The season is winding down in a hurry and most fantasy championships happen this weekend. But that only involves two of team owners. What is of interest to all fantasy leaguers is starting to think ahead about 2020. The first quarterback – if not the first overall player – will be Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, quarterback for LSU. But rookie quarterbacks rarely post a significant season in their first season. Here are the current consensus Top-6 fantasy players for 2020 from the rookie crop.
RB D’Andre Swift (Georgia, 5-9, 215 lb. Junior)
You can see Swift in the Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor on Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m. EST.
Consensus first running back taken and expected to step into a three-down role in the NFL. Comes from the RB factory at Georgia along with Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. Good burst to the hole and has the whole package of speed, versatility, power, vision and cutting ability. He is in the Josh Jacobs vein – played great in college but wasn’t used nearly as much as other similar talent backs. Has plenty of tread left on the tire. This year, Swift already ran for 1,216 yards on 195 carries (6.2 YPC) and seven touchdowns. He also has caught as many as 32 passes in a season as well. He’s the complete package and yet wasn’t run into the ground in college.
WR Jerry Jeudy (Alabama, 6-1, 192 lb. Junior)
You can see Jeudy in the Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan, Jan, 1 at 12 p.m. EST. And yes, this is not the National Championship.
Jeudy is expected to be the next great wideout from Alabama. He very fast and has the athleticism to deal with double coverage – which he also saw – and he’s great at gaining separation and getting deep. But he is also great on short and intermediate routes with the ability to tack on yards after the catch. He can make contested catches but usually gets open and is a constant threat to score. He’s expected to step into a No. 1 role in the NFL.
RB Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin, 5-11, 219 lb. Junior)
You can see Taylor in the Rose Bowl vs. Oregon on Jan. 1, 5 p.m. EST
Taylor just sports prototypical size, quickness, and running ability. He can make the cuts to get into the open, has the speed to stay and features a wicked stiff arm just in case they catch up. Granted, he plays behind a great offensive line but he’s started all three years at Wisconsin and never gained fewer than 1,900 rushing yards. He ran for 2,194 yards on 307 carries (7.1 YPC) as a sophomore. As a junior, he’s also added receiving skills to the plate and gained 209 yards on 24 receptions. In three seasons, he’s totaled over 6,000 rushing yards. Last year he caught 68 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns (19.3 YPC).
RB Travis Etienne (Clemson, 5-10, 200 lb. Junior)
You can see Etienne in the Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State on Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. EST.
A smaller back, Etienne may not be an every-down player in the NFL and he had ball security issues at times. But he’s on his second straight season with over 1,500 rushing yards. So far, his best year was 2018 when he ran for 1,658 yards (8.1 YPC) and 24 touchdowns and added 12 catches for 78 yards and two more scores. He’s been wildly successful for the No. 3 team in the country.
WR CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma, 6-2, 189 lb. Junior)
You can see Lamb in the Peach Bowl vs. LSU on Dec. 28, 4 P.M. EST.
He has tremendous hands and is a natural pass catcher who is a human sponge downfield. Known for also being an adept and willing blocker. Great run-after-catch ability makes him tough to catch and even tougher to tackle. Has already turned in 58 catches for 1,208 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Sooners with a 20.8-yard average. That’s almost double any other receiver on the No. 4 team in the country.
WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Colorado, 6-2, 220 lb. Junior)
Not the tallest receiver but he’s a tough player who plays very physically with cornerbacks. He is also a quick, polished receiver that checks the boxes in every category for an NFL prospect. He’s most likely to end up as a possession receiver and won’t take a lot of time to get up to speed. His best season was 2018 when he caught 86 passes for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran 17 times for 115 yards and scored five more times as a rusher. He has “fit anywhere” sort of talent.