We’ve got ourselves quite a rookie class here in 2020 and there has been plenty of excitement over these players since the draft. Some may question the hype as the country was in complete lockdown for the month leading up to the draft and that could have led to some over-excitement, but after studying the draft class and evaluating their impending opportunities with their new teams, the exuberance may be warranted. We have strong running backs who many have the capability to supplant the incumbent or, at least take a larger share of the workload and this this receiver class may be the best since 2013. It certainly is the deepest.

But, as always, we urge you not to go too crazy over them as the sports shutdown here in the U.S. has eliminated May OTAs, June mini-camps and prevented rookies from staying at the training facility and working out with future teammates. We might see some slow starts as a result, but that shouldn’t deter you from investing in a few you like. 

Here’s a look at most of the 2020 class, at least those who stand the greatest chance of making an impact for your fantasy football teams.

Quarterbacks

Joe Burrow, CIN – Everything about Burrow’s final season at LSU that needs to be said has been said. It was a year for the ages and every accolade he received was well-deserved. As was the No. 1 overall selection by the Bengals. He’s patient, has tremendous poise in the pocket and is able to side-step defenders to stay in rather than just take off running or throw it away too early. His field of vision is strong and should do well with the overall speed increase at the NFL level. Getting into camp as early as possible will be key for his early development as his timing with his receivers is an area that needs some work. The Bengals offensive line is improved, he’s got the weapons he needs to succeed at this level and will be under center from Day 1. The overall product is just going to need some time and experience to develop so keep expectations in check for this season.

Tua Tagovailoa, MIA – He has all the skills to succeed at the NFL level. He’s got the arm strength, the accuracy, the field of vision and the poise. What he doesn’t have is a clean track record for health and that is, literally, the only thing hanging him up for some people. The hip injury he suffered late last year was a tough one, but two surgeons have already given him a clean bill of health to start training camp on-time, whenever that might be. Durability is likely to be a question until he proves otherwise, but overall, the Dolphins should have him starting at some point this season. Ryan Fitzpatrick will start for now, but change could come by mid-season.

Justin Herbert, LAC – There is a lot to love about Herbert from a physical standpoint. We love the arm-strength, the accuracy, the field of vision and the ability to stand up in the pocket without panic. He can air it out when necessary and he can make the quick, accurate throws to move the chains when he needs to. His biggest issue is the lack of consistency as there were many big moments in college where he just couldn’t get the job done. He may be thrown into the fire too quickly, depending on how TyRod Taylor does to open the season, and that could stunt his development.

Jalen Hurts, PHI – He’s athletic, patient in the pocket when he needs to be, can also take off upfield if he doesn’t see anything open and plays a relatively safe game. Both the arm-strength and accuracy are good but not great and he needs to work on his overall timing on passes. Doug Pederson might try a few gadget plays involving the rookie, but overall, he should be sitting behind and learning from Carson Wentz .

Jordan Love, GB – He had some struggles down the stretch last year, but overall, the scouts like what Love brings to the table. He’s got good mobility and his athleticism, arm-strength and accuracy are also quite good. He does struggle with consistency and timing which likely stem from an over-aggressive style at times. He’ll need to learn better patience and the ability to throw the ball way rather than try to force a throw. Unless Aaron Rodgers gets hurt or the game score differential is somewhere in the 35-point range, he probably won’t see the field in 2020. 

Jacob Eason, IND – This was a really nice pick for the Colts as Eason will be able to hold the clipboard for a season or two behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett while he hones his game for the NFL. He’s got a big arm, strong accuracy and gets the ball out of his hands as quickly as he needs to. He can thread the needle when necessary and does a great job leading his receivers in their routes downfield. He needs to improve his decision-making as sometimes he tries to do too much, but that will come from experience in the NFL.

Running Backs

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB KC – The post-draft helium on CEH has been insane as early best ball drafts saw him go as high as the later first round and while there’s a lot to love about his game, you need to pull back on the hype. Yes, he plays the complete game. He’s a great pass-catcher who also has no problem grinding it out between the tackles. He’s patient, he follows his blockers and he can cut on a dime when he finds his hole. He can break tackles and when they do finally stop him, he always seems to find a way to fall forward. He has all the skills to succeed in Andy Reid’s offense. If you want to knock him for anything, it’s probably the speed. Defenders in college were able to catch him in open space and he doesn’t have the quickness to turn the perimeter. That being said, he will prove to be an immediate asset, though he will remain part of a typical Reid-like rotation with Damien Williams . People will tell you they didn’t take him in the first round to leave him on the bench, but you can expect an early split with the incumbent. If he wants the job to himself, he is going to need to prove he deserves it. Update - With Damien Williams opting out of the season, Edwards-Helaire is in line for a significant workload that has helped his ADP skyrocket heading into fantasy drafts.

Jonathan Taylor, IND – Talk about a collegiate career, Taylor finished last season as the first player in FBS (formerly known as Division 1-A) to rush for more than 6,000 yards over a three-year span. He’s a patient, between-the-numbers, downhill runner who waits for his blocks to develop and does a great job finding his running lanes. However, he lacks quickness in his ability to change direction and he’s a good, but not great pass-catcher. Despite people’s claims that the Colts traded up to make him their primary, you can expect him to open the season as the complementary back to Marlon Mack . We could eventually see the split where Taylor takes the early downs and between-the-tackles work and Mack shifts to more of a third-down role, but from recent reports, it appears as if Frank Reich is content with a tandem-backfield, at least to start. 

D'Andre Swift, DET – The University of Georgia has turned out some phenomenal running backs and you can probably rank Swift up there with the top 15; maybe even top 10. He can be a patient runner who does a great job following his blocks and has that instant burst of speed once he sees daylight. He’s a strong pass-catcher with outstanding field of vision, and while he doesn’t really have that next-level breakaway speed, his elusiveness allows him to pick up big chunks of yardage while changing direction. He’ll open the year as the complementary, pass-catching back as he doesn’t have the strength to move the pile. Do not expect to see him on the field in short-yardage situations. That should still fall on Kerryon Johnson ; at least for now.

J.K. Dobbins, BAL – He was on center-stage at Ohio State and when he fell to the Ravens in the second round of the NFL Draft, people went nuts. But don’t confuse a guy being taken because of the value with a team trading up because they really want a guy. The Ravens already have Mark Ingram , Gus Edwards and last season’s darling Justice Hill, so, at best, he’s going to open the season as part of a committee and will have to earn each and every carry. He’s patient, has good short-area quickness, follows his blockers and always has the legs churning. What we don’t have is a strong burst or next-level breakaway speed. He’ll serve a team well as a grinder, but let’s pump the brakes before anointing him the next big thing in Baltimore.

Cam Akers, LAR – If you’re looking for a good current-player comp, take a look at Saints running back Latavius Murray . He’s got good size and strength to move a pile and break tackles and shines brightest when he plowing through between the tackles. He showed good speed at the combine, but there’s no next-gear, breakaway speed and he’s not considered a great pass-catcher. That may also have to do with his struggles at pass-blocking at times, so expect him to work in tandem with Darrell Henderson who should be granted a bigger opportunity now that Todd Gurley is off in Atlanta. Similar to all the aforementioned running backs, the post-draft buzz has died down a bit and expectations are becoming much more realistic. Does he have the opportunity to lead this backfield? Sure. But don’t expect him to be the Rams’ bell-cow.

Ke'Shawn Vaughn, TB – While Ronald Jones is expected to play an integral part of the Buccaneers ground attack, the selection of Vaughn was exactly what they needed now that Tom Brady is under center in Tampa. The easiest way to put it is Vaughn is Brady’s new James White . He’s a strong pass-catcher, a good pass-blocker and can be given a fairly decent-sized route tree. Bruce Arians will utilize him for passes out in the flat, but he will also send him on some downfield routes where his speed could prove troubling for defenders. There is still some pre-season helium floating him up draft boards, but that’s happening with a lot of the Tampa players here in the offseason. For PPR leagues, absolutely, but if you play in a standard league, you can afford to wait a little longer.

Zack Moss, BUF – He possesses good size and strength to run between the tackles and has the power to carry the pile. He’s not particularly fast but he can change direction pretty well when he finds his holes. It looks as if he will sit behind Devin Singletary at first, but could work himself in as a change-of-pace back relatively early on. He’s not a phenomenal pass-catcher, but somewhat soft hands and long arms help the cause. He was never asked to do much in the way of pass-blocking at Utah, so that is likely to be an area of concern. He also had reconstructive knee surgery back in 2018 and while he played all 13 games last year and has been given a clean bill of health, it will be something to monitor.

AJ Dillon, GB – This is a big dude; bigger than any of the other running backs we’ve looked at thus far. He’s six-feet tall, close to 250 pounds and can pound the ball between the tackles. You have to think the Packers drafted him for his size and abilities in short-yardage situations. While Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are in-house, Dillon could be a big hit down at the goal line in Matt LaFleur’s run-first scheme. For now, he’s depth, but certainly keep an eye on him during training camp.

Darrynton Evans, RB TEN – He’s probably one of the more explosive backs in this draft, though at 5-foot-10 and just a shade over 200 pounds, he’s likely destined for nothing more than a complementary role as a pass-catcher in Tennessee. He’s actually perfect to work alongside Derrick Henry who doesn’t see much in the way of catches and the Titans are going to have to mix things up more so not to get too predictable. He’s got fantastic speed and presents that home-run threat, especially on screens. Leave him for late in your drafts as few people look beyond Henry on this team’s depth chart, but don’t forget about him, especially in PPR formats.

Lamical Perine, NYJ – He gets a little more than just an Honorable Mention due to the relationship between incumbent starter Le’Veon Bell and head coach Adam Gase. We’ve seen numerous coaches pivot off incumbents if there were not their own personal choice and Gase has never hidden his feelings regarding Bell’s arrival in New York. The offensive line has gone through solid transformations and we’ve already seen Gase bring in veteran Frank Gore who could poach a lot of goal-line work. But if Gase really wants to put his own stamp on the Jets backfield, he may try to do it with Perine. He’s still just a depth-pick in fantasy drafts, but keep a watchful eye on him in the late rounds, especially in dynasty formats.

Wide Receivers

Jerry Jeudy, DEN – General Manager John Elway spent several years trying to draft a clone of himself for the Broncos and now that he finally found his man in Drew Lock , he’s going to arm him to the teeth with weapons. Jeudy will serve as a fantastic complement to Courtland Sutton and will give defenders fits at time. He’s got great hands, runs routes cleanly and does great things with his speed and elusiveness once he makes the catch. His one hang-up might be his lack of physicality. He could struggle in press-man coverage at the NFL level, so look for the more physical corners to give him some trouble coming off the line.

Henry Ruggs, WR LV – It was like the spirit of Al Davis swooped down and possessed the bodies of Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden when the Raiders bypassed Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb to take the speedy Ruggs with the 12th overall pick in the draft. Unlike past Raiders picks, though, Ruggs actually has really good hands and is a strong route-runner. He gives the WR-needy Raiders a home-run threat on offense and he can also help on special teams as a return man. He just needs to learn to tell his friends he’s happy to pay for movers rather than do any heavy-lifting himself. We’re still trying to figure out how he got the puncture in his thigh helping a friend move in the first week of June, but he is expected to be just fine for training camp. 

CeeDee Lamb, DAL – Despite not having a huge need at wide receiver, the Cowboys just could pass up on the talent with the 17th overall pick. He has great speed and fantastic hands along with a nice vertical game and does a great job of picking up yards after the catch. He doesn’t have a huge burst off the line and could refine his route-running a little more but that should come with experience at this level. Working in his favor is the lack of pressure to immediately perform. He’ll have Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup ahead of him on the target share to start, but he is, most definitely, the best long-term plan for Dallas’ receiving corps.

Michael Pittman, Jr., IND – The size and physicality of Pittman is what immediately draws you to him. He effectively uses his hands to gain early separation and always seems to find a way to gain position on defenders. He does a good job of tracking the ball and has a strong vertical game as well. We’ve witnessed a few mental lapses back at USC and the speed is good, not great, but overall, he should be a real nice fit for the Colts and should have no trouble beating out Parris Campbell for that WR2 spot opposite T.Y. Hilton .

Brandon Aiyuk, SF – He’s the vertical threat the 49ers have needed over the last few seasons and should immediately slot in as a favorable asset for Jimmy Garoppolo who has been heavily reliant on tight end George Kittle and somewhat undersized Deebo Samuel. Aiyuk gives him a big target in the back corner of the end zone and we should see a number of jump-balls and fade routes coming his way inside the red zone. He also possesses tremendous speed and can stretch the field as a deep-ball threat as well.

Jalen Reagor, PHI – He certainly fits as a missing puzzle piece for the Eagles receiving corps given the roles we’ve seen the oft-injured Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson play. Reagor possesses quick, strong hands and has a burst of speed off the line that should prove well on crossing routes when they need to stretch the defense. He plays a surprisingly good vertical game despite being under six-feet tall and his speed allows him to pick up strong yards after the catch. If Jeffery works as a possession guy and CJax stretches the field, Regaor can fill the in-between. He’s also going to be a string asset in the return game.

Denzel Mims, NYJ – He’s still a bit of a raw talent who could use some refinement to his game, but the overall skill-set of Mims gives the Jets a bona-fide WR2 to work opposite Breshad Perriman and allow Jamison Crowder to stay in the slot where he thrives most. He’s got the size and athleticism needed to succeed at this level, can block well when asked, but most of all, he’s got great hands and fights for the ball every step of the way. Dynasty leaguers should jump on him even if he doesn’t shine as bright as some of the others from this WR class in his first year.

KJ Hamler, DEN – With Sutton and Jeudy on the outside, Elway brought his quarterback a speed threat to work out of the slot in Hamler. He doesn’t have the size to fight for the ball in traffic, but he is an explosive route-runner whose elusiveness and speed will help him dominate in yards after the catch. He is consistent and gets off the line quickly, exactly the complement Denver needs in their passing attack.

Justin Jefferson, MIN – He is going to be tasked with replacing Stefon Diggs which might not be the fairest thing for the rookie. He’s got great size, good speed and is a quality route-runner. He fights for the ball and does well in traffic, especially over the middle, though his yards after the catch aren’t exactly the strongest. For fantasy purposes, he’s got a great opportunity as there is little competition for targets in this run-heavy Minnesota scheme.

Laviska Shenault, Jr., JAC – He was a yards-after-the-catch specialist in college and brings that speed and physicality to the table for the WR-needy Jaguars. Development may take a little time as QB Gardner Minshew is still trying to hone his craft, but the path to targets may not be too tough. Keep an eye on him in training camp and consider him as a late-round depth option in fantasy. 

Chase Claypool, PIT – He’s big and physical, something the Steelers could really use in their receiving corps. He’s almost built like a tight end which could make him an intriguing option inside the red zone for Big Ben. Still a work in progress, Claypool received high praise from GM Kenny Colbert when he joined the Fantasy Alarm Show on SiriusXM shortly after the draft.

Van Jefferson, LAR – Despite undergoing surgery to help repair a Jones fracture in his foot, Jefferson should still warrant attention in the Rams passing attack with the departure of Brandon Cooks. Granted, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp will see the bulk of targets, but Jefferson has the chance to beat out Josh Reynolds for the WR3 spot on this team. Reynolds has a small size advantage, but Jefferson has soft hands and is a quality route-runner which could earn him additional snaps down the road.

Tee Higgins, CIN – While the Bengals seem flush with receivers right now, Joe Burrow gets a big wideout with great size and speed to develop with over the next few seasons. He’s got great athleticism and may even have the chance to supplant John Ross on some three-receiver sets, though he is more of a long-game play with the age and injury history of A.J. Green always a factor.

Tight Ends

Cole Kmet, CHI – The Bears signed Jimmy Graham in the off-season, but the buzz around the Bears is the heavy use of 12-personnel formations and having both Kmet and Graham on the field. Kmet is a great pass-catcher and will need to work on his blocking, but that just might be an advantage for him. Graham knows how to block and as an aging tight end, he may not be as nimble as Kmet in the receiving game. Still, the kid will need to prove himself overall or he could sit behind Adam Shaheen as well.

Devin Asiasi, NE – With little to no competition at the position, Asiasi could end up being the starting tight end for the Patriots, especially if his blocking skills are up to Bill Belichick stadards. There’s not a huge collegiate track record for him, but Asiasi put together a strong final season for himself at UCLA and with his big frame, solid speed and above-average athleticism, he could prove to be a strong red zone threat for Jarrett Stidham. Just spare everyone the Baby Gronk moniker the New England crowd will give him if he does well early in the year.

Hybrids

Antonio Gibson, RB/WR WAS – Gibson was a jack-of-all-trades at Memphis as he has the strength of a running back and the speed of a wide receiver. Check your league’s position designation of him as varying sites have him listed differently. He can work out of the slot which is likely where Washington will use him, but you should also see him on plenty of gadget plays that put the ball in his hands as a runner. Update - With Derrius Guice being released by Washington, there's more opportunity for Gibson to make a name for himself. Both he and Bryce Love likely play second/third fiddle to Adrian Peterson early in the season, but that shouldn't last too long as Peterson's age has gradually shown the last couple years.

Lynn Bowden, RB/WR LV – He does seem to profile more as a receiver, but Bowden is actually listed on the Raiders depth chart as a runner because they are so flush with receivers right now. The team already has a pass-catching back in Jalen Richard and they certainly don’t want to use him over Hunter Renfrow in the slot, but when Gruden gets creative, he could consider Bowden as a bit of a Swiss Army knife.

Honorable Mention

Eno Benjamin, RB ARI , Anthony McFarland, Jr., RB PIT, Joshua Kelley, RB LAC, Raymond Calais, RB TB, DeeJay Dallas, RB SEA, Bryan Edwards, WR LV, Tyler Johnson, WR TB, Antonio Gandy-Goldman, WR WAS, Quintez Cephus, WR DET, Devin Duvernay, WR BAL, James Proche, WR BAL, Albert Okwuegbunam, TE DEN, Harrison Bryant, TE CLE, Adam Trautman, TE NO