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Fantasy Football: Mark Ingram and 4 other players hurt by the NFL Draft

By Brian Towne

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 22: Mark Ingram #21 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a first down against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter in the game at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 22: Mark Ingram #21 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a first down against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter in the game at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Five veterans with previous success had their fantasy draft stock negatively impacted by what happened in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft has concluded, with 255 players, plus hundreds of other undrafted free agents, now on teams eager to take roster spots and/or playing time from established veterans. There were 81 rookies (and yes, that includes the Kickers) drafted that will be eligible in standard fantasy football leagues.

Roughly 80 percent of them will have no fantasy relevance whatsoever in 2020. Picks in the first two rounds will have the best chance to carve out significant roles on both their pro teams and fantasy teams.

Quarterbacks are easier to predict. Joe Burrow will be the day one starter, even if incumbent Andy Dalton is still on the roster. Conversely, QB Aaron Rodgers will most certainly, eventually, give way to Utah State’s Jordan Love, but not in 2020, or 2021 in all likelihood.

Listed below are a handful of experienced skill position players who were put in an immediate perilous situation based on what their teams did during the 2020 NFL Draft.

RB Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens

The backfield in Baltimore, as good as it is, was already crowded before they added Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins with the 55th pick in the draft, considered by some experts to be the best RB in this year class. QB Lamar Jackson, the reigning league MVP, certainly will not lose his touches. Ingram had a great season, even with Justice Hill and Gus Edwards gaining a combined 900+ yards. However, Dobbins is a different beast entirely. He’s a powerful and elusive runner who is also proficient in the passing game. It doesn’t help that Ingram is now on the wrong side of 30.

RB Damien Williams, Kansas City Chiefs

Since the dismissal of Kareem Hunt 11 games into the 2018 campaign, Williams has been the teams best play-maker at the RB position, averaging 4.7 yards a carry. However, the Chiefs seem intent on replacing DW, first with LeSean McCoy last season, and now with LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the first Back chosen in the 2020 NFL Draft. Damien, whose strength in the passing game, will have a role in the offense this year, but it would surprise very few if Edwards-Helaire becomes the focal point sooner rather than later, as he also excels catching passes out of the backfield.

WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys

As the #2 receiver to Amari Cooper, Gallup put up surprisingly robust numbers (66-1107-6) in 2019. That still did not stop the Cowboys from trying to upgrade the position, spending their 1st round pick on Oklahoma’s explosive CeeDee Lamb. While it is true that the team needed to replace Randall Cobb who left via free agency, Cobb was best suited in the slot role. Lamb’s traits point to him being a potentially better version of Gallup. The trio should spend plenty of time on the field together, but how long will it take Lamb to replace Gallup in two-receiver sets?

WR Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia Eagles

Drafting QB Jalen Hurts in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft grabbed all of the headlines, but what got lost in the shuffle was the fact that the Eagles drafted three wide receivers, including TCU’s Jalen Reagor in the 1st round. They also traded for another, 49ers Marquise Goodwin. There’s a question of whether or not Jeffery will be on the teams opening day roster. Even if he his, he will have to compete for snaps with all those newbies, plus returning players, Desean Jackson, Greg Ward, and last years 2nd round pick, J.J Arcega-Whiteside.

TE Jimmy Graham, Chicago Bears

Collectively, the Bears TE’s had the fewest receiving yards in 2019 of any roster in the league, so the team completely overhauled the position. They added Graham, and he’s penciled in as the starter. But his underwhelming stint with Packers is probably not an outlier and more of a sign of continued decline. He’s older now (33) and doesn’t have a franchise QB under center. Most notably, they added the best college TE, Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet in the 2nd round in the 2020 NFL Draft, who will definitely take snaps from Graham.

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