A team-by-team look at the fantasy fallout of the NFL draft
Over the last few days, I’ve tackled this year’s NFL draft for fantasy football on more of a player-by-player draft, including a first-round recap and a look at the veteran winners and losers. Today, to wrap up my draft look-back, I wanted to go team-by-team and evaluate the fantasy impact of the drafted players on each roster.
This will mostly focus on the fantasy-relevant players drafted, but a few places — linemen, etc. — will expand further.
Arizona Cardinals
Fantasy players drafted:
Seventh round: Eno Benjamin, RB
The Cardinals focused on the trenches in the draft, snapping up an offensive lineman, two defensive linemen, a linebacker, and the versatile defender Isaiah Simmons, before jumping on Benjamin in the last round. On a roster with only Kenyan Drake (definitely good, but with a light track record of success) and Chase Edmonds (same points as Drake, but less so) to contend with, Benjamin isn’t likely to see much work right away, but he has more shot at some opportunity than most seventh-rounders.
Third-round tackle Josh Jones warrants mention here as well, because he was seen as a borderline first-rounder by most evaluators (I had him 18th in my mock), so he’s arguably better than most third-rounders and has a shot at helping Kyler Murray and this offense right away.
Atlanta Falcons
Fantasy players drafted:
None
The Falcons were never a strong candidate to take a quarterback or a running back, but there were reasons to think they might grab a tight end (with Austin Hooper’s departure) or a slot receiver (with Mohamed Sanu’s). Instead, they appear content to roll into the season with Hayden Hurst and Russell Gage, respectively, in those roles. Hurst getting no competition means he could profile as a borderline TE1. Gage, though, doesn’t do a lot for me; he was maybe the most inefficient wide receiver with any sort of workload in 2019, and I don’t expect that to change much.
Baltimore Ravens
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: J.K. Dobbins, RB
Third round: Devin Duvernay, WR
Sixth round: James Proche, WR
Dobbins is the headline here, with the only question being whether he leapfrogs Mark Ingram as the No. 1 back right away or if it takes him until 2021 to force his way to the top role. I think it happens sooner rather than later, and Dobbins is the top fantasy back in this offense from Week 1 of 2020. If Ingram sticks around, he’ll still get enough work to hold Dobbins to low-range RB2/flex level, but if Ingram gets cut or traded, Dobbins has RB1 potential.
Duvernay was far from my favorite receiver in this draft, and I thought the Ravens would jump on one of the higher-profile names earlier in the draft. That they didn’t do that tells me they’re comfortable with a pass-catching group of Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, and Mark Andrews. That said, Duvernay has a shot at some real work, given Brown’s injury history.
The Ravens also didn’t jump on an offensive lineman until late in the third round, a mild surprise given Marshal Yanda’s retirement. It’s possible Lamar Jackson’s room to run is a little less this year.
Buffalo Bills
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Zack Moss, WR
Fourth round: Gabriel Davis, WR
Fifth round: Jake Fromm, QB
Sixth round: Tyler Bass, K; Isaiah Hodgins, WR
The Bills went for quantity at the skill positions, though the quality is arguable. The only player here I think is a lock to be involved as a rookie is Moss, who could be the second half of an RB tandem with Devin Singletary out of the Buffalo backfield. It’s going to be the less valuable half, and it’s going to pull some value away from Singletary, so I don’t love it for fantasy.
Bass will battle with Stephen Hauschka for the kicker job, so maybe we see him with kicker value, such as it is. Other than that? Davis (especially) and Hodgins could make this team, but given that Stefon Diggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasley is probably the best 1-2-3 at receiver the Bills have ever had, there’s not much room for them to get much work. And I didn’t really care about Fromm to begin with; the fact that he’s behind a third-year quarterback tells me he’s not seeing the field at all absent an injury.
Carolina Panthers
Fantasy players drafted:
None
The Panthers went all defense in this draft, going seven picks, seven defenders. Other than maybe tight end (and this draft wasn’t much for the position), there wasn’t much of a spot on their roster for them to take a skill player anyway.
Chicago Bears
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Cole Kmet, TE
Fifth round: Darnell Mooney, WR
Kmet is the noteworthy one here, the first tight end off the board in the draft. The Bears have as many tight ends as you have molecules, but other than Jimmy Graham (and even he is arguable), there’s not a fantasy factor in the group, so Kmet will get a shot by at least 2021 and maybe this year. You aren’t drafting him, but you are paying attention to him in case he supplants Graham quickly.
Mooney might be the No. 3 receiver behind Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller immediately. It’s not a high-ceiling role, but the immediate No. 3 receiver is more than most fifth-rounders can ask for.
Cincinnati Bengals
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Joe Burrow, QB
Second round: Tee Higgins, WR
The Bengals nailed their first two picks of the draft from a fantasy perspective and then looked elsewhere. Burrow was the obvious first overall pick, and he carries easy QB2 value right from the start (I’ve even seen some smart people say he could be a QB1). Higgins would have had a higher fantasy ceiling elsewhere, landing as a No. 1 option, but adding him to a receiver room that already includes A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, John Ross, and Auden Tate gives the Bengals one of the best groups in the league and raises Burrow’s already-lofty ceiling.
The Bengals didn’t add an offensive lineman until sixth-rounder Hakeem Adeniji, though given the situation he’s entering he could be a factor immediately. More importantly is the anticipated return from injury of 2019 first-rounder Jonah Williams.
Cleveland Browns
Fantasy players drafted:
Fourth round: Harrison Bryant, TE
Sixth round: Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR
I don’t want to ignore the skill players here, especially given that I think Bryant and Peoples-Jones both got underdrafted (Bryant’s got a tough road to immediate work given the presence of Austin Hooper and David Njoku, but Peoples-Jones should be the No. 3 WR right away), but the real headline here for the Browns is first-round T Jedrick Wills Jr., the 10th overall pick. Wills was my pick for the Browns in my mock, and them building up the line even further is the biggest takeaway here. The Browns have added Jack Conklin and now Wills this offseason, plus good-blocking TE Hooper and FB Andy Janovich. In other words … Baker Mayfield has all he needs now.
Dallas Cowboys
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: CeeDee Lamb, WR
Seventh round: Ben DiNucci, QB
I was (slightly!) down on the Lamb pick on Twitter when it was made, because I prefer to see an overall strategy from a team, and “gave a lot of money to Amari Cooper and let Byron Jones” doesn’t jibe well with “drafted a receiver when a Kristian Fulton or Trevon Diggs type was available.” I’ve softened that since, with the admission that Lamb is so good that maybe the Cowboys felt compelled to change their strategy. And since Fulton fell to the end of the second round (and Diggs made it to Dallas anyway), maybe my evaluation was wrong. Lamb, Cooper, and Michael Gallup form an incredible group of receivers, and give Dak Prescott an enormous ceiling.
Denver Broncos
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Jerry Jeudy, WR
Second round: K.J. Hamler, WR
Fourth round: Albert Okwuegbunam, TE
Seventh round: Tyrie Cleveland, WR
We’ll see how effective it ends up being, but the Broncos definitely win the prize as the most interesting draft for fantasy, basically throwing as many weapons as possible at Drew Lock and hoping the quarterback is good enough to make it work. Is he? We’ll see. I wasn’t wowed in his brief stint starting last year, but then that was a rookie coming in off injury for the last five games of a team playing out the string. After good fantasy numbers in his first two games, Lock totaled 2 touchdowns over his last three games and averaged under 200 passing yards a game. He has every last weapon he’ll need to succeed; can he?
Detroit Lions
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: D’Andre Swift, RB
Fifth round: Quintez Cephus, WR; Jason Huntley, RB
Huntley is an afterthought, a depth piece. Cephus probably is as well, though if Danny Amendola and/or Marvin Jones end up not making the team he becomes interesting. But Swift is the headline here. Kerryon Johnson has looked good when he’s been on the field over his two seasons, but that’s only been 18 of a possible 32 games, and he averaged under 2 targets a game last year. Swift is going to be the Lions’ pass-catching back immediately, and I would argue he should be the starter overall, with Johnson the No. 2. That would make Swift an easy RB2.
Green Bay Packers
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Jordan Love, QB
Second round: A.J. Dillon, RB
Third round: Josiah Deguara, TE
Okay listen, I know everyone has commented on it, but I have to too: The Packers needed nothing this offseason so much as a receiving complement to Davante Adams, and this was arguably the deepest receiver class ever. So how did they come out of this draft with no receivers? I don’t get it. If Love plays this season in anything but kneeldowns, it’ll be an upset. If Dillon gets enough touches to matter, they’ll come at the expense of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, and that would suck. And they’ve already said Deguara is in line to be their quasi-fullback, eliminating most of whatever light value he’d provide. I don’t know, guys. Good news for Devin Funchess, I guess.
Houston Texans
Fantasy players drafted:
Fifth round: Isaiah Coulter, WR
Coulter becomes the No. 6 receiver in this offense, assuming Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, Randall Cobb, and Keke Coutee all stick around. In other words, Coulter is a non-factor. And the Texans, with no pick in the first and only five picks total, didn’t really do much that will affect our fantasy evaluations anywhere.
Indianapolis Colts
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Michael Pittman Jr., WR; Jonathan Taylor, RB
Fourth round: Jacob Eason, QB
Sixth round: Dezmon Patmon, WR
It’s easy (and not unfair) to criticize the Colts for trading up in the second for a running back, but for fantasy this is a dream landing spot for Taylor, sliding in behind maybe the league’s best O-line. The question is whether he unseats Marlon Mack as the starter right away or if it becomes a timeshare, but I would argue you don’t trade up to take Taylor if you don’t envision him being the top guy right away. He’s a borderline RB1.
Pittman is an excellent No. 2 to T.Y. Hilton’s No. 1, with his value mostly dependent on what Philip Rivers has left. If Rivers can flash back a couple years, Pittman has WR2 upside. More likely is that he’s a low-end flex with weekly upside. Speaking of Rivers, it’s unlikely we see a lot of Eason in Year 1, but if he can show much, he could be the Colts’ starter as early as 2021.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Laviska Shenault Jr., WR
Fifth round: Collin Johnson, WR
Sixth round: Jake Luton, QB; Tyler Davis, TE
Luton, Davis, and probably Johnson are just depth pieces. Shenault is the prize, though how much of a prize he ends up being is fair to debate. He was my favorite receiver in this draft (not my No. 1, just my favorite), but he needed to land somewhere that would make the most of his versatile skill set, and we haven’t seen the Jaguars do a lot of that. That said, the team did a lot of “take athletes and we’ll make it work” in this draft, so I’m optimistic Shenault can have a bright future in Jacksonville.
Kansas City Chiefs
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB
There are 31 teams Edwards-Helaire could have landed in the draft where I probably would have spent the rest of the offseason telling anyone who would listen that he’s going overdrafted in fantasy. Lucky for him (and us), he went to the 32nd. Edwards-Helaire in a Chiefs offense, coached by Andy Reid, quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes? I don’t think you can overrate him. He’s a rock-solid RB1 right away for me.
Las Vegas Raiders
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Henry Ruggs III, WR
Third round: Lynn Bowden Jr., RB/WR; Bryan Edwards, WR
If the Raiders draft this year works out, it’ll make for an absolutely electric offense, with three marvels among the skill players taken. That’s a big if, though — Ruggs is, to me, a one-trick pony whose one trick doesn’t align with his quarterback, and Edwards does not have a skill set I like to translate to the league. I will admit that I love Bowden, but I’ll admit it with a heaping helping of bias admission, as a UK fan and alum. We need to see Jon Gruden willing to deploy Bowden in a lot of different ways and not just as a one-position guy. Ultimately, the Raiders have (easily) the widest gap between floor and ceiling of any team in this year’s draft.
Los Angeles Chargers
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Justin Herbert, QB
Fourth round: Joshua Kelley, RB
Fifth round: Joe Reed, WR
Seventh round: K.J. Hill, WR
Kelley, Reed, and Hill are all intriguing options, given how late they went in the draft, but if any of the three has a big role in 2020 it will mean something has gone wrong elsewhere. So really, this is a draft about Herbert. I think, once Burrow and Tua were off the board by the time they picked, the Chargers were somewhat forced into Herbert; I probably would have taken Isaiah Simmons there and just waved my “best defense ever” flag in everybody’s face, but that’s probably harder to do when you have to tell your fans that Tyrod Taylor is going to be your starting quarterback. So they had to take Herbert, for better or worse, and just hope the “better” pays off. I’m not convinced.
Los Angeles Rams
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Cam Akers, RB; Van Jefferson, WR
Fourth round: Brycen Hopkins, TE
Seventh round: Sam Sloman, K
The lessons we thought the Rams learned in the Todd Gurley situation: Don’t overinvest in the running back position; offensive line matters more than the back. They lesson they apparently did learn: Todd Gurley bad. It would have been nice to see what a Darrell Henderson/Malcolm Brown backfield might have been for fantasy, especially if they had taken a Josh Jones or someone instead of Akers. Instead, we get a muddled backfield that is likely to be a fantasy quagmire.
Jefferson is talented enough, but considering the two receivers he’s definitely behind (Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp) and the development of the team’s tight ends (Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett), it’s hard to imagine him (or Hopkins) getting enough work to be worth anything in fantasy. Sloman, though, could immediately be a top-10 kicker, given the strength of this offense and the departure of Greg Zuerlein. He could actually be the fantasy prize of the Rams’ draft.
Miami Dolphins
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Tua Tagovailoa, QB
Seventh round: Malcolm Perry, WR
It’s really Tua or bust in this draft, as far as fantasy is concerned; Perry isn’t ever likely to be a factor. The Dolphins complemented Tua with a first-round O-lineman in Austin Jackson (not a player I loved but admittedly a high ceiling) and Robert Hunt in the second. I love the approach they’re putting together. It’ll all come down to Tua’s health, but the ceiling is forming nicely.
Minnesota Vikings
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Justin Jefferson, WR
Fifth round: K.J. Osborn, WR
Seven round: Nate Stanley, QB
The Vikings made 14 picks in the draft, including at least two in every round but the second and the third. With all that, though, Jefferson is the only likely fantasy factor to come from these picks. He ostensibly replaces Stefon Diggs, though his skill set is more of a redundancy, for me, for Adam Thielen’s, and that makes for an interesting strategy. Does one of Jefferson or Thielen spend most of the time in the slot, or do they switch off? And if one of them is in the slot, does that open things up for Tajae Sharpe and/or Bisi Johnson to produce on the outside? There are more questions than answers in the Minnesota receiving corps right now.
New England Patriots
Fantasy players drafted:
Third round: Devin Asiasi, TE; Dalton Keene, TE
Fifth round: Justin Rohrwasser, K
Rohrwasser is going to be the kicker, with Stephen Gostkowski gone. I know exactly as much about him as you do, and most of that has to do with tattoos and racism and not football. Who knows.
Asiasi is the potential prize at tight end, but “potential” is the key word here. I don’t think there’s a fantasy factor there for 2020.
New Orleans Saints
Fantasy players drafted:
Third round: Adam Trautman, TE
Seventh round: Tommy Stevens, QB
I’ll say now that Stevens doesn’t make this team. Not exactly a crazy prediction, but there it is. Trautman? Maybe he’s a factor down the road, but he’s not going to get many targets in 2020. The Saints only had four picks in the draft, and other than Cesar Ruiz at center helping Drew Brees, I’m not sure we care about any of them for fantasy.
New York Giants
Fantasy players drafted:
None
The Giants made 10 picks over the weekend and came out with exactly zero offensive skill players. But grabbing Matt Peart in the third and (especially) Andrew Thomas in the first as two tackles might matter more than anything else, fortifying a subpar line. If Saquon Barkley jumps back to No. 1 at running back in 2020, that’ll be why.
New York Jets
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Denzel Mims, WR
Fourth round: La’Mical Perine, RB; James Morgan, QB
Perine is intriguing, considering how disappointing Le’Veon Bell was in Year 1 in New York. Mims immediately becomes the team’s No. 1 receiver, with Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder both sliding down a rung. Most importantly, though, is Mekhi Becton, the team’s first-round tackle. Becton caps off an offseason of the Jets bringing in as many offensive linemen as they could find, and he has the potential to be the prize of the group. Bell and Sam Darnold need the help, and the Jets have done their best.
Philadelphia Eagles
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Jalen Reagor, WR
Second round: Jalen Hurts, QB
Fifth round: John Hightower, WR
Sixth round: Quez Watkins, WR
“We aren’t going to run out of receivers again,” the Eagles said, “even if it means we draft every single one of them.” Given that the depletion at receiver was the biggest storyline of the Eagles’ 2019, it’s hard to argue with the strategy. Reagor might be the only one that matters right away, but he could matter a lot, especially if Alshon Jeffery continues to struggle with injury.
And then there’s Hurts. I’m on record as not liking the pick, because this year of all years there were No. 2 quarterback options (Cam Newton and, then, Jameis Winston) who could be had for just money. But that’s in the past now, and Hurts could help that offense as a super-Taysom Hill. The problem? Taysom Hill does nothing for fantasy, and Hurts isn’t likely to do so, either.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Fantasy players drafted:
Second round: Chase Claypool, WR
Fourth round: Anthony McFarland Jr., RB
I mostly expected Claypool to bulk up a bit and end up at tight end, but that looks unlikely now. I’m not convinced he’ll be a big factor this year or ever, but he’s in one of the best places to make the attempt. The same goes for McFarland — if James Conner plays 16 games as a bell cow and Jaylen Samuels is the change-of-pace back, I won’t be surprised, but if Conner can’t stay healthy and Samuels isn’t much of a factor, McFarland could suddenly be a full-timer. Wide range of outcomes.
San Francisco 49ers
Fantasy players drafted:
First round: Brandon Aiyuk, WR
Sixth round: Charlie Woerner, TE
Seventh round: Jauan Jennings, WR
I’ll say it one last time: Aiyuk will have six plays of 50-plus yards this year, and we’ll see what else he does beyond that. Take him as a late-round best-baller. I like Jennings’ fit in that San Francisco offense as well, though it’s hard to see him having a big impact in Year 1. Woerner … well, he’s also there.
Seattle Seahawks
Fantasy players drafted:
Fourth round: Colby Parkinson, TE; DeeJay Dallas, RB
Sixth round: Freddie Swain, WR
Seventh round: Stephen Sullivan, TE
Dallas is the name to remember here, given the Seahawks’ penchant for running the ball and the injury histories of Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. Dallas could be the starter in a good running offense as early as this year, and he would have big fantasy upside if so. The rest of the names here? I can’t see anything worth getting worked up over.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Fantasy players drafted:
Third round: Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB
Fifth round: Tyler Johnson, WR
Seventh round: Raymond Calais, RB
At least from a fantasy perspective, I love this draft for Tampa, pulling in Vaughn as a potential starting running back from the start and getting the severely underdrafted Johnson to be the immediate starting slot receiver. And then there is the prize, Tristan Wirfs, who the Bucs got at 13th overall but who was my No. 1 lineman in this draft. He should help Tom Brady and the backfield, and if Brady still has it, this could be the best offense in the league.
Tennessee Titans
Fantasy players drafted:
Third round: Darrynton Evans, RB
Seventh round: Cole McDonald, QB
In true Hawai’I fashion, McDonald had plenty of stats in college, but it’s hard to see him making a big impact in the NFL. Evans? Derrick Henry is the starter in Tennessee, but the Titans might as well have not had a backup since letting Dion Lewis go. That means Evans is the handcuff right away, and could have a big ceiling if anything happens to Henry.
Washington
Fantasy players drafted:
Third round: Antonio Gibson, RB/WR
Fourth round: Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR
I don’t know what to make of either Gibson or Gandy-Golden in the Washington offense. They’ve announced Gibson as a running back, which means he’d have to battle with Derrius Guice, and Adrian Peterson, and Bryce Love, and Peyton Barber, and J.D. McKissic for time. His versatility should help him there, and given that the team has no sure things at receiver behind Terry McLaurin both Antonios have a shot at a big role, though there are a bunch of maybes in the team’s receiver room, so it’s not hard to envision both games being afterthoughts if some of the other maybes develop.