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Fantasy Football 2020: Dynasty Rankings, Cheat Sheet and League Names
August 25, 2020
One nice thing about fantasy football is that you can wipe the slate clean one year after completely botching the draft.
Having said that, continuity can be pretty fun, too. If you bought low on Austin Ekeler prior to his 2019 breakout, for example, then it would be nice to still get to enjoy the benefits in 2020.
That's where a dynasty league comes in. Especially if you're just getting a league started, this is when you really get to play the role of a general manager as you build a roster you expect to provide value beyond only one or two years.
Maybe you're truly in this for the long haul and want to load up on nothing but rookies and young players on the cusp of a breakthrough. Otherwise, it's important to strike a balance between inexperienced stars and veterans on the wrong side of the aging curve.
With that in mind, here's a cheat sheet for the top 30 players, followed by three incoming rookies who are worth potentially taking a few spots higher than they're generally considered to fall.
2020 Fantasy Dynasty Cheat Sheet (Non-PPR Leagues)
1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
3. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
4. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
5. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
6. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
7. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
8. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
9. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
10. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals
11. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
12. Davante Adams, WR, Packers
13. Miles Sanders, RB, Eagles
14. Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers
15. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
16. George Kittle, TE, 49ers
17. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Chiefs
18. Kenny Golladay, WR, Lions
19. Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
20. Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
21. DJ Moore, WR, Panthers
22. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers
23. A.J. Brown, WR, Titans
24. Aaron Jones, RB, Packers
25. Amari Cooper, WR, Cowboys
26. Austin Ekeler, RB, Chargers
27. Julio Jones, WR, Falcons
28. Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos
29. Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
30. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
From the moment NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called Clyde Edwards-Helaire's name on draft night, fans were salivating over how much he could feast in the Kansas City Chiefs' loaded offense.
The former LSU running back was seldom-used as a freshman and split carries with Nick Brossette as a sophomore. His opportunity to play a starring role arrived in his junior year, and he capitalized.
Edwards-Helaire finished with 1,414 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns while catching 55 passes for 453 yards and one score. His performance might have gotten somewhat overlooked with Joe Burrow smashing NCAA passing records.
The Chiefs will have to count on Edwards-Helaire a little earlier than they probably expected after Damien Williams opted out of the upcoming season.
"Clyde has done a great job in the reps that he has gotten," quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of his work so far in training camp, per The Athletic's Nate Taylor. "He's playing fast, and he has incredible vision. That's what's been the biggest thing so far."
As long as Mahomes is healthy, the passing game will be the focal point of Kansas City's attack. Between his work on the ground and as a receiver, Edwards-Helaire should have ample touches to become a standout fantasy stud right out of the gate.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
J.K. Dobbins, on the other hand, represents more of a long-term investment.
Mark Ingram II ran for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2019, earning his third trip to the Pro Bowl. Barring an injury, he'll remain the No. 1 ball-carrier for 2020.
Ingram's contract runs out after the 2021 season, and the Baltimore Ravens might choose to release him before then. The team would save $5 million by cutting him at the end of the 2020 season, per Spotrac.
Regardless, the Ravens selected Dobbins in the second round because they envision him playing a big role out of the backfield.
Dobbins ran for 4,459 yards and 38 touchdowns over three seasons at Ohio State. He probably slipped to the second round in part due to his 71 receptions for 645 yards and five touchdowns, which is solid if unspectacular production.
Even if Dobbins' contributions are largely limited to the ground game, his collegiate track record shows how effective he could be for Baltimore.
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
As with Dobbins, Tee Higgins' best days are probably well beyond the 2020 season after the Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on A.J. Green.
The franchise is at least building the nucleus of a dynamic offense with Burrow, Higgins and Joe Mixon.
Higgins had 135 receptions, 2,448 yards and 27 touchdowns in three years at Clemson. The fact he shared the field with Travis Etienne and Justyn Ross depressed his numbers somewhat.
"Higgins would be ideal for an offense that favors the deep ball," Bleacher Report's Matt Miller wrote of the former Tigers star. "He's almost unstoppable working down the field with his speed, elite hands and an unbelievable catch radius. Higgins is NFL-ready and should make an immediate impact."
Burrow averaged 10.8 yards per attempt as a senior at LSU, and Pro Football Focus' Anthony Treash explained how the Heisman Trophy winner was excellent on deep passes.
Burrow and Higgins should form a potent combination—just maybe not right out of the gate.
2020 Fantasy League Names
- General Managers Anonymous
- More Important Than Work
- The Madden Cursed
- Legion of Gloom
- The XFL 3.0