Danny Dimes

NFC East 2020 Fantasy Breakdown

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NFC East 2020 Fantasy Breakdown

By Steve Uetz

We are onto our 2nd division now! We will be covering the NFC East but first here are some reminders about what my breakdowns are all about:

The team breakdowns will contain an overarching theme for each team or more specifically each offensive core. The offensive cores will be organized into four categories: FADE, NEUTRAL, BUY, and BIG BUY! ADP and auction values will somewhat reflect this but I will be adding some personal perspective with keeping some rules of thumb in mind.

Rule of Thumb #1: Each offensive core may have specific player exceptions.

Rule of Thumb #2: Every player has value at the right price.

The breakdowns will include the players to target from each team, the players’ ideal positional count for your roster, target cost for auction budget % and round #, league type preferences, along with optional blurbs from yours truly. Throughout the team breakdowns be sure to keep your eyes wide open looking for the players with coveted “Ladder Pick” label. The “Ladder Pick” players are who I have identified as those who will help you climb the ladder of fantasy football success for the 2020 season.

I have 6 teams whose offensive core make up the BIG BUY category, 8 teams in the BUY category, 12 teams in the NEUTRAL category, and the remaining 6 teams will generally be considered as a FADE. Just so we are on the same page…BIG BUY=offensive cores to target aggressively; BUY=offensive cores that are reach worthy; NEUTRAL=offensive cores (with some players exceptions both positive and negative) to be drafted at value – not to be reached for nor to be shied away from; FADE=offensive cores to pass on at consensus ranking, players to be drafted weighing risk, or players to be drafted only if at a value, larger the discount the better; always!

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys enter this season as a mouthwatering offense building off of an impressive 2019 campaign. Dallas falls into the BIG BUY category!

QB Dak Prescott: “Ladder Pick”, QB1, 6-7% auction budget, round 5. Dak will be the primary beneficiary of the gargantuan offense surrounding him. The best trio of WRs the NFL has to offer, a TE on the rise, one of the best RBs, *checks notes* oh, and Dak has immense rushing upside! Sheesh!

RB Ezekiel Elliott: RB1, 30-32% auction budget, round 1, this stud do it all 3 down back is poised to have a monster season!

RB Tony Pollard: RB 4, 3-4% auction budget, round 11-12, this zeroRB favorite is the only competition in town behind Zeke. If Zeke were to miss time, Pollard enters high RB2 range.

WR Amari Cooper: WR1, 16-17% auction budget, round 3, the leader of the WR pack is primed for another big year even with Gallup rising and the future star CeeDee Lamb in town, I see him leading the team in targets. Having Cooper as a Best Ball target I would bring some caution to prepare for a little bit of rollercoaster ride week to week but overall he should be feasting.

WR Michael Gallup: ideal WR3 but WR2 if robust RB strategy, 5-6% auction budget, round 7-8, productive player will draw the lesser DB matchup week to week but with this offense being such a nightmare to defend I see Gallup in plus matchups week to week

WR CeeDee Lamb: WR4, 2-3% auction budget, round 11-12, what felt like a luxury pick for Dallas was actually a brilliant selection in Lamb. He can play everywhere, he’s dynamic, will contribute to opening up the offense. I hate to gush so much but there is just so much to love about this group!

TE Blake Jarwin: TE2 with sneaky TE1 upside, $1 auction stash, round 13, as the clear passing catching TE option I can see him being a chain mover and massive problem in the red zone. Picture this: goal to go…defense has line stacked anticipating Zeke run…play-action…TD Jarwin *chef’s kiss*

Philadelphia Eagles

With Carson Wentz leading the way, the Eagles offense is a BUY this season!

QB Carson Wentz: QB1, 3-4% auction budget/round 9-10, the offensive core remains intact with rookie WR additions; Wentz continues to be an under-appreciated QB for fantasy as well as in real life. He’s got a big arm, rushing upside, and the incoming rookie all have one thing in common: Speed!

RB Miles Sanders: RB1, 19-21% auction budget, late round 1/early round 2, he flashed as a rookie with impressive athleticism and pass catching ability, he will look to improve in all facets of the game especially without Jordan Howard around.

RB Boston Scott: RB5, $1 deep auction stash, end of bench RB/priority FA in shallow leagues. Since the Eagles are an offense I want pieces of, keep a close eye on Scott since he has shown that he is able to produce is this offense when given the opportunity.

WR Jalen Reagor: WR4, 3-4% auction budget, round 11-12, versatility and speed makes him an extremely exciting prospect!

WRs DeSean Jackson (WR5, 1-2% auction budget, round 12-13) and Alshon Jeffrey (priority FA in deep leagues, purely because he is starting the year on the PUP list) are seasoned vets and have proven to be difference makers when healthy. Were Best Ball leagues made for DeSean Jackson or was DeSean Jackson made for Best Ball leagues? All I know is that Best Ball league championship trophies were named after DeSean Jackson.

TE Zach Ertz: “Ladder Pick” TE1, 9-11% auction budget, round 4 (it he lasts to round 5- I am smashing his name!), Ertz has the ability to lead the Eagles in targets, catches, and TDs. Having the speed of Reagor and Jackson will only further open things up for Ertz. He will continue to be a favorite target for chain moving and in the red zone!

TE Dallas Goedert: high TE2, 2-3% auction budget, round 13/14, a great selection if your strategy to “wait on TE” gets out of hand. He has shown to be productive even when sharing the field with Ertz, if Ertz were to miss time he instantly becomes a mid range TE1!

The Washington Football Team

I’m generally considering this offense a FADE, however I believe any player in any offense is worth keeping an eye on especially in an uncertain year such as this.

QB Dwayne Haskins: low end QB2 is a FA to watch, outside of dynasty and super flex leagues he is undraftable. We want sure things and upside in our draft. Worth keeping an eye on as a streaming option as he looks to further develop as a pro QB in a division where shoot-outs are likely week to week. The good news is he has nowhere to go but up, hopefully. Remember, he is only two years removed from setting Ohio State University records for single-season passing yards and single-season touchdowns. If your starting QBs’ bye week lands on the same week that Washington plays a division rival, that may just be a good opportunity to consider Haskins.

RB Adrian Peterson: RB4, 1-2% auction budget, round 13, Peterson (much like Frank Gore) isn’t going away. He still may have some juice left, but if Washington is frequently playing from behind (which I would think is likely) than I’m not sure how the new and improved coaching staff can justify having him on the field. I’m no NFL head coach though.

RB Antonio Gibson: RB4, 3-4% auction budget, round 9/10, for me he is the player to target in this crowded backfield. I think his skill set and inherent upside separates him from the pack. I believe he is the perfect type of RB to be used in those situations hwer Washington will be trailing in games, again which I think is likely to be often. I believe he has the ability to takeover this backfield eventually. Upside stash!

RB Bryce Love: end of bench RB5/6, I’m hoping to see the Bryce Love we saw in college, but have to see him on the field first. Border line undraftable with crowded backfield but certainly a worth a late round stash as depth bench piece, I see him more as a priority FA worth keeping a close eye on!

WR Terry McLaurin: WR2, 13-14% of auction budget, round 5, this QB proof stud looks to improve upon an already impressive rookie season. He is the bright light of an offense that has a lot to improve on with a new coaching staff.
Players to monitor: TE Logan Thomas,  WR Steven Sims and WR Antonio Gandy-Golden. I feel this is important to mention because I made the mistake of brushing off Terry McLaurin’s dominant week 1 performance against the Eagles.

My stupid brain (at the time): “Who cares? It’s Washington. Of course he lit up the Eagles, it just what WRs do to them”… BUT he went on to have a truly impressive season. Don’t repeat my mistake, I suggest you pounce if one of those guys breaks out. Steven Sims was a stud weeks 15-17. Keep an eye out.

New York Giants

The Giants are an offense I’m categorizing as NEUTRAL, this offensive core has plenty of room to grow with players that you should not shy away from nor with players worth “reaching” for considering their auction value/ADP.

QB Daniel Jones: high QB2 with sneaky QB1 upside due to his rushing ability. Good weapons surrounding him can help salvage his fantasy outlook if he struggles with turnovers, 2-3% auction budget, round 12/13

RB Saquon Barkley: RB1 (ranked RB2), 31-33% auction budget, early round 1 (chalk at 1.02), he’s does it all, he’s a stud, an exceptionally talented athlete! Quads for days!

WRs Sterling Shepard (WR4 3-4% auction budget, round 8/9), Golden Tate (WR4 2-3% auction budget, round 9/10), and Darius Slayton (WR4 2-3% auction budgets, round 9/10) make up a very nice trio of WRs for Daniel Jones. All great first guy on the bench options, very useful for injury/bye replacements with upside for more.

TE Evan Engram: TE1, 5-6% auction budget, round 7/8, as my TE6 he leads the middle tier of TEs (with Hayden Hurst and Hunter Henry), provides a lot of upside and will be a beneficiary of mismatches with the trio of WRs alongside of him.

10 Bold Predictions

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10 BOLD Predictions

by Bob Miller

10. Brandon Cooks will finish as a top-15 WR in PPR.

104 receptions. 150 targets. 1165 yds with 7 touchdowns. That’s what DeAndre Hopkins' numbers were last year. Now he’s gone, leaving all those targets behind. By now everyone knows that you can’t count on Will Fuller to play in more than a handful of games each year, which opens things up for Brandin Cooks. Don’t worry about Randall Cobb. Deshaun Watson doesn’t look at the slot. He looks down field, and that’s where Cooks will be. Watson averaged 36 passes a game last year and ranked 4th in deep ball attempts. With Watson’s ability to extend plays and Cooks’ route running, you can expect a very productive season from a WR going in the 9th round and outside the top 40 WRs.

 

9. Cam Akers will finish as an RB1 this season.

If you think that Darrell Henderson or Malcom Brown will be a factor, stop kidding yourself. If the Rams thought that, they wouldn’t have drafted Cam Akers so high. The Rams ran the ball 25 times a game, and that shouldn’t change with them lining up more in the 12 personnel this season. Todd Gurley finished as a top 15 RB last year, and LA was conservative with him. Akers is explosive and has good hands. I predict him to finish with 1,027 yds, 8 TDs with 41 rec, 287 yds, 2 rec TDs. That’s RB1 numbers.

 

8. Austin Hooper will finish outside the top-15 TEs

69. That’s usually a good number, but not in this case. Unfortunately 69 is the total amount of passes thrown to Tight Ends last year in Cleveland. Hooper finished as a top 10 TE last year in Atlanta on 97 targets. He’s not getting those targets in Cleveland folks. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry get the targets. They had 271 between them, and no other pass catcher had even 30 targets. He’s going to be one of those very good NFL players but an average fantasy asset. With a top 10 TE ADP, I’m staying far far away. In fact, if you own him in dynasty I’d strongly recommend cashing out on him while you still can.

 

7. Daniel Jones will finish as a top-7 QB

Jones looked great as a rookie. He put up some strong numbers with a limited cast around him. This year will be different. A healthy Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram with the emergence of newcomer Darius Slayton will provide plenty of weapons for the 2nd year quarterback. Oh, and let’s not forget about that running back for the Giants. What’s his name again? Oh yeah. Saquon Barkley, who is as good of a running back as we’ve seen in years. Don’t listen to the Madden Rankings. Those rankings are an embarrassment. Don’t be afraid of taking a chance on Danny Dimes. The Giants will be involved in a lot of shootouts. It’s going to pay off.

 

6. Kenyan Drake will finish as a top-6 RB

Let’s hope you weren’t playing against Drake in the fantasy playoffs last year. If that’s the case, then you probably lost. Drake was a league winner last year posting 39.50 points in week 15 and 33.40 points in week 16. It took Drake a little while to adjust after being acquired by the Cardinals mid season last year. He had 151 touches in the final 8 games. Greg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes that Drake could surpass 350 touches this season. The acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins is going to open things up even more for Drake. He is excellent in the open field. With all of the receiving threats the Cardinals have, he will see a lot of touches in the open field. He is in the perfect situation, and very well could be this year’s Aaron Jones and lead the league in touchdowns. If Drake is your RB2 consider yourself lucky. If you have an opportunity to get him in dynasty, I’d strongly advise it. 

 

5. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will be a WR1 this season

Here’s a popular name as of late. There are quite a lot of people on the Hollywood Brown hype train, and for good reason. I have been high on Hollywood all off-season. Brown played with a screw in his foot last season and caught 7 touchdowns. Things are different now. Hollywood is healthy and motivated. He’s in the best shape of his life after adding 23 pounds of muscle this offseason. He has spent quite a bit of time with Lamar Jackson working on routes and timing. I expect big things from Brown this year as the Ravens’ clear number one wide receiver. With Lamar’s ability to extend plays, you can expect Marquise Brown to break free for a lot of big plays. Brown should exceed 70 rec, 1,000 yds, and 9 TDs. With players like Julian Edelman and Keenan Allen falling out of the top 12 WRs, expect Hollywood to join the WR1 club this season.

 

4. Leonard Fournette finishes as a top-8 RB

Pretty bold. I know, but I’m sticking to it. Jacksonville shopped Fournette this offseason with no takers. That’s good news for you Fournette owners out there. Last season, Fournette had 265 carries for 1152 yds and only 3 TDs. He also added 76 rec for 522 yds. That was good for 6th overall in PPR leagues. Just like last season, he is going to see a lot of touches. Expect similar carries and yardage with positive TD progression. He won’t have as many receptions due to the addition of Chris Thompson, but with Thompson’s injury history I’d still expect 50+ receptions for Fournette. He is an RB1 that you can get in the 4th or 5th round. Draft Fournette with little concern. 

 

3. Mike Evans will not finish as a top-24 WR.

This could be the boldest prediction of them all. The truth is that the addition of Tom Brady is bad news for Mike Evans owners out there. Brady just doesn’t throw the ball to outside WRs. The last outside WR to have any fantasy relevance was Josh Gordon a few years ago. Before that it was Randy Moss way back in 2007. Brady just doesn’t go that direction. In fact, no outside WR saw more than 54 targets last season in New England. Brady only works the middle of the field due to his loss of arm strength. None of this is good for Evans. I predict 56 rec, 928 yds, and 5 TDs. Finishing outside the top 24 WRs.

 

2. Cooper Kupp finishes as a top-3 WR in PPR. 

Kupp finished as a top 6 WR in PPR last year, so is this considered bold to say he finishes top 3? I’d say yes, because finishing top 3 puts you into elite status. Kupp had 94 catches on 134 targets last season with 1162 yds and 10 touchdowns. With Brandin Cooks gone I fully expect Kupp to see over 150 targets. As Jared Goff’s top red zone target, Kupp should eclipse double digit touchdowns again. The Rams should use more two tight end formations, but that won’t affect Kupp at all. He is Goff’s favorite target and will be peppered with targets again. I expect Kupp to have over 150 targets resulting in 111 rec, 1257 yds, and 13 touchdowns. With a 4th round ADP, he is an absolute steal similar to Chris Godwin last season.

 

1. Chris Godwin finishes as the overall #1 WR in PPR.

Tom Brady in Tampa is bad news for Mike Evans owners but it’s fantastic news for Godwin owners. We all know that Brady loves his slot receivers. Julian Edelman has flourished in Tom Brady’s offense for years. Edelman had 100 rec on 153 targets last season with 1117 yds and 6 touchdowns in New England. Last season in Tampa Godwin had 86 rec on 119 targets with 1333 yds and 9 touchdowns. That was good enough to finish #2 in PPR leagues. With Godwin expected to see 150+ targets this season I have him finishing as the #1 overall WR with 125 rec, 1475 yds, and 11 touchdowns. He is currently going in the 2nd round in most drafts. Take advantage.

*All predictions are based on PPR scoring.

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