Fantasy Football 2020: Latest Rankings, Projections for Top RBs, WRs

For most fantasy football owners, your first- and second-round picks will be used on either running backs or wide receivers. Sure, it's possible you take a superstar quarterback (Lamar Jackson) or tight end (Travis Kelce), but most times, those positions aren't addressed until at least a few rounds in.

Running backs are valuable, and if you miss out on getting at least two who get consistent carries, you might spend the whole season trying to get lucky on the waiver wire. And while you might find some breakout wide receivers to add midseason, it's important to get some consistent ones in your draft who can lead you to a championship.

Plus, running backs and wide receivers make up the majority of a fantasy football lineup, including the flex spot. So, it's clear why it's so important to draft the right ones, as you could be in for a long year otherwise.

With the 2020 fantasy football season continuing to get closer, here's a ranking of the top running backs and wide receivers heading into this year.

Running Backs

1. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

2. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

3. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

5. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

6. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

7. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

8. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

9. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

10. Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals

11. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

12. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

13. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

14. Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

15. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks

16. Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons

17. Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos

18. James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers

19. David Johnson, Houston Texans

20. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs

21. Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets

22. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

23. Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens

24. Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers

Christian McCaffrey is the clear No. 1 running back for fantasy football this year after his incredible 2019 campaign. Not only did he rush for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns, but he also had 116 receptions for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns. He's even more dangerous in points-per-reception leagues because of that, as he has had more than 100 catches in back-to-back seasons.

After McCaffrey, the next six or seven running backs are likely to be first-round selections in fantasy leagues this year, and many of them could easily go in any order. There are arguments to be made for Ezekiel Elliott or Saquon Barkley to be the No. 2 pick, while Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook are all likely to come off the board quickly.

Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon are both with new teams this season after signing with the Falcons and Broncos, respectively, so it's a bit tough to gauge just how successful they'll be in 2020. However, they should both have opportunities to prove themselves early. Gurley is the clear lead back in Atlanta with Devonta Freeman gone, while Gordon will likely get the most carries out of Denver's backfield, even with Phillip Lindsay in the mix.

David Johnson also has the potential to be ranked higher this season than his preseason placement—if he can stay healthy and return to his old form—as he'll get plenty of carries now that he's with the Texans.

There's a strong chance that Clyde Edwards-Helaire is the top rookie running back in fantasy this season, but it wouldn't be surprising to see owners reaching to draft him early. He has a lot of breakout potential in a Kansas City backfield mix that doesn't yet have a clear starter, and it's possible he'll live up to that, especially if he gets going early in the season. But drafting him in the second or third round, where he's projected to go, will come with some risk.

As for a pair of potential sleepers who could work their way into these rankings, Tampa Bay's Ronald Jones II and Washington's Antonio Gibson fit the bill. Jones is now the Buccaneers' clear lead back in an offense led by Tom Brady, who frequently got New England's backs involved in the passing game. And Gibson could have a breakout rookie season, especially because he'll likely also play some wide receiver for the Redskins, who don't have many top offensive playmakers outside of wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Wide Receivers

1. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

2. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

3. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

4. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

5. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals

6. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

7. Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions

8. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

9. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys

10. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

11. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears

12. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers

13. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns

14. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans

15. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers

16. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos

17. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons

18. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

19. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks

20. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams

21. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

22. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

23. Terry McLaurin, Washington Redskins

24. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins

Like McCaffrey at running back, Michael Thomas is the clear No. 1 fantasy receiver entering the 2020 season and is likely to be selected within the first five picks of most drafts. Last season, Thomas set career highs in receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725), and even if he doesn't reach those numbers again this year, there's no reason to think he won't again be incredibly productive in his age-27 season.

Other receivers who could be drafted in the first round of fantasy drafts include Davante Adams, Julio Jones and Tyreek Hill, with DeAndre Hopkins also potentially in the conversation depending which running backs are still on the board late in the round. Hopkins will likely be a favorite target for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in an offense that should make big strides in 2020.

Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are still both top-10 fantasy receivers, even with tight end Rob Gronkowski added to the mix in Tampa Bay. Tom Brady is likely to lead the Buccaneers' offense to some huge performances, and it's been a while since he's had targets as talented as Godwin and Evans.

Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster are still top-15 fantasy receivers at this point and are likely to be drafted around the third round, even after both struggled to put up big numbers last year. Beckham should have more than the four touchdowns he had in 2019, if Baker Mayfield takes steps forward, while Smith-Schuster should benefit from having Ben Roethlisberger back at quarterback.

One receiver in these rankings who could quickly move up even further is Courtland Sutton, who now has some talented playmakers alongside him in Denver's offense. Quarterback Drew Lock will have the opportunity to be the starter for a full season, Gordon will help boost the Broncos' running game and rookie Jerry Jeudy will make it more difficult for secondaries to key in on just Sutton. Denver's offense should be improved, and Sutton should put up some big numbers as the No. 1 receiving option.

Cowboys rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb isn't yet in these rankings, but he could be a sleeper option worth taking in the second half of many fantasy drafts. Dallas' offense has the potential to put up strong numbers, and Lamb could give quarterback Dak Prescott a consistent deep threat to connect with on big plays.