Fantasy Football: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings

Round 3 Dynasty Rookie Rankings

25. Chase Claypool, Notre Dame – Steelers (2.17)

6’4” 238lbs, 4.42 40yd

Claypool is a rare bird. He has the speed of a wide receiver but is trapped in a tight end body. He projects as Mike Evans or Vincent Jackson at the next level, but his 40 time is more impressive than both of those players. That 40 time is equally as impressive as DK Metcalf running a 4.33 last year when adjusting for size. The Notre Dame product flashed in his senior year, producing over 1000 yards and 13 touchdowns. He commanded a whopping 28% of the air targets in that offense. He was productive in his Junior year as well, commanding just under 18% of the target share. He will have a solid role on the Steelers this year, looking to play a role as a hybrid wide receiver tight end.

26. KJ Hamler, Penn State – Broncos (2.14)

5’11 178lbs

Hamler is a speedster who was also looking to break John Ross’s 4.22 40yd NFL Combine record. Legend has it that he tweaked his hamstring running a 4.2, leaving him unable to workout at the combine. Social distancing prevented his pro day. He commanded over 20% of the air targets in the Penn State offense in each of his 2 seasons at Penn State. He was a dynamic producer on offense and special teams, and will carve out a similar role in the NFL. John Ross is a plausible comp, as they both have incredible athletic ability and below average hands. Of Hamler’s impressive 171 targets over 2 years at Penn State, only 114 were catchable targets. Hamler had 16 drops on 114 catchable targets, ranking him in the bottom quarter of the drafted WR’s in 2020. The Broncos spent significant draft capital on Hamler, which means he will more than likely slide into the Z role, and should benefit from all eyes being geared to Sutton and Jeudy. I don’t trust his QB, or else he would be ranked higher.

27. Van Jefferson, Florida – Rams (2.25)

6’2” 200lbs

Jefferson was not able to participate in the combine as he is recovering from Jones fracture surgery. He will complement Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in the Sean McVay offense. He and Kupp are similar players. Both are incredible route runners and create separation. Van Jefferson was the son of a coach, and prides himself on technique. We do not have combine data on VJ, but we do know that he reached the highest speed at the Senior Bowl. My skepticism with Jefferson is that he is a late breakout and we don’t have athleticism data.

28. Justin Herbert, Oregon – Chargers (1.06)

6’6″ 236lbs

There is disagreement in the scouting community on Justin Herbert. It is impossible not to be impressed with his size, strength and athleticism. However, his decision making and lack of developmental progression at Oregon are often sited as concerns. His upside is worth a flier in the third round.

29. Adam Trautman, Dayton – New Orleans (3.41)

6’5″ 255lbs, 4.80 40yd

Tight end production is difficult to predict, but you have to love the situation that Adam Trautman enters in New Orleans. Drew Brees loves his tight ends, and Trautman projects as a quality pass catcher in the NFL. He dominated against lesser talent at Dayton, landing him in the 97th percentile for college production. His speed is average, but he ranked in the 95th percentile in terms of agility for tight ends at the combine. In a year with no standout TE’s, Trautman gets the nod for number one TE off the board.

30. Devin Duvernay, Texas – Ravens (3.28)

5’11” 200lbs, 4.39 40yd

Duvernay had a very good combine, showing elite speed with above average explosiveness. It makes sense, as he was the Texas high school state champion in the 100 meter dash. At Texas, he saved his best production for his senior season, commanding 26% of the teams air targets and contributing as a kick returner. He is strong at the catch point, showcasing elite hands to go along with his elite speed. One theory for his lack of production in his first three seasons at Texas is poor technique and tight hips. John Brown and Tyler Lockett provide comparable measurables for Duvernay, but Duvernay is much stronger. The situation in Baltimore is odd. Lamar Jackson is such a good runner that the passing game suffers. With no elite alpha in the passing game (outside of maybe Andrews) there is an opening for the rookie wide receiver.

31. Lynn Bowden, Kentucky – Raiders (3.16)

5’11” 204lbs

Bowden is an explosive athlete that would have lit the combine on fire had he not been sidelined due to a hamstring strain. Hopefully, he will be able to showcase his prowess in the form of a pro day, as he planned to do until social distancing prevented this. Bowden was among the best kick and punt returners in college football during his 3 seasons at Kentucky. He commanded a 27% target share playing slot WR in his sophomore campaign. His junior season at WR was cut short, as he was called upon to play quarterback the final 8 games. Bowden led the team to a bowl berth while leading the team in rushing and receptions (playing only 5 games at receiver). He finished the season top-5 in the country in all-purpose yards. He will join Ruggs and Edwards catching passes from Carr. He will also contribute in the running game and on special teams.

32. Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State – Titans (3.29)

5’10” 203lbs, 4.41 40yd

This guy crushed the combine. He is not very big, but he is an explosive athlete. 4.41 40 yard dash, 37 inch verticle, 125 broad jump, and he put up 20 reps on the bench at 203lbs. The Appalachian State product was also a dynamic kick and punt returner, housing a return for a touchdown in each season. If he can bulk up, I see 3 down back in his potential. He is not just a scat back, think more of a Ray Rice type of athlete. He will contend with Derrick Henry for touches, but is a perfect change of pace back for that offense. Derrick Henry is past the RB age apex, so look for Evans to possibly take command of that backfield in a few years.

33. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame – Bears (2.11)

6’4″ 262lbs, 4.70 40yd

Bears fans saw the TE depth chart expand to 10 names after the 11th pick in the second round. Kmet was most analysts top tight end in the draft, and 2.11 is not terrible value. However, the production profile of Kmet in college does not inspire confidence for only commanded an appreciable share of the air targets at Notre Dame in his final season. In his first two seasons he only commanded 20 targets. At 6’4″ 262lbs with an 83rd percentile speed score you should than that. Scout praise his blocking, so he should be able to get on the field early.

34. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota – Buccaneers (5.16)

6’2” 206lbs

Johnson was one of the most productive college wide receivers in this class. At Minnesota he commanded over 30% of the air targets in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. As a senior he caught 81% of his targets, amassing 1,318 yards and 13 touchdowns. The knock on Johnson is his athletic ability. He chose not to participate in the NFL combine because he felt he was not where he wanted to be, physically speaking. He struggled to separate against high level cornerback play, but showed excellent instincts and ball skills. His upside is capped, but Tom Brady gets an intelligent, possession receiver. He reminds me of Tyler Boyd. He will fit in nicely on Tampa, but there are a lot of mouths to feed.

35. Joe Reed, Virginia – Chargers (5.05)

6’1” 224lbs, 4.47 40yd

I love Joe Reed as a prospect. He is a great blend of speed, size, and creativity. At Virginia, he produced as a return man and wide receiver. Rhetorical question: How many 224 pound guys return kicks? Reed housed 5 kicks during his college career. For those of you doubting his production at Virginia, his quarterbacks could not get him the ball. Virginia struggled finding a reliable QB and ended up operating with a wild cat offense. Reed is one of the gems of this WR class that is underappreciated due to the depth of this WR class.

36. Eno Benjamin, Arizona State – Cardinals (7.08)

5’9″ 207lbs, 4.57 40yd

Eno Benjamin was unimpressive in the 40 yard dash, but put up good agility and jumping measurements. I was hoping he was able to run close to what Darrynton Evans did though. I cannot see him carving out a role as anything more than a pass-catching satellite back. He was extremely productive at Arizona State, amassing 35 or more receptions in his sophomore and junior seasons. He commanded a 14.4% target share in his senior season, competing with other high level athletes. Duke Johnson is a great comp. He will get some work in the Arizona backfield, but Kenyan Drake is the Cardinals best back.