Early Round Values for 2020
by Alan Seslowsky

The key to having success in fantasy football has long been the ability to identify players that are underpriced or “values.” Drafting players with a high probability to out-perform their draft cost takes years of observing and researching NFL teams. The short cut is becoming a pro member at RosterWatch.com where we do all of the year-round leg work for you, and culminate our research, analysis, and findings into 1 sheet of paper called “The Ultimate Draft Cheat Sheet.” Below is a shortlist of players that are looking like early-round values in 2020.

Kenny Golladay (ADP 24  WR7)

In 2019, Golladay led the NFL in receiving touchdowns (11) despite Matt Stafford not playing a significant portion of the season (and his backups being awful). Golladay also had over 1,100 yards under the same poor conditions. With Matt Stafford playing a full season, Kenny Golladay has top-three WR in his range of outcomes. Golladay’s teammate and proven productive veteran, Marvin Jones, is still going to command his healthy share of targets, but Kenny Golladay has clearly distinguished himself as the primary focus of the passing game. RosterWatch co-founder, Alex Dunlap, pointed out that Golladay’s top 25 ADP may not represent a massive value, but RosterWatch’s senior analyst The Trashman, still thinks Golladay can outperform his ADP.

 

Kenyan Drake (ADP 13 (RB8)

Looking back to best ball drafts from the spring, Drake’s ADP was around 24th overall. The minute Arizona secured Drake with a healthy contract of about $7.5 million this season, the market responded moving Drake up to about pick 16 overall. Though his ADP is still creeping up, currently 13th overall or RB8, Drake still represents an early value. RosterWatch co-founder, Alex Dunlap said you could legitimately make a case to take Drake as high as sixth overall. Drake is the unquestioned workhorse RB who catches passes in what is expected to be a good, high-volume offense. The players behind him are Chase Edmonds and seventh-round rookie Eno Benjamin. Though it was a small sample, we got to see Drake be a dominant fantasy player over the final five weeks of 2019. Drake represents an early-round value for 2020. 

 

Le’Veon Bell (ADP 57, RB22) 

Since his second season in the NFL, 2014, Bell has been a perennial top-three fantasy pick. His patient running style, ability to catch the ball, and monster workload have made him one of the best fantasy football players in recent history. After an unexpected holdout year in 2018, Bell finally got his big payday for 2019 with the New York Jets. His 2019 ADP was still solidly in the first round. Though he was still useful for fantasy, Bell largely disappointed drafters totaling 789 rushing yards and 4 total TDs. He did catch 65 passes, but peak Bell was good for 90+. Even with a respectable 245 carries in 2019, his yards per carry (YPC) plummeted from his 2014-2017 average of 4.62 to 3.22 in 2019. For 2020, Bell makes for an interesting value play at his current 4th round ADP. The Jets upgraded their offensive line with first-round mauler Mekhi Becton, and added credible pass-catching threats Breshad Perriman and rookie Denzel Mims. Young franchise QB Sam Darnold also has another year under his belt after missing the early part of the 2019 season with mono (which derailed the entire offense and associated fantasy pieces). RosterWatch is viewing Bell as the last “workhorse” RBs available before there is a significant tier drop.