So the country is mostly reopened now. New Orleans has even reached “phase 2” of their reopening, and as you can see in my sub-tweeted image below, folks are really getting out there. The guy in the back right is particularly out there if you know what I mean—don’t look!
I’m concerned about phase 3 https://t.co/odJ5MN5sO4
— DonkeyTeeth (@DonkeyTeeth87) June 14, 2020
Did you look? I told you not to! So there’s lots going on in the Big Easy lately. First we had the whole Drew Brees BLM saga, then protesters toppled a slave owner statue and now Dick’s taking full advantage of phase 2. But in the midst of all this craziness we find one rock: Michael Thomas. The guy just keeps getting better, with receiving yardage totals exceeding 1,100 in 2016, 1,200 in 2017, 1,400 in 2018 and 1,700 in 2019. 2,100 yards in 2020 is logically the next stop. Should be easy enough for Thomas to demolish Megatron’s single season record by 140 yards, right?. Anyway, here’s my top 20 wide receivers for 2020 PPR fantasy football:
Tier 1
1. Michael Thomas – I went over Thomas in my top 10 for 2020 fantasy football.
2020 Projection: 115 receptions, 1,335 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns in 15 games
PPR Pts: 296.5 / 19.8 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 239 / 15.9 ppg | Standard Pts: 181.5 / 12.1 ppg
Tier 2
2. Davante Adams – I went over Adams in my top 20 for 2020 fantasy football.Â
2020 Projection:Â 95 receptions, 1,140 receiving yards, 9 touchdowns in 14 games
PPR Pts: 263 / 18.8 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 215.5 / 15.4 ppg | Standard Pts: 168 / 12 ppg
3. Chris Godwin – I went over Godwin in my top 20 for 2020 fantasy football.
2020 Projection:Â 85 receptions, 1,275 yards, 8 touchdowns in 14 games
PPR Pts: 260.5 / 18.6 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 218 / 15.6 ppg | Standard Pts: 175.5 / 12.5 ppg
Tier 3
4. DeAndre Hopkins – I went over Hopkins in my top 20 for 2020 fantasy football.
2020 Projection:Â 90 receptions, 1,100 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns in 15 games
PPR Pts: 248 / 16.5 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 203 / 13.5 ppg | Standard Pts: 158 / 10.5 ppg
5. Julio Jones – I went over Jones in my top 20 for 2020 fantasy football.
2020 Projection:Â 85 receptions, 1,235 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns in 14 games
PPR Pts: 244.5 / 17.5 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 202 / 14.4 ppg | Standard Pts: 159.5 / 11.4 ppg
6. Tyreek Hill – So this is probably controversial since Reek is a consensus top 20 pick and top 4 wide receiver. I admit he has the upside of #1 overall fantasy player and I could easily eat crow here. But these are PPR rankings and I’ll be surprised if Hill catches over 80 passes with second year man Mecole Hardman on the rise, Travis Kelce still in his prime and a slew of other options for Mahomes to spread it out to. I’m also wondering if Hill might miss a couple games per season from here on out. Anyway, feel free to bump Tyreek up a couple spots in standard and big play premium leagues. Or if you just like to swing for the fences.
2020 Projection:Â 70 receptions, 1,050 receiving yards, 40 rushing yards, 9 touchdowns in 14 games
PPR Pts: 233 /16.2 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 198 / 13.7 ppg | Standard Pts: 163 / 11.2 ppg
7. Cooper Kupp – Two O’s One Kupp seems perennially undervalued. My projections actually place him above Hopkins, Julio and Hill, but I couldn’t quite make that leap; the two above feel like sure things. But Kupp was the #4 receiver in all formats last year and that includes a putrid three game stretch where he totaled just 9 catches for 88 yards and 0 touchdowns. Goff and the Rams offense is due for a bounce back too. The more I think about it, the more I want to drink from the Kupp.
2020 Projection:Â 90 receptions, 1,100 receiving yards, 40 rushing yards, 9 touchdowns in 15 games
PPR Pts: 254 / 16.9 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 209 / 13.9 ppg | Standard Pts: 164 / 10.9 ppg
8. Odell Beckham Jr. – In his first year in a new offense, with a QB more concerned about chugging beer than playing football and a nagging season-long core muscle injury, OBJ still managed to grind out another 1,000 yard receiving season. With a rededicated Mayfield (hopefully) and a fully healthy Beckham (maybe) in his second season in the Browns offense, there could be fireworks on the horizon. That or Odell could demand a trade and pout on the sidelines all year. My guess is the former, but there will always be pouty risk involved with this diva.
2020 Projection:Â 85 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards, 20 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns in 15 games
PPR Pts: 255 / 17 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 212.5 / 14.2 ppg | Standard Pts: 170 / 11.3 ppg
9. D.J. Moore – 2019 was a huge breakout season for Moore in spite of subpar QB play. He was the #16 WR with only 4 touchdowns; a couple more would’ve vaulted him into the top 10. Beware, there’s some risk with college guru Matt Rhule coming in at head coach, but Teddy Bridgewater is a nice upgrade over Kyle Allen and I’m excited to see what Rhule has in store. There’s a chance Moore takes the leap into elite PPR wide receiver territory.
2020 Projection:Â 90 receptions, 1,200 receiving yards, 80 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns in 15 games
PPR Pts: 248 / 16.5 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 203 / 13.5 ppg | Standard Pts: 158 / 10.5 ppg
Tier 4
10. Kenny Golladay – The big question on Kenny G isn’t whether he can sing. The guy’s been putting out soothing jazz melodies for decades. *checks note* Guess that’s a different Kenny G. My big question is whether Matthew Stafford’s back issues are behind him. Consensus is yes based on the reader outrage at Stafford’s omission from my top 20 quarterback rankings. But one back injury often turns into chronic back issues due to compensation or whatever. Yeah, I’m not a doctor but I do play one on YouTube. The nice thing about Golladay is that we already know he can produce with mediocre QB play, so the question isn’t so much whether he’ll but good but rather whether he’ll be great.
2020 Projection:Â 70 receptions, 1,150 receiving yards, 9 touchdowns in 15 games
PPR Pts: 239 / 15.9 ppg | 1/2 PPR Pts: 204 / 13.6 ppg | Standard Pts: 169 / 11.3 ppg