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2020 NFL Draft: Fantasy analysis, rankings for every player from Round 1 to Round 7

The Fantasy Football Today team breaks down every relevant move from the first three rounds of the NFL Draft for 2020 and beyond.

The first round of the NFL Draft saw plenty of potential difference makers for Fantasy go off the board, but it was the second night when things really started getting wild. The first round featured big names, but many of them didn't quite land in spots with a ton of immediate Fantasy intrigue; that was definitely not the case on day two of the draft.

Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift, Cam Akers, Zack Moss, and Ke'Shawn Vaughn all landed in places where they could end up as the stater — or at least prove spoiler to an incumbent's Fantasy appeal. At wide receiver, the second round saw the Bengals, Raiders, Colts, Steelers, Jaguars, and Jets add significant talent, all of whom could wind up starting as rookies, and there were plenty of other intriguing receivers to go off the board.

It's a lot to keep track of, we know. But you'll want to get familiar with every significant rookie and how their selection might change the Fantasy landscape around them, and we've got you covered. We've been live blogging the first three rounds of the draft, and you can scroll down and read thoughts from the whole Fantasy Football Today team from the last two days, plus our thoughts for the final four rounds of the draft Saturday. 

Get a head start on the competition with our coverage of the NFL draft, starting with day two's biggest winners and losers, and then our breakdowns of every player you need to know in one place. And that's just a small part of the CBS Sports coverage of the draft. The third day round begins at noon ET Saturday with live coverage of the draft streaming on CBS Sports HQ, which can also be found at the top of this story. You can also watch it by downloading the CBS Sports app for free on any mobile or connected TV device.

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Live updates
 

The Raiders went full Texans, deciding to take another role player rather than a potential high-target alpha No. 1 in either CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy. I suppose Darren Waller is that guy for them, to an extent, and Ruggs will pair with Tyrell Williams to really test teams down the field.

 

A great landing spot for a WR, in that there's definitely a role for him. Not a great spot because Derek Carr hates throwing the ball down field. But he fits well with the incumbents Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. We'll see if Carr is willing to let loose a bit more — though for those of you in Dynasty leagues, I reckon that won't be an issue for Ruggs beyond 2020. I'd be shocked if Carr was still there in 2021.

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The Raiders honor the spirit of Al Davis with Henry Ruggs, the fastest WR on the board. Hoping it's not a Derrius Heyward-Bey-level reach.

 

Herndon remains a very good sleeper if he can get on the field. That was an issue for multiple reasons a year ago. Still like the talent, and what he showed in 2018.

 

The Jets could still go wide receiver at No. 48 — their next pick in the second round — but going tackle here does definitely improve the outlook for Crowder, Breshad Perriman and Chris Herndon for 2020.

 

No wide receiver. No help for Sam Darnold. His No. 1 receiver is Jamison Crowder. His No. 2 WR is me, I think. I'm ready.

 

I'm waiting for the Jets pick with baited breath ... will we get our first WR? Will Sam Darnold get some help? Who will Adam Gase alienate?

 

The Browns grab tackle Jedrick Wills at 10, who many considered the best tackle in the class. Wills will presumably play opposite free agent addition Jack Conklin from day one, and the Browns have massively addressed pass protection this offseason. If you're like me and blame a lot of their 2019 struggles on coaching, the post-hype Browns are looking mighty enticing for Fantasy in 2020.

 

Here's Dave's reaction to the Tua draft pick for the Dolphins:

"Truth is, Tagovailoa was the Dolphins choice because of his amazing skill set and his chances to lead NFL teams to victory. But they don't have to rush him -- they can stick with Ryan Fitzpatrick to begin the season and, if they really needed to, could trot Josh Rosen (remember him?!) on the field. If there's any limitation with his hip, or if Miami simply wants to just take it easy with their rookie, Tagovailoa has the benefit of time on his side.

That's great for him but bad for Fantasy. Until it's clear Tagovailoa will start for the Dolphins, he's not worth drafting and stashing in seasonal one-quarterback leagues. Let someone else take him. The story is different in two-QB/Superflex leagues where quarterbacks carry more value. He's worth a pick around 110th overall there. And if we're talking dynasty/keeper leagues, he'll get taken around 100th overall. Rookie-only draft? Watch Tagovailoa go within the first 20 picks or so as a long-term solution at quarterback."

 

I'm hoping!

Schefter just reported the 49ers could trade out of 13 — they were a potential WR landing spot.

 

In the next five or so picks, we should have our answer about which of CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy or Henry Ruggs will be the first wide receiver taken — we might even know where all three will play.

 

Panthers take defensive tackle Derrick Brown at 7 and Cardinals go with linebacker/do-everything defender Isaiah Simmons at 8. Neither are particularly surprising picks in their own right, but they mean three of the hyped top-four offensive tackles are still there.

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Yep, the Chargers are incredibly deep with playmakers. All three of these top-10 quarterbacks step into situations with, in my estimation, more talent around them than is typical of teams drafting so high. How well their offensive lines protect them will be huge, though.

 
@FFToday via Twitter
 

Yeah, I share Ben's skepticism of Herbert's abilities. But man, that kind of supporting cast can cover up a lot of flaws with the right coaching.

 

Interesting, the Chargers talked a big game about Tyrod Taylor being their starter, but I'm guessing this is a 2018 Browns situation. He'll start for a few games, but not the whole season.

Great landing spot for a QB. Legitimate No. 1 WR, excellent TE, and I think Mike Williams is very good. And, obviously, Ekeler is a great pass catcher out of the backfield. I'm not a Herbert fan, but I could see him putting up great numbers with that supporting cast.

 

Herbert has the size, arm strength, athleticism — all the traits you could ever want. But he's been a top prospect since he started his college career, and his game never seemed to reach the next level at Oregon. Will he put it all together in the NFL? Or will decision-making and accuracy questions make him yet another "prototypical" quarterback who never plays up to his draft status?

 

And the Chargers keep it rolling, grabbing Justin Herbert. That's three quarterbacks in the top six picks, and each have clear paths to 2020 playing time.

 

Obviously, Dolphins need a lot of work, so Tua probably more likely to make a Fantasy impact in 2021 and beyond. But it could be like Lamar Jackson's rookie season, where he comes off the bench in the second half to be a viable starter.

 

Agreed, Chris. And the Dolphins have two more first-round picks and have been linked heavily with the top backs in mocks. Tua might also have a high-profile runner behind him on top of those receiving names.

 

This has been a remarkably chalky first five picks. The Lions not trading out and the Giants taking Andrew Thomas over Jedrick Wills or Tristan Wirfs — two other top tackle options — were mild surprises, but for the most part everything is going according to expectation.

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Tua to the Dolphins! It just makes too much sense, I'm glad they did the smart thing. Won't start in the first half of the season, but there's good receiving talent with DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, and Mike Gesicki. And the Dolphins proved last year they aren't afraid to make a change at QB — and Fitzpatrick is obviously fine in whatever role. Perfect fit, huge Fantasy upside, especially if Parker is for real and Williams and Gesicki build on their promising 2019's.

 

"Tank for Tua" took a winding road, but the end result is the same!

 

Great article from our Josh Edwards on cbssports.com earlier this week if you want to learn about the offensive linemen: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/...

"The hype surrounding this tackle class is real. However, it may not translate to immediate impact. There are only four current offensive tackles 26 years old or younger that have made at least one Pro Bowl appearance. On average, it has taken those four players 3.75 seasons to make their first Pro Bowl appearance"

 

I think over, unless it's Tua and his health doesn't check out.

 

O/U 7.5 games started for whichever quarterback the Dolphins draft?

 

Giants get some help on the offensive line. Good news for Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley — though the Giants have actually invested a decent amount in their line the last few years and haven't gotten much out of it. Hope that changes now, because that offense could be sneaky exciting for Fantasy — everyone but Barkley seems like they're pretty undervalued. I'd expect their ADPs to move up.

 

Tua in LA could be so much fun.

 

There's been some commentary the Dolphins might covet one of these top tackles as well. Would be wild if they didn't go quarterback.

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