Featured Articles

Jake Fromm epitomizes the old school quarterback prototype in many different ways. He’s not athletic at all. All of his workout metrics on PlayerProfiler are in the 38th-percentile or lower. The two most impressive metrics lie in his production and tend to paint him as more of a cerebral quarterback. His 19.1 Breakout Age that falls in the 91st-percentile indicates that he was is a precocious prospect. His 80.9 College QBR places him in the 77th-percentile.

Fromm makes up for his lack of athleticism with his patience, maturity and overall efficiency. He makes up for his lack of arm talent and offensive dominance by making shorter accurate throws. He has many qualities that Tom Brady had entering the league. The question remains whether it’s enough in today’s game that is more enamored with either the Joe Burrow/Patrick Mahomes renegade field-stretcher type or the Lamar Jackson/Jalen Hurts duel threat variety.

Lynn Bowden could be selected in the second round of the NFL Draft. J.K. Dobbins’ cancelled pro day is a real shame.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire does not belong among the Mt. Rushmore running backs. Denzel Mims is rightfully a high rising rookie.

Quez Watkins weighed 170-pounds coming out of high school and ran a verified 4.46 40-yard dash. He showed up to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine weighing 185-pounds with greatly improved long speed. In any other Henry Ruggs-less year, a 4.35 (98th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) 40-yard dash would’ve been a much bigger deal. Because Watkins is 6-0, his 101.9 Speed Score is only a 74th-percentile mark.

Expected to be a Day 3 pick, Watkins declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft was considered a surprise move. He wins with straight-line speed but his relative lack of athleticism elsewhere keeps him from entering the John Brown/DeSean Jackson/T.Y. Hilton/Brandin Cooks bucket of elite speed receivers. He’s still a Top 20 receiver in our rookie rankings pending draft capital, and a dark horse to be this year’s Darius Slayton, a Day 3 pick with the wheels to make an early-career fantasy impact.

If people had to chose the top tight end from the 2020 class based on production, it would be difficult to not go with Brycen Hopkins. In a class that has many possible hits but no clear cut winner, studying the advanced stats and metrics for these players is even more crucial. His athleticism is as impressive as his 23.7-percent (72nd-percentile among qualified tight ends) College Dominator Rating. The only metric that is not ideal on his profile is his late 22.4 (13th-percentile) Breakout Age.

It’s never a good idea to draft rookie tight ends in redraft unless they are guaranteed hits. There are no guaranteed hits in the 2020 tight end class, so apply this to Hopkins. In dynasty rookie drafts, no 2020 tight end should be drafted before the fourth round. However, if he’s still hanging around at that point, he may be worth the gamble if the running back and wide receiver well has dried up.

Let’s think of everything we could want in a running back prospect at the next level. Early-age dominance, efficiency on the ground, pass-catching talent, and the ability to shoulder a big workload. Ohio State RB J.K. Dobbins has all of that. As a 19-year-old true freshman, he posted over 1,400 rushing yards and added 22 receptions on 26 targets, indicating that he is a natural in the passing game. Those stats carried over throughout his career, with him seeing a floor of 1,000 rushing yards and 20 receptions.

At the NFL Combine, Dobbins measured 5-10, 209-pounds. He doesn’t have the girth of Jonathan Taylor or D’Andre Swift, but his 30.0 (46th-percentile) Body Mass Index is plenty high. Plus, his 300-carry season should put any workload concerns to bed. He is also incredibly slippery, meaning he takes few big hits. According to Graham Barfield, Dobbins bested Taylor, Swift, Cam Akers and Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Yards Created Per Carry, highlighting his ability to generate in spite of his blocking.

Michael Warren checks a lot of boxes. He broke out before he was 20 years-old and, because of his sturdy build, has a 33.4 (95th-percentile among qualified running backs) Body Mass Index. Even though he resembles more of a bigger two-down bruiser, he had more than 20 receptions in each of his sophomore and junior seasons. He’s a solid prospect, supported by having a 32.7-percent (75th-percentile) College Dominator Rating and a 8.3-percent (61st-percentile) College Target Share.

Although he checks many boxes, he is a classic example of having a complimentary stat-line. This is due to volume and opportunity rather than having elite athleticism or being #exceptional at football. He is a Day Three pick at best. A team needs to be excited about his size and production for that to happen. Today’s NFL covets the Maserati-type running back as opposed to “trucks” like Warren.

Cooper Kupp may not be sexy, but he is the smart buy in Dynasty Leagues. He not only had good production in 2019, but has accumulated quite the resume over his first three seasons. He was the WR24 as a rookie, WR4 in 2018 from Weeks 1-5 before a season-ending injury, and a Top 10 wide receiver in 2019. Sitting in the Top 35 on PlayerProfiler’s Dynasty Rankings, he is an obvious buy with an ADP of around pick No. 47 in FFPC Dynasty drafts.

Nick Chubb is a concerning long-term asset while he outgrows his rookie deal with two years left. He has to split opportunity with Kareem Hunt for at least one of these two years and then owners may get one year of RB1 production in 2021, but there’s always the possibility the Browns extend Hunt or use draft capital to replace Chubb. Recently, running backs have dropped significantly in value after shedding their rookie deals.

If Joe Burrow didn’t engineer the most prolific college football season of all time, Tua Tagovailoa would be the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Alabama thrust Tagovailoa into comeback mode in the 2017 National Championship as a 19-year-old true freshman. He replaced Jalen Hurts in the second half and put on a show, coming from behind with three touchdown passes to defeat Georgia. After that performance, Tua was destined for stardom.

With last year’s hip injury seemingly a non-factor, Tagovailoa is expected to be a Top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. The Miami Dolphins are an obvious landing spot, but don’t be surprised if the Los Angeles Chargers trade up for the young gunslinger. No matter where he lands, he has show efficiency and accuracy at a young age and has the legs to be an impact player on the ground. Mobile quarterbacks possess the “Konami Code” in fantasy football, giving us an edge over our competition.

James Robinson’s resume and stocky 5-9, 219-pound build suggests that he is naturally a two-down grinder with limited pass-catching ability. His 48.7-percent College Dominator Rating is as good as it gets, landing in the 98th-percentile among qualified running backs. Although he doesn’t have a known College Target Share percentage per se, we can conclude that it’s below average judging by his 44 receptions over four years.

Robinson is a solid prospect. He could’ve been an early Day Three pick if he had played for a Division I team. The chances of him being drafted will be slim. However, if he can find a team willing to take a chance after the draft, he can be a bargain signing. Regarding fantasy, one should not reach for Robinson no matter how much they have a soft spot for the small school underdog. If he lands in the right spot at the right time, his name can create buzz if injuries befall those ahead of him in their respective running back committee.

Arguably the most unproven receiver room in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts sit with T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell atop their wide receiver depth chart. While Campbell appeared in only seven games as a rookie, the former second-round pick should receive opportunity early in Indianapolis. The Colts already traded their first-round pick for DeForest Buckner, increasing Campbell’s likelihood of seeing the field. With little competition in his way, the former Buckeye is a strong candidate for a second-year breakout.

A second-year receiver from Toledo, Diontae Johnson looks capable of taking a second-year leap in Pittsburgh. He already appeared to ascend  near the end of 2019, posting 59 receptions and 680 receiving yards on 92 (No. 37) targets. Looking at the Steelers offense alone, this team completely collapsed without Ben Roethlisberger. With Big Ben now set to return, it’s wheels up for Johnson.