NFL Draft Dynasty Fantasy Football: Day Two Recap
The first day of the NFL Draft was an exciting one for dynasty owners, but with most of the top running backs still available, day two was sure to be a game-changer. It clearly delivered as we finally saw a ton of the skill players we’ve been researching land on their respective teams. Let’s run down all the dynasty relevant players taken on day two of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Round Two
2 (33) – Tee Higgins, WR CIN
The first player off the board on day two was Higgins, giving new Bengals quarterback yet another weapon. His addition hurts fringe players John Ross and Auden Tate. He’ll be a borderline first-round pick in upcoming rookie drafts.
2 (34) – Michael Pittman, WR IND
The Colts followed that up by grabbing a receiver of their own in Pittman, the son of the former Tampa Bay running back. The younger Pittman faces a crowded depth chart including TY Hilton and Parris Campbell but will have a chance to emerge as an eventual fantasy starter.
2 (35) – D’Andre Swift, RB DET
A strong contender to be the 1.01 rookie pick, Swift was the choice of the Lions following multiple frustrating injuries for Kerryon Johnson. This obviously destroys Johnson’s dynasty value while Swift is locked in as a top-four rookie pick.
2 (41) – Jonathan Taylor, RB IND
The near-consensus 1.01 rookie pick entering the draft, the Colts traded up to secure Taylor. This selection likely makes veteran Marlon Mack a backup or potentially pushes him to the pass-catching role, making Nyheim Hines irrelevant. Like Swift, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire from round one, Taylor has a case to be the top pick in rookie drafts.
2 (42) – Laviska Shenault, WR JAX
There were concerns Shenault could fall after injuries cost him playing time during the season and forced him out of the Combine. Desperate for help at the position, the Jags scooped him up. He should pair with DJ Chark to start immediately for Jacksonville and is a very nice pick in the early second round of rookie drafts.
2 (43) – Cole Kmet, TE CHI
Long projected to be the top tight end drafted, the only surprise about the Kmet pick was the team that made it. The Bears now have ten tight ends on their roster, including the recently signed and overpaid veteran Jimmy Graham.
2 (46) – KJ Hamler, WR DEN
The Broncos weren’t done after adding Jerry Jeudy to the receiver corps. They came back with slot man Hamler, who should be an excellent third option at receiver. There was already some question about enough offense to keep Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant relevant, so this muddies things even more. That depth chart likely makes Hamler a third-round rookie pick.
2 (49) – Chase Claypool, WR PIT
For the fourth consecutive year, the Steelers have used a day two pick on a wide receiver, or is it a tight end this time? There is still some debate on just how Claypool will be used, but regardless, this was a surprising selection. The Steelers passed on a running back to add another pass catcher despite their depth at the position. After tearing up the Combine, Claypool will be a trendy pick in the second round.
2 (52) – Cam Akers, LAR
It was a bit of a surprise to see Akers come off the board as the fourth back drafted, but he lands in an ideal spot. The Rams were left with just Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown following the release of Todd Gurley. Henderson will still have a role, but this is Akers’ backfield. He is a clear top-seven pick in rookie drafts.
2 (53) – Jalen Hurts, QB PHI
The first big shocker of the night came as the Eagles selected Hurts. Eagles fans and dynasty players are eager to find out the why behind this pick. Possible explanations include a desire to mimic the Saints usage of Taysom Hill or simply a concern about Carson Wentz’ injury history. According to the Eagles’ brass, they want to be a “quarterback factory.” This landing spot sends Hurts down the ranks in super-flex leagues, where he had become a popular second-round pick.
2 (55) – JK Dobbins, RB BAL
The last of the “big five” rookie backs also gets an exciting landing spot as the Ravens found their future starter in Dobbins. With veteran Mark Ingram around for one more year, Dobbins may have to be patient, but he remains a top-five rookie pick.
2 (57) – Van Jefferson, WR LAR
One of the players the NFL always seemed to like more than dynasty players is Jefferson. That played out as the Rams spent a second-rounder on the injured and relatively old pass catcher. With Brandin Cooks shipped off to Houston, Jefferson should see work right away and this pick hurts the sleeper status of Josh Reynolds.
2 (59) – Denzel Mims, WR NYJ
Often projected as a first-round pick, Mims nearly fell out of the second round before being scooped up by the receiver-needy Jets. Playing under head coach Adam Gase is bad news for most offensive players, but the opportunity for Mims to climb the depth chart along with a young quarterback in Sam Darnold balances things out. It would not be a surprise if Gase is gone a year from now, though.
2 (62) – AJ Dillon, RB GB
The Packers shocked everyone by using their first pick on quarterback Jordan Love. Their second-rounder was just as surprising as they opted for Dillon. This team just refuses to allow Aaron Jones to be an every-down back, not to mention the presence of backups Jamaal Williams and Dexter Williams. Both of those are not even roster-worthy in dynasty leagues after this pick and Jones loses value and presumably red-zone work.
Round Three
3 (66) – Antonio Gibson, RB WAS
There is still some debate about how the versatile Gibson will be used but he got higher than expected draft capital as Washington selected him early in the third round. Announced as a running back, Gibson is likely to be moved all over the field. This Washington team simply needs players who make a difference.
3 (76) – Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB TB
After the top five backs each landed in ideal situations, there were still some juicy spots left for the next tier. The Buccaneers will pair Vaughn with Ronald Jones, who has been a disappointment through two seasons. With neither back well-rounded enough to run away with the job, this screams committee, but the landing spot still gives Vaughn a nice value boost.
3 (80) – Lynn Bowden, WR LAS
The Raiders had back-to-back picks and made them count. First, they added the versatile Bowden, who was announced as a running back despite playing receiver through most of his college career. Bowden led the SEC in rushing and could serve as the pass-catching back in Vegas.
3 (81) – Bryan Edwards, WR LAS
One of the favorites of the analytics crowd, Edwards has the talent to become the WR1 for this Raiders team and forms an exciting duo with first-rounder Henry Ruggs. The addition of Ruggs, Edwards and Bowden is a big boost for quarterback Derek Carr.
3 (86) – Zack Moss, RB BUF
The Bills were expected to add some competition for Devin Singletary and they get it with Moss, the Utah product. Like Singletary, Moss can carry the load and is also a solid pass catcher. It will be interesting to see how this pair shares the backfield. It’s a slight shot for Singletary for now, while Moss will be a likely second round rookie pick.
3 (91) – Devin Asiasi, TE NE
The second tight end drafted was a surprise as the Patriots traded up to select UCLA’s Asiasi, the pass-catching specialist. A huge area of need after getting almost no production from the position last year, New England had to be aggressive chasing the ghost of Gronk.
3 (92) – Devin Duvernay, WR BAL
The Ravens made a move to get Lamar Jackson some help, adding Duvernay from Texas. I worry he may be very similar to Marquise Brown but it still has to be an upgrade over the receiving corps from last season. Duvernay is likely to be undervalued in rookie drafts.
3 (93) – Darrynton Evans, RB TEN
The Titans, who secured starting running back Derrick Henry on a Franchise Tag, added some depth in Darrynton Evans. He’s not likely to ever serve as a workhorse back, but should easily fill the Dion Lewis role, hopefully with more playing time.
3 (94) – Josiah Deguara, TE GB
Another Packers pick, another head-scratcher. Still ignoring the glaring wide receiver need, Green Bay used another day two pick on a tight end, just as they did last year with Jace Sternberger. According to most rankings, this was a major reach for Deguara, who might have hung around until day three. Somehow, Allen Lazard and company have not yet been replaced.
3 (101) – Dalton Keene, TE NE
The Patriots double-dipped at the tight end position, adding the well-rounded Keene to the earlier Asiasi pick. Of course, this will draw comparisons to 2010, when New England drafted both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Keene was mainly a blocker in college but showed off his athleticism at the Combine. He’s now on the radar with the Yahtzee of draft capital and landing spot.
3 (105) – Adam Trautman, TE NO
Expected to be one of the top tight ends off the board, Trautman fell down the board, causing the Saints to trade up for him. With Jared Cook obviously nearing the end of his career, this could be an excellent landing spot for the long-term. Use a pick on Trautman if you can wait a year or more for any real return.
We’ll be back tomorrow to report on any relevant selections. Now the real work begins with our rankings, cheat sheets and breakdowns.
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