Henry Ruggs III's Fantasy Outlook After Raiders Select WR in 2020 NFL Draft

Rookies can often make the difference between fantasy playoff runs and fantasy irrelevance, as anyone who drafted Kyler Murray, Josh Jacobs or A.J. Brown last year can attest. 

Alabama's Henry Ruggs III could be one of those rookie difference-makers in 2020.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected the 21-year-old with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft on Thursday, giving them a potential game-breaking presence with the speed to blow past almost any defensive back.

Fantasy players looking for a mid-round addition would surely be pleased if Ruggs replicates his production from his final two years with the Crimson Tide.

He notched 46 catches for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2018 and followed with 40 catches for 746 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He also ran for a touchdown last season and averaged an impressive 17.5 yards per reception throughout his collegiate career.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projected Ruggs as the No. 12 overall pick in a mock draft on April 1, suggesting the Alabama product is better than speedster Tyreek Hill was when he entered the league in 2016.

"Ruggs gets classified as a speed receiver—and he is with that 4.27 40-yard-dash time—but he's also a polished route-runner and an all-around threat," Miller wrote. "Get him the football, and beautiful things happen."

Beautiful things could happen for fantasy players who take a chance on the first-year playmaker, and there shouldn't be much concern about his ability to find catches and yards even surrounded by other NFL receivers.

Alabama's receiving corps was loaded last season with Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle alongside Ruggs, but the latter still managed to find the end zone eight times and dust plenty of defenders in the open field.

Look for him to do that a handful of times during his first season in the NFL, which will make him worth a mid-round pick in fantasy drafts.

Ruggs figures to face single coverage throughout the year playing alongside Tyrell Williams and a rushing attack with Josh Jacobs that forces opposing defenses into the box, and he should take advantage of that situation on his way to becoming one of the best fantasy rookie options in the league.

Rookie wideouts can be hit-or-miss, but with his explosive speed and a veteran quarterback in Derek Carr, Ruggs could be poised for a very nice rookie campaign. Consider him a WR4 with very big upside in his rookie season.