCaffrey. Kamara has now topped 25 PPR points in 14 of his 45 career games, which is quite ridiculous. His 2019 season was easily his worst to date, though he still finished as the RB12 despite missing two games. The Saints offense continues to groove, and though Drew Brees is still playing great football, his arm strength is declining, which could lead to more targets than every for Kamara, who's averaged 6.7 targets per game over the first three years in a Saints uniform. Provided he doesn't get hurt, Kamara is a near-lock to finish as a top-six running back.
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7.
Josh Jacobs
LV (at DEN)
Jacobs had an excellent rookie season, despite missing three games with injury. He flashed explosiveness and the ability to continue to gain yards after contact. To the extent there was a downside, it's that he barely factored in as a receiver (just 27 targets). Although he's expressed a desire to be far more involved in the passing game, the presence of pass-catching running backs, including Jalen Richard, makes that less likely, though the recent trade of Lynn Bowden Jr. helps Jacobs' cause in that regard. Regardless of any increased work in the passing game, Jacob should have a workhorse role and be drafted as a borderline RB1.
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8.
Joe Mixon
CIN (vs . BAL)
Mixon's value was up in the air for a week or two before he agreed on a new deal with the Bengals that will keep him in Cincinnati for several more seasons. With that locked in, Mixon is good to go for the 2020 season and it should be a good one. The downside for Mixon is his lack of usage in the passing game, which admittedly limits his upside a tad. But he was a true workhorse back over the latter half of the 2019 season, and will now be playing behind a better offensive line with a better quarterback in an offense that should score plenty of points. He may not have the ceiling of the top three or four backs being drafted, but if he's healthy, RB1 status is nearly a lock. Draft him with confidence.
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9.
Nick Chubb
CLE (vs . PIT)
Through 10 games last year, Chubb was doing very well and was the No. 4 running back (PPG) in half-PPR formats. Keep in mind that was despite the offense not being very good. From that point forward (when Kareem Hunt joined the offense), Chubb was the No. 18 running back while Hunt was the No. 26 running back. This is clearly more of a timeshare than Chubb owners would like, leaving him best-suited as a high-end RB2 rather than the RB1 he appeared destined to be.
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10.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
KC (vs . LAC)
Edwards-Helaire was probably set to be overvalued in fantasy drafts, but now that Damien Williams has opted out, he immediately vaults into reliable RB1 territory. The Chiefs spent their first-round pick on Edwards-Helaire and, regardless, pretty much any replacement value running back can find fantasy gold in Kansas City's system. There are still other running backs on the roster who will garner touches, including Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson, and because the Chiefs' offense is so dynamic, there is no reason for them to run their rookie back into the ground. Still, without Damien Williams, Edwards-Helaire should get the majority of the touches in the backfield, and that puts him in firm RB1 territory, full stop.
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11.
Miles Sanders
PHI (vs . WAS)
We all know Doug Pederson has loved his timeshares since coming to the Eagles, and after they moved on from Jordan Howard, many expected them to add a running back in the draft. Things can change, as there are a few free agent running backs out there, but for now, Sanders has the looks of a 15-plus touch running back.
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12.
Aaron Jones
GB (at CHI)
Despite having Aaron Rodgers under center, the Packers decided to add a third-string running back and fullback to their roster on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Is that worrisome to Jones' production? Maybe a bit, as Matt LaFleur seems to want to continue his timeshare ways. Jones is by far the most talented, so even if we were to see him dip down to 13-15 touches per game, that's enough for him to do damage, especially considering Rodgers targets him in the passing game. Jones is one of just two running backs (Alvin Kamara is the other) who've finished with a top-30 season over the last 10 years with less than 300 touches. Jones is one of the most efficient running backs in football, though the coaching staff keeps him in RB2 territory.
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13.
Kenyan Drake
ARI (at LAR)
It's crazy to see Kenyan Drake not getting the respect he deserved when he performed the way he did under Kliff Kingsbury last year. Since coming over in Week 9, he was the No. 4 running back through the remainder of the fantasy season, and the Cardinals liked him enough to move on from David Johnson and not draft a running back until the seventh round.
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14.
Austin Ekeler
LAC (at KC)
After seeing Ekeler's contract extension this offseason, it seemed a little light for a workhorse, leading many to believe they'd draft a running back early on. They waited until the fourth round to select UCLA's Joshua Kelley, who's a bigger complementary back. The Chargers offense isn't likely going to be as high scoring as it was with Philip Rivers under center, but Ekeler remains the top dog in the backfield. Still, don't just anticipate this offense is going to be as potent, or that he'll have as many scoring opportunities, which is why he's best-suited as a high-end RB2 than an RB1.
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15.
Chris Carson
SEA (at SF)
If we knew Carson would be healthy the entire season, he'd be ranked as a top-12 running back. But we don't. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Seahawks backfield, as Carson is coming off a season-ending hip injury, while Rashaad Penny is recovering from a torn ACL, and they drafted DeeJay Dallas in the fourth round of the draft. You'll want to pay close attention to this backfield as we approach fantasy draft season.
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16.
James Conner
PIT (at CLE)
If Conner were able to stay on the field, he'd be considered as a top-10 running back in fantasy. Unfortunately, he hasn't done that, and it's led them to draft Jaylen Samuels, Benny Snell, and now Anthony McFarland. While none of them are better than Conner, it's likely we see them take some of the workload away from him in 2020.
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17.
Todd Gurley II
ATL (at TB)
The Rams offense was in complete disarray last year, as their offensive line started to crumble, which dragged Gurley's efficiency down the drain. He did show that he's still able to handle a big workload down the stretch, finishing with 98 touches over the final five games. Now going to the Falcons, who have one of the better offensive lines in football, with little competition, Gurley could return to RB1 status. It's a high-scoring offense where the running backs have averaged 1,383 yards and 9.7 touchdowns on the ground, while averaging another 572 yards and 4.7 touchdowns through the air over the last three years. With Ito Smith and Brian Hill the only running backs behind him, Gurley should receive most of the work/production.
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18.
Jonathan Taylor
IND (vs . JAC)
It's looking like a very good possibility for Taylor to see 250-plus carries in his rookie season. Some may think that's absurd, but Marlon Mack totaled 247 carries in just 14 games last year. Even if we give Mack the 100 carries that Jordan Wilkins and Jonathan Williams combined for last year, it'd leave room for Taylor to hit the 250 mark. He's also running behind the best offensive line in football, so it wouldn't be a shock to see him rush for 1,200 yards in year one with his vision and speed in the open field. Taylor is right in the same territory as someone like Nick Chubb.
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19.
David Johnson
HOU (vs . TEN)
The Texans gave their running backs 397 touches last year, and that was with DeAndre Hopkins on the roster. That's a lot of work. The only running back they've added was David Johnson. While Johnson looked horrendous down the stretch, it's possible he just tried to work his way back from injury way too soon. It appears Bill O'Brien isn't convinced that Johnson is done with his NFL career, like some. It's possible that he's not as electric as he once was, but guys, the Texans gave Carlos Hyde 255 touches last year. Opportunity is key in fantasy football, and Johnson appears to be in line for a lot of it in 2020, making him a low-end RB2 with upside for more should he actually be healthy.
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20.
Melvin Gordon III
DEN (vs . LV)
He left the Chargers at the right time, as they're going to be going through a transitional period. Instead, he joins a now-exciting Broncos offense that suddenly has tons of firepower. You don't add Gordon in free agency if you don't plan on using him as your lead back. The potential upside is that new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has been a one-back kind of guy, so it's possible that Phillip Lindsay is just there to give Gordon breathers when he needs them. With Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Noah Fant out there are receiving threats, Gordon should see a lot of light fronts this year. He's a middling RB2 with RB1 upside if they decide to give him 15-plus touches per game.
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21.
Mark Ingram II
BAL (at CIN)
Not many expecting Ingram to finish as an RB1 with Lamar Jackson under center, thinking he'd lose some of the goal-line carries to the mobile quarteback. Despite the fact that Ingram had more than 15 carries just twice all season, he finished as the No. 8 running back. We aren't banking on that happening again, especially when the Ravens drafted JK Dobbins in the second round of the NFL Draft. Ingram is going to be 31 years old this year, while Dobbins and Justice Hill have young, fresh legs. We could see Ingram lose a few carries a game, but provided he's healthy, we should still expect him to lead this timeshare and be a borderline RB2.
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22.
Raheem Mostert
SF (vs . SEA)
After the way Mostert played in the playoffs, many were looking forward to a 2020 breakout season, and it helps knowing that Matt Breida was traded to the Dolphins. The issue is that they are getting Jerick McKinnon back, still have Tevin Coleman, and Jeff Wilson. The passing game also got a new weapon, which could lead to slightly more pass attempts. Despite being on the roster the past two years under Shanahan, Mostert has received 171 carries in 25 games. It's tough to see that changing drastically. There's a chance, which is why he's in the high-end RB3 conversation, but there's also a chance you can't start him with confidence every week.
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23.
Le'Veon Bell
NYJ (at NE)
You're going to see Bell fall down draft boards this year, and further than he should. That's odd for me to say, as Bell was someone I was avoiding like the plague in drafts. The difference? Expectations. Playing him as your first-round pick in your RB1 slot was never something anyone should've expected, especially behind that offensive line and in Gase's offense. While he's still stuck in Gase's offense, the offensive line was upgraded quite a bit this offseason, which should allow Bell more room to work. Even if he repeated his 2019 performance, that's RB2 production. There were just 11 running backs who produced RB2 or better numbers more often than him. Sure, he didn't have a ton of weekly upside, but he was safe. Now coming off the board outside the top three rounds, Bell is a value play.
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24.
Cam Akers
LAR (vs . ARI)
The Rams were going to draft a running back - we knew that after they interviewed a ton of them in the draft process. What we didn't know was that they'd take one with their first pick in the draft. While Darrell Henderson is a threat to Akers' overall workload, they clearly know what they have in Henderson, and drafted Akers early. It seems like Henderson is going to be the lesser part of the timeshare, while Akers is the early-down back and likely to receive goal-line work. There's a chance Henderson has a bigger role than anticipated, which prevents us from trusting Akers as anything more than a high-end RB3.
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25.
David Montgomery
CHI (vs . GB)
Montgomery had a rough 2019 season, but there are plenty of reasons to expect him to be much better in 2020. He has no real competition for carries, he was used heavily within the 10-yard line last year, and the entire Chicago offense should be better either because Mitch Trubisky improves or the team benches him eventually for Nick Foles. Although his season-long outlook is good, he suffered a groin injury in camp and is expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks, putting Week 1 in jeopardy. Unless the Bears sign another running back of significance, however, you can draft Montgomery and expect him to be back at full strength shortly after the start of the season. Take the draft day discount, however, and target him more as a mid-tier Flex play.
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26.
Leonard Fournette
TB (vs . ATL)
Fournette signed with the Bucs after being released by the Jaguars. His contract ($2 million base, incentives based on playing time and rushing yards) suggests that he is expecting to see significant work. Still, given that he signed with the team a little more than a week before the season begins, it's going to take him time to get acclimated to the offense. Fournette can be considered a Flex play, but don't expect him to contribute immediately and, even when he does, he won't be a workhorse back given the presence of Ronald Jones.
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27.
Devin Singletary
BUF (vs . MIA)
There were many celebrating the end of the Frank Gore era in Buffalo, but they went out and added one of my favorite backs in the draft, Zack Moss, to use in that Gore role. GM Brandon Beane said, "I think more of the goal line and things like that as we did with Frank last year, you'll see Zack do. I think Devin will do a similar role that he had." This is your reminder that Singletary had just two carries inside the five-yard-line all year, while Josh Allen had five, and Frank Gore had 11. That's a crushing blow to Singletary's value.
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28.
Kareem Hunt
CLE (vs . PIT)
The Browns are going to have a new offense in 2020, so we can't automatically assume that Hunt will be as big as he was in the gameplanning process in 2020. From the time he entered the lineup last year, he was the No. 26 running back in half-PPR formats while Nick Chubb was the No. 18 running back. The reason we have to assume he'll have a role is due to the Browns tendering him with a second rounder instead of moving on. Chubb is the superior play in this backfield, but it's important to note that Hunt has standalone value, while also offering league-winning handcuff value. If Chubb were to miss time, Hunt would be a top-five play.
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29.
D'Andre Swift
DET (vs . MIN)
The draft capital the Lions spent on Swift suggested that he'd take the lion's share of the running back touches in Detroit even with the presence of Adrian Peterson. But Swift has battled injury and missed two weeks of practice heading into the season, and word is that the Detroit coaching staff preferred a committee approach to the backfield. With the Lions now signing Adrian Peterson, it's hard to see Swift getting a big workload early on even if he is healthy. He'll likely eventually be the back you want to roster in Detroit and should certainly be drafted as a low-end Flex play, but be prepared to ride with other options for the first several weeks of the season.
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30.
Jordan Howard
MIA (at BUF)
It seems like years since Howard has been a force to reckon with in fantasy football, but prior to the 2019 season that was ended with injuries, he'd posted 935 or more rushing yards in each of the previous three seasons. The issue with projecting that moving forward is due to his offensive line play. The Dolphins have what may be the worst line in football, while Howard has only run behind top-10 offensive lines while in Chicago and Philadelphia. Still, if you need a running back who's likely locked into 12-plus touches a week, Howard can fill a role on your fantasy team.
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31.
J.K. Dobbins
BAL (at CIN)
If you're looking for a handcuff to Mark Ingram, Dobbins is your guy. The Ravens apparently had a first-round grade on him in the draft, so selecting him in the second round was a "no brainer," according to them. He's likely to get 8-10 touches per game even with Ingram in the lineup, as the Ravens are not going to give any one running back more than 15-16 touches per game. That limits the upside of Dobbins, as does Lamar Jackson stealing plenty of goal-line touches.
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32.
Zack Moss
BUF (vs . MIA)
The Bills have already come forward and said that Moss will take over the role that Frank Gore played last year. Before injuries and age started to add up for Gore, he was getting a lot of work in the Bills offense. He averaged 12.5 carries per game through Week 12, which is a big enough role to be considered an RB4. Not just that, but Gore ranked 12th among running backs for carries inside the five-yard-line. Moss is going to crush Devin Singletary's upside, and if Singletary were to miss time, Moss would be a top-15 start every week.
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33.
Antonio Gibson
WAS (at PHI)
There were a lot of people out there who liked Gibson as a sleeper, though I can't get on board now that he's going in the mid rounds. He plays for what might be the lowest-scoring offense in the league, and is still on a depth chart littered with at least three other running backs. Sure, he's going to be used in some sort of hybrid way, but do we really expect two Washington wide receivers to be consistent enough to rely on? He may be an electric player but his offense isn't. I'd rather take a player tied to an exciting offense.
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34.
Marlon Mack
IND (vs . JAC)
We never reached the expected performance out of Mack behind the Colts top-tier offensive line, so why shouldn't we have expected them to draft a running back? Drafting Jonathan Taylor in the second round was a straight dagger to Mack's value in any format. He'll be lucky to get eight touches per game in that offense this year.
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35.
Phillip Lindsay
DEN (vs . LV)
I don't think I've ever seen someone glanced over as easily as Lindsay in both real life and fantasy. Over the last two years, here are the only players who have more rushing yards than him: Ezekiel Elliott, Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, Christian McCaffrey, Chris Carson, Saquon Barkley, Joe Mixon, and Todd Gurley.
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36.
Ronald Jones II
TB (vs . ATL)
Jones' value was ascending right up until the Bucs signed Leonard Fournette, after which it dropped significantly. Fournette's contract suggests he's going to see (or at least he signed expecting to see) significant playing time, which likely moves him into a rough timeshare with Jones. Both Fournette and Jones can be drafted as Flexes, but Jones is more likely to contribute earlier in the season while Fournette gets comfortable with the offense. Draft Jones if you need someone immediately, but Fournette if you're taking a longer-term view.
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37.
Matt Breida
MIA (at BUF)
There are a lot of fantasy owners expecting Jordan Howard to be the lead back in Miami, though if I'm being honest, Breida may be the better option, and he's much cheaper. While health has been an issue for Breida, he's performed when given opportunity and will get most of the passing-down work in 2020. Staying on the field has been and will continue to be an obstacle.
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38.
Tevin Coleman
SF (vs . SEA)
Now that Matt Breida is out of town, you'd think there's more opportunity to be had for Coleman in this backfield, but the return of Jerick McKinnon could affect that. After seeing 16-plus carries in three of his first four games with the 49ers, Coleman never got more than 12 for the remainder of the season. He's best suited for a timeshare role and somewhat of a handcuff to Raheem Mostert. If Mostert were to miss time, Coleman would likely be an every-week RB2.
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39.
James White
NE (vs . NYJ)
White has always been a value, especially in PPR formats, but with Tom Brady gone, this team is likely to throw a whole lot less, and White has never averaged more than 5.9 carries per game. He's not likely to live up to his usual RB3-type numbers. I wouldn't want to trust him every week.
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40.
Latavius Murray
NO (at CAR)
Did everyone forget what happened when Alvin Kamara had to miss time last year? It was only two weeks, but in those two games, Murray destroyed the Bears and Cardinals to the tune of 307 total yards and four total touchdowns. He's legitimately a league-winner if Kamara misses time. This is what handcuff dreams are made of. He's also going to have bye week appeal, even when Kamara is on the field.
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41.
Sony Michel
NE (vs . NYJ)
Michel has justifiably fallen out of favor for fantasy owners after yet another sub-par year, and there's little excitement about him this year. He has averaged nearly 16 carries per game in his career, however, and may be asked to carry more of a load now that Tom Brady is no longer under center. But his upside is limited by his complete lack of involvement in the passing game, as he has just 31 targets and 19 receptions over his 29 career games. In standard scoring leagues, there's a chance he may be slightly undervalued given that Damien Harris was placed on IR and Lamar Miller was released, but it would be hard to rely on him as anything more than a bench player in or half- or full-PPR leagues. That's especially true given his foot surgery in May which could impact him early in the season.
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42.
Tarik Cohen
CHI (vs . GB)
Cohen had a down year last season (like most others in the Chicago offense), but it was largely just his lack of big plays. He's a lock for at least 70 catches, which makes him someone you can start as a Flex play in half- and full-PPR leagues. He's not going to cut into David Montgomery's carries very much, but with Montgomery potentially missing the first game or two with a groin injury, Cohen could get additional work early. Either way, as he often does, he's likely to outperform his average draft position.
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43.
Kerryon Johnson
DET (vs . MIN)
Poor Johnson cannot catch a break. After battling injuries throughout his young career, the Lions drafted D'Andre Swift this offseason, which put Johnson as only borderline relevant in fantasy circles. With Swift battling injury as the Lions approached the season, however, it looked like Johnson would at least have an impact role early in the year, with the chance to carve out a larger role even when Swift was healthy. But now, with the Lions signing Adrian Peterson, Johnson again has impediments to fantasy-relevance. Johnson is talented and could succeed in the right situation, but given all the roadblocks in front of him, he's best left as a bench stash in deeper leagues.
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44.
Alexander Mattison
MIN (at DET)
He's one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football. There were times in 2019 where he looked like Dalvin Cook on the field, which is a high compliment. We also cannot pretend that Cook has been the picture of perfect health throughout his three years in the NFL. Mattison won't have much value without a Cook injury, but that's okay when you draft him in the later rounds.
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45.
Boston Scott
PHI (vs . WAS)
The end of the 2019 season brought a lot of optimism for Scott's outlook, racking up 350 total yards and four touchdowns on just 61 touches over the season's final four games. During those four games, Miles Sanders scored exactly 1.3 more fantasy points than Scott. It may have been good enough for the Eagles to avoid free agent running backs and allow him to be the part of the timeshare duo with Sanders.
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46.
Duke Johnson Jr.
HOU (vs . TEN)
Despite continually being one of the most efficient running backs in football, it seems there's no head coach who wants to give Johnson his shot at a bigger role. This will be his sixth season in the NFL and he's never topped 104 carries in a season despite the fact that he's averaged 4.5 yards per carry (4.91 over the last four years) over his career. Now having to deal with David Johnson, whose best attribute is catching passes out of the backfield, it's unlikely Duke has any value with David healthy. However, it needs to be stated that David has played just 22 full games over the last three years and will be 29 years old at the end of the season. Should he miss time, Duke might get the opportunity that we've been waiting for.
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47.
Chase Edmonds
ARI (at LAR)
There are some who believe Edmonds is the surefire handcuff to Kenyan Drake, though I'm not entirely sure of that, as Eno Benjamin is someone who can play. Sure, he fell to the seventh round, but it's not like Edmonds is a can't-miss player. We do know the Cardinals starting position is very valuable, so once we know which player is the handcuff, they should have bench priority in case an injury should arise.
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48.
Tony Pollard
DAL (at NYG)
We saw flash out of Pollard last year, as he posted three games with 17-plus PPR points, and that was with Ezekiel Elliott on the field. Now a year older, the Cowboys may decide to dial back the veteran's workload, which would provide Pollard with a bigger role. If Elliott were to miss time, Pollard would immediately jump into the RB1 conversation.
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49.
Darrell Henderson
LAR (vs . ARI)
Some Henderson truthers are dead-set on him being "the guy" in this offense, but the Rams selecting Cam Akers with their first pick in the draft is extremely worrisome. They used a second-round pick on Akers, while Henderson himself was taken with a third-round pick. I'm not willing to say that Henderson is completely out of contention, but his value took a blow in the draft. This is likely to be a timeshare backfield, making him a risky RB3 in redraft leagues.
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50.
Chris Thompson
JAC (at IND)
Thompson should be in line to see plenty of passing-down work with the Jaguars, as we know that Jay Gruden loved to utilize him heavily in that role when healthy with Washington. With Leonard Fournette being released, Thompson may see a slight uptick in usage, but he does not have the size or durability to carry a major load in the backfield. In half- and full-PPR formats, he should be rostered, but even with Fournette gone, he's not worth much in standard leagues.
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51.
Joshua Kelley
LAC (at KC)
We figured the Chargers might add a running back to replace Melvin Gordon, and it appears Kelley is that guy, though some are torn on whether it's him or Justin Jackson to get the bigger workload. Knowing they invested a fourth-round pick on Kelley, it seems likely that he'll get the first crack at the job. Realistically, it could be a three-headed backfield between them. This won't be the same offense it was with Philip Rivers and we're likely to lose some overall potential from a fantasy perspective. But for now, we should assume that Kelley is the handcuff to Ekeler, even though they're completely different players.
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52.
Nyheim Hines
IND (vs . JAC)
There are some who are pointing at Hines as the primary beneficiary to Philip Rivers' arrival in Indianapolis, but I'm not one of them. Did we forget that the Colts dealt with tons of injuries last year and Hines still wound up with just 96 touches on the year? This is still the same coaching staff who didn't put him on the field over a guy like Jonathan Williams. Now you add in Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman, and he's going to get a bigger role? Nah. Let someone else draft him.
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53.
AJ Dillon
GB (at CHI)
Some believe Dillon is going to walk in and destroy the value of someone like Aaron Jones, while others say he negates the role of Jamaal Williams. I don't know if he does either, but when a team spends a second-round pick on a running back, they typically have a plan for them. Over the last seven years, running backs drafted in the second round average 172.3 touches in their rookie season. Dillon is just an early-down back, so he'll be extremely touchdown dependent. Knowing how good Jones has been in that role, it's tough to take him off the field, so I'm fine with going the wait-and-see approach with Dillon (and every other non-Jones back in this backfield).
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54.
Justin Jackson
LAC (at KC)
We all watched Raheem Mostert take off during the 2019 season, right? He had tremendous numbers when on the field in his earlier years, just like Jackson, who's averaged 5.14 yards per carry over his career to this point. Jackson is going to be fighting for playing time with fourth-round rookie Joshua Kelley this year trying to earn that Melvin Gordon role. It seems likely that the Chargers want Kelley in that role, but is Jackson good enough for them to change their course? It's a situation to monitor, as this will be a run-heavy team.
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55.
Damien Harris
NE (vs . NYJ)
Harris will begin the year on injured reserve after having hand surgery, putting a dent in what was shaping up to potentially be a breakout season. There's still some long-term appeal with the young running back, but there's no reason to draft him as anything other than a deep bench stash with the hope of a breakout mid-year.
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56.
Bryce Love
WAS (at PHI)
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57.
Carlos Hyde
SEA (at SF)
After ranking 12th in rushing yards last year, Hyde accepted a one-year deal with the Seahawks. It seems that he's insurance for Rashaad Penny, who's expected to start the year on the PUP list. But you never know with Pete Carroll, as he's not afraid to shake things up. If Chris Carson struggles coming off his hip injury, or fumbles again, we could see Hyde in a 15-touch role. He's worth a pick in one of the last few rounds.
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58.
Darrynton Evans
TEN (at HOU)
If you haven't looked at the depth chart behind Derrick Henry in Tennessee, you should know that Evans is the only one who should be considered his handcuff. The Titans worked out a long-term deal with Henry, so Evans may not even be in their long-term plans at the position even after they drafted him in the third round. But although he may not be built like a workhorse back, he has the potential to be electric in a run-heavy offense. The Titans would be wise to give him 5-10 touches even when Henry is healthy, though there's no guarantee that will be the case.
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59.
Darrel Williams
KC (vs . LAC)
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60.
Benny Snell Jr.
PIT (at CLE)
Snell Jr. got a fair amount of work last year in relief of James Conner, seeing 108 carries and gaining 426 yards with two touchdowns. When he got enough volume, he generally produced, totaling at least 89 total yards or a touchdown in each game he received 17 touches or more. Reports are that he'll be the primary backup again to James Conner, but Anthony McFarland Jr. and Jaylen Samuels will still factor in. He's a low-end handcuff at this point given the crowded Pittsburgh backfield.
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61.
Adrian Peterson
DET (vs . MIN)
Peterson signed with the Lions shortly after being released by the Redskins. Despite his advancing age, Peterson is coming up off two productive seasons with Washington and likely still has a little gas left in the tank. His role is entirely unclear, however, as both Kerryon Johnson and D'Andre Swift will factor in, and Ty Johnson and Bo Scarbrough are still on the roster. Peterson will likely be usable on occasion in fantasy but there's little reason to draft him in anything other than a bench piece.
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62.
Malcolm Brown
LAR (vs . ARI)
We've heard Sean McVay say that the Rams backfield will be more of a timeshare in 2020, but will it include Brown? It's highly unlikely considering they already tried that, and they've now spent a second- and third- round pick on running backs over the last two years. Brown may get some goal-line work, but he's not going to be anything you can rely on for fantasy.
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63.
Jamaal Williams
GB (at CHI)
It's tough to say Williams will be the running back behind Aaron Jones on the Packers' depth chart, but it's also tough to say he shouldn't be, as he was extremely effective in his role last year. But them drafting A.J. Dillon in the second round screams "he's the guy" behind Jones, and potentially the one even stealing some goal-line work from Jones. Because of that, Williams is not someone you need to draft in shallow leagues. It's best to see how this backfield shakes out before commiting a bench spot on a handcuff.
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64.
Ryquell Armstead
JAC (at IND)
After the Jaguars cut Leonard Fournette, Armstead is the starter for the Jaguars. Unfortunately, it's still a team that'll be in negative gamescripts the majority of time and he's not someone who's an above average pass-catcher. I'm expecting 12-15 touches per game for him, which does offer RB3 value, but there's not a very high ceiling here.
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65.
Jerick McKinnon
SF (vs . SEA)
It's been a while since we've seen McKinnon on a football field. He's been with the 49ers for two years but hasn't played a down of regular season football. Now that they've traded away Matt Breida, there's a role to be had, but we don't know if he's capable at this stage of his career. There's been some whispers that he may not make the team, though that may be a surprise considering they've held onto him this long. Between Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, and McKinnon, it's going to be tough to find consistent volume and production in this backfield.
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66.
Giovani Bernard
CIN (vs . BAL)
It's kind of crazy how fast everyone fell off the Bernard bandwagon, as he was once considered a borderline RB1. He is obviously behind Joe Mixon on the depth chart, but that's the only player standing between him and a 15-touch role. Mixon is also in a contract year and has threatened a holdout without a new contract. If we get closer to the NFL season and Mixon still hasn't been locked up long term, Bernard should be someone you consider in the late rounds.
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67.
Frank Gore
NYJ (at NE)
Leave it to Adam Gase to bring back Frank Gore for one more season. The last time Gore played for Gase (in 2018), he tallied 722 yards on the ground but failed to score a single touchdown. Now playing behind Le'Veon Bell, Gore is going to be relied upon for 5-8 carries per game, which means very little in the Jets low-scoring offense.
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68.
Anthony McFarland Jr.
PIT (at CLE)
The Steelers have already said that if James Conner is healthy, they want him to be that "lead back" that Mike Tomlin has always leaned on. They also said they believe Benny Snell can be that guy if something were to happen to Conner. That doesn't mean McFarland will be chopped liver, but it does mean he's not going to be a 10-plus touch running back without injury. I've compared McFarland to Chris Thompson, which would make sense based on the Steelers' comments on the power running backs. If he gets 6-10 touches per week, he has enough explosion on a per-play basis to make an impact at times, but nothing you want to rely on consistently.
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69.
Jalen Richard
LV (at DEN)
It's odd that Richard was re-signed to the Raiders roster when they said they wanted to get Josh Jacobs more involved in the passing game, as Richard is the primary competition. Not just that, but they then drafted running back/wide receiver Lynn Bowden in the second round. However we slice it, Richard isn't likely to top the 43 targets he got in 2019, which makes him a non-factor in fantasy leagues.
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70.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn
TB (vs . ATL)
During the scouting process, I felt like Vaughn was just a guy, not a difference maker. That's not to say he wouldn't be able to produce if given the opportunity, but I don't think opportunity will simply be given to him. Don't forget that David Johnson saw just 161 touches his rookie season under Bruce Arians, and that was while he was extremely efficient. Interestingly enough, he was also a third-round pick. Then, once you hear the Bucs signed Leonard Fournette, you were able to cut bait and move on from Vaughn in redraft leagues.
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71.
Rex Burkhead
NE (vs . NYJ)
With Tom Brady out of town, we know the Patriots are going to be running the ball much more. The issue is that they've shown a significant amount of trust in Sony Michel, invested a third-round pick on Damien Harris, and James White isn't going anywhere. That's a lot of mouths to feed. Burkhead is someone you look to if there's injuries to others, but it's unlikely he's an asset with everyone healthy.
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72.
James Robinson
JAC (at IND)
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73.
Gus Edwards
BAL (at CIN)
Edwards could probably be a star if he got a full workload in Baltimore. He's averaged 5.3 yards per carry in his career and has lost just one fumble in two seasons. He would have been a high-end handcuff for Mark Ingram this year, but the addition of J.K. Dobbins essentially relegates Edwards to irrelevancy. He'd almost certainly need multiple injuries to have much fantasy value, and despite the high upside in that unlikely scenario, he's not worth wasting a roster spot on.
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74.
Brian Hill
ATL (at TB)
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75.
Peyton Barber
WAS (at PHI)
Barber never found sustained success with the Bucs, and will now try his hand with the Washington. Washington has a below-average offense with a sub-par offensive line, but his competition for touches has decreased significantly without Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice. He'll still be competing for touches with J.D. McKissic, Antonio Gibson, and Bryce Love, but there;s a decent chance he seems some early down work. Still, he's only worth drafting as a bench option.
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76.
Rashaad Penny
SEA (at SF)
It seems that Penny will start the year on the PUP list after tearing his ACL towards the end of last year. That would knock him out for at least the first six weeks, which is not something fantasy owners should be looking to draft. Even when he returns, we don't know where he stands on the depth chart, as they still have Chris Carson, then drafted DeeJay Dallas in the fourth round, and also signed Carlos Hyde in free agency. Unless you have an IR spot, Penny should be on waivers to start the season.
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77.
Ito Smith
ATL (at TB)
Some are automatically assuming that Smith is the handcuff to Todd Gurley, but I wouldn't be so sure. The Falcons were talking about benching Smith prior to him getting injured last year. It's not like Brian Hill did a lot to change their mind, but it's likely they'd split the carries among them.
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78.
Devine Ozigbo
JAC (at IND)
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79.
Justice Hill
BAL (at CIN)
It was a shame we didn't get to see Hill in a bigger role last year, but we all felt that Mark Ingram was a year closer to the end, and Gus Edwards was going to be a free agent. Well... Ingram is still closer to retirement, but Edwards was retained by the team, and then they went and drafted JK Dobbins in the second round, eliminating the shot of Hill getting a bigger role. He's going to be stuck in the 4-6 touches per game role unless there are multiple injuries.
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80.
LeSean McCoy
TB (vs . ATL)
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81.
Darwin Thompson
KC (vs . LAC)
Remember when Thompson had an incredible preseason and everyone wanted to draft him as the potential starter in this backfield? One year and 46 touches later, no one is drafting the second-year running back. He'd need multiple injuries to find his way into fantasy relevance, as both Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Damien Williams are well ahead of him on the depth chart.
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82.
Royce Freeman
DEN (vs . LV)
Freeman carved out a role on the short side of a platoon with Phillip Lindsay in the first half of the season, particularly with his involvement as a receiver. But the Broncos turned over nearly full control of the backfield to Lindsay toward the latter half of the season, and Freeman lost nearly all value. Now, with Melvin Gordon in the fold, it's nearly impossible to see Freeman adding any fantasy value absent multiple injuries. There's no reason to be concerned about him other than in extremely deep leagues.
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83.
Dion Lewis
NYG (vs . DAL)
Lewis is highly unlikely to see significant touches so long as Saquon Barkley is healthy. Even if Barkley were to get injured, Lewis is now 29 years old and does not have the frame to take over every-down work. In other words, his best-case scenario is 10-12 touches with work in the passing game, and there are obstacles to reach that point. There's little reason to consider Lewis in your fantasy draft.
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84.
Jaylen Samuels
PIT (at CLE)
Samuels has received just 122 carries in his first two seasons, and although he can factor in as a receiver at times, he doesn't have a path to regular playing time. Even if James Conner deals with injuries again, Benny Snell Jr. and Anthony McFarland Jr. stand in Samuels' way. He's relevant only in extremely deep PPR leagues and barely so even there.
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85.
Mike Boone
MIN (at DET)
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86.
Lamical Perine
NYJ (at NE)
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87.
J.D. McKissic
WAS (at PHI)
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88.
Lynn Bowden Jr.
MIA (at BUF)
Bowden Jr. was traded to the Dolphins on September 5th. The Raiders signing of Theo Riddick was, in hindsight, a sign that Bowden may have been struggling to pick up the offense. It's unclear what his role will be with the Dolphins, but it's unlikely that he'll be fantasy relevant in 2020.
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89.
DeeJay Dallas
SEA (at SF)
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90.
Devonta Freeman
NYG (vs . DAL)
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91.
DeAndre Washington
KC (vs . LAC)
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92.
Wayne Gallman
NYG (vs . DAL)
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93.
Eno Benjamin
ARI (at LAR)
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94.
Patrick Laird
MIA (at BUF)
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95.
Dare Ogunbowale
JAC (at IND)
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96.
Qadree Ollison
ATL (at TB)
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97.
Jordan Wilkins
IND (vs . JAC)
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98.
T.J. Yeldon
BUF (vs . MIA)
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99.
Mike Davis
CAR (vs . NO)
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100.
Bo Scarbrough
DET (vs . MIN)
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101.
Corey Clement
PHI (vs . WAS)
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102.
Reggie Bonnafon
CAR (vs . NO)
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103.
Travis Homer
SEA (at SF)
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104.
Myles Gaskin
MIA (at BUF)
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105.
Ty Montgomery
NO (at CAR)
Montgomery is an interesting one to keep your eye on. If there's someone who can semi-replicate the role that Alvin Kamara plays on the Saints, it's him. He's still a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield, which we know has value in the Saints passing game. If something should happen to Kamara, everyone would flock to Latavius Murray, and rightfully so. Still, Montgomery would have a role that could produce some fantasy points.
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106.
Lamar Miller
FA (BYE)
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107.
Trayveon Williams
CIN (vs . BAL)
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108.
Ryan Nall
CHI (vs . GB)
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109.
Jeff Wilson Jr.
SF (vs . SEA)
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110.
Kyle Juszczyk
SF (vs . SEA)
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111.
Devontae Booker
LV (at DEN)
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112.
Ty Johnson
DET (vs . MIN)
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113.
Kalen Ballage
NYJ (at NE)
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114.
Ameer Abdullah
MIN (at DET)
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115.
Dontrell Hilliard
CLE (vs . PIT)
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116.
JaMycal Hasty
SF (vs . SEA)
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117.
J.J. Taylor
NE (vs . NYJ)
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118.
Dexter Williams
GB (at CHI)
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119.
Kerrith Whyte Jr.
DET (vs . MIN)
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120.
D'Ernest Johnson
CLE (vs . PIT)
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121.
Buddy Howell
HOU (vs . TEN)
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122.
Bilal Powell
FA (BYE)
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123.
C.J. Ham
MIN (at DET)
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124.
Khari Blasingame
TEN (at HOU)
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125.
Dwayne Washington
NO (at CAR)
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126.
Derrius Guice
FA (BYE)
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127.
Rico Dowdle
DAL (at NYG)
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128.
Tyler Ervin
GB (at CHI)
|
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129.
John Kelly
CLE (vs . PIT)
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130.
Jason Huntley
PHI (vs . WAS)
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131.
Trenton Cannon
CAR (vs . NO)
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132.
Andy Janovich
CLE (vs . PIT)
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133.
Alec Ingold
LV (at DEN)
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134.
Samaje Perine
CIN (vs . BAL)
|
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135.
C.J. Anderson
FA (BYE)
|
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136.
Alex Armah
CAR (vs . NO)
|
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137.
Salvon Ahmed
MIA (at BUF)
|
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138.
Raymond Calais
LAR (vs . ARI)
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139.
Josh Adams
NYJ (at NE)
|
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140.
Karan Higdon
FA (BYE)
|
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141.
Theo Riddick
LV (at DEN)
|
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142.
Jakob Johnson
NE (vs . NYJ)
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143.
Xavier Jones
LAR (vs . ARI)
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144.
Jaret Patterson
(BYE)
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145.
Patrick Ricard
BAL (at CIN)
|
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146.
Senorise Perry
TEN (at HOU)
|
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147.
Rodney Anderson
FA (BYE)
|
|
148.
Michael Warren II
PHI (vs . WAS)
|
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149.
Trey Edmunds
PIT (at CLE)
|
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150.
Wendell Smallwood
PIT (at CLE)
|
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151.
Elijhaa Penny
NYG (vs . DAL)
|
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152.
Derek Watt
PIT (at CLE)
|
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153.
Keith Smith
ATL (at TB)
|
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154.
Taiwan Jones
BUF (vs . MIA)
|
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155.
Artavis Pierce
CHI (vs . GB)
|
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156.
Elijah McGuire
DAL (at NYG)
|
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157.
Dalyn Dawkins
FA (BYE)
|
|
158.
Jonathan Williams
DET (vs . MIN)
|
|
159.
Anthony Sherman
KC (vs . LAC)
|
|
160.
Jordan Scarlett
FA (BYE)
|
|
161.
Kenneth Dixon
FA (BYE)
|
|
162.
David Fluellen
FA (BYE)
|
|
163.
Michael Burton
NO (at CAR)
|
|
164.
Scottie Phillips
HOU (vs . TEN)
|
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165.
Chandler Cox
MIA (at BUF)
|
|
166.
Jeremy McNichols
TEN (at HOU)
|
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167.
Elijah Holyfield
PHI (vs . WAS)
|
|
168.
Reggie Gilliam
BUF (vs . MIA)
|
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169.
Cullen Gillaspia
HOU (vs . TEN)
|
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170.
C.J. Prosise
HOU (vs . TEN)
|
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171.
Patrick DiMarco
FA (BYE)
|
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172.
Patrick Taylor Jr.
GB (at CHI)
|
|
173.
Darius Anderson
IND (vs . JAC)
|
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174.
Spencer Ware
FA (BYE)
|
|
175.
Troymaine Pope
LAC (at KC)
|
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176.
D.J. Foster
ARI (at LAR)
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177.
Anthony Alridge
WAS (at PHI)
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178.
Damarea Crockett
FA (BYE)
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