As we reflect back on the 2020 fantasy football season, we look back at some players who outperformed their average draft position. There can be a number of reasons why a player may “outperform” or “underperform” in accordance to their draft position. Two reasons are coaching changes and injuries. Volume and opportunity can be hard to predict coming into the season, but if keen to past players performances and coaching staff tendencies, we might get a hint into who might take advantage of their opportunities.
Running Backs:
JD McKissic
To say JD McKissic had a breakout year is an understatement. Coming into the season, the Washington Football Team sure looked to be a mess. There were question marks surrounding the quarterback. Despite the questionable quarterback play at times, McKissic seemed to hit his stride as the season progressed. Prior to their week 7 bye, when Kyle Allen was the starting quarterback, McKissic averaged 50% of WFT teams snaps. When Alex Smith took the reins as the starting QB, McKissic’s snap count jumped to 67%. Prior to Week 8, McKissic also did not have a game where he saw more than 10 targets. From week 9 on, McKissic had 5 games where he saw 10 or more targets. For the season, McKissic saw 59% of the team snap count to Antonio Gibson’s 43% snap count.
James Robinson
Behold, the undrafted Fantasy Football king! As an undrafted free agent, both in fantasy and real life, Robinson is third in the NFL in rushing, 1070 yards on the ground through week 16. He finishes the season averaging 17.9 fantasy points a game in PPR leagues, which is fifth among running backs. He fourth among running backs in attempts, with 240, averaging 15 rushing attempts per game. Robinson also finished the season with 55 rushing first downs, good for 8th among running backs. He also had a whopping ONE rushing fumble this season. Robinson is also one of eight running backs to have 200 rushing attempts or more this season.
Wide Receivers
Stefon Diggs
Can you Diggs It? Coming into the 2020 NFL season, Diggs had one season in which he eclipsed 100 receptions. His career high was 102 in 2018, and this year he set career highs in receptions (120 through 16 games), while averaging 10.5 targets per game. Of those 10.5 targets per game, he converted 7.5 of those into receptions, on a weekly basis. Taken as the 26th receiver in fantasy leagues, Diggs went on to average 21 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues, which ranks third amongst receivers. He had 10 games where he saw 10 or more targets. His 92% snap count was second among receivers in 2020, while leading receivers in yards and receptions through 16 weeks.
Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen has developed into one of the most consistent and reliable receivers in the league, both for fantasy and real life. This is the fourth straight year in which Allen has finished as a WR1 in fantasy leagues, averaging 17.5 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues, which ranks 7th among receivers. Keenan Allen saw an average of 10.5 targets per game, had 2 games of 15+ targets, while seeing 10+ targets on 10 separate occasions. Drafted as the 22nd receiver in fantasy leagues, Allen continues to establish himself as an elite fantasy player at the receiver position.
Cole Beasely
Undrafted coming into the 2020 fantasy season, Beasely had his most efficient season yet. Beasely saw his catch rate increase from 66% to around 80%, while seeing roughly the same amount as targets as last year. Last season, Beasely caught 66 passes from Josh Allen, and is on pace to catch over 85 balls this year. His 13.8 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues ranks 29th among all receivers, which put him on the radar for WR 2/Flex consideration.
Tight End
Logan Thomas
A waiver wire gem, the former Virginia Tech quarterback had a stellar season under Offensive Coordinator Scott Turner. Thomas led all tight ends this season with a 92% snap count, while producing 10.9 points per game in PPR leagues, good for seventh among tight ends.
Quarterback
Josh Allen
Taken as the seventh quarterback taken off the board in fantasy drafts, Josh Allen finished the season averaging 25.65 fantasy points per game, second to Kyler Murray. Most of Allen’s damage this season came through the air, as 45% of his fantasy points came from pass yards, while 35% of his fantasy points came from passing touchdowns. His 100 fantasy points from inside the redzone ranks third among quarterbacks.Taken as the seventh quarterback taken off the board in fantasy drafts, Josh Allen finished the season averaging 25.65 fantasy points per game, second to Kyler Murray. Most of Allen’s damage this season came through the air, as 45% of his fantasy points came from pass yards, while 35% of his fantasy points came from passing touchdowns. His 100 fantasy points from inside the redzone ranks third among quarterbacks.
Kyle Clancy Live! 