Fantasy Football: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings

Round 2 Dynasty Rookie Rankings

13. Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State – 49ers (1.25)

6’0” 205, 4.50 40yd

Aiyuk is a polarizing prospect. My issue with Aiyuk is that he was only productive in his second season at Arizona State, after attending Junior College out of high school. He also received a medical red flag at the Senior Bowl. Aiyuk is a polished athlete, showcasing a 40 inch vertical along with 4.5 speed. However, his route running is sub-par. The 49ers obviously believe in Aiyuk more than I do, after trading up for Aiyuk. I just don’t see a dominant fantasy profile. Aiyuk will be a great addition to that roster, but through special teams contributions and as a gadget player until he can solidify a larger role. It seems like a redundant pick given that they already have Deebo Samuel.

14. AJ Dillon, Boston College – Packers (2.30)

6’0” 247lbs, 4.53 40yd

AJ Dillion is a rare combination of size and athleticism. Guys built like AJ Dillon should not be able to jump that high and run that fast. There is a reason why he put up back-to-back-to-back seasons of over 1000 yards and over 10TDs. The Packers shocked their fans by taking him at the end of the 2nd round. I love the pick, and believe that he can be a 3 down back. He enters a crowded backfield, which will precipitate a fall in rookie drafts. However, keep your eyes posted for a Aaron Jones holdout or trade, as he is in the final year of his contract and will be searching for  a massive payday..

15. Tee Higgins, Clemson – Bengals (2.01)

6’4”, 216lbs, 4.59 40yd

Higgins was universally viewed as a first round prospect, but did not meet expectations at his pro day. He projects as a possession receiver. His combine is similar to Mike Williamss, although Mike Williams was more productive coming out of Clemson. Cincinnati wanted Higgins badly, as they held the pick overnight and did not trade off. Joe Burrow is a stud and will get the most out of Higgins. He is not AJ Green though, so hopefully Higgins was not supposed to be his replacement.

16. Joe Burrow, Clemson – Bengals (1.01)

6’4″ 221lbs

To say Burrow is a can’t-miss prospect would be irresponsible. He was not able to beat out Dwayne Haskins or Jake Fromm during his college career, and boast only one year of elite production. That one year is one of the best QB production profiles ever though, and earned Burrow the undisputed number one pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He possesses the elite traits you want in a quarterback and he is a plus decision maker. In 2 years at LSU he threw for 76TD’s to 11INT’s and ran for another 12TD’s.

17. Michael Pittman, USC – Colts (2.02)

6’4” 223lbs, 4.52 40yd

Pittman is a bigger, more explosive Tee Higgins, but was a 5 star bust until a monster senior season. He credits the success of his senior year to an added emphasis on technique. I am skeptical. He did have to deal with guys like Juju early in his career, but he still should have been able to show out during his first three seasons at USC. He comps to Alshon Jeffrey, albeit with less college production. He should overthrow Pascal this year and will have a solid role in this offense if he can hone his craft.

18. Laviska Shenault Jr. , Colorado – Jaguars (2.10)

6’1” 227lbs, 4.58 40yd

Shenault was set up to fail at the combine. The Colorado product is a tremendous athlete, but went into the combine nursing an abdominal oblique injury and thought he could power through it. It is a shame for him that he was not able to showcase his true talents at the combine. A 4.4 40yd would have had in the first round conversation. Instead, we are dissecting why he is worth a flyer in the 2nd round of rookie drafts. That being said, I will own plenty of Shenault. His athleticism is evident on the tape, and he is built like a linebacker. He commanded over a 20 percent target share in his sophomore and junior seasons at Colorado before forgoing his senior season for the NFL draft. He was also a contributor on special teams. He reminds me of a bigger Deebo Samuel. Minshew has to be thrilled with his new target. Laviska and DJ Chark will be a dynamic duo.

19. Bryan Edwards, South Carolina – Raiders (3.17)

6’3” 212lbs

Edwards may be the most underrated wide receiver in the draft. I am not the only one who shares this sentiment. Erik Turner from Cover 1 and Chris Trapasso from CBS Sports have also proclaimed Bryan Edwards as the drafts most underrated WR. Edwards is another wide receiver talent that missed the combine due to injury. Unfortunately, Edwards also missed the Senior Bowl due to a separate injury. Edwards is a rare breed. He commanded greater than 20% of the South Carolina offensive target share in all four years at South Carolina. That includes his season as a 17 year old Freshman, making his breakout age one of the youngest ever recorded. He was fighting for targets with Deebo Samuel, so that is pretty darn impressive. Edwards is not a burner, but has good speed and projects to be a beefed up slot receiver (think Chris Godwin) in the NFL. He is the gem of this draft and I loves the pick by Las Vegas. He is a perfect compliment to Henry Ruggs.

20. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama – Dolphins (1.05)

6’0″ 217lbs

Prior to injuring his hip, Tua was in the discussion for first overall pick in the NFL Draft. His numbers are eye popping, throwing only 11 interceptions in his 3 year career at Alabama. Injuries ultimately limit his upside, after suffering an injury that is guaranteed to shorten his career. That being said, I like what the Dolphins have done the past 2 years, and I think this team’s future is bright.

21. Antonio Gibson, Memphis – Washington (3.02)

6’0” 228lbs, 4.39 40yd

Is he a wide receiver or running back? He states that he is a wide receiver, but he played a duel role in college at Memphis. The coaches in Washington have compared him to McCaffrey, which is a lofty comparison. Gibson averaged 11.2 yards per carry on 33 carries in his second season at Memphis, while commanding 56 air targets and a 12.7 percent target share. He is an explosive play-maker that is extremely versatile. Sounds probably like a better real life NFL player than fantasy stud, but the upside is something that cannot be overlooked. The situation presents itself for a role in the passing game over a role in the backfield, as Adrian Peterson and Darius Guice project as the RBBC for 2020-2021 season.

22. Joshua Kelley, UCLA – Chargers (4.06)

5’11” 212lbs, 4.49 40yd

Joshua Kelley has all the makings of a productive 3 down back in the NFL. He has adequate size, he is athletic, he is agile and he was productive at UCLA. Kelley only has 2 years against Division I talent, as he started his collegiate career in junior college. He went over 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns in each season at UCLA. He enters a backfield timeshare with Austin Ekeler, but should be able to oust Jackson. He reminds me of Marlon Mack.

23. Anthony McFarland Jr., Maryland – Steelers (4.18)

5’8” 208lbs, 4.44 40yd

I was surprised at how highly McFarland was drafted. He is an excellent compliment to a Steelers backfield that lacked speed. He was impressive at Maryland after transferring from Junior College. I expect him to carve out a nice role as a satellite back behind James Conner. After the injury struggles that Conner have experienced in his short career, I expect the Steelers to employ a all-hands-on-deck approach in their running back room.

24. Zach Moss, Utah – Bills (3.22)

5’9″ 223, 4.65 40yd

Moss was projected as a 2nd round pick in some circles prior to the NFL Combine. The 4.65 40 yard dash likely dashed those lofty aspirations. He was a productive participant at Utah, but he did not set the program on fire. His target share was never larger than 10%, and his production in the pass game was sporadic. Even in an ideal situation I do not trust Moss, and Buffalo is not quite an ideal situation. Ranking Moss this low means that I will have zero Zach Moss stock on my taxi squad in 2020. I want no part of the running back sloths of Buffalo.