The dust has settled from the 2020 NFL Draft, and the Fantasy Points staff conducted a rookie dynasty mock draft on our Livestream feed on May 4. I encourage you to watch the 90-minute stream for a full breakdown of the top rookies from the 2020 class.
John Hansen, Joe Dolan, Graham Barfield, Scott Barrett, and I each made two picks per round for a total of 40 selections. We took the “Best Player Available” approach since we didn’t have existing rosters coming into the draft. The results from the exercise are below with individual comments for each player and a recap for each of the four rounds. You can also download a PDF of the final results here.
Round One
Pick | Player | Pos/Team | Comment |
1.01 (SB1) | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB/KC | Multi-purpose RB playing with a generational QB talent in the league’s best offense. |
1.02 (JD1) | Jonathan Taylor | RB/Ind | Best runner in the 2020 class gets to play behind one of the league’s best O-lines. |
1.03 (GB1) | J.K. Dobbins | RB/Bal | Downhill, inside runner appears to be a perfect match for the league's best rushing attack. |
1.04 (TB1) | D’Andre Swift | RB/Det | Potentially the top talent in this year’s RB class but landed in a committee in Year One. |
1.05 (JH1) | Cam Akers | RB/LAR | Path to three-down work in a wide-open backfield but Rams O-line remains an issue. |
1.06 (JH2) | Ke’Shawn Vaughn | RB/TB | Could become the lead runner for a Bucs team with 2020 Super Bowl aspirations. |
1.07 (TB2) | CeeDee Lamb | WR/Dal | Landed in a top offense with the second-most vacated targets from last season. |
1.08 (GB2) | Jalen Reagor | WR/Phi | Could quickly become the #1 WR in an offense that’s going to take more shots downfield. |
1.09 (JD2) | Jerry Jeudy | WR/Den | Will challenge Sutton for #1 WR role but needs Lock to take a dramatic step forward. |
1.10 (SB2) | Michael Pittman | WR/Ind | Could immediately be Rivers’ new possession receiver and Hilton entering his 30s. |
Round One Recap
This year’s rookie WR class got most of the pre-draft publicity at the skill positions, but rookie RBs dominated the top of our rookie draft like they typically do every year. The six running backs with legitimate chances to lead their backfields in fantasy points as rookies went with the first six picks. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jonathan Taylor, and J.K. Dobbins were the clear top three picks for our staff before a tier drop to D’Andre Swift, Cam Akers, and Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
I made Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb the first WR selected in our exercise, but I debated between Denver’s Jerry Jeudy and Philly’s Jalen Reagor for the top spot. Indy’s Michael Pittman has quickly become a staff favorite because of early outlook with Philip Rivers, and Scott listened to HC Frank Reich’s love for Pittman in his “Post-Draft Presser Reviews.” Scott snuck Pittman into our first round in front of the four WRs picked ahead of him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Round Two
Pick | Player | Pos/Team | Comment |
2.01 (SB1) | Henry Ruggs | WR/LV | Shaky QB situation but an opportunity for immediate targets right out of the gate. |
2.02 (JD1) | Joe Burrow | QB/Cin | Coming off a historic college season with the chance to be a QB1 immediately. |
2.03 (GB1) | Justin Jefferson | WR/Min | Should step into Diggs’ huge role and Thielen is entering his 30s with hamstring issues. |
2.04 (TB1) | Tee Higgins | WR/Cin | Will compete with Ross for targets in 2020 but has a path to #1 WR role by Year Two. |
2.05 (JH1) | Brandon Aiyuk | WR/SF | Shanahan loves his YAC receivers but likely #3 option to start his career in a run-heavy offense. |
2.06 (JH2) | Tua Tagovailoa | QB/Mia | Scary medicals but landed with an ascending organization with intriguing young receivers. |
2.07 (TB2) | Denzel Mims | WR/NYJ | Should play right away in thin WR corps and potential to grow with emerging Darnold. |
2.08 (GB2) | Anthony McFarland | RB/Pit | Change-of-pace back with a chance for more behind injury-prone Conner. |
2.09 (JD2) | Zack Moss | RB/Buf | Steps right into Frank Gore’s role as the early-down runner in an improving Bills offense |
2.10 (SB2) | Antonio Gibson | RB/Was | Boom-or-bust prospect with an explosive skill set in an ugly stable of running backs. |
Round Two Recap
The first non-RB or non-WR came off the board 12 picks into our exercise when Joe selected the first overall pick from the NFL Draft in Cincy’s Joe Burrow. John made it two QBs selected in the second round when he chose Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa with pick 2.06.
We started our draft with six straight running back selections before going 11 consecutive selections without a running back going off the board — nine WRs and two QBs were selected between picks #7 through #17. Graham put an end to the run to the running back drought by selecting one of his deeper favorites from his “Yards Created” series in Pittsburgh’s Anthony McFarland. It was also a notable pick since McFarland was the first Day Three player selected in our mock draft.
Round Three
Pick | Player | Pos/Team | Comment |
3.01 (SB1) | Laviska Shenault | WR/Jax | Steps into one of the weaker offenses and Jags will get him the rock in a variety of ways. |
3.02 (JD1) | Bryan Edwards | WR/LV | Will challenge Williams to be the X as a rookie but QB situation is less than desirable. |
3.03 (GB1) | K.J. Hamler | WR/Den | Lid-lifter out of the slot in a suddenly loaded receiving corps next to Sutton and Jeudy. |
3.04 (TB1) | Chase Claypool | WR/Pit | Will compete with Washington and potential insurance if JuJu leaves in the off-season. |
3.05 (JH1) | A.J. Dillon | RB/GB | The backfield is loaded but the Packers are moving toward a ground-and-pound approach. |
3.06 (JH2) | Antonio Gandy-Golden | WR/Was | Landed in one of the thinnest WR corps. Has a chance to immediately play the X for Haskins. |
3.07 (TB2) | Darrynton Evans | RB/Ten | Good fit for Titans’ outside-zone scheme and Henry will be a FA next off-season. |
3.08 (GB2) | Van Jefferson | WR/LAR | Could play early if he can beat out Reynolds for #3 WR role with Cooks traded to Houston. |
3.09 (JD2) | Joshua Kelley | RB/LAC | Will challenge Jackson for the early-down role and short-yardage work. |
3.10 (SB2) | Devin Duvernay | WR/Bal | Golden Tate clone out of the slot. Playing time up for grabs behind Brown on this depth chart. |
Round Three Recap
We knew this year’s TE class was pretty rough from a fantasy perspective, and this mock draft confirms it with no tight end selections in the top-30 picks. Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert and Green Bay’s Jordan Love are the final two NFL Draft first-round selections still available after 30 picks in our exercise.
The depth of this year’s WR class really showed during this round, with seven of the 10 selections involving receivers. John made Washington’s Antonio Gandy-Golden the first Day Three WR, and the Liberty prospect will step into one of the weakest receiver depth charts.
Round Four
Pick | Player | Pos/Team | Comment |
4.01 (SB1) | Justin Herbert | QB/LAC | Josh Allen comps. Good receivers at his disposal but needs to use his legs. |
4.02 (JD1) | Adam Trautman | TE/NO | Has inside track to take over for Cook in 2021 but Brees could retire after this season. |
4.03 (GB1) | Cole Kmet | TE/Chi | Tough QB situation and a loaded TE depth chart for Kmet to make early noise. |
4.04 (TB1) | DeeJay Dallas | RB/Sea | Potential 2020 role if Carson and Penny aren’t healthy for Week 1 and insurance for the future. |
4.05 (JH1) | Harrison Bryant | TE/Cle | Pre-draft staff favorite. Landed in a tough spot to climb the depth chart with Hooper and Njoku. |
4.06 (JH2) | La’Mical Perine | RB/NYJ | Gore signing hurts him but has a path to the #1 RB spot if NYJ cuts ties with Bell after 2020. |
4.07 (TB2) | Lynn Bowden | RB/LV | Gadget player for 2020 with the potential for a more traditional passing-back role in the future. |
4.08 (GB2) | Tyler Johnson | WR/TB | Landed in one of the best offenses but a tough path to playing time in a loaded receiving corps. |
4.09 (JD2) | John Hightower | WR/Phi | Brings even more speed to this receiving corps and playing time is up for grabs. |
4.10 (SB2) | Devin Asiasi | TE/NE | Rising receiving prospect who landed in the best spot for a rookie TE. |
Round Four Recap
Tua and Herbert were selected with consecutive picks at fifth and sixth overall during the NFL Draft, but there was a huge gulf between their selections in our mock draft — Tua went #17 and Herbert went #31. Love ended up going undrafted in our exercise, and Philly’s Jalen Hurts was also unable to crack our top-40 picks.
Joe selected our first TE in New Orleans’ Adam Trautman with our 32nd overall pick, which set off a run of four TE selections in our final nine picks. Chicago’s Cole Kmet (33rd), Cleveland’s Harrison Bryant (35th), and New England’s Devin Asiasi (40th) followed Trautman at the end of our draft.
Final Breakdowns
QBs: 3
RBs: 15
WRs: 18
TEs: 4
First Round: 10
Second Round: 13
Third Round: 9
Fourth Round: 6
Fifth Round: 2