2020 NFL Draft: Fantasy football fits for the top RB prospects

The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and with it comes some big changes to the Fantasy landscape. The 2020 NFL draft class boasts elite talent at each of the skill positions, and adding studs like Joe Burrow, CeeDee Lamb, and Jonathan Taylor to any NFL team is sure to shake up the projections for the 2020 season.

Having a good understanding of each rookie's skillset and how they will fit in at the NFL level is no easy task. Don't worry, though, SportsLine has you covered. Fantasy Hall of Famer Scott Engel examined the Fantasy impact of the rookie class by position, and DFS expert Jacob Gibbs provides a deeper look at the best potential team fit for each of the top players at each position.

In addition to these pre-draft preparations, Gibbs and Engel will be active on draft night this Thursday, providing up-to-the-minute analysis on the Fantasy outlook of each of the rookie QB, RB, WR, and TE selected. Be sure to check SportsLine's homepage on draft night!  

Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Best Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers

Like many Wisconsin backs before him, Taylor boasts some ridiculous college production. He rushed for over 1,900 yards in all three seasons and scored 55 touchdowns in 41 games. If there are any concerns about his college profile it is the fact that there is a lot of tread on the tires already, and that Taylor was minimally involved in the passing game. Taylor carried the ball at least 299 times in each of his three seasons at Wisconsin, but he failed to even reach double digit receptions in two of the three seasons.

Still, that type of production as a rusher combined with the blazing 4.39 40-time Taylor recorded have him flying up draft boards. Some teams likely have Taylor ahead of D'Andre Swift as the RB1 in this class, and it is possible we see both backs drafted on Thursday.

Whoever reaches for Taylor with an early round pick will be securing an early down back capable of wearing opposing defenses down over the course of a game or breaking loose for a long run on any given play. Taylor displayed excellent patience and vision as a rusher at Wisconsin, and if drafted into a situation where he can wait for his blocking to develop, he could put up some monster numbers on the ground as a rookie. As far as scheme fit, San Francisco would be my preferred destination for Taylor. I'd be surprised if they invested an early pick in a running back, but Taylor could lead the league in rushing while operating as the lead back in Kyle Shanahan's system.

The more likely best case scenarios for Taylor would be landing in Tampa Bay or Los Angeles. Both teams are in need of an early-down running back, and both offenses project to be in the top half of the NFL. If Taylor is drafted to San Fran or Tampa, he'll likely be the RB1 for Dynasty purposes. If he's drafted to a team like the Dolphins, Jaguars, or Lions, I would be much more concerned. Unless he makes unforeseen strides as a pass-catcher, Taylor's success at the NFL level is going to be dependent on playing with positive game scripts in an offensive system conducive for rushing success.

D'Andre Swift, Georgia
Best Fit: Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Unlike Taylor, Swift's game is built for the current NFL. He is among the best pass-catching backs in the draft and provides a much safer Fantasy floor, regardless of which team he is drafted by. In addition to impressive hands and route running ability, Swift possesses the feel and vision of a seasoned veteran rusher.

Swift doesn't have the elite combine numbers like Taylor, but he has true three-down back potential and fewer weaknesses to his game. If drafted into a high-octane passing offensive system like Atlanta or Tampa Bay, Swift has the potential to be Alvin Kamara 2.0. And even if he ends up in a less ideal situation such as Miami or Pittsburgh, Swift should be effective and heavily involved as a rusher and receiver. Taylor's landing spot will determine which RB ends up as the top back for Fantasy purposes, as his range of outcomes is wider and more dependent on situation than Swift.

J.K. Dobbins, Ohio St.
Best Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs

Dobbins didn't participate in the combine due to an ankle injury, but rest assured that he is one of the most athletic backs in this class. Dobbins isn't nearly as shifty or creative in traffic as Swift or Taylor, but he has excellent vision and trusts it to make hard and decisive cuts when rushing. His one-cut rushing style led to 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground in 2019, but his 71 catches over three seasons make it clear that Dobbins isn't a one-trick-pony.

If there is one concern for Dobbins, it is that he weighed in below 210 pounds at the combine. 5'9" and 209 pounds is far from the prototypical size for an every-down back in the NFL. Of course, there are some exceptions -- Christian McCaffrey, Aaron Jones, and Austin Ekeler all have found success at that size. But more often, backs who enter the league at sub-210 pounds end up relegated to third-down duties.

As far as landing spots go, the Bucs are clearly the preferred destination for early playing time in a high-powered offense. Two other potential fits are Atlanta and Kansas City, where other "small" backs such as Devonta Freeman and Damien Williams have found success. Of course, playing with Patrick Mahomes in Andy Reid's system would be preferable to competing with Todd Gurley in Atlanta, but the Falcons seem like the more likely of the two teams to use a second round pick to secure Dobbins' talents.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
Best Fit: Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons

Update: Edward-Helaire went to the Chiefs at pick No. 32 of the first round

As a short back with a compact build, Clyde Edwards-Helaire already has drawn plenty of Maurice Jones-Drew comparisons. From what I can tell, he doesn't run with quite the same speed that MJD did, and I'd comp him more as a Ray Rice-Devonta Freeman hybrid. Edwards-Helaire was buried behind Derrius Guice on the depth chart early in his career, and he really didn't break out until 2019, when he averaged 6.6 yards per carry and finished with 16 rushing touchdowns. Perhaps more impressively, Edwards-Helaire caught 55 passes for 453 yards in 2019. He also was a kick returner for three years.

The only apparent downside with Edwards-Helaire was an unimpressive combine. It's possible that Edwards-Helaire wasn't 100 percent after dealing with a leg injury during the college postseason just a month prior to the combine, but still, a 4.6 40-time at 207 pounds is enough to scare some teams away.

The absolute ideal landing spot for Edwards-Helaire would be the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs traditionally don't invest much in the RB position, but it's possible that they could scoop up Edwards-Helaire with their late second-round pick or even trade up in the third to grab him. He could work as a complement to Damien Williams in Kansas City, and if the oft-injured Williams has to miss time, Edwards-Helaire has the ability to work as a three-down back.

If he lands in Kansas City or Tampa Bay, Edwards-Helaire may end up surprising many and being one of the most valuable rookies to come out of this loaded 2020 group.

Cam Akers, Florida St.
Best Fit: San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons

Akers wasn't as productive as most of the backs on this list, but that could have been due to a much worse offensive system and blocking. Per PFF, over 76% of his career rushing yards have come after contact, which is the highest among all draft-eligible running backs with at least 300 carries since 2017.

Drops were a problem in college, but Akers still managed to pile up 486 yards and seven touchdowns on 69 catches across three collegiate seasons. He has the ability to potentially operate as a three-down back, but is probably best suited as a change of pace option early in his career.

Akers is one of the more natural runners in the draft and showcased excellent elusiveness in his time in college. If drafted into a situation where he isn't constantly worried about eluding defenders behind the line of scrimmage, Akers' strong tape and combine numbers suggest that he could excel. I tend to trust college production over the eye test, but I'd be plenty intrigued if he lands in an ideal spot like San Francisco or Philadelphia.

PFF graded Philadelphia's run blocking unit as the best in the NFL in 2019, and yet Miles Sanders ranked 28th out of 29 qualified backs in PFF's rushing grade and was just 20th in elusive rating as a rookie. With Jordan Howard moved on to Miami, it's possible that the Eagles will want to bring in some competition for Sanders, after his mixed bag of a rookie season.

Zack Moss, Utah
Best Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions

At 5'9" and 223 pounds, Zack Moss has the build of an every-down back, and his 57 catches for 631 yards in his two years as a starter back that notion up. After a horrendous combine, Moss seems less likely to be drafted into a situation where he'll have any opportunity to deliver on his every-down workhorse promise, though.

Moss runs with a ferocity that has drawn comparisons to bruisers like Marion Barber and Marshawn Lynch. He had the third-highest single-season broken tackle per attempt average of any running back PFF has charted in six years, and that skill should allow him to be productive in just about any NFL scheme. A side effect of such violent running is often a shorter career, which is something to keep in mind if drafting in dynasty leagues. The best case scenario for Moss seems to be an Eddie Lacy-like career, but it is just as likely that he struggles to gain much of an opportunity for playing time if his poor combine performance causes his draft stock to plummet.

Antonio Gibson, Memphis
Best Fit: Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts

Gibson might be the easiest prospect to get excited about in this draft. A multi-sport phenom in high school, Gibson went on to have a highly unusual career at Memphis before posting some silly numbers at the combine.

Gibson had a grand total of 77 offensive touches in his career at Memphis. In addition to returning 23 kicks for 645 yards and a touchdown in 2019, Gibson caught 38 passes for 735 yards and eight touchdowns. He rushed just 33 times, which resulted in 369 yards and four more touchdowns. Gibson broke 33 tackles on his 71 offensive touches. For reference, Gibson averaged one broken tackle per 0.48 carries, compared to tackle-breaker-extraordinaire Zack Moss' 0.37 rate.

Gibson really wasn't used as a running back at Memphis. He lined up at receiver on 547 plays last season compared to just 75 in the backfield. His role was similar to that of Tony Pollard's at Memphis in 2018, when he split time between the slot and backfield. Pollard looked polished as a route runner in his rookie season, and Gibson's skillset could similarly translate at the NFL level. If Gibson is drafted by a team that is willing to be creative in maximizing his tools like Kansas City or Indianapolis, he'll shoot up dynasty rookie rankings.