In this article, I’ll give rapid-fire takes on how all the skill players selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft will impact redraft leagues. Yesterday, I wrote up the first round, which you can read here. I’ll also try to provide an estimate for where I’ll rank them in my redraft rankings. At the bottom, I’ve included links to my four-part early rookie redraft preview, to give a comparison of what I thought back then to how I feel now once we have landing spots. Here comes Round 2.
#33: Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)
Unfortunately for Higgins, I don’t think he’ll be redraft viable at all in 2020. He joins a crowded Bengals’ WR room, led by stars A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd. Assuming the Bengals don’t trade Green, Higgins will be at best the third receiver on the depth chart. Additionally, the Bengals still have veterans John Ross and Auden Tate, both of whom found success in 2019 at times. While I love this landing spot long-term as a replacement for Green, fantasy owners can feel free to ignore Higgins in redraft formats. The targets won’t be there.
#34: Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – IND)
Unlike Higgins, I believe Pittman could have some redraft viability. The Colts only have T.Y. Hilton as a reliable wide receiver for new quarterback Philip Rivers. Pittman will compete with 2019 second-round pick Parris Campbell for the number two WR spot. While the Colts also have tight end Jack Doyle and scatback Nyheim Hines as passing weapons, they have room for a second wide receiver to produce. Also, Hilton has struggled with injuries, missing two games in 2018 and six games in 2019.
I wouldn’t suggest drafting Pittman in most redraft leagues, but if Hilton gets hurt again, look for Pittman on waiver wires. Pay attention to the Colts’ camp reports as well for the details of the competition between Pittman and Campbell. I prefer Pittman as a prospect to Campbell, and Pittman has slightly superior draft capital. Therefore, I expect Pittman to have an excellent chance to beat out Campbell.
#35: D’Andre Swift (RB – DET)
Coming into the NFL Draft, Swift was my second-ranked running back behind Jonathan Taylor. He was the second running back to go off the board in the NFL Draft but behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire instead of Taylor. Unfortunately for Swift, he will undoubtedly form a committee in 2020 with incumbent starter Kerryon Johnson. While I believe that Swift is a more talented player, Matt Patricia has a history of creating backfield committees regardless of talent.
Therefore, I have to be conservative with my ranking of Swift in redraft formats. I think we will be extremely frustrated by the Lions’ backfield in 2020. Also, I still don’t believe in the Lions’ offense as a whole, despite their plethora of potent offensive weapons. I’ll likely rank Swift as a low-end RB2, between RB20 and RB24. I won’t feel comfortable spending a high-value pick on Swift, even though I love him as a prospect. Given where I have him ranked, I probably won’t have Swift on my redraft teams.
#41: Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)
The Colts traded up to get Taylor, my top running back in this rookie class. Taylor lands in an extraordinary situation, behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Taylor will immediately push aside incumbent starter Marlon Mack for two-down work while Nyheim Hines will continue to play the third-down role for the Colts.
After bringing in new quarterback Philip Rivers and drafting Michael Pittman Jr. earlier in the second round, the Colts have a high-powered offense. Taylor was a workhorse all three years at Wisconsin, having 299, 307, and 320 carries in his three seasons. He will easily exceed 200 carries as a rookie. The only thing that concerns me with Taylor is his lack of passing-game upside. Because of that, I will likely rank him around RB10 in my PPR redraft rankings.
#42: Laviska Shenault Jr. (WR – JAX)
Shenault is an intriguing weapon who played in a variety of different roles at Colorado. He played out of the slot, outside, wildcat, and moved all over the formation on every play. I was hoping that Shenault would join a creative organization with an exciting offensive coaching staff. However, he lands on the disastrous Jaguars, who are in a rebuild. Shenault is also recovering from a core muscle injury and will struggle to get playing time as a rookie. The Jaguars will continue to lean on D. J. Chark, Dede Westbrook, and Chris Conley ahead of Shenault, at least in the short-term. I don’t expect anything from Shenault in redraft formats in 2020.
#43: Cole Kmet (TE – CHI)
It’s a rookie tight end. I’ve said it a million times: don’t draft rookie tight ends in redraft formats. I didn’t even bother to preview rookie tight ends in my early redraft rookie primer for a reason. In terms of redraft formats, Kmet makes Jimmy Graham slightly less intriguing as a desperation tight end streamer. Other than that, he has no impact.
#46: K.J. Hamler (WR – DEN)
After taking Jerry Jeudy with the 15th-overall pick, the Broncos decided to take another receiver in the second round by selecting Hamler. Unlike Jeudy, I expect nothing from Hamler in 2020. Hamler will compete with DaeSean Hamilton for the WR3 role behind Jeudy and star third-year player Courtland Sutton. Hamler’s main impact will be on quarterback Drew Lock. The Broncos are committed to providing Lock with as many receiving weapons as possible. I’ll certainly be considering Lock as a streamer in 2020 based on the Broncos’ draft picks.
#49: Chase Claypool (WR – PIT)
I see Claypool as a long-term project. He is an in-between player, with some having him as a tight end and some as a wide receiver. The Steelers already have JuJu Smith-Schuster locked in as their WR1, with Diontae Johnson and James Washington as their WR2 and WR3 right now. However, they also have two veteran pass-catching tight ends in Eric Ebron and Vance McDonald. Therefore, I can’t see how Claypool will get on the field much in his rookie year. His most significant impact is likely on Swiss army knife Jaylen Samuels, who could lose targets to Claypool if they decide to use inventive offensive formations. Either way, I don’t see Claypool as any threat to the top two wide receivers in Smith-Schuster and Johnson, so he won’t be relevant in 2020 without an injury or likely multiple injuries.
#52: Cam Akers (RB – LAR)
As I discussed in my early rookie primer, Akers is an incredibly versatile running back prospect, capable of playing any role for an NFL team. Coming into the Rams’ offense, he will form an initial committee with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown. I expect Akers to be the lead back, with Henderson playing in a change-of-pace role and Brown as a handcuff/backup. However, it will be almost impossible to project exactly how many touches Akers will get.
Even in a committee, the Rams’ offense will provide high-upside touches for Akers. Akers has goal-line skills that far exceed Henderson’s. Therefore, I believe that Akers can score 10 or more touchdowns in 2020, especially if the Rams’ offense returns to its high-powered form. I also think Akers is a capable pass-catcher, something that head coach Sean McVay expects from his running backs. Given all of that, I will likely rank Akers a bit above Swift in my PPR redraft rankings, around RB18-20.
#53: Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI)
Similar to Jordan Love landing behind Aaron Rodgers in the first round, Hurts lands behind a solid incumbent starter in Carson Wentz. Therefore, Hurts has no redraft viability outside of deep superflex formats as a handcuff to Wentz. However, unlike Love, Hurts comes with high rushing upside and would be a streamer candidate right if he ever did see the field. Unless Wentz gets hurt, though, there’s nothing to see here for redraft.
#55: J.K. Dobbins (RB – BAL)
I warned about Dobbins a bit in my early rookie primer, saying that he could disappoint redraft players in 2020. However, he landed in a prime landing spot with the Ravens, where the entire offense revolves around the run and Lamar Jackson’s running ability. Dobbins will compete with Mark Ingram for the lead back role, but I expect Dobbins to win the competition relatively easily. Even if Ingram takes some work, Dobbins will eventually become the starter and should be an RB1 the second he does.
Since there is some risk to Dobbins with Ingram still there, I can’t rank him in the RB1 range in my draft rankings. His upside is undeniable, though, so I have to rank him as a mid-RB2, likely around RB18. Just be aware that Dobbins will come with risk in redraft formats. If the Ravens decide to go with Ingram for the first few weeks, selecting Dobbins will hurt your redraft teams. The early weeks are vital to redraft success.
#57: Van Jefferson (WR – LAR)
I’m not expecting anything from Jefferson in 2020 for redraft leagues. He joins a crowded WR depth chart with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods locked in as the top two targets. Also, tight end Tyler Higbee will demand targets after his hot finish to 2020. Therefore, Jefferson will compete with Josh Reynolds for the WR3 role and tight end Gerald Everett for offensive snaps. While it will be interesting to see whether Jefferson can see the field, he’s not in the redraft conversation.
#59: Denzel Mims (WR – NYJ)
Unlike many of the other receivers in this round, I believe that Mims could present immediate fantasy impact. The Jets’ WR depth chart is barren, with just Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder on the roster. Crowder is the slot receiver, so Mims will compete with Perriman for the number one outside receiver role. Given that Perriman was a draft bust that finally found some success in his fifth year in 2019, I think Mims has an excellent chance to win this competition and find targets in 2020.
Since Adam Gase still coaches the Jets, I can’t recommend drafting Mims that high in redraft. Crowder and running back Le’Veon Bell will again soak up targets, and tight end Chris Herndon could have a bounce-back year in 2020. However, if Mims proves that he’s a starter and Sam Darnold looks good in year three, I’d be willing to look at Mims off waivers early in the season. I would only draft him in super deep leagues, though. Also, the Jets’ drafting a receiver makes me feel a bit better about Sam Darnold as a 2020 streamer.
#62: A.J. Dillon (RB – GB)
I did not expect Dillon to go in the second round, but the Packers took him with the 62nd-overall selection. I think Dillon will push Jamaal Williams aside as Jones’ backup, but he will be a different kind of backup. Dillon will take more short-yardage work from Jones but provides no upside in the passing game. The worst-case scenario would be if the Packers decided to use a three-way committee, as coach Matt LaFleur had suggested during the offseason.
For redraft, Dillon is just a handcuff to Aaron Jones, but he does come with goal-line upside. There is no way ever to start Dillon in redraft unless Jones gets hurt, though. Either way, Dillon should be drafted in handcuff range, Williams is now undraftable, and Jones takes a significant hit, especially to his ceiling. This situation just became even more ugly than before.
Thanks for reading this article. You can find me on Twitter at @DFF_Karp. I love to interact with anyone in the community, so reach out at any time! I take fantasy questions and help with all formats, so keep sending those questions my way.
Early Rookie Redraft Primer Links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
