The top fantasy football rookie on each NFL roster

The good folks from around the SBNation team sites have given us their fantasy picks for the 2020 season. They were asked which player from their team would be the best fantasy sleeper, rookie, and potential bust. It’s always interesting to get fantasy perspective from those who cover specific teams, as they are entrenched in the intricacies of their rosters.

Rookies in fantasy football are fraught with obstacles to playing time and touches. But, those rookies are also usually talented and needed. Running backs are usually the most effective rookies for fantasy football while tight ends the least. Wide receivers can pop early, but they very much need to be in a situation to see a lot of targets like Terry McLaurin and Darius Slayton were last season.

Some teams, like the Panthers, didn’t even draft an offensive player this year and others just took fliers on some late in drafts. Others, like the Bengals and Dolphins, took quarterbacks who should start sooner than later and will be the leaders of their teams.

Every one of these rookies has fantasy value going into the season. Some, like Joe Burrow, Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, Clyde-Edwards Helaire, D’Andre Swift, Henry Ruggs, Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, and Jerry Jeudy should be assured playing time to start the season, giving them more immediate value.

Of course, the Covid-19 shortened off season will hurt rookies the most and we could see many, even the no-doubt starters, start slow. But once momentum builds, we should see those starters hit their stride while other rookies fight for and likely win playing time as the season goes. Players like Zack Moss, CeeDee Lamb, Laviska Shenault, Brandon Aiyuk, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, and J.K. Dobbins all have great upside that we might not see until the second half of the year.

We can’t count on many rookies for fantasy, but the talent is there and opportunity can open up in the blink of an eye.

Arizona Cardinals: Eno Benjamin, RB — Revenge of the Birds
Atlanta Falcons: N/A — The Falcoholic
Baltimore Ravens: *J.K. Dobbins — Baltimore Beatdown
Buffalo Bills: Zack Moss, RB — Buffalo Rumblings
Carolina Panthers: N/A — Cat Scratch Reader
Chicago Bears: Cole Kmet, TE — Windy City Gridiron
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB — Cincy Jungle
Cleveland Browns: Harrison Bryant, TE — Dawgs By Nature
Dallas Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb, WR — Blogging The Boys
Denver Broncos: Jerry Jeudy, WR — Mile High Report
Detroit Lions: D’Andre Swift, RB — Pride of Detroit
Green Bay Packers: A.J. Dillon, RB — Acme Packing Company
Houston Texans: N/A — Battle Red Blog
Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Taylor, RB — Stampede Blue
Jacksonville Jaguars: Laviska Shenault, WR — Big Cat Country
Kansas City Chiefs: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB — Arrowhead Pride
Las Vegas Raiders: Henry Ruggs III, WR — Silver & Black Pride
Los Angeles Chargers: K.J. Hill, WR — Bolts from the Blue
Los Angeles Rams: Cam Akers, RB — Turf Show Times
Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB — The Phinsider
Minnesota Vikings: Justin Jefferson, WR — Daily Norseman
New England Patriots: Devin Asiasi, TE — Pats Pulpit
New Orleans Saints: Adam Trautman, TE — Canal Street Chronicles
New York Giants: N/A — Big Blue View
New York Jets: Denzel Mims, WR — Gang Green Nation
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Reagor, WR — Bleeding Green Nation
Pittsburgh Steelers: Chase Claypool, WR — Behind The Steel Curtain
San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Aiyuk, WR — Niners Nation
Seattle Seahawks: Colby Parkinson, TE — Field Gulls
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB — Bucs Nation
Tennessee Titans: Darrynton Evans, RB — Music City Miracles
Washington: *Antonio Gibson — Hogs Haven

* Picks made by author