DLF’s 2020 Predictions: Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year

Another off-season is drawing to a close, and real-deal football is almost here. To say a lot has changed since the Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV back in February would be like saying Patrick Mahomes signed a good contract. The dude just signed an extension worth half a billion dollars. But all the ups and downs of 2020 won’t stop us from rolling out DLF’s 2020 Fantasy Predictions.

As we do every year, we have several different articles for you in the following categories:

• Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year
• Best Dynasty Sell
• Best Dynasty Buy
• Fantasy Sleeper
• Bust of the Year
• Sleeper Rookie of the Year (outside our top 24)
• Fantasy Rookie of the Year
• Fantasy MVP

We’ll kick off the series with our picks for Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year:

Rob Gronkowski, TE TB

This seems like a two-horse race, and I slightly lean Gronkowski over Cam Newton. I assume he doesn’t see the receptions or yardage totals we have come to expect from peak Gronk, but I think the touchdowns flirt with double digits again and we see him return to fantasy relevancy. – John Di Bari

AJ Green, WR CIN

Entering his ninth NFL season, Green is already one of the most productive receivers in NFL history. He ranks seventh in NFL history in yards per game and will catch passes from the most accurate and confident quarterback in his career in Joe Burrow. It is all about health and in a season of extreme variance, I am willing to take the gamble on the future Hall-of-Famer. – Scott Connor

David Johnson, RB HOU

Everyone is writing him off because he bombed out of Arizona, but I think Johnson still has plenty left to give. The Houston style of offense suits the running style that Johnson delivers. The Texans also love to use their RBs in the passing game. All the pieces appear to fit, so I expect Johnson to flirt with RB1 type numbers. – Mike Havens

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR PIT

Horrid quarterback play and injuries created a disappointing follow-up season after a historic start. Expect JuJu to smash with Ben Roethlisberger throwing the ball a ton as always. – Jeremy Schwob

James Conner, RB PIT

When Conner was healthy(ish) in 2018 he balled out, averaging 21.5 points per game – good enough for the RB7. Even last year when he was injured and missed six games, he still averaged 14.4 points per game for an RB17 finish. His scoring average is even better if you don’t include two games he left early due to injury (17.96.) If Conner is mostly healthy in 2020 he could easily be a top ten running back. – Shane Manila

Alex Smith, QB WAS

I have little to no faith in Dwayne Haskins, and Kyle Allen is ‘just a guy’ at the QB position. It’s been a terrible off-season for Washington and they could use some good PR. Smith coming back from a career-threatening injury is just that story. This one is just as much from the heart as the head. Come on 2020, we need this! – James Koutoulas

Brandin Cooks, WR HOU

While Cooks’ concussions are a bit scary, I love the price for his production and chance he is Deshaun Watson’s WR1. – Bobby Koch

AJ Green, WR CIN

We all know what kind of player Green can be when he is on the field. While health is always the concern, he has quite possibly the best quarterback situation he has ever had. In seasons where he plays 11 or more games, he has never finished with less than 1,000 yards. If Green can stay healthy and play 13 or more games, we are talking about legitimate top-12 upside. – John Hesterman

Baker Mayfield, QB CLE

Competent coaching, an offensive line upgrade, a healthy Odell Beckham Jr, and getting back to peak physical shape all add up to a bounce-back season for Mayfield. Look for the Cleveland signal-caller to get back to the top five dynasty quarterback we thought he’d be a year ago. – Josh Brickner

Ben Roethlisberger, QB PIT

It would not surprise me to see Big Ben finish as a top-five quarterback in 2020 after addressing an elbow injury that has allegedly bothered him for the better part of a decade. The Steelers have a young and explosive group of wide receivers at Ben’s disposal led by JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, James Washington, Eric Ebron and the exciting big-bodied playmaking rookie, Chase Claypool. When you add in a great defense and a determined James Conner looking to prove to everyone 2019 was a fluke, the Steelers could be a dark horse candidate to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this year. – Eric Olinger

Cam Newton, QB NE

I trust that Josh McDaniels (in true New England fashion) will accentuate Newton’s strengths and minimize weaknesses with the game plan. I would not be shocked if the Patriots rolled out a college-style spread rushing attack with Newton as the centerpiece. Bill Belichick has been friends with Urban Meyer for a long time and don’t forget McDaniels drafted Tim Tebow in the first round during his short stint as a head coach. The overwhelming success of the Baltimore Ravens rushing attack may have inspired the Patriots to design their own version. – Alfred Fernandez

AJ Green, WR CIN

This is easy. The fantasy comeback player of the year will be Green. Green missed all of 2019 with injuries, but if he is on the field, he will dominate. While he has fallen out of dynasty favor in recent years due to injury and age, he could be a low-end WR1 or mid-range WR2 if he stays healthy. I’m not too worried about a rookie signal-caller as Joe Burrow is a very pro-ready quarterback, and, well, it’s AJ Green! – Adam Tzikas

Jerick McKinnon, RB SF

McKinnon is the easy answer to this one. If he is healthy, he is going to win a LOT of leagues this year. The 49ers have shown that they can put anybody back there and they will produce. McKinnon is the most versatile playmaker they’ve had in the backfield in the Shanahan era and pound for pound, he is one of the most athletic players in all of football – or at least he was. Time will tell if that knee injury that has kept him out for the past two years has any lasting effects in 2020. If not, the sky’s the limit. – Drew Osinchuk

James Conner, RB PIT

Conner will play at least 14 games and have a big season for Pittsburgh. I just feel it deep in my bones. Ben Roethlisberger is back and the offense will hum. Conner is going to have a great 2020 and put up low RB1 numbers. – Dwight Peebles

Cam Newton, QB NE

Bill Belichick will work his magic and make him more efficient than he has ever been. Look for a QB1 finish from the former Panther. – Jeff Smith

Ben Roethlisberger, QB PIT

This is a pretty easy one. After playing in a game and a half last season due to injury, all news from training camp is Big Ben is back and healthier than ever. This is fantastic news for not only the entire Pittsburgh offense but Roethlisberger’s fantasy owners as well. Let’s not forget he finished as the fantasy QB3 in 2018 and the QB10 in 2017. – Addison Hayes

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR PIT

Smith-Schuster’s season last year, his third in the NFL, was far from what dynasty owners expected out of him after two incredible seasons to begin his career. With injuries both to himself and Ben Roethlisberger, and constant social media pestering from Antonio Brown, Smith-Schuster’s statistics in 2019 were but a shadow of what he is capable of producing. Look for him to firmly re-establish himself as one of the top dynasty assets available this season. – The FFGhost

AJ Green, WR CIN

Green has reached rock bottom pricing. After having an injury-riddled past two seasons, it’s hard to remember he was on a Hall of Fame pace not so long ago (and maybe still is). The last I saw of Green was a three-touchdown game against Baltimore. Joe Burrow looks fantastic in camp, so if Green can just make it to the field, he has the ability to flick that switch back into overdrive. – Adam Wilde

Cam Newton, QB NE

I know, it’s been a while since we’ve seen the Superman version of Newton – the QB with the rocket arm who couldn’t be stopped in the red zone. Those days are gone. But sometimes a change of scenery can reignite an old flame, and if anyone can unlock all the juice that’s left in Superman Cam, it has to be Josh McDaniels in New England. Even 75% of the old Newton could be a league-winner in 2020. – Ryan Finley

There you have it. Who do you like for Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year? Comment below!