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Anthony McFarland bulked up ahead of the NFL Combine and bolstered his draft stock by blazing a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, earning him 107.0 (85th-percentile among qualified running backs) Speed Score. His marks in these key predictive metric categories offer a glimpse into his potential at the NFL level, but his below-average College Dominator Rating and pedestrian College Target Share raise red flags.

Anthony McFarland runs with power and offers a three-down skill set but lacks the explosiveness that his peers possess, evidenced by his 108.2 (8th-percentile) Burst Score. He faces an uphill battle to solidify himself as an NFL workhorse but it’s still within his range of outcomes. However, finding a niche as a receiving specialist or acting as a satellite/breather back are more likely outcomes.

John Brown’s value is falling as Adam Thielen is rising due to the Law of the Conservation of Targets. It’s go time for Kenyan Drake in Arizona.

Acquire David Johnson for DeAndre Hopkins was a colossal blunder by Bill O’Brien. Darrell Henderson is not ready to be workhorse back in the NFL.

D’Andre Swift weighed in at 212-pounds at the Combine, which is more than enough for a feature back in today’s NFL. While his 5-8 height screams “satellite back” on the surface, his 32.2 (87th-percentile among qualified running backs) Body Mass Index shows he’s built sturdy and compact. That build will let him handle a significant workload at the NFL level with his low pad level.

Swift’s 10.1-percent (75th-percentile) College Target Share indicates that he’s the real deal in the passing game. That makes him the prototypical dynamic chess piece out of the backfield that NFL teams feature in their offenses. No matter where he lands, he should be a contributor right away. He has the size, speed, and skills to make a splash in any backfield, meaning his value will only increase in Year 1.

While it’s easy to take the greatness of elite talents for granted, it’s our duty as fantasy football players to genuflect at the feet of Jonathan Taylor. He’s one of only five Power-5 conference runners since 2000 to rush for 2,000 yards, catch 20 passes and score 20 touchdowns in a single season. One of the best running back prospects to ever come out of college football, Taylor is as can’t-miss a prospect as we’ve seen over the last several years.

Taylor combined his elite athleticism with a 41.8-percent (93rd-percentile among qualified running backs) College Dominator Rating at a Power-5 school. As enticing as CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Reagor and Jerry Jeudy are as wide receiver prospects, it would be a mistake to pick a wide receiver in rookie drafts before a top-four runner from this class. Should you be fortunate enough to draw the 1.01, you know what to do. 

While the Dallas Cowboys completely botched their attempts at roster construction, they at least locked up Dak Prescott for the 2020 season. Previously signing Ezekiel Elliott to a long-term deal, the Cowboys have prioritized the wrong positions throughout the offseason. While Amari Cooper decided to return on a team-friendly deal, Byron Jones and Robert Quinn departed in free agency. Similarly, Prescott now holds immense leverage for future negotiations, but Dallas’ offense remain intact for the 2020 season.

After a breakout 2019 season and a trip to the AFC Championship, the Tennessee Titans correctly signed Ryan Tannehill to an extension but franchise tagged Derrick Henry. Avoiding a long term commitment to their aging back makes sense, with him playing a replaceable position and offering limited pass catching ability. For 2020, Henry appears safe, but dynasty owners might want to sell high at peak value.

Darrynton Evans arrived at Appalachian State as a third-string running back, but no depth chart would prevent him from making an impact. He was the leading kick returner for the Mountaineers, returning 25 balls for 563 yards and one score as a freshman, and holding onto that job until he left school. He didn’t play in his sophomore season due to injury, but he was thrust into a starting role in 2018 when the Mountaineers’ No. 1 back went down. After being given the reigns to the backfield, he never looked back.

Evans’ college numbers weren’t mind-blowing, but they were more than enough to push him into the conversation for best small-school back when paired with his athletic prowess. If he can make strides in the receiving game, he has a real chance at being an all-around back for an NFL team and ascending to fantasy relevancy. His draft slot will reveal a lot about how teams view his ability to become a three-down back.

Tee Higgins has ideal alpha receiver size at 6-4, 216-pounds, but his 4.59 40-yard dash time was in the 33rd-percentile among qualified wide receivers. Thankfully his gargantuan size gives him a 101.3 (73rd-percentile) Speed Score, comparable to other big-bodied receivers such as Dez Bryant (102.3) and Allen Robinson (103.2). Sadly, he underwhelmed in both his Vertical (31-inches) and Broad Jumps (123-inches), giving him a putrid 114.2 (15th-percentile) Burst Score.

There is still enough on Higgins’ profile to be hopeful for at the next level. Namely an outstanding 18.6 (96th-percentile) Breakout Age and 19.8 (93rd-percentile) college yards per reception, second among rookie wideouts behind class president CeeDee Lamb. He will not be able to beat corners with his speed, but his size creates matchup problems versus disproportionate defenders.

Tre’Quan Smith clears nearly every statistical benchmark for a breakout candidate while remaining dirt cheap. He was drafted before Pick 101, landing him on the more favorable earlier pick curve for Year 3 receivers. Smith is still only 23 years old, weighs 210-pounds, has a 19.2 (86th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Breakout Age, a two-year average of 9.55 yards per target (No. 5 of the non-breakout sample of 51) and a strong two-year 37-percent Slot Rate average.

A small percentage of Allen Lazard’s pre-draft critique may end up having validity. He had a 7.7-percent (No. 22) Drop Rate in 2019. Regardless, his strong age-adjusted college production in spite of his apparent lack of athletic and character traits, speaks to the absurdity of his going undrafted. His 17 targets over his final two games of 2019 speaks to his ability to carve out a meaningful role in the Packers offense despite his unjustifiably low draft capital.

Brandon Aiyuk measured in smaller and ran slightly slower than expected at the NFL Combine, but still landed a 98.6 (65th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Speed Score while running a 4.50 (67th-percentile) 40-yard dash. He displayed elite explosiveness with a 40.0-inch Vertical Jump and a 128.0-inch Broad Jump. That translates to a 132.0 (92nd-percentile) Burst Score.

Aiyuk projects as a Day 2 pick and some mocks even have him going in the first round. His age-adjusted production profile is a concern, but his yards after the catch ability and explosiveness in the return game will help him have an early impact at the NFL level, even if it means he won’t be immediately useful in fantasy. His long-term upside is as a WR3–or a WR2 on a thin depth chart. Draft him in the late second or third round of rookie drafts.

Scott Miller is the young Bucs receiver we want to prioritize in dynasty leagues (here’s looking at you, Justin Watson), especially with Breshad Perriman entering free agency this summer. Miller is entering his second year versus Watson’s third. Miller is also more than a year younger than Watson, has a better 19.1 (88th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Breakout Age and a massive 18.4 ATD in his rookie year. Did I mention that his best comparable on PlayerProfiler is Tyler Lockett?

Jakobi Meyers, a much cheaper alternative to N’Keal Harry, sported an 8.5 yards per target on a respectable 41 targets and a strong 50.8-percent Slot Rate. He performs well enough in the remaining metrics, with an around sample-average weight at 203 pounds, 20.8 (42nd-percentile) Breakout Age and 10.5 Average Target Distance to jump out in my model.