Leonard Fournette: Top 20 fantasy running back in 2020?

Will Leonard Fournette be a top 20 fantasy running back in 2020?

The Jacksonville Jaguars decided to not extend the fifth-year option to running back Leonard Fournette. While they may end up regretting it, so may many fantasy football players end up overdrafting the former first-round pick out of LSU. Can Fournette be counted on to be a top-20 running back in fantasy in 2020?

The Fantasy Footballers answer this question in their latest “Buy or Sell” segment of their show. Per usual, the guys are split on this as they are about seemingly everything. However, one thing is for certain with our favorite fantasy trio. None of them are willing to be all-in on Fournette right out of the gate in 2020. They would rather be proven wrong than being wrong by overdrafting him.

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There are a handful of issues at handing regarding Fournette’s fantasy viability in 2020. Though he is the featured back in Jacksonville, it’s not like the Jaguars are planning on being the least bit good this fall. They are in prime position to draft a franchise quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, no matter how much fun it is to watch Gardner Minshew play ball.

Do the Jacksonville Jaguars have a top-20 running back in Leonard Fournette?

The other issue besides not playing on a good team has to do with a newcomer to the Jaguars offense. With Jay Gruden becoming the team’s new offensive coordinator, he has brought over his former running back with the Washington Redskins in Chris Thompson. When Thompson is healthy, he is a great fantasy player, but his health can never be counted on.

While Fournette had 100 targets out of the backfield last season, that number might drop to as low as 55 with Thompson getting his fair share of the tailback workload. For a guy who was a former top-five pick who has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season twice, it’s strange to see so many people fall out of favor with Fournette’s overall game.

Assuming Fournette does not get cut by the Jaguars out of camp, which is totally in play, given the Jaguars declining his fifth-year option, he has the talent and potentially the workload to be a top 20 running back in fantasy this year. However, you need to be very cautious about banking on him being your bell-cow back this fantasy season. There are better options out there than Fournette.