Fantasy Football 2020: Overall Rankings, Riskiest Buys Ahead of Training Camp

In the world of fantasy football, every NFL player carries some amount of risk. Even a "sure thing" like Julio Jones or Patrick Mahomes can become a fantasy bust if injuries strike. Some players, though, carry more risk than others.

This is especially true in leagues wherein fantasy drafts are held before training camp and the preseason. Without a clear view of player health and roster situations, it's not difficult to pick up a potential star early only to be disappointed in the regular season.

With training camps roughly a month away, were going to examine some fantasy options who do have potential but who should also be approached with caution—players who might be best avoided early if drafting soon and who should be closely monitored if drafting just before the regular season.

First, though, we have updated rankings for points-per-reception (PPR) formats.

2020 Fantasy Football Rankings, PPR

1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

2. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints

3. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

4. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

5. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

6. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

7. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals

8. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

9. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

10. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

11. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

12. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

13. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

14. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

15. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

16. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

17. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

18. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

19. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

20. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

21. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

22. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

23. DJ Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers

24. Kenyan Drake, RB, Arizona Cardinals

25. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

26. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

27. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

28. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

29. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

30. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

31. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

32. Todd Gurley, RB, Atlanta Falcons

33. DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins

34. A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans

35. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

36. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

37. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

38. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

39. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos

40. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

41. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

42. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

43. D.J. Chark, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

44. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

45. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

46. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

47. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

48. Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams

49. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

50. Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears

Risky Buys for 2020

Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets

David Dermer/Associated Press

New York Jets running back Le'Veon Bell was a fantasy disappointment last season. While he did top 1,1000 combined rushing and receiving yards and catch 66 passes, he averaged just 3.2 yards per carry and scored a mere four times.

Once a surefire fantasy first-rounder, Bell should now be targeted as a mid-level starter—and even that could be risky. The Jets brought in veteran Frank Gore to bolster the backfield, and the coaching staff views him as more than just a backup.

"The leadership he brings is one of those things you need to see it because it's unique," head coach Adam Gase said, per Brian Costello of the New York Post. "The impact he has on guys is phenomenal."

New York expects Gore to be a leader on the practice field and in games—and the latter expectation could see him cut into Bell's workload. This would be problematic for Bell owners, as his fantasy value in 2019 stemmed from a heavy workload.

The caveat here is that last year's pedestrian play may have been the product of Bell's yearlong absence from football. There's a chance he regains his Pro Bowl form this season, though without seeing him in camp or the preseason, it's impossible to tell.

As such, Bell remains one of the riskiest starting backs in fantasy.

Jordan Howard and Matt Breida, RBs, Miami Dolphins

Jordan Howard has been a 1,000-yard runner in the past, and he was a solid flex option when healthy with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. In 10 games, he rushed for 525 yards and scored seven total touchdowns.

However, the new Miami Dolphins starter could be extremely frustrating for fantasy owners. Not only will he be splitting time with trade acquisition Matt Breida, but he also lacks PPR value. Howard has never caught more than 29 passes in a season and had just 10 receptions in 10 games last year.

Getting away from breakout Philadelphia Eagles star Miles Sanders isn't likely to help Howard's fantasy stock as one might think—especially if he is the starter in name only. Breida racked up 743 combined rushing and receiving yards in 13 games for the San Francisco 49ers last season and could see a large chunk of Miami's touches.

At the same time, Breida is a risky fantasy option because Howard might claim the workhorse running back role. There's also the possibility that Breida won't be as effective of a runner away from San Francisco's supporting cast.

Without knowing what the Dolphins' split is going to look like in 2020 or how the backs perform in their new home, this is a backfield that might be best avoided altogether. It's definitely worth following in camp and the preseason if you are fortunate enough to be drafting late.

Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Wideout Deebo Samuel came on strong for the 49ers as a rookie last season. The South Carolina product had just 277 yards and nine touchdowns through San Francisco's first eight games but finished with 802 yards and three scores.

One could reasonably expect Samuel to make a sizeable Year 2 leap and enter the 1,000-yard club this season. However, an offseason injury has seriously complicated expectations for him.

Samuel suffered a broken foot while training.

While his foot may have healed by the start of the regular season, the injury will affect his ability to prepare for it. Not only could it leave him unavailable for team practices in camp, but it could also affect his conditioning program.

Further complicating matters is the fact that San Francisco used a first-round pick on wideout Brandon Aiyuk. If Samuel is sidelined during camp, the talented rookie out of Arizona State might steal the No. 1 receiver role out from under Samuel.

"I think Aiyuk is going to be one of those guys that they plug in and say we got to get you on the field and get you going in our offense," NFL Network's Peter Schrager said on Good Morning Football (h/t the 49ers' official site).

It's hard to properly gauge Samuel's fantasy value without knowing how quickly he will be back on the field. It will be important to follow his recovery over the next couple months, and drafting Samuel highly now is a major risk.