Fantasy football can be quite the roller coaster for owners. There are a ton of ups and downs along the way. The hope is your top draft picks will be consistent, weekly contributors. Finding a few diamonds in the rough though often makes up the difference between a decent and a championship contending fantasy squad. The key is not just looking at the individual talent, but at a rookie’s chance to be featured in the offense. We are looking for as many opportunities as possible. Without further ado, here are some of my top-five rookie wide receivers based off Awesemo’s fantasy football rankings.
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Fantasy Football Rankings: Top Five Rookie Wide ReceiversÂ
5) Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
The lack of healthy and experienced wideouts is not exactly what a team wants into the season, but San Francisco does have a talented rookie to throw to. Excluding George Kittle, who will certainly command the most attention in the passing attack, there are plenty of opportunities for somebody to step up. Aiyuk has the speed that can take the top off the defense and he should be used in all facets for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. His overall athleticism will allow him to blossom over time, but the targets could be there from day one. Throw in the fact that the 49ers could be trailing in some games this year unlike last season, which will only help make the case for the former Sun Devil. Aiyuk is No. 5 in my fantasy football rankings among rookie wide receivers.
4) Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas Raiders
As the first wideout taken in the NFL Draft, the expectations and hype are fairly high for Ruggs. He has the best afterburners among rookie wide receivers, so the question becomes how well of a rapport he builds with Derek Carr. Carr does not have the strongest arm in the NFL, so it will be interesting what the Raiders show in 2020. Ruggs has a higher ADP than nearly every rookie, which does seem a bit rich for my blood. However, the talent is there, and the Raiders have one of the worst receiving groups in the NFL. Ruggs is arguably the most talented, he just needs to garner experience and trust as the season progresses. If so, the upside for Ruggs could be as high as a WR2. The only concern is he may not find the end zone a whole bunch on an offense that may struggle to sniff out many scoring drives. Ruggs is No. 4 in my fantasy football rankings among rookie wide receivers.
3) Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles
Speed will always get you on the field and the 2020 draft class is simply loaded with wheels. Reagor has plenty of it, and he should have a strong possibility of making an immediate impact for a team that had quite the issues last season at receiver. In fact, Philadelphia became the first ever NFL team without a wide receiver totaling 500 yards. Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are a tremendous duo at tight end, but somebody else has to step up for Carson Wentz. Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson have found it awfully tough to both stay healthy let alone either of them. Reagor may not get a ton of catches, but the yards could be there at the end of the season. He can take a simple smoke screen and turn it into a house call.
At his current wide receiver average draft position of 47, there is certainly upside for this rookie to be a solid flex play. Reagor is No. 3 in my fantasy football rankings among rookie wide receivers.
2) Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos
Another Crimson Tide wideout is on this list, and the current Bronco could be the best of the entire rookie bunch. Possessing all the elite skills to be a star target, Jeudy should benefit from having a solid No. 1 target for a teammate in Courtland Sutton. This duo has the size, speed and route running to become the best young group of receivers out there.Â
While the Broncos may not be a heavy pass team, there should be chances for their young stars to thrive in the AFC West. The ceiling for Jeudy will be determined by how well Drew Lock performs as a full-time starter. The 45th-ranked wide receiver in terms of average draft position, Jeudy should become a solid WR3 by season’s end. Jeudy is No. 2 in my fantasy football rankings among rookie wide receivers.
1) Ceedee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
What an offense the Cowboys have heading into the 2020 season. We should see plenty of three-receiver sets for Dak Prescott and Dallas. Lamb is ferocious after the catch, and he can make multiple guys miss in the open field. Amari Cooper draws a ton of attention, and Michael Gallup is coming off a respectable 1,000-yard season. The pieces are in place for Lamb to step right in and take advantage of soft single coverages. Most NFL defenses have struggled to defend pass catchers in the middle of the field, and we should expect Lamb to be lined up in the slot quite a bit.
In fact, last season at Oklahoma he caught half of his touchdowns when he was aligned on the inside. Ranking 11th in the NFL a season ago with 37.3 passing attempts per game wasn’t a fluke. This team is going to air it out with the best of them, and don’t forget Prescott was the runner-up to Jameis Winston in passing yards. As Dallas improves as a team and becomes a threat in the NFC, Lamb will bring WR2 upside. Barely being taken in the top 40 wide receivers, Lamb will be a dark horse to touch 1,000 yards and six-plus scores. Lamb is No. 1 in my fantasy football rankings among rookie wide receivers.
 *Note: All average draft positions are via fantasy football calculator
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