Although coronavirus is impacting live sports across the world this spring, we still have the NFL Draft scheduled for April 23rd! That means it’s time to talk about the top prospects at each of the fantasy-relevant positions before they enter the league. Every year we see NFL rookies emerge as impact players in both real life and in fantasy football or DFS, and it’s always important to know who these guys are before everyone else jumps on the bandwagon. Below, we focus on the top wide receiver prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft. Enjoy!
1) Jerry Jeudy -- Alabama
Height/Weight: 6’1” / 193 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: Deerfield Beach, Florida
2019 Stats: 77 receptions; 1,163 rec yds; 10 rec TD in 12 games
NFL teams are torn right now as to whether Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb is the top wide receiver in this draft, and honestly they’re both really good and should produce for years to come at the next level. Jeudy, though, has the slight advantage because he has two proven seasons of dominant production against tough SEC competition and he’s a bit more polished as a route runner than Lamb. At Alabama, Jeudy became just the second receiver in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons as he formed a lethal QB-WR duo with classmate Tua Tagovailoa. Although he might be a bit undersized, he makes up for it with his refined route running and fast cuts to be a possession receiver with deep threat ability at the next level. Expect Jeudy to be gone by the middle of the first round as one of the top three wide receivers off the board.
2) CeeDee Lamb -- Oklahoma
Height/Weight: 6’1” / 196 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: Richmond, Texas
2019 Stats: 62 receptions; 1,327 rec yds; 14 rec TD in 13 games
Some teams likely have CeeDee Lamb as the best wide receiver over Jerry Jeudy and there’s a decent chance he ends up with a better overall career when it’s all said and done. The biggest knock on Lamb, though, is that he played in a Big 12 conference that features a ton of offense and little defense, a trend that usually makes the offensive skill players look better than they really are because of inflated stats. At Oklahoma, Lamb definitely benefited from playing a quick-tempo, spread offense that featured plenty of scoring and yardage every single week. He boasts a very high NFL ceiling because of his top notch run-after-the-catch skills and playmaking ability that a lot of receivers lack at the next level. It’s not surprising to see Lamb have a productive collegiate career, especially when he had three Heisman candidates throwing him passes in Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts.
3) Henry Ruggs III -- Alabama
Height/Weight: 5’11” / 188 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: Montgomery, Alabama
2019 Stats: 40 receptions; 746 rec yds; 7 rec TD in 12 games
Although Jeudy and Lamb are probably vying to be the top wideout off the board, it’s Henry Ruggs who could end up being the best pro because of his game-breaking speed that any prospect would be jealous of. His 4.27 40-yard dash could be evidence enough, but Ruggs is explosive on tape with his route-running, big play ability, and threat as a returner. He’s a speedy possession receiver who can play either in the slot or on the outside as a solid number two wideout in any offense. Although he totaled just 98 catches in his three seasons at ‘Bama, Ruggs ranks third in school history in touchdown catches (behind Jeudy and Amari Cooper) and he scored every 4.1 catches in college. His smaller frame might have some teams shying away, but he’s a definite first round pick.
4) Justin Jefferson -- LSU
Height/Weight: 6’1” / 202 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: St. Rose, Louisiana
2019 Stats: 111 receptions; 1,540 rec yds; 18 rec TD in 15 games
Justin Jefferson rounds out the clear-cut Big 4 of the wide receiver position in this draft and he also should be a lock to go off the board in the first round. He ended up being Joe Burrow’s favorite target on LSU’s national championship team, setting a single-season school record with 111 catches last year. Jefferson is a polished route runner and brings a physicality as a pass-catcher in the air and in traffic. He was very sure-handed at LSU and it’s a big reason why Burrow looked his way so often. The only downside to Jefferson is his lack of elite speed or elusiveness, something that the other top three wide receivers have. Instead, Jefferson is the better pure pass-catcher that a quarterback can trust to fit in right from the start.
5) Jalen Reagor -- TCU
Height/Weight: 6’1” / 193 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: Waxahachie, Texas
2019 Stats: 43 receptions; 611 rec yds; 5 rec TD in 12 games
After the top four wide receivers are drafted, it gets a little murky as to who the fifth-best wideout is in this class. In terms of upside if used appropriately, Jalen Reagor leads the way because of his elite game-breaking speed that any NFL offense could use. Unfortunately though, Reagor does not receive the same national recognition as others because TCU did not use their star wide receiver as much as other college offenses may have done. After racking up 72 catches and 1,000-plus yards as a sophomore, Reagor’s numbers took a noticeable dip last season with below-average quarterback play and an offense that struggled to get him the ball. He is a top-tier returner and deep ball receiver, two aspects that should give him a high ceiling at the next level if used right. Reagor just needs to work on his route running more, but get him the ball in space and he’s a touchdown waiting to happen. Some team may take a chance on him late in the first round, but Reagor will surely be off the board in the second.
6) Brandon Aiyuk -- Arizona State
Height/Weight: 5’11” / 205 lbs.
Age/Year: 22 yrs old / Senior
Hometown: Reno, Nevada
2019 Stats: 65 receptions; 1,192 rec yds; 8 rec TD in 12 games
Although he only started one season for Arizona State, it’s clear that we all should be paying more attention to Brandon Aiyuk. After two years at Sierra College, Aiyuk transferred to ASU and spent most of the 2018 season learning the offense and taking notes from former Sun Devil N’Keal Harry. In 2019, he quickly emerged as the team’s top pass-catcher and return man with breakaway speed. Just flip on Aiyuk’s highlight tape and you’ll see his playmaking abilities to turn ten yard catches into long touchdowns and desperate fly routes into sure thing scores. He owns dynamic speed and athleticism but needs more maturation and polish as a route runner and pass-catcher. He’ll be long gone by the time the third round starts, and there’s a legit chance he goes late in the first round.
7) Tee Higgins -- Clemson
Height/Weight: 6’1” / 193 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: Deerfield Beach, Florida
2019 Stats: 77 receptions; 1,163 rec yds; 10 rec TD in 12 games
Clemson has produced plenty of NFL talent in recent years, and Tee Higgins will be the latest to make an impact at the next level. Speaking of former Tigers’ wideouts, Higgins’ 27 receiving touchdowns in college was tied for the most in school history with DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins. He was a big-play threat and a touchdown machine in Clemson’s offense and he can certainly do that at the next level too. Higgins is an above-the-rim, athletic receiver who can not only win jump balls in the end zone but also expand his catch radius more than most receivers his size. However, he does need to work on his route running and pure strength to have success in the NFL. Both of those aspects have some NFL teams a bit down on a guy with his impressive stats. Expect Higgins to go either late in the first round or comfortably in the second round.
8) Denzel Mims -- Baylor
Height/Weight: 6’2” / 207 lbs.
Age/Year: 22 yrs old / Senior
Hometown: Daingerfield, Texas
2019 Stats: 66 receptions; 1,020 rec yds; 12 rec TD in 14 games
Denzel Mims was very productive in his three starting seasons for Baylor, ultimately posting two different 1,000-yard receiving seasons and 28 total touchdown catches. He possesses the ideal length and contested catch ability as a bigger-bodied receiver, but he moves like a smaller wideout with some of the best straight-line speed. That package gives him a ton of upside to be an elite NFL wide receiver if he can prove his skill set is legit against tough cover corners. The one thing he does need to work on is his route running, as he never showed an advanced route tree while at Baylor. Still, his pure size and athleticism will have some team happy to draft him in the second round or perhaps late in the first if a team has fallen in love.
9) Laviska Shenault Jr. -- Colorado
Height/Weight: 6’0” / 227 lbs.
Age/Year: 21 yrs old / Junior
Hometown: DeSoto, Texas
2019 Stats: 56 receptions; 764 rec yds; 4 rec TD in 11 games
Laviska Shenault is the ultimate wild card in this draft class, and he could either reward or haunt the team that takes the plunge. At Colorado, Shenault showed off his natural playmaking instincts as both a receiver and ball-carrier who regularly saw carries on end-arounds. He brings a unique physicality with the ball in his hands, making him a big threat on those designed runs or after the catch to break tackles. Shenault owns the ideal package of size, athleticism, acceleration, and toughness that should have him going higher than most mock drafts suggest. However, his durability is a legit concern after he dealt with several injuries the last two seasons and just had core muscle surgery in March. If he can stay healthy, though, Shenault is a unique talent and the team that drafts him in the second round could wind up with a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive weapon.
10) Michael Pittman Jr. -- USC
Height/Weight: 6’4” / 223 lbs.
Age/Year: 22 yrs old / Senior
Hometown: Woodland Hills, California
2019 Stats: 101 receptions; 1,275 rec yds; 11 rec TD in 13 games
Who wants a taller receiver in this draft class? Michael Pittman’s size and bigger frame will likely have some NFL teams higher on him than most draft experts, and it’s possible we see him sneak into the end of the first round. As the son of an 11-year NFL vet, Pittman has football in his blood and that familiarity may also have some head coaches of front office execs higher on him than usual because of the name recognition. Although he has average speed and not much explosiveness, Pittman’s value comes from his physicality as a pass-catcher, a trait that could help him be a solid possession receiver in the NFL as a safer target for quarterbacks.