2020 Wide Receiver Landing Spots: Rounds 1-3 + Honorable Mentions

In this article we are going to dive into the WR class. This rookie WR class was highly touted, and for good reason. There are a LOT of players here with some massive potential at the next level. In rounds 1-3, we saw 16 (!!) WRs drafted (I included duel threat, Antinio Gibson in my RB Landing Spots article). There were a few teams who took multiple WRs throughout the draft. Here is a breakdown of how many WRs were drafted per round:

Round 1: 6

Round 2: 8

Round 3: 2

Now let's jump into the prospects, their landing spots and the fantasy implications that come with. With 16 players to break down, this is going to be a lengthy article, but stick with me. Please note that my fantasy football outlook is based off of 0.5 PPR formats for both re-draft and dynasty, 1 QB leagues.

Henry Ruggs; Las Vegas Raiders (Rd. 1, Pick 12):

The Raiders made the first splash at the WR by taking their guy, Henry Ruggs. I have previously stated that I believe Ruggs would be more effective as the 2nd target on a NFL team. He does not profile as a team’s primary target, his college production would back that up. Yes, he played alongside two other elite receiving options at Alabama, but Ruggs never even finished a season as the team’s 2nd leading receiver. I have also previously stated that Ruggs is more than just a pure speed receiver. He is very tough and willing to run routes across the middle of the field. His speed allows him to be a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He possessed this very same skill set in college, yet failed to produce a single season with 50 or more receptions. Given Ruggs’s draft capital, the Raiders clearly believe that Ruggs can be their WR 1. They are taking a huge swing in hoping that they have found a Tyreek Hill level of playmaker, I just don’t see it personally. Ruggs will have games where he booms, no doubt, he is a gamebreaker. My fear with Ruggs is that if he can’t bust loose for a 50+ yard TD, his production will be limited to some classic Derek Carr short-intermediate throws with minimal YAC given the coverage he will demand as the team’s WR1.

Re-draft: Plenty of players will see Ruggs as the next Tyreek Hill. I see him as more of a Deshaun Jackson. Jackson can win you a week by himself, or he could lose you a week by himself by not really showing up. This will be a gamble you will have to take, but I would make sure that you have 3-4 other WR options ahead of Ruggs just to be safe.

Dynasty: Despite how I feel about Ruggs’s ability to be a top WR for his team, the Raiders obviously think differently. Ruggs was the first WR taken off the board over guys like CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy. The drafting of Ruggs could also point to a changing of the guard at QB as well. Carr has morphed into a less efficient Alex Smith of old, 12 yard bombs all day, almost unwilling to push the ball down the field. Marcus Mariota isn’t that guy either. If the Raiders make a move for a bigger armed QB in the next year or two, we could see Ruggs’s value elevate quite a bit. Even in his current situation he could still be drafted in the 1st round of rookie drafts. Take time to consider the landing spots of WRs that were ranked below Ruggs pre-draft through… Reagor’s QB situation could be a tiebreaker for these often compared WRs.

Jerry Jeudy; Denver Broncos (Rd. 1, Pick 15):

Jerry Jeudy’s fantasy stock takes a slight hit, but his path to targets is not as hazy as Lamb’s in Dallas. Last year we saw Drew Lock establish some rapport with Courtland Sutton. Lock loves his deep ball, and Sutton is a prototypical deep threat. The Broncos also added speedster KJ Hamler out of Penn State. Jeudy should benefit from Sutton’s presence on the outside as well as the speed of Hamler. Defenses will have their hands full with this WR trio. Given Jeudy’s extraordinary ability to separate, he is very QB friendly and I expect Jeudy to see 70-80 targets his rookie year. Drew Lock has been one of the biggest winners of the off-season. The Broncos have given him everything he could have asked for. Jeudy might be my new WR 1 given that he has an easier path to targets in his offense. For the record, I still like Lamb better in the long run.

Re-Draft: Jeudy should slot right in as the team’s WR2 behind Courtland Sutton who broke out last year. Given Jeudy’s ability to separate, he should be available for his QB often. Jeudy’s YAC ability adds to his value as well. Jeudy could work his way into flex consideration by mid season. I would be comfortable drafting Jeudy as my 4th WR in re-draft formats.

Dynasty: Similar to Lamb, Jeudy landed on a team that already has an alpha WR. That being said, Jeudy is also talented enough to overtake the WR1 role in Denver. Sutton is a fantastic deep threat, Jeudy offers a lot more versatility on short and intermediate routes. Drew Lock has a huge arm so his deep ball must be respected. This could give Jeudy a nice space to work in the middle of the field and rack up receptions for years to come. Jeudy should be a first round draft pick given his talent and upside. His landing spot puts him behind some of RB’s that were drafted in the 2nd and 3rd round of the NFL draft, but safely in the 1st round nonetheless.

CeeDee Lamb; Dallas Cowboys (Rd. 1, Pick 17):

Lamb finds himself in a crowded receiver room with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, but all things considered, this may not be so bad. The Cowboys passing attack has really taken off in the past 2 years, and Dak has shown that he will throw the ball around the yard and not just lock in to a single WR. That being said, we do not often see THREE fantasy relevant WR’s from the same team.

The case for Lamb: CeeDee Lamb possesses the talent to be the WR 1 in Dallas, yes even with Cooper there. Cooper’s career in a word, inconsistent. Cooper often disappears during road games and tends to play through nagging injuries. A great show of toughness, but his play is impacted. We should expect to see Lamb on the field right away. Given the high passing volume we can now expect from Dak Prescot, Lamb should see his fair share of targets which he is fully capable of turning into TDs.

Re-draft: Lamb will be competing for targets all year, but he has the contested catch ability to have a very 2018 Mike Williams-esque season where Williams scored 10 TDs. Lamb’s name and 1st round draft capital will likely lead to him being drafted as a WR2 or 3, but it will take him some time to achieve that production. People may see Lamb as a ‘bust’ for where they drafted him, making him a cheap trade FOR candidate, or even landing him on some waiver wires. In my eyes, Lamb is worth a roster spot given his talent and upside in a pass happy offense.

Dynasty: I had Lamb as my WR1 pre-draft. I considered dropping Lamb a spot or two, but Lamb is still my WR1 of this class. I see a very real path to Lamb being the WR1 in Dallas sooner rather than later. Dallas has shown to be a very pass-happy offense, so despite the talent surrounding Lamb he should still see plenty of targets. You can still argue Lamb as a top 3-5 pick in your dynasty rookie drafts. Fact of the matter is that some of the other rookies landed in better situations than Lamb, but in my eyes, Lamb’s long term upside is still the highest out of any receiver in this class, and it might not take very long for him to emerge as the guy in Dallas.

Jalen Reagor; Philadelphia Eagles (Rd. 1, Pick 21):

This one surprised a lot of us as well. Everyone had Jefferson to the Eagles as a lock. I still thank that pick would have made the most sense… But when I think deeper into this pick I do understand it. Reagor is a very dynamic player who possesses elite athleticism and explosiveness. After his 4.47 40 at the combine, people were disappointed… News flash, 4.47 is still really, really fast. Reagor also weighed in heavier than we thought he would, so his “slow” 40 could have been attributed to the weight gained. Regardless, Reagor has gamebreaking speed and made some really impressive catches during his time at TCU. Reagor was a prospect where there was plenty of bad to go along with the good. Reagor struggled with press coverage in the Big 12, often mocked for the lack of defense. Reagor lacks a level of physicality that will probably be needed to succeed at the next level, especially as a team’s WR1. If Reagor can elevate his physicality and toughness, he possesses all of the athletic ability to be the team’s WR1.

Re-draft: Like most rookie WR’s there will be growing pains. Reagor is a player that may be over drafted because fantasy managers will already view him as the team’s WR1. He may fail to live up to his expectations at first. If you can get Reagor in round 9 or later of re-draft leagues, that would be good value. It would be worth punting TE one more round to take the upside of Reagor.

Dynasty: Reagor found himself in one of the best situations out of any of the rookie wide outs. When you combine Reagor’s physical abilities with the Eagle’s clear need for a vertical threat, it almost makes you wonder why it was such a surprise that the Eagles took Reagor over Jefferson. Carson Wentz has proven he is a very capable QB, he has always lacked a true deep threat. The Eagles tried with DeSean Jackson but injuries derailed that experiment. The Eagles going after Reagor as their guy is massive for his dynasty value. With this landing spot, Reagor has jumped Ruggs for me because I think he will have better QB play. You could even argue Reagor over Lamb or Jeudy and it would make sense (I do not see it that way, for the record). Reagor is locked in as a late 1st rounder in dynasty rookie drafts. Some managers may still chase the names ahead of him, if he is there in the early 2nd round please recognize the value and draft him ASAP.

Justin Jefferson; Minnesota Vikings (Rd. 1, Pick 22):

Justin Jefferson was snagged by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round as their presumptive replacement for Stefon Diggs. Jefferson is a fantastic prospect who is more versatile that he appears on paper. Jefferson played virtually every snap of his final season at LSU from the slot. At the NFL combine he showed that he also possesses the long speed to be a perimeter threat. I think the Vikings will likely experiment with Jefferson on the outside more than we expect. Adam Theilin plays a lot from the slot, I don’t imagine the Vikings took Jefferson at 22 overall to do the same thing as a player they already have. If Jefferson shows he can succeed on the outside, he possesses all of the traits of a team’s WR1. If Jefferson struggles playing out wide, he is absolutely elite in the slot. Jefferson’s route running may be second in this class behind only Jerry Jeudy. Given the team’s clear need for a WR, they must have been thrilled to take Jefferson in the first round.

Re-draft: Jefferson has a realistic chance to be the highest fantasy producer out of this year’s rookie class. The departure of Stefon Diggs frees up 94 targets (Diggs also missed 1 game last year). If Jefferson takes this WR2 role from day one, he could realistically see 80-90 targets himself. His separation and sure hands will earn him the trust of Kirk Cousins, no doubt. Jefferson should not be relied upon in starting lineups right away, but unlike the other rookies, he could provide fantasy relevance very early on. Look for Jefferson in rounds 6-8, he could return that value plus a lot more.

Dynasty: I mentioned above that Jefferson may see some time on the perimeter this season. If he can prove to everyone that he can play the perimeter, we already know he is the king of the slot. Jefferson’s upside is that of Jeudy and Lamb if he proves he is more than a slot guy. That being said, even if he is just a slot guy, he will be highly effective in that role. There are players that make a career out of playing in the slot. Jefferson is easily a mid to late 1st round selection in rookie drafts. His landing spot is excellent given the immediate vacancy at the Vikings WR2 spot. Theilin is getting up there in age, Jefferson could very well be the future WR1 of this team.

Brandon Aiyuk; San Francisco 49ers (Rd. 1, Pick 25):

Brandon Aiyuk is an interesting prospect. His college production was limited, but in his defense he played behind last year’s top wide out N’Keal Harry. Aiyuk possesses some freakishly long arms that give him an excellent catch radius. Aiyuk is a risky prospect, but I do not believe he was drafted to be an alpha in San Francisco. The 49ers have one of the most well rounded rosters in the league on both offense and defense. Aiyuk simply provides Jimmy Garoppolo with another weapon to throw to. Aiyuk should see the field right away, but he will be no higher than the 3rd target in this offense behind George Kittle and Deebo Samuel. Samuel emerged as the team’s top WR last year and showed he is more than capable of holding down that role. I do not think Aiyuk is a threat to Samuel, rather a nice compliment to him.

Re-Draft: Aiyuk doesn’t have a ton of upside, but that does not mean he is not worth a roster spot. The 49ers have one of the more creative offenses in the league lead by Kyle Shanahan, and they were Super Bowl runner-ups the year after they held the 2nd overall pick. Aiyuk obviously fits what they presumed to be a team need and he should see his share of opportunities as a result. I think you will be able to get Aiyuk as a late round flier in re-draft, especially since Deebo will be the hotness all off season.

Dynasty: Aiyuk’s path to being a WR1 is not bright, but he is still immensely talented. Looking at the WR’s drafting in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the NFL draft, I see more big names and situations that I like more than Aiyuk’s, but in no way does that mean his situation is bad. This will push his value in rookie drafts down into the late 2nd or even the 3rd round of rookie drafts. He could be a player that is a weekly flex play right away. If there is a player with more upside you would rather have, I get it, but getting a WR with 1st round NFL draft capital in the late 2nd or even early 3rd round of a rookie draft is rare.

Tee Higgins; Cincinnati Bengals (Rd. 2, Pick 1):

Higgins is honestly a first round talent. Higgins landing in Cincinnati along with No.1 overall pick Joe Burrow is an intriguing combination for sure. There are aspects of Higgins’s game that emulate AJ Green’s game. Higgins is likely to complete with Auden Tate for that big body, down the field target this season. I would argue that this role is the WR3 rather than the speedster John Ross given his inconsistency and injury concerns. If he wins that job and proves to be a reliable target for Burrow, we could see Higgins leap-frog Tyler Boyd as the WR1 after the inevitable departure of AJ Green next season. The Bengals investing the 1st pick in the 2nd round of the NFL draft says a lot about how they feel about this talented rookie.

Re-Draft: Tee Higgins faces a bit of a challenge in his rookie year. As great as Joe Burrow was at LSU, there will be growing pains in the NFL. Couple that with the fact that AJ Green is presumably healthy after missing all of 2019. Green will be the WR1, Tyler Boyd remains the WR2. The best Higgins can do this year is the team’s WR3, but that could still hold fantasy value. Given that he plays for the Bengals and he is buried on the depth chart, there is a chance that you will be able to simply grab Higgins with your last pick, or pick him up off of waivers later on.

Dynasty: Looking forward to the Bengals WR core without AJ Green is something we should be doing now when discussing the true dynasty value of Tee Higgins. Green will likely be out of Cincinnati next year, given the high 2nd round draft capital spent on Higgins. It is likely that the team views Higgins as the successor to Green. If Burrow is the prospect that we all think he is, the Burrow to Higgins should be an exciting combination for years to come. Higgins is a guy you could find available in the mid to late 2nd round of rookie drafts. It may take some time to pay off, but if you have the depth on your dynasty roster it might be worth the wait.

Michael Pittman Jr.; Indianapolis Colts (Rd. 2, Pick 2):

Michael Pittman Jr. was a late riser in the draft process. Pittman Jr. possesses the physical traits to be a WR1 for his team, he just lacked the publicity in college, playing for a USC team that was inconsistent at best. Pittman Jr. quietly racked up 101 receptions his final season at USC. Pittman Jr. runs clean routes, wins at the catch point and possesses good speed for a big bodied WR (6’4” / 225lbs.). Pittman Jr. is the WR that the Colts have been missing for years now. A big, athletic target. I have said for years it is hard to win when your best WR is 5’9”. Nothing against TY Hilton, he has been excellent, but there has been no viable options for Hilton for years now. Pittman Jr. changes the WR landscape in Indianapolis for the better.

Re-Draft: Pittman Jr. should be happy to find himself in a Philip Rivers lead offense. The Colts have done a great job to surround Rivers with similar weapons to those that he had for years with the Chargers. Pittman Jr. fits the Mike Williams mold for what Rivers is used to. That can be good or bad from a fantasy perspective. Pittman Jr. should see his share of playing time this year, and given his size and contested catch ability, 8-10 TDs is not out of the question. Pittman Jr. is worth a late round pick and could work his way into flex consideration.

Dynasty: Pittman Jr. appears to be the future WR1 for the Colts. This is great for him, but one thing to consider is what are the Colts planning to do at QB? Rivers will only be there short term, Brissett is not their starting QB of the future either. The Colts drafted Jacob Eason in the 4th round. Eason has a huge arm and good athleticism. He will not have as much time to sit behind a veteran (ie. Jordan Love), but Rivers is a great mentor to have even if it is only for a year. Pittman Jr.’s value to the team should remain high regardless of who is throwing the ball to him, but that will definitely impact his fantasy value. I would still value Pittman Jr. as an early to mid 2nd round pick in your rookie drafts.

Laviska Shenault Jr.; Jacksonville Jaguars (Rd. 2, Pick 10):

Laviska Shenault Jr. was one of my favorite players in this pre-draft process. This WR is just built differently. He possesses the same frame as Zeke Elliot, and frankly he runs like Elliot with the ball in his hands. Unfortunately, this physical play style is also one of the biggest reasons that Shenault is one of the riskiest picks in this year's draft. Shenault has dealt with injuries throughout his entire career at Colorado and even had injuries affecting him at the NFL combine. I would have preferred Shenault to land on a team with a little more offensive creativity, but Jacksonville looks like a team with nothing to lose going into next year. We may see them experiment with their offense in some fun and creative ways. Shenault gives the Jags a truly unique weapon as a receiver and a runner. Shenault doesn’t do any one thing great, but he does a little bit of everything well enough to be a problem.

Re-Draft: Shenault has certainly received his fair share of buzz, his name is awesome and he is a polarizing prospect for both good and bad reasons. In re-draft formats Shenault could have flex appeal due to the multitude of skills that he possesses. The Jags need to prioritize getting the ball in Shenault's hands for him to have value. Unfortunately they were not able to trade Fourtnette, so he should see a lot of carries. I see Shenault as nothing more than a late round flier with upside. I would not prioritize drafting him, but if you want to use one of your final picks on him he could turn into a valuable asset to be started or even traded.

Dynasty: Shenault’s injury concerns are very real. As mentioned above, his immediate fantasy value could be capped by the team’s inability to scheme Shenault into the game plan. If the team sees Shenault as the swiss army knife that he is, he could score points for you in all sorts of ways. Given they spend a 2nd round pick on Viska, I would bet that the team will figure out how to use him sooner than later. Shenault’s injury history has removed him from many people’s draft boards, but his upside still warrants a mid to late 2nd round pick in rookie drafts to me. If you play in a league where Shenault falls into the 3rd round of your rookie draft don’t hesitate to scoop him up with your pick.

KJ Hamler; Denver Broncos (Rd. 2, Pick 14):

KJ Hamler is a (very) poor man’s Henry Ruggs. He has tremendous speed, if you have not seen his kickoff return against Michigan, check that out. He returned the kick 100 yards for a TD, one clip timed the effort at 10.99 seconds. Full pads, evading 11 grown men trying to tackle him. Hamler’s game speed is right up there with Ruggs, but Hamler lacks in other areas of his game, which limit his potential as a fantasy asset. Hamler’s landing spot and draft capital indicate that he will see playing time. Drew Lock is just the kind of QB that can maximize Hamler’s potential. Hamler will likely be used to take the top off of defenses, and with his speed, defenses will have to respect him as a WR because if they don’t he will burn them for huge gains. Hamler likely helps Jerry Jeduy see some softer coverage in the middle of the field, helping Jeudy’s PPR output that much more. Hamler is a big play waiting to happen, but he is limited by his small frame and inconsistent hands. Hamler relies heavily on his speed AFTER the catch, so his catching is not very refined. You will see lots of body catches from Hamler, resulting in him not catching the ball cleanly in stride. In college he was fast enough to get back up to top speed and beat defenses. To maximize his speed in the NFL he will need to work on catching the ball with his hands away from his body in stride so he does not have any wasted motion. Despite these flaws in his game, Hamler is extremely fun to watch, and that should continue at the next level.

Re-Draft: Denver has a loaded offense. Hamler will find himself quite a ways down in the pecking order behind WRs Sutton & Jeudy, RBs Gordon and Lindsey and even TE Fant. This does not bode well for Hamler’s fantasy value, especially in re-draft formats. Hamler is likely not worth drafting this year, but he will be someone to monitor as a waiver wire add given his huge play potential.

Dynasty: His dynasty outlook is also hindered by the fact that he is potentially the 6th option on his own team. Hamler will likely see a lot of playing time, but he may be used to keep defenses honest to open up plays for his teammates more than an actual receiving threat. Don’t get me wrong, if Hamler gets behind the defense, Lock has the arm to get it to him. Hamler could have similar production to Mecole Harman his rookie year. The team will need to find creative ways to showcase his speed and let him do the rest. Hamler falls into the 3rd round of rookie drafts for me given his “gadget guy” skill set, but the upside is undeniable.

Chase Claypool; Pittsburgh Steelers (Rd. 2, Pick 15):

Chase Claypool turned heads with his combine performance. His athletic testing resulted in comps to Calvin Johnson. PSA... Chase Claypool is not Calvin Johnson. While his athletic profile is extremely impressive, Claypool’s college production at Notre Dame should dismiss the Calvin Johnson comps as a pure WR prospect. There is a lot of speculation that Claypool could play a move TE role, similar to what we see out of Evan Engram. Engram presents some major problems for defenses when he is healthy because he often draws favorable coverage. Regardless of what we want to call Claypool, another factor to consider is the Steelers’s outstanding ability to consistently land really, really good NFL WR’s. Using a 2nd round pick on a WR says a lot about what they think Claypool could be at the next level. Claypool’s landing spot is great considering the team’s history, but he still has a lot to prove, perhaps even more now that he was drafted has high as he was. Claypool will likely compete with James Washington for the WR3 role on the team, OR the Steelers could look to get a huge advantage and use Claypool in that move TE role. The Steelers are thin at TE anyways, and I do not see Claypool riding the bench all year. They will want to get their 2nd round pick involved as soon as possible.

Re-Draft: Claypool is puzzling in re-draft because we don’t know what he will be to the team. He could be a WR that barely sees the field, or a TE/big slot player that is on the field a lot. Given his range of outcomes and upside, I do think Claypool is worth drafting in re-draft. We don’t know if he will have TE eligibility at all, so maybe draft your actual TE first, then look for Claypool shortly after (assuming you aren’t drafting one of the top 4 TEs early). Claypool’s size makes him a red zone threat no matter what, and his speed and athleticism are undeniable. He is a big time upside player.

Dynasty: As I mentioned before, the Steelers have a proven track record of nailing the WR position in the draft. Dionte Johnson is the latest example of that. Johnson is a smaller framed WR out of Toledo, the Steelers took him in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL draft. Johnson emerged as the Steelers WR2 in what was arguably one of the most impressive seasons from a rookie WR last year given his awful QB play all year (I got Johnson in the 5th round of a rookie draft last year, absolute steal). CLAYPOOL…. The moral of this story is a Steelers WR is always worth the gamble. I would not necessarily reach on Claypool because Juju and Johnson are the clear 1 & 2 for the team. If Claypool makes it to the 3rd round of rookie drafts, don’t be afraid to pull the trigger there.

Van Jefferson; LA Rams (Rd. 2, Pick 25):

Van Jefferson out of Florida is another prospect that flew under the radar, similar to Michael Pittman Jr. Towards the end of the pre-draft process, there was more and more buzz about Jefferson. The Rams taking Jefferson in the 2nd round is a great landing spot for him, and he will be a great addition to their WRs as well. With the Rams trading away Bradin Cooks, Jefferson will have an opportunity to compete with Josh Reynolds for immediate playing time. Woods and Kupp will still lead the Rams WRs, but we have seen the Rams sustain three fantasy relevant WRs in the past. The Rams post-Gurley will be interesting. We saw the Rams select Cam Akers and they still have Darrell Henderson, but Todd Gurley opened up the offense in so many unique ways, we don’t know if Akers & Henderson will provide that same advantage yet. Jefferson is a pro-ready WR nonetheless, the Rams should be thrilled to add them to their offense.

Re-Draft: The Rams WR depth chart will be crucial in monitoring Jefferson’s fantasy opportunity in year one. The team has stated their confidence in WR Josh Reynolds, and Reynolds has impressed when called upon. If Jefferson can edge out Reynolds for the WR3 spot on the team, he could give you flex worthy numbers. Look for him late in your drafts IF he appears to have a hold of that WR3 spot.

Dynasty: Van Jefferson’s dynasty outlook in the Rams offense is exciting. Robert Woods (28) is under contract until 2021, then he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Jefferson has the potential to replace Woods in this offense. Given the team’s cap situation, they need to save money whenever they can, letting Woods walk and maximizing Jefferson’s rookie deal will be one way for them to do that. The name Van Jefferson may still be under the radar in casual leagues, so he could slip into the back of the 3rd or even the 4th round of rookie drafts. In a more serious league, the value of a Rams WR will be noticed, so Jefferson might go off the board at the back of the 2nd/top of the 3rd round of rookie drafts, which is appropriate for him. His landing spot could look even sweeter in a year or two.

Denzel Mims; New York Jets (Rd. 2, Pick 27):

Denzel Mims was one of the more surprising slides of this draft, and he was still a 2nd round pick. Mims to the Jets makes all the sense in the world for the Jets. Mims is hyper athletic and possesses a number of pro-ready traits. Mims has elite speed, but does not rely solely on his speed to beat defenses. Mims knows how to use his hands in tricky ways to subtly create space in tightly covered situations. Not quite offensive pass interference, but pretty close. Just a side note, this is something that a lot of NFL WRs do, and more should learn to do. Mims will slot right into the WR1 role for the Jets. Sam Darnold should be elated that Mims fell to the Jets in the 2nd round, he finally has an alpha target. Mims’s biggest hurdle early on in his career is two fold. The first is Adam Gase… The second is that he will immediately see #1 coverage from opposing defenses because the Jets don’t have any better options at their disposal. It may take some time for Mims to break out, and he will probably draw his share of OPI penalties. Bottom line is Mims has all the talent to be a star WR in the NFL once he is acclimated to the league.

Re-Draft: No one will be reaching for the Jets WR1, so Mims should have a pretty reasonable price tag in re-draft leagues. If he falls into the 7th or 8th round, Mims should see enough playing time and targets to return value. Opportunity + talent = production.

Dynasty: Mims was projected to be the Packers’s 30th overall pick. Mims falling this far into the 2nd round is a little bit alarming, but rather than the Packers WR2, Mims is an immediate WR1 for his team. As I stated above, Opportunity + talent = production. Everything is in pace for Mims to be a productive WR for years to come. Mims’s landing spot and head coach may drive his value down slightly, but for those who recognize his opportunity and upside, Mims is worth a late 1st or early 2nd round pick in your rookie drafts. Darnold to Mims could be something we hear for a long time down the road.

Devin Duvernay; Baltimore Ravens (Rd. 3, Pick 28):

Devin Duvernay to the Ravens makes a lot of sense for their offense. Duvernay earned the nick-name “Big Play Duvernay” for good reason, he is a big play waiting to happen. Duvernay had a very productive final season at Texas, racking up 103 catches and 9 TDs. He also added 10 rushing attempts, showing his versatility getting the ball out of the backfield. In an offense with such a unique talent in Lamar Jackson, Duvernay is just another weapon at Jackson’s disposal now. Duvernay’s big play ability could be a huge asset in the play action game. His upside as a WR will be capped by the targets in front of him (Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown), and the fact that this is a football team that runs the ball so effectively. Duvernay could find himself involved in that rushing attack, giving him touches as a runner that he may not see as a receiver. If Duvernay can emerge as the 3rd WR option on the Ravens talented offense, look out.

Re-Draft: The Ravens were a run-first team last year, but Duvernay does have some built in rushing ability in his game. I would not be reaching for Duvernay any earlier than round 10 or 11, but it is never a bad idea to stash pieces of great offenses, especially players as dynamic as Duvernay.

Dynasty: As we see the career of Lamar Jackson progress, it will be interesting to see how long he remains as prolific of a rushing threat as we saw last year. The Ravens have made intentional efforts to surround the sensational QB with more WR weapons, indicating that they might want him to run less to prolong his career. Jackson showed tremendous improvement as a passer last year, as that progresses, his WRs will only get more valuable. Duvernay is a player with home-run potential, a great fit for the Ravens offense. I would be happy to land Duvernay in the middle of the 3rd round of rookie drafts.

Lynn Bowden Jr.; Las Vegas Raiders (Rd. 3, Pick 16):

Lynn Bowden Jr. was a tantalizing prospect at Kentucky. He was truly a do it all player in 2019. Bowden Jr. played RB, WR and even QB for the Wildcats (ironically he ran a lot of wildcat when playing QB). Bowden led the team in both rushing and receiving, and even contributed on special teams as a punt returner. The Raiders made some real moves at WR this year, Bowden is a great selection by them to keep defenses guessing. I can already see some trick plays being drawn up, jet sweep to Bowden who then throws a great ball to Ruggs who has torched the defense after they bit on the jet sweep. I don’t think Bowden presents a ton of fantasy upside, but he will be a valuable asset to the team and add a dimension of creativity to the Raiders offense that could be fun to watch. Similar to players like Chase Claypool & Antonio Gibson, Bowden find himself on a short list of players that could have multi-position eligibility which makes him a lot more interesting. The team is reportedly already looking to convert Bowden to a running back, so something to watch.

Re-Draft: A player as dynamic as Bowden is rare, but don’t let his multiple skill sets goad you into drafting him in re-draft formats as anything more than a late round flier. As WR, Bowden will be way down the list for targets, the team will have to find creative ways to get him the ball for him to have value. If the team is serious about Bowden converting to RB, he will still find himself behind emerging superstar Josh Jacobs. This is not an offense that has shown much creativity in the past, and that is not what you want for fantasy. Bowden makes me think of a smaller Cordarrelle Patterson, another gadget player who struggles to see consistent use.

Dynasty: Lynn Bowden is a dynasty prospect is slightly more interesting. Again, he is more of a gadget player in an offense that lacks creativity, and also has a lot of mouths to feed ahead of him. Bowden could open up that creativity in Vegas, but the offense will still feature 1st round picks Josh Jacobs and Henry Ruggs. After those two, there are still much better options ahead of Bowden, his path to consistent productivity will be an uphill battle. Look for Bowden in the 5th round or later of rookie drafts, he could be a fun piece to have on your team given his versatility and upside, but he could be a very late bloomer while the team figures out how to best utilize Bowden. At the right value, I would still be interested in Bowden.

Bryan Edwards; Las Vegas Raiders (Rd. 3, Pick 17):

Bryan Edwards stepped filled the Deebo Samuel role beautifully after the departure of one Deebo Samuel from South Carolina. Edwards is a tough player who possesses tremendous potential at the next level. Some injury concerns caused him to fall into the 3rd round of the NFL draft, but when Edwards is on the field he could have tremendous impact, especially in Las Vegas. Vegas's WR1 will be Ruggs, but the WR2 role will be a competition between Tyrell Williams and presumably Bryan Edwards. Hunter Renfrow excelled in his slot role last year, just like his did in college. Very reliable in that role. Bryan Edwards is a guy that can win down the field. He doesn’t have the speed that Tyrell Williams has, but he can absolutely climb the ladder and make some incredible catches. He is also a tough, determined runner after the catch.

Re-Draft: I actually like Bryan Edwards to win the WR2 role in Las Vegas, but that does not necessarily mean he will be the second target. Ruggs will get his, and then there is TE Darren Waller fresh off of a contract extension, and the previously mentioned Hunter Renfrow. 2nd year RB Josh Jacobs is expected to see additional targets as well. Bryan Edwards as a late round pick in re-draft could pay off. He could be a tremendous red zone threat given his contested catch ability.

Dynasty: Edwards is the latest addition to a team that is reloading with weapons. As I mentioned with Ruggs’s write up, the QB situation could be changing in Las Vegas soon, but Edwards is a very QB friendly WR. He can win short, intermediate and deep routes. He should earn more and more targets as time goes on, given that he can stay on the field. Given all of the other WRs and RBs that we have covered (didn’t even mention the QBs), Edwards could find himself in the 3rd or 4th round of your rookie drafts just by default. Early to mid 3rd round value is great for Edwards. Late 3rd to early 4th round value is a steal. Be on the lookout for Edwards in your rookie drafts.

Honorable Mentions: These players were drafted on day 3, but don’t let that scare you off of their value. These are players to keep an eye on specifically in dynasty formats.

Antonio Gandy-Golden; Washington Redskins (Rd. 4, Pick 36)

Tyler Johnson; Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Rd. 4, Pick 16)

Quintez Cephus; Detroit Lions (Rd. 5, Pick 21)

Donovan Peoples-Jones; Cleveland Browns (Rd. 6, Pick 8)

Welcome to the end of the article, you made it. If you read this whole article, first off, THANK YOU. I genuinely appreciate it. Second, I hope you gained some value and perspective on how to value these players in your fantasy leagues. These are all very exciting prospects. Inevitably, not all of them will be hits in the NFL, but until they show us otherwise, these are my thoughts on how each player fits into their respective team. Please give our page a follow on Twitter, @AtoZffb. We would love to chat more about these WRs and any other football topics you wish to discuss.

Thanks again for reading, see you next time!

-Zack Housholder

Sources: Sports-refernce.com / NFL.com / Pro-Football-Focus.com / CBSsports.com