Fantasy Football 2020 Rookie Rankings: Top Rookie WRs Part I

The 2020 draft was billed as the Year of the Receiver, and if the hype is to be believed, there are 13 rookie pass-catchers who may become fantasy relevant in Year 1. Here are the first six on this list.

CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys (Rd. 1, No. 17 overall)

Lamb was rated by most as the top WR in the draft, so even though he was just the third off the board, he remains first on my rookie priority list for 2020. Lamb did not land in a spot where he will be the No. 1 receiver, but he did end up in a high-volume offense where his somewhat limited opportunities will be maximized. Obviously, targets are a major factor in evaluating a receiver’s prospects, and Lamb will be battling with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup for attention in this passing game, as well as with Ezekiel Elliott, a dominant running back.

Lamb’s talent is so great, however, that he will force his way into the fantasy picture.

Dak Prescott has proven he can make multiple targets fantasy relevant, and Lamb’s production at Oklahoma was outstanding. He caught double-digit touchdowns in back-to-back seasons, averaged 21.4 yards per catch as a junior (insane!), and has been touted as a receiver who excels at making tough catches downfield. That is a perfect match for Prescott, who has the arm strength to drive the ball deep, but doesn’t always place the ball on his target’s hands. Lamb may have games where he’s not targeted much because Cooper and/or Gallup are doing damage, but he should be a FLEX-worthy player every week right off the bat.

Justin Jefferson, Vikings (Rd. 1, No. 22 overall)

Jefferson wasn’t quite as highly touted as Lamb or Jerry Jeudy leading up to the draft, but his production was the best in this class. He piled up 111 receptions, 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns for LSU last season en route to a national championship, and, more importantly, has landed on a team where he is needed immediately.

The Vikings are likely to be a run-first offense in 2020, but that didn’t stop both Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen (when healthy) from being very reliable fantasy options. Diggs was traded to the Bills this offseason, and the Vikings did nothing in free agency to replace him. Instead, they spent the 22nd pick on Jefferson, who should fill the void Diggs left. Jefferson was extremely successful in the SEC, the best conference college football has to offer. He’s ready for the NFL, and he has entered a strong offense where he is not going to be a defensive focal point.

Jerry Jeudy, Broncos (Rd. 1, No. 15 overall)

Jeudy was either atop most boards, or second behind Lamb, and he was, in fact, the second pass-catcher off the board. I’m absolutely in love with Jeudy’s talent and production; he’s one of the crispest route runners in this draft, and his 4.45 speed makes him incredibly difficult to cover.

I’m not completely in love with him landing in Denver, however. Jeudy is going to start immediately, and will likely see a ton of targets as the second option behind Courtland Sutton. He actually could lead the team in targets, as Sutton is more dangerous down the field, leaving Jeudy to run the short and intermediate routes. He was also a touchdown machine at Alabama, scoring 14 and 10 touchdowns, respectively, in each of the past two seasons.

My problem is his quarterback, Drew Lock. The Broncos are forging ahead for now with Lock as their QB of the future, but he was inaccurate throughout his college career, and he only completed 64% of his passes last year despite averaging only 6.5 yards per attempt. Perhaps Jeudy will be so open that it doesn’t matter, but I don’t view the Broncos as an offense that will have a ton of passing volume, which can limit his upside.

Michael Pittman Jr., Colts (Rd. 2, No. 34 overall)

The Colts usually have a strong passing attack, and that led me to be very high on last year’s rookie receiver, Parris Campbell, who spent most of the season injured or struggling to make an impact with Jacoby Brissett at QB. I’m sorry, I couldn’t predict Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement. Philip Rivers is in town now, and while his best days are surely behind him, he’s an upgrade on Brissett for those of us who only care about pure production. The jury is still out on Campbell, who could be healthy and grab that No. 2 role behind T.Y. Hilton. Pittman will be formidable competition though.

At 6’4, 223 lbs. with 4.54 speed, Pittman exploded as a junior at USC to the tune of 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 101 passes, a 60-reception improvement on his sophomore output. He’s bigger than Campbell, and while he’s less explosive, he’s far more complete coming out of college and could be viewed as a more reliable WR2, freeing up Campbell to be used in more creative ways. A WR2 role with the Colts is valuable, so Pittman is underrated.

Henry Ruggs III, Raiders (Rd. 1, No. 12 overall)

Ruggs was a surprise as the first receiver drafted, and him landing in Las Vegas is intriguing. The Raiders don’t have a clear No. 1 receiver; last season it was Tyrell Williams, who is solid but very uninspiring as a No. 1. Ruggs very well could be the top target for this passing game, but his style of play is much more valuable as a real football asset than as a fantasy force.

Ruggs’ 4.27 speed is tantalizing, as is his 18.7 yards per reception mark as a junior at Alabama, but running deep routes is not a recipe for volume. He will have to make his hay catching screens and short passes and taking them to the house, a tough proposition against NFL defenses no matter how fast you are.

He’s likely to be the Raiders’ most important receiver in 2020, but he never surpassed 46 catches with the Crimson Tide in three seasons, nor did he eclipse 750 yards in his collegiate career. Ruggs is very much a home run threat, but he’s likely to be a low-target type, especially with gunshy Derek Carr under center. He’s so central to Vegas’ passing attack that he should be owned, and he could have week-winning performances, but he will be very inconsistent as a rookie.

Laviska Shenault Jr., Jaguars (Rd. 2, No. 42 overall)

Shenault Jr. has landed in Jacksonville, where he joins D.J. Chark and Chris Conley in the land of fast, tree-like pass catchers.

Shenault’s numbers dropped in his junior year by 30 catches and 247 yards, and durability is a concern, which is why he’s tumbled a bit on this list. In addition to a poor production trend and the injury concerns, I’m worried about the Jaguars offense. More specifically, I’m concerned about Gardner Minshew’s ability to support more than one WR. Shenault’s physical ability is highly touted, but he did not dominate at Colorado, and Chark is going to enter 2020 as Jacksonville’s obvious first option. Dede Westbrook has a solidified role in the slot, and Chris Conley is a similar player with a two-inch height advantage. I’d expect Shenault to beat out Conley – otherwise why spend a second round pick on him? – but I do not trust this offense to make him fantasy relevant just yet. Part of him landing here is me hoping the Jaguars spring for Cam Newton in free agency.