2020 NFL Draft: Fantasy Winners & Losers for All 32 Teams
With the NFL Draft now a couple of weeks in our rearview mirror, I’ve begun to evaluate new depth charts and their fantasy implications for each team in the league. While the Draft is an exciting unofficial start to the season, it often leads fans and experts to overstate its true impact—especially for fantasy purposes. Over the last seven seasons, 32 rookies have finished the year as fantasy starters in half-PPR leagues—fewer than five per year.
Jump to: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
By starting with draft capital, the following analysis of each team’s draft will dissect the winners and losers for 2020 fantasy leagues. Those looking for a dynasty spin can find that discussion here.
*= Compensatory Pick
Arizona Cardinals
1 (8) LB Isaiah Simmons
3 (72) OT Josh Jones
4 (114) DT Leki Fotu
4 (131) DT Rashard Lawrence
6 (202) ILB Evan Weaver
7 (222) RB Eno Benjamin
Once Arizona traded for DeAndre Hopkins in March, the only way the fantasy needle would move for the Cardinals in the Draft was if they spent a pick in the first two days on a running back. Ultimately, the sole offensive player they drafted in the first three rounds was tackle Josh Jones who some had a late-first/early-second grade on. Eno Benjamin was Arizona’s only other draft pick on offense and he, too went a round or two later than expected. Jones will strengthen a weak offensive line while Benjamin will battle Chase Edmunds for the RB2 spot on a team that could support two fantasy-relevant backs. The biggest takeaway for fantasy purposes is that the Cardinals are ready to ride with Kenyan Drake as their unquestioned backfield leader.
Winner: Kenyan Drake
Atlanta Falcons
1 (16) CB A.J. Terrell
2 (47) DE Marlon Davidson
3 (78) C Matt Hennessy
4 (119) ILB Mykal Walker
4 (134) S Jaylinn Hawkins
7 (228) P Sterling Hofrichter
After allowing the ninth-most yards per pass attempt in 2019, it wasn’t a surprise that Atlanta addressed defense with their first two picks but the execution was questionable. Going into the draft, cornerback A.J. Terrell was barely ranked as a top-16 player at his position by SportsInfoSolutions, let alone a top-16 player overall. The Panthers, who spent none of their seven picks on offense, were the only team to spend less draft capital on offense than the Falcons, and a third-round center will do little to make an impact. There was speculation that Atlanta could go all-in on offense and spend their first pick on a receiver but that obviously never came to fruition, so the winners came from their inaction on that side of the ball.
Winners: Calvin Ridley, Hayden Hurst
Baltimore Ravens
1 (28) LB Patrick Queen
2 (55) RB J.K. Dobbins
3 (71) DT Justin Madubuike
3 (92) WR Devin Duvernay
3* (98) ILB Malik Harrison
3* (106) G Tyre Phillips
4* (143) G Ben Bredeson
5 (170) DT Broderick Washington
6 (201) WR James Proche
7 (219) SS Geno Stone
Although Baltimore was the most electric offense in the league last year, they had some obvious holes to fill going into the draft, notably at running back and wide receiver. While Mark Ingram finished as the RB8 in half-PPR leagues, his numbers were bolstered by a 15-touchdown campaign and he is entering his age-31 season. Ingram will likely start the season ahead of J.K. Dobbins on the depth chart, but they will cannibalize each other’s touches while losing upside when Lamar Jackson pulls it down to run.
The Ravens waited until late on Day 2 to address their wide receiver need, indicating that they are comfortable with Marquise Brown as their primary wideout. Devin Duvernay is a speedster who plays best out of the slot where Brown saw 62% of his targets, so it stands to reason that Duvernay will battle Willie Snead for the WR3 spot while Miles Boykin will get a shot to start on the outside.
Losers: Mark Ingram, J.K. Dobbins, Willie Snead
Winners: Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin
Buffalo Bills
2 (54) DE A.J. Epenesa
3 (86) RB Zack Moss
4 (128) WR Gabriel Davis
5 (167) QB Jake Fromm
6 (188) K Tyler Bass
6 (207) WR Isaiah Hodgins
7 (239) CB Dane Jackson
Buffalo traded this year’s first-round pick for Stefon Diggs, boosting Josh Allen’s outlook while downgrading John Brown, but the focus here is on the actual picks made in the Draft. Zack Moss throws cold water on hopes of Devin Singletary being a true workhorse back and both will lose some rushing work to Allen. The situation for Singletary may not be as dire as it seems. In 2019, the rookie was fighting with Frank Gore for touches but still managed four 20-touch games in the second half of the season and averaged a 79.5% backfield touch share over his final four—that mark would have ranked third over the entire 2019 season. Offering little in the passing game or in terms of athleticism, Moss will be used to spell Singletary but the sophomore back could still easily exceed two-thirds of backfield touches. Singletary goes down as a loser by definition but the consensus will likely end up too low on him.
Loser: Devin Singletary
Carolina Panthers
1 (7) DT Derrick Brown
2 (38) DE Yetur Gross-Matos
2 (64) S Jeremy Chinn
4 (113) CB Troy Pride
5 (152) S Kenny Robinson
6 (184) DT Bravvion Roy
7 (221) CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Last season, the Panthers allowed the 10th-most yards in the league and surrendered the second-most points. In response, they used all seven of their picks on defense. Replacing Luke Kuechly and Mario Addison won’t be easy, but Carolina landed four potential Week 1 starters and having a competent starting quarterback should take pressure off of the defensive unit this year.
Winner: Panthers DEF
Chicago Bears
2 (43) TE Cole Kmet
2 (50) CB Jaylon Johnson
5 (155) OLB Trevis Gipson
5 (163) CB Kindle Vildor
5 (173) WR Darnell Mooney
7 (226) G Arlington Hambright
7 (227) OT Lachavious Simmons
Chicago leveraged most of this draft for players that are already on the roster so there wasn’t much that the Bears could do on draft day to shake up their fantasy expectations. Cole Kmet joins an overcrowded tight end room but should have the inside track to starter snaps immediately. It’s rare that rookie tight ends make much of an impact and in this offense, it’s almost a certainty that Kmet will be nothing more in fantasy than a spot starter in the thinnest of bye weeks. The Bears offensive line ranked 29th in adjusted line yards and allowed the fifth-highest adjusted sack rate last season but did nothing in the Draft to upgrade there, which could have been a huge win for David Montgomery.
No winners/losers
Cincinnati Bengals
1 (1) QB Joe Burrow
2 (33) WR Tee Higgins
3 (65) ILB Logan Wilson
4 (107) OLB Akeem Davis-Gaither
5 (147) DE Khalid Kareem
6 (180) OT Hakeem Adeniji
7 (215) LB Markus Bailey
As expected, the Bengals used the first overall pick on Joe Burrow, giving their offense an immediate upgrade. Although rookie quarterbacks tend to struggle, the Cincinnati offense lacked two key components in their passing attack last season—accuracy and the deep ball. Those are two strengths of Burrow’s game. With A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd atop the depth chart, Tee Higgins—who could have easily been a first-rounder to a wide receiver-needy team—will battle Auden Tate for the WR3 role in the offense. The Bengals declined the fifth-year option on wide receiver John Ross for 2021, suggesting that he will be on the outside looking in. Whether it’s Higgins or Tate who emerges as the starter in 3WR sets, neither figures to carve out a consistent enough role to be a reliable fantasy option.
Winners: A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd
Losers: Auden Tate, Tee Higgins
Cleveland Browns
1 (10) OT Jedrick Wills
2 (44) S Grant Delpit
3 (88) DT Jordan Elliott
3* (97) ILB Jacob Phillips
4 (115) TE Harrison Bryant
5 (160) C Nick Harris
6 (187) WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
An already deep roster at the skill positions, the Browns added Austin Hooper this offseason so even if they did draft a skill player in the first two days, he would have been a long shot to make an immediate impact. Jedrick Wills fills a glaring need at tackle and while he played on the right side in college (Tua Tagovailoa is left-handed), Wills is expected to anchor the left side of the Browns’ line to protect Baker Mayfield’s blindside. Cleveland was a below-average defense last season but added multiple players who can contribute in year one.
Winners: Baker Mayfield, Browns DEF
Dallas Cowboys
1 (17) WR CeeDee Lamb
2 (51) CB Trevon Diggs
3 (82) DT Neville Gallimore
4 (123) CB Reggie Robinson
4* (146) C Tyler Biadasz
5* (179) DE Bradlee Anae
7 (231) QB Ben DiNucci
The chalk pick at 17 was a defensive player but the Cowboys went all-in on offense with the player that many considered the best wide receiver in the Draft. Dak Prescott will be throwing to arguably the best receiver trio in football and while the knee jerk reaction is that there are now too many mouths to feed, a closer look reveals an offense that could be one of the rare units to support three fantasy-relevant wideouts. Nearly 200 targets are up for grabs in this offense with the most notable departures being Jason Witten and Randall Cobb. CeeDee Lamb could be a rare 100-target rookie while Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup maintain their 20%+ target shares. If anything, the Blake Jarwin breakout party may have to be canceled.
Winner: Dak Prescott
Loser: Blake Jarwin
Denver Broncos
1 (15) WR Jerry Jeudy
2 (46) WR K.J. Hamler
3 (77) CB Michael Ojemudia
3 (83) C Lloyd Cushenberry
3 (95) DT McTelvin Agim
4 (118) TE Albert Okwuegbunam
5* (178) LB Justin Strnad
6 (181) G Netane Muti
7* (252) WR Tyrie Cleveland
7* (254) DE Derrek Tuszka
After spending a second-round pick on Drew Lock last year, John Elway went all in to set up his quarterback for success—no team spent more draft equity on offense. Jerry Jeudy is the type of talent that can immediately challenge Courtland Sutton for the lead role in this offense, though many were hoping that Jeudy would land somewhere where he could be the clear alpha from Day 1. K.J. Hamler will push DaeSean Hamilton for work in three-wide sets. Denver’s offense was slightly run-heavy compared to the rest of the league last season but this draft suggests that they are looking to change that. After a promising rookie season, tight end Noah Fant could struggle to crack the top four in targets on this team when you consider the addition of Melvin Gordon earlier in the offseason.
Winner: Drew Lock
Losers: Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant
Detroit Lions
1 (3) CB Jeff Okudah
2 (35) RB D'Andre Swift
3 (67) OLB Julian Okwara
3 (75) G Jonah Jackson
4 (121) G Logan Stenberg
5 (166) WR Quintez Cephus
5 (172) RB Jason Huntley
6 (197) DT John Penisini
7 (235) DT Jashon Cornell
The Lions defense ranked in the bottom five in passing yards and passing touchdowns allowed last season then proceeded to trade their best DB, Darius Slay. After more shuffling on Draft Day, Detroit eventually parlayed that trade into guard Jonah Jackson who will replace Graham Glasgow. They used their first pick to land standout cornerback Jeff Okuday, Slay’s direct replacement, who will play opposite newly-signed Desmond Trufant.
There were rumors before the draft that the Lions were unhappy with Kerryon Johnson as their starting running back and that was confirmed quickly on Day 2 when they landed arguably the most talented back in the Draft. Even if there is an early-season backfield share, Swift offers much more in the passing game than Johnson, and Matthew Stafford likes to throw to his running backs when given the opportunity.
Winner: Lions DEF
Loser: Kerryon Johnson
Green Bay Packers
1 (26) QB Jordan Love
2 (62) RB A.J. Dillon
3 (94) TE Josiah Deguara
5 (175) LB Kamal Martin
6 (192) G Jon Runyan Jr.
6 (208) C Jake Hanson
6 (209) G Simon Stepaniak
7 (236) FS Vernon Scott
7 (242) DE Jonathan Garvin
Green Bay had glaring needs on offense and addressed none of them. They traded up for their MVP’s replacement, landed a running back that will cut into the touch share of Aaron Jones—who amassed over 1,500 total yards and 19 touchdowns last season—and used another Day 2 pick on a fullback posing as a tight end. Davante Adams will be looking to break Michael Thomas’s one-year-old receptions record while Aaron Rodgers will break the record for most ignored play calls in a season.
Loser: Packers shareholders
Houston Texans
2 (40) DT Ross Blacklock
3 (90) OLB Jonathan Greenard
4 (126) OT Charlie Heck
4* (141) CB John Reid
5 (171) WR Isaiah Coulter
This draft was all but done when BOB essentially turned DeAndre Hopkins into Brandin Cooks and a rookie defensive tackle. Only the Saints had fewer picks than the Texans in this year’s Draft and the Falcons and Panthers were the only teams to use less draft capital on offense than Houston. Ross Blacklock should see starter snaps right away but is far from a dominant force that will swing a defense’s fortunes.
No winners/losers
Indianapolis Colts
2 (34) WR Michael Pittman Jr.
2 (41) RB Jonathan Taylor
3 (85) S Julian Blackmon
4 (122) QB Jacob Eason
5 (149) G Danny Pinter
6 (193) DT Robert Windsor
6 (211) CB Isaiah Rodgers
6* (212) WR Dezmon Patmon
6* (213) OLB Jordan Glasgow
Even without a first-round pick, the Colts still managed one of the most interesting drafts for fantasy purposes. Placed in an offense that didn’t produce a player with a target share above 14% last season, Michael Pittman will be asked to contribute immediately in hopes of being the 2020 version of Vincent Jackson in a Philip Rivers-led offense.
Jonathan Taylor obliterated any hope of Marlon Mack being a bellcow this year but also squashed the dream that many fantasy owners had of Taylor landing in a backfield with no competition. Mack has been used sparingly in the passing game since turning pro and while Taylor’s raw receiving numbers seem pedestrian, there’s evidence that he is a valuable target out of the backfield. This could be a frustrating puzzle to solve in 2020, especially if Nyheim Hines continues his work as a pass-catching specialist.
Winner: Michael Pittman
Losers: Parris Campbell, Zach Pascal, Marlon Mack
Jacksonville Jaguars
1 (9) CB C.J. Henderson
1 (20) LB K'Lavon Chaisson
2 (42) WR Laviska Shenault
3 (73) DT DaVon Hamilton
4 (116) OT Ben Bartch
4 (137) CB Josiah Scott
4* (140) LB Shaquille Quarterman
5 (157) S Daniel Thomas
5 (165) WR Collin Johnson
6 (189) QB Jake Luton
6 (206) TE Tyler Davis
7 (223) CB Chris Claybrooks
Only one team had more picks than Jacksonville and the Jaguars spent most of their significant draft capital on the defensive side of the ball. Their lone offensive pick in the first two days, wide receiver Laviska Shenault, does disrupt the fantasy makeup of this team. Shenault is a versatile, big-bodied receiver that even has some experience playing quarterback, so although his touches may be limited in 2020, he adds a creative layer to Jacksonville’s offense and will hurt all receivers not named D.J. Chark.
Losers: Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley
Kansas City Chiefs
1 (32) RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
2 (63) ILB Willie Gay
3 (96) OT Lucas Niang
4 (138) S L'Jarius Sneed
5 (177) DE Michael Danna
7 (237) CB Thakarius Keyes
The most talked-about pick for fantasy purposes from this draft was, and will continue to be, Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Andy Reid already called CEH a better Brian Westbrook and that kind of hype will have the rookie running back’s ADP soaring. A long shot just a month ago to be the first back off the board, Edwards-Helaire is in a position to be a PPR stud, even if he doesn’t see starter snaps right away. Wherever you project Edwards-Helaire’s touch share to land, one clear takeaway is that Damien Williams will not get a workhorse role in 2020 without an injury to the rookie.
Loser: Damien Williams
Las Vegas Raiders
1 (12) WR Henry Ruggs
1 (19) CB Damon Arnette
3 (80) WR Lynn Bowden
3 (81) WR Bryan Edwards
3* (100) ILB Tanner Muse
4 (109) G John Simpson
4* (139) CB Amik Robertson
No team zeroed in on one position like the Raiders, who spent three picks in the first two days of the Draft on wide receivers. Henry Ruggs had a first-round grade but few mock drafts had him going as the first receiver off the board. Derek Carr hasn’t been asked to throw deep much in his career, but he did rank in the top 10 in on-target percentage on balls thrown 20+ yards downfield last season, according to SportsInfoSolutions, so the pairing with Ruggs may not be as bad as some assume.
Darren Waller dominated targets for this team for most of 2019 but his volume began to wane down the stretch once Hunter Renfrow emerged as a reliable slot man. Lynn Bowden is a versatile RB/WR hybrid that will be used as such while Bryan Edwards could push Tyrell Williams for snaps, assuming that Ruggs is the WR1 from the get-go. Even after landing a first-round corner, the Raiders still have work to do to shore up a defense that allowed the second-most fantasy points per pass attempt last season.
Winner: Derek Carr
Losers: Darren Waller, Tyrell Williams
Los Angeles Chargers
1 (6) QB Justin Herbert
1 (23) LB Kenneth Murray
4 (112) RB Joshua Kelley
5 (151) WR Joe Reed
6 (186) S Alohi Gilman
7 (220) WR K.J. Hill
Some draft-day bargaining resulted in two picks on Day 1 for the Chargers, but their interesting moves for fantasy purposes happened late in the Draft. Many talent evaluators question if Herbert warranted a top-10 pick and head coach Anthony Lynn contends that Tyrod Taylor will start the season at the top of the depth chart. Even if that happens, Taylor is unlikely to give fantasy owners a full season of production with Herbert looming. In a transitional phase of their franchise, it’s conceivable that all skill players see a dip in production from last season but that hardly was going to change through this draft.
While Herbert will get the headlines in LA, the backfield battle will be one to focus on for fantasy. One could argue that Herbert starting right away could be a win for Austin Ekeler, as super-mobile quarterbacks such as Tyrod typically don’t target running backs as often as their stationary counterparts. Regardless, Ekeler isn’t a typical 300-touch starter so whoever is second on the depth chart could be usable in fantasy. Joshua Kelley will push Justin Jackson for that role.
Losers: Tyrod Taylor, Justin Jackson
Los Angeles Rams
2 (52) RB Cam Akers
2 (57) WR Van Jefferson
3 (84) OLB Terrell Lewis
3* (104) S Terrell Burgess
4 (136) TE Brycen Hopkins
6 (199) S Jordan Fuller
7 (234) LB Clay Johnston
7* (248) K Sam Sloman
7* (250) G Tremayne Anchrum
In last year’s draft, LA traded up to draft Darrell Henderson in the third round. After the release of Todd Gurley, it was assumed that the Rams would lean on Henderson for the lead back role but those assumptions died in the second round of this year’s draft. Los Angeles was last in the league in touch share given to their running backs last season, so this isn’t an offense built to support multiple fantasy-relevant backs. While LA does run as many plays out of 3WR sets than almost any team in the league, Van Jefferson doesn’t figure to make much of an immediate impact other than pushing Josh Reynolds for the WR3 role—that may not be as valuable of a position as it has been in the past with the emergence of Tyler Higbee as a reliable target.
Winner: Cam Akers
Losers: Darrell Henderson, Josh Reynolds
Miami Dolphins
1 (5) QB Tua Tagovailoa
1 (18) OT Austin Jackson
1 (30) CB Noah Igbinoghene
2 (39) G Robert Hunt
2 (56) DT Raekwon Davis
3 (70) S Brandon Jones
4 (111) G Solomon Kindley
5 (154) DE Jason Strowbridge
5 (164) DE Curtis Weaver
6 (185) LS Blake Ferguson
7 (246) RB Malcolm Perry
Miami landed their quarterback of the future but a possible redshirt year means that the fantasy impact of this draft may be minimal, at least in terms of playing time. Not noted in the draft picks is the draft-day trade for running back Matt Brieda. Whether it’s Tua or Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing and Breida or Jordan Howard running, all of the above will benefit from the Dolphins addressing their offensive line needs after ranking last in adjusted line yards and 28th in adjusted sack rate allowed last season.
Losers: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Minnesota Vikings
1 (22) WR Justin Jefferson
1 (31) CB Jeff Gladney
2 (58) OT Ezra Cleveland
3 (89) CB Cameron Dantzler
4 (117) DE D.J. Wonnum
4 (130) DT James Lynch
4 (132) LB Troy Dye
5 (169) CB Harrison Hand
5 (176) WR K.J. Osborn
6 (203) OT Blake Brandel
6 (205) S Josh Metellus
7 (225) DE Kenny Willekes
7 (244) QB Nate Stanley
7* (249) OLB Brian Cole II
7* (253) C Kyle Hinton
With 15 picks in this year’s draft, the Vikings chose to focus their early-round equity on defense, using six of their first eight picks on that side of the ball. They did make the first pick on offense count, grabbing a great value and immediate starter in wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The rookie will immediately step into the void left by Stefon Diggs to start opposite Adam Thielen. Like Thielen, Jefferson excels in the intermediate game, which complements the strengths of Kirk Cousins.
Winner: Justin Jefferson, Vikings DEF
New England Patriots
2 (37) S Kyle Dugger
2 (60) OLB Josh Uche
3 (87) OLB Anfernee Jennings
3 (91) TE Devin Asiasi
3* (101) TE Dalton Keene
5 (159) K Justin Rohrwasser
6 (182) G Michael Onwenu
6 (195) OT Justin Herron
6 (204) LB Cassh Maluia
7 (230) C Dustin Woodard
The Patriots already have arguably the best defense in the league and proceeded to continue to build that strength with the first three picks of their draft. Without much competition at the position, Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene could both see significant playing time in year one but rookie tight ends rarely make much of a splash and this offense could be one of the least productive units in the league in 2020.
No winners/losers
New Orleans Saints
1 (24) C Cesar Ruiz
3 (74) OLB Zack Baun
3* (105) TE Adam Trautman
7 (240) QB Tommy Stevens
The Saints window to win is as long as Drew Brees’s remaining career and they’ve leveraged draft capital to emphasize their win-now approach—no team had fewer draft picks this year. Ruiz upgrades Brees’s protection up front while Trautman is no more than a dynasty stash.
No winners/losers
New York Giants
1 (4) OT Andrew Thomas
2 (36) S Xavier McKinney
3* (99) OT Matt Peart
4 (110) CB Darnay Holmes
5 (150) G Shane Lemieux
6 (183) LB Cameron Brown
7 (218) OLB Carter Coughlin
7 (238) OLB T.J. Brunson
7* (247) CB Chris Williamson
7* (255) LB Tae Crowder
The Giants were one of the worst teams in the league up front last season, ranked in the bottom 10 in adjusted sack rate allowed and adjusted line yards. They immediately get an upgrade with Thomas and Peart has starter potential. How the ball is spread around in this offense in 2020 should mostly mirror 2019 for a sneaky team to stack in fantasy if Daniel Jones makes even a small leap.
Winner: Daniel Jones
New York Jets
1 (11) OT Mekhi Becton
2 (59) WR Denzel Mims
3 (68) S Ashtyn Davis
3 (79) DE Jabari Zuniga
4 (120) RB La'Mical Perine
4 (125) QB James Morgan
4 (129) OT Cameron Clark
5 (158) CB Bryce Hall
6 (191) P Braden Mann
There was some speculation that the Jets would take a wide receiver with their first pick but they opted to protect Sam Darnold before getting a new weapon for him. Denzel Mims should take over the Robby Anderson role in this offense while battling Breshad Perriman for targets after Jamison Crowder.
La’Mical Perine joins a suddenly crowded backfield after New York’s recent signing of Frank Gore. Gore could steal some of LeVeon Bell’s early-down work while Perine is a handcuff that could see significant playing time if Bell were to miss any time.
Winner: Sam Darnold, Denzel Mims
Loser: Breshad Perriman
Philadelphia Eagles
1 (21) WR Jalen Reagor
2 (53) QB Jalen Hurts
3* (103) OLB Davion Taylor
4 (127) S K'Von Wallace
4* (145) G Jack Driscoll
5 (168) WR John Hightower
6 (196) LB Shaun Bradley
6 (200) WR Quez Watkins
6 (210) OT Prince Tega Wanogho
7 (233) OLB Casey Toohill
No team targeted their wide receivers at a lower rate than the Eagles last season. Of course, they were largely without their top two options at the position but it was still an obvious need and Philadelphia addressed that need by drafting three players at the position. Jalen Reagor offers a versatile skill set but his path to targets isn’t clear in year one. Assuming the Eagles don’t move Alshon Jeffery before the season, he and DeSean Jackson would likely see more work in 2020 than Reagor if both could stay healthy. With two very good tight ends and a fantastic pass-catching back, whoever is the top receiver on this team could still be as far down as fourth on the target totem pole. The high draft capital spent on Reagor, though, suggests that the Eagles would like him to take on a dominant role in the offense.
Winner: Carson Wentz
Loser: Alshon Jeffery
Pittsburgh Steelers
2 (49) WR Chase Claypool
3* (102) OLB Alex Highsmith
4 (124) RB Anthony McFarland Jr.
4 (135) G Kevin Dotson
6 (198) S Antoine Brooks
7 (232) DT Carlos Davis
There was some thought in fantasy circles that the Steelers were content with their wide receiver corps going into 2020 and that if they used a Day 2 pick on a skill position it would be at running back. Those thoughts were incorrect. Chase Claypool profiles as a Dorial Green-Beckham look-alike except good. As a field-stretcher, Claypool will battle with the Steelers’ other second-round receiver, James Washington, for that role while also contending with Diontae Johnson for the WR2 spot behind JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Winner: James Conner
Losers: James Washington, Diontae Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
1 (14) DT Javon Kinlaw
1 (25) WR Brandon Aiyuk
5 (153) OT Colton McKivitz
6 (190) TE Charlie Woerner
7 (217) WR Jauan Jennings
Much like the Jets, there was some expectation that San Francisco would use their first pick at wide receiver but they waited until later in Day 1 to fill that void. One of the top-three receivers in this class would have been a death blow to Deebo Samuel’s fantasy value but Brandon Aiyuk shouldn’t be as much of a threat to Samuel’s target share. The 49ers want Jimmy Garoppolo to throw it short and let his playmakers do the rest and Aiyuk fits that plan perfectly. With Emmanuel Sanders and Marquise Goodwin no longer in San Francisco, Samuel should pick up right where he left off last season.
Winner: Jimmy Garoppolo
UPDATE: On June 18, Deebo Samuel suffered a broken foot, and will be out for at least six weeks and anywhere up to three months. This boosts the short-term outlook for Brandon Aiyuk.
Seattle Seahawks
1 (27) LB Jordyn Brooks
2 (48) DE Darrell Taylor
3 (69) G Damien Lewis
4 (133) TE Colby Parkinson
4* (144) RB DeeJay Dallas
5 (148) DE Alton Robinson
6* (214) WR Freddie Swain
7* (251) TE Stephen Sullivan
As the Draft approached, there was increased chatter that Seattle could take one of the top running backs in the first round but they only used a compensatory pick at the position and did little to add anyone of significance to their skill positions. The draft capital that they did spend suggests that they should have an improved defense but the overwhelming sentiment is that Seattle overpaid for both of their first two picks.
Winner: Chris Carson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 (13) OT Tristan Wirfs
2 (45) S Antoine Winfield Jr.
3 (76) RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn
5 (161) WR Tyler Johnson
6 (194) DT Khalil Davis
7 (241) OLB Chapelle Russell
7 (245) RB Raymond Calais
There were two objectives that fantasy footballers wanted to see fulfilled from this draft—get Tom Brady some protection and find him a running back. The Bucs did just that. Bruce Arians wasn’t shy about wanting to get better in the passing game out of the backfield and Ke'Shawn Vaughn offers just that—he’s great at protecting the quarterback and catching the ball. Brady has historically targeted running backs at a high rate and that’s been especially true in recent seasons. With Payton Barber no longer on the roster, Ronald Jones will still have a role in the offense but Vaughn figures to be the RB1 in 2020.
Winner: Tom Brady, Ke’Shawn Vaughn
Loser: Ronald Jones
Tennessee Titans
1 (29) OT Isaiah Wilson
2 (61) CB Kristian Fulton
3 (93) RB Darrynton Evans
5 (174) DT Larrell Murchison
7 (224) QB Cole McDonald
7 (243) CB Chris Jackson
This haul barely moved the needle for a Titans team that overachieved in 2019. They will continue to lean heavily on Derrick Henry while hoping that Ryan Tannehill can maintain at least some of his uber-efficiency from last season. Tennessee hopes that Darrynton Evans will be what they imagined Dion Lewis could have been.
No winners/losers
Washington Redskins
1 (2) DE Chase Young
3 (66) RB Antonio Gibson
4 (108) OT Saahdiq Charles
4* (142) WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
5 (156) C Keith Ismael
5 (162) OLB Khaleke Hudson
7 (216) SS Kamren Curl
7 (229) DE James Smith-Williams
Washington had one of the more sneakily intriguing drafts for fantasy purposes, especially with Ron Rivera now running the team. Antonio Gibson is an RB/WR hybrid that has already drawn some comparisons to Christian McCaffrey, who started his career under Rivera. No one is expecting Gibson to produce like CMC but Adrian Peterson is old and game-script dependent, this regime didn’t draft Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson is no longer on the roster. (Hint: some fantasy sites have Gibson listed as a wide receiver.) After Terry McLaurin, the battle for targets is wide open so while Gibson can contribute from the backfield and split out, Antonio Gandy-Golden may contribute in his first year as well.
Winners: Dwayne Haskins, Antonio Gibson
Losers: Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice, Steven Sims
