Top 10 Fantasy Rookies

The NFL and fantasy football are back! Everybody scream! Okay, enough screaming, it’s time to focus in and win. To help you out, I have a list of the Top 10 fantasy rookies for the upcoming season. I’ll be using ADP (Average Draft Position) along with ECR (Expert Consensus Rankings) to make this list. So without further ado, let’s get it going.

10: QB Joe Burrow

At first it may seem silly to saddle your fantasy teams success on a rookie QB, especially a QB for the Bengals, but when you take into account his ADP, you may rethink it. Right now, Joe Burrow, the 2020 1st overall pick in the NFL Draft, is currently being taken in the 15th round. That’s really late for a first overall pick. Kyler Murray was in the same boat last year and he ended as the 7th best fantasy QB in 2019. Joe could be set up for a similar year in Zac Taylor’s offense. The strategy here would be to take skill position players until the 14th or 15th round before taking Burrow.

9: WR Brandon Aiyuk

The first of 5 wide receivers to make this list, Aiyuk has just as much potential to end up inside the top 25 in WR’s this year as anybody. After being taken in the first round of the NFL draft, his ADP soared. It plummeted since then due to a minor hamstring strain, a scary thing in football. Right now you can get him anywhere from rounds 14 to 16. He is set to start practicing next week, which puts him ready for Week 2. The rest of the 49ers receiver core is decimated with injury, which will leave room for Aiyuk to dominate in his return.

8: WR Michael Pittman Jr.

Another wide receiver raring to be taken in the later rounds of any fantasy draft, Michael Pittman Jr. could be a huge addition to any roster. The Colts are set to have an explosive offense in 2020, led by newly acquired QB Phillip Rivers. Many Indianapolis beat writers have fawned over Pittman this offseason. His 6’4″ frame compliments T.Y. Hilton perfectly and matches up well with Rivers style of play, who has always liked big pass-catchers (see Gates, Antonio and Allen, Keenan). His current ADP sits at round 15-16. A steal on all accounts.

7: RB Antonio Gibson

A surprise player to make this list, but with the recent state of the Washington Football Team’s running back depth, he has to be scooped up. Gibson’s ADP has him going round 10, which is low for a starting running back with not a lot of backup competition. His ECR sits at 31, which puts him above guys like Phillip Lindsey and Sony Michel. Fun fact, he is a converted WR, which means he will likely be the receiving back as well.

6: WR Henry Ruggs III

Ruggs III is in a position to absolutely explode in his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Being set to start at the slot position is the best news fantasy owners can receive. Derek Carr loves throwing to the slot, as we saw with Hunter Renfrow last year. It’s very possible we see Ruggs end the year with over 100 targets. His ADP has him going in the 13th round, which seems exactly right.

5: WR Jerry Jeudy

Ruggs teammate at Alabama just barely checks in ahead of him on this list. Jeudy is just as talented and will also be a starting receiver come week 1. Denver seems to be set up nicely with Drew Lock at QB and could end with two top 25 receivers this year. His ADP has him being taken in round 13. His ECR sits at 44.

4: RB Cam Akers

Cam was an absolute monster in college and can easily take the Rams offense by storm. I would put him higher on this list, but he won’t pull away with the starting job until the 2nd half of the season. You will need to draft him knowing that his return will come later in the year. His ADP sits at round 7, which is a great place to grab him. He is currently the 25th best RB in expert rankings.

3: WR Ceedee Lamb

If there’s any rookie receiver that must be rostered in fantasy, it’s Ceedee Lamb. Lamb gets to check into what has the potential to be the best offense in 2020. Beat writers have talked a lot about his success in building a connection with Dak. Lamb fills in on the outside for the departed Randall Cobb, who saw 83 targets last season. Lamb should and will have plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers. His ADP sits at the end of round 11.

2: RB Jonathon Taylor

Taylor is currently ranked as the 18th best RB in fantasy and his ADP has him being taken in the later portion of the 4th round. I know that the Colts still have Marlon Mack, but Taylor is far and away the more talented back and should separate himself quickly. He also gets to run behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines and could see upwards of 250 carries this year.

1: Clyde-Edwards Helaire

The new workhorse back for the Kansas City Chiefs, and the only first round RB off the board in 2020. With Damien Williams opting out, there is virtually no competition for Helaire, who will take the reigns in the the backfield for the hottest offense in the NFL. His ADP has him going around pick 10 of round 1. He currently sits as the 9th best RB in fantasy.