2020 Fantasy Football Rankings and Insights (0.5 PPR) (Updated 9/5)

This previous Spring, I had the idea to start my own fantasy football brand. I’m confident in my social media knowhow to springboard a brand from nothing to something that people seek out. I’m also extremely confident in my knowledge of the NFL to give sound advice that people can trust. While some personal events got in the way of my desire and motivation to start that up this spring and summer, it is still in my future plans of something I would like to do. I have had quite a high level of success in fantasy football over the 15 or so years that I have been playing, and I want to share some of the knowledge with people that want to get better. Drafting preparation season is upon us, so I thought it would be a good time to drop my rankings. This is hobby of mine that I like to take on in the fall, so in lieu of starting my own fantasy football website this summer there may be some blog posts on here instead. Always feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions or requests.

The Rankings (0.5 PPR)

The rankings are available via an Excel workbook or a downloadable PDF. I did the rankings in 0.5 PPR because that is the format that my leagues operate in. If you would like a sheet of rankings in standard, full point PPR, or some other format, contact me and I can whip something up for you.

Click to Download Excel Workbook

Click to Download PDF Version

Overall Draft Strategy

My draft strategy has always been to load up on RBs at the beginning of the draft. As you can see in my rankings sheet, the top quarter of my rankings is very RB heavy. Once you get to a certain point, the value drops off of a cliff, but the opposite occurs for WRs. You can grab four RBs and a TE in the first five rounds, and still get high value WRs in the following rounds. Of course, this is all dependent on the way your draft goes. If your league goes RB heavy early, don’t be afraid to pivot when there is value at WR or TE. Very, very rarely do I stray from my RBs in the first four rounds strategy though. When it comes to WRs, targets are king in my eyes. Yeah AJ Brown had an astounding rookie year, but do you really think Ryan Tannehill is going to repeat that pace? Brown ranked 61st in targets last year, that puts him in the same territory as Darius Slayton, Randall Cobb, Auden Tate. Do I think he has ridiculous upside? Yep. Am I personally touching him before target machines like Cooper Kupp, DeVante Parker, DJ Moore, and Julian Edelman? No. Just because I have Brown ranked higher than a few of those guys, doesn’t mean I personally am grabbing him there.

With this strategy, you’re likely going to end up loaded at RB with guys like Henry, Cook, and Bell. Not bad for your two RB slots and a Flex. At this point you can either pivot to an increasingly important position like TE and grab someone like Engram or Hunter Henry, or you should be able to grab an elite QB like Prescott, Murray, or Watson. If I’m not grabbing a QB here, I am usually waiting until the end of the draft and grabbing a high upside guy like Darnold, Minshew, Lock, or maybe hope Mayfield bounces back.

This puts you around round five or six, with some very solid WRs on the board. This is where you can grab a high volume WR like Jarvis Landry or Jamison Crowder. At this point I will probably have four RBs and a TE, so this allows me to grab four or five WRs in the row. The odds are good that you’re going to hit twice in this bunch, and barring injuries, your two WR slots are now full. This also gives you solid WR depth for the bench or for trade throw ins.

Now the rest of the draft is really going to depend on how the rest of the league has drafted. There could be a high value QB on the board still, there could be a valuable TE that you can use as trade bait later that is still on the board, or you can move on and just load up on WRs and RBs until the final three rounds. When it comes to bench depth, high upside is always what you should be shooting for. High upside would be high value handcuffs like Latavius Murray, Tony Pollard, Chase Edmonds, Alexander Mattison. Other than that, you should be shooting for rookies that you think have a chance to make a high impact. A guy like Sammy Watkins you know what you’re going to get. He’s going to blow up for maybe two or three games this season, none of which you will have started him in, and you’ll never be fully comfortable throwing him into your lineup. Instead of grabbing a stale Sammy Watkins, you can shoot for a guy like Tee Higgins, Denzel Mims, Brandon Aiyuk, or Michael Pittman. You don’t know what you’re getting with them, sure, but the upside is much higher than a guy with Sammy Watkins. The first three or four weeks of the season can give you a good indicator if they are worth hanging onto or cutting bait.

This should go without saying, but I’m going to say it just in case. Do not touch a kicker or defense before the last two rounds of the draft. Please, just do not do it.

Just to break this down further, I’ll diagram what your roster should be looking like.

• QB: Round 4 or 5 or wait until the end of the draft
• RB: Round 1
• RB: Round 2
• WR: Rounds 5-8
• WR: Rounds 5-8
• TE: Round 4 or 5, unless you want Kittle or Kelce
• FLEX: RB in round 3
• K: Last Round
• D/ST: Last Round
• Bench: Filled with high upside guys and rookies in rounds 9-11/12

Who Am I Reaching For?

• Kenyan Drake: By reaching I really mean grabbing this guy before I even consider going WR. I think a second year in Kingsbury’s offense, combined with another year of experience for Murray under center will equate to a ridiculous season for Drake. He’s a threat out of the backfield both running and receiving, and now that the backfield is basically all his, I expect a monster season.
• Calvin Ridley: I was a proud owner of Ridley last season, and the dude did nothing but perform. I expect an aerial assault kind of season from Matty Ice and the Falcons this season. Combine that with even a minimally increased role in the offense for Ridley, and you can expect a big season.
• CeeDee Lamb: My favorite rookie this season. I will probably reach for him in a round much higher than I should when I draft for myself, but I will not regret doing so. I am a big fan of Lamb, and I think he will end up either first or second in fantasy points scored for rookie wide receivers this season.
• Chris Carson: Simply put, Chris Carson is a beast. The Seahawks have perpetually had a brutal offensive line for him to run behind, but it has never affected him. He is coming off an injury, but all that should do for you is lower his price by a round or two. Don’t hesitate to grab him. The backfield is his to lose, and I would not anticipate this being the season Rashard Penny takes over.
• Cooper Kupp: Cooper Kupp is my fantasy darling. He is always sitting there for me to grab in the fourth or fifth round, and he always ends up in the top 10 in fantasy points scored for wide receivers. Some things have changed for the Rams offense, but I don’t anticipate Kupp’s role being one of the things that changes. Draft him with confidence really any time in the draft.
• James Connor: The Steelers have an amazing offensive line, and Connor is a great talent when he can stay healthy. I don’t mind reaching a round too high for Connor, and gambling that he can stay healthy. Tomlin has never employed a committee type offense when it comes to RBs, and if Connor stays healthy for an entire season, he will be a top 10 RB.

Who Am I Avoiding?

• Davante Adams: Davante Adams is a superb WR, don’t get that twisted. I just think the price tag is a little too high on Adams is a bit too high for my liking this season. WR2 or WR3 is consistently where Adams is going in most drafts, and if I’m grabbing a WR that high, I’m not grabbing Adams this year. Aaron Rodgers has been getting shakier as the seasons have gone on, and the running game is becoming more of a factor in their offense. I like Adams, just not where he is going.
• AJ Brown: AJ Brown broke out last year due to Ryan Tannehill coming out of nowhere to become a very good QB. I absolutely do not trust that happening again this season. AJ Brown will be an above average WR this season but let your league mates reach for him. I have a strong feeling that a lot of people are going to be burned by the Titans offense in fantasy this season.
• Raheem Mostert: Mostert is a very, very good RB, and the 49ers have a very, very good offensive line. Normally this would be a recipe for success, but Kyle Shanahan is what keeps Mostert from being a first or second round fantasy selection. The 49ers got rid of Brieda, but they still have a crowded backfield with Tevin Coleman (Go Hoosiers) and Jerick McKinnon. Shanahan is widely known as an RB committee coach, so while Mostert may be a stud RB, you just can’t trust him fantasy wise with how high is going to be selected.
• Melvin Gordon: Why the Broncos refuse to fully hand the reins to Phillip Lindsey is beyond me, but for some reason they felt the need to bring in Melvin Gordon to crowd the backfield even further. Melvin Gordon is a great running back, but that backfield now has two great running backs in Gordon and Lindsay, and a pretty solid third running back in Royce Freeman. I just don’t see enough touches for Gordon to warrant how high he is going to be drafted.
• Marlon Mack/Jonathon Taylor: As a Colts fan, I am incredibly excited to see Jonathon Taylor in this offense. With Mack in a contract year, it is pretty obvious that Taylor is the running back of the future for the Colts and will likely be a top 5 RB in fantasy in 2021. What makes this situation incredibly frustrating for fantasy players in 2020, is that the Colts have one of the best offensive lines and running attacks in the NFL. The Colts are also unlikely to be riding 38-year old Phillip Rivers in an aerial attack this season either. The Colts are going to run the ball a lot and be successful doing it. Why am I avoiding these two? I’m avoiding these two because it is impossible to choose who is going to have the big week. This isn’t even taking into account snaps that Nyheim Hines is going to vulture. This is going to set up to be a ridiculously frustrating backfield for fantasy owners, and I want no part in it. See you in 2021, Jonathon Taylor.
• Tom Brady: ESPN would lead you to believe Tom Brady is fresh off an MVP season at the ripe age of 25 years old. In reality, Tom Brady is 43 years old coming off of very average season. Brady has a lot of weapons at his disposal, but I think this is the year where everyone takes a step back and realizes that Brady may be done. The hype is way too high for me, and I’m not taking him anywhere beside one of the last few rounds where he will be surely long gone.
• Tyler Higbee/Gerald Everett: These two alternated great seasons last year. The Rams started to utilize the TE position successfully last year, Everett being the main target before he got hurt, and then Higbee continued the success without him. This is similar to the Colts running back situation. These two will surely have their fair share of great games, but good luck predicting who it is going to be on any given week.
• Rams RBs: McVay has openly stated that he would like to move to a Shanahan type rotational platoon at the RB position. While Todd Gurley racked up multiple fantasy MVP seasons on the Rams, this isn’t a backfield that particularly excites me. Maybe grab Cam Akers late as one of your high-upside bench pieces, but don’t expect all that much out anyone here.

Rookies I Like

• CeeDee Lamb: I said it before above, I love CeeDee, and I expect him to be one of the leading fantasy scorers for the rookies. I will likely be reaching for him.
• Clyde Edwards-Helaire: The obvious rookie that everyone is fawning over, and for good reason. Andy Reid RBs are typically fantasy studs, and with Damien Williams sitting out the 2020 season, that opens the door for Edwards-Helaire to be not only the rookie fantasy MVP, but quite possibly the overall fantasy MVP. I wouldn’t blame you for having him ranked right behind the big three of McCaffery, Elliot, and Barkley.
• JK Dobbins: The Ravens offense is a juggernaut, and I anticipate it only getting better this season. Mark Ingram is still the RB1, but Dobbins is a special RB that is going to force himself into playing time. I wouldn’t be drafting Dobbins as someone I want in my lineup regularly, but I he is certainly someone I would be interested in grabbing as my fourth running back.
• D’Andre Swift: Similarly to Dobbins, Swift isn’t quite the Lions RB1. That role still belongs to Kerryon Johnson. Kerryon Johnson stinks though. I think it only takes a few weeks for Swift to be the RB1 in a very respectable Detroit offense. If Stafford stays healthy for the entire season and can open up the box for Detroit’s running game to get going this season, I expect Swift to be the benefactor, not Kerryon. Like with Dobbins, I would be comfortable drafting Swift as my fourth or fifth running back.
• Antonio Gibson: Washington is DESPERATE for weapons, which makes me very interested in Gibson. Outside of McLaurin, not much in Washington interests me besides Gibson. Gibson was electric for Memphis, and I could see him being a star in Washington as soon as the middle of this season. Adrian Peterson is one of the greatest RBs of all time, so I will never disrespect him, but the man is 35-years old. Bryce Love is the only other option that stands in Gibson’s way, and he can hardly stay healthy. Reports out of training camp suggest Gibson is playing all over the offense, so that makes him a very intriguing late-round grab and stash.
• Justin Jefferson: Jefferson has drawn praise from Kubiak in training camp, and I could see him being the WR2 in Minnesota by early in the season. Bisi Johnson is really all that stands in his way from great fantasy relevance. Consider him another high-upside bench stash.
• Tee Higgins: It is really hard to project what the Bengals offense is going to look like this season, but I have a good feeling about Tee Higgins. Higgins was a stud in Clemson’s offense, and I am betting on Joe Burrow coming out slinging in Zac Taylor’s offense. If they develop a rapport early, you could have a late round steal here.