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One 2020 fantasy football bust from all 32 NFL teams

You’ve already hopefully seen our list of sleepers for the 2020 fantasy football season, so of course we had to follow that up with our possible busts for this year.

Some of these — like our list of sleepers, there’s one from each NFL team so you have 32 names to think about — are top picks, but a lot of them are names you either shouldn’t reach on or buy into because of name recognition.

Last year, this list included Jimmy Graham, Devonta Freeman, Bucs running backs, Tevin Coleman and James Conner. Here’s hoping we hit on some of these so you end up with a title. Good luck!

New England Patriots: RB Sony Michel

(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

He’s coming back from surgery and his situation is crowded with Damien Harris, Rex Burkhead, James White and now Lamar Miller on board. I’m staying far away.

Buffalo Bills: WR Stefon Diggs

Look: he’s a talent. We know that from his time in Minnesota. But he’s playing with Josh Allen, and I worry if the two of them aren’t on the same page in an uncertain 2020, the former Viking could have a down year.

New York Jets: WR Jamison Crowder

What he did last year was pretty great, with 78 catches and six touchdowns. But the Jets have upgraded at receiver with Breshad Perriman and rookie Denzel Mims, plus tight end Chris Herndon might get more attention now that he’s healthy. I don’t think he repeats either of those numbers in 2020.

Miami Dolphins: RB Jordan Howard

Matt Breida is there with the bruiser in Miami and the Dolphins offensive line needs work. Don’t reach.

Baltimore Ravens: RB Mark Ingram

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

At about RB20, that’s a hair too expensive for an RB that’s 31 years old and who has to contend with second-round rookie JK Dobbins on the roster.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The tight ends

Eric Ebron and Vance McDonald feel like they’d be a great option if they were one player. Alas.

Cleveland Browns: WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Either he’s going to end up being a huge bargain or another bust. Since he’s here, you know how I feel. The problems I have are that there are a lot of pass-catchers — Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Rashard Higgins and Kareem Hunt — who could take away work. If you’re worried about health, that’s valid, too. It’s just too much to take him where he’s going to end up being drafted.

Cincinnati Bengals: WR Tyler Boyd

AJ Green is back, so don’t be too sure he repeats last year’s 90 catches and five touchdowns.

Houston Texans: RB David Johnson

Yes, he could end up with a ton of volume after Bill O’Brien made that awful trade for him in exchange for DeAndre Hopkins. But I worry about what he does with those carries after looking less explosive than usual after returning from injury in 2019.

Tennessee Titans: RB Derrick Henry

(Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)

Bold take here: I don’t think he lives up the top-five billing. He doesn’t catch passes, he ran the ball over 300 times (remember what happens the year after that kind of usage?) and touchdowns fluctuate year-to-year. If he drops a bit, fine. But skip him with your first-rounder.

Indianapolis Colts: RB Marlon Mack

This quote from Frank Reich right here sums it up: I’m worried Jonathan Taylor will end up being the hot hand a lot:

“Marlon’s the stater, Marlon’s the starter, but we’re not going to be afraid to ride the hot hand (some weeks).”

Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Leonard Fournette

I’ve never owned Fournette in any of his three years in the NFL. Last year would have been a good one given his 76 catches for 522 yards in addition to his 1,152 yards. But Chris Thompson’s involvement means those receiving numbers will go down, and it’s weird he had only three touchdowns last year.

Kansas City Chiefs: QB Patrick Mahomes

Just read my post about why drafting QBs so high is a bad idea. Then you’ll understand.

Denver Broncos: WR Jerry Jeudy

This is more of a general concern about rookie wide receivers in 2020 who didn’t get OTAs and preseason games to get acclimated. So I’m passing on Jeudy in non-keeper leagues.

Las Vegas Raiders: RB Josh Jacobs

Love the player and what he did in his rookie year (1,150 rushing yards, seven touchdowns). But his ADP indicates people believe  that he’ll be more involved in the passing game. Without preseason games to go off of, it’s hard to know if that’s the case. If the price is right as an RB2, sure. But RB1 value? Not worth the risk.

Los Angeles Chargers: WR Mike Williams

He averaged 20.4 yards per reception but scored just twice a season after finding paydirt 11 times. While the touchdowns should level out somewhere between, I worry about the quarterback situation whether it’s Tyrod Taylor not looking deep or a rookie in Justin Herbert.

Philadelphia Eagles: TE Zach Ertz

Two words: Dallas Goedert. That and some uncertainty about how the Eagles’ pass-catchers will shake out make me nervous. There other tight ends around his value that have more upside.

Dallas Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

See above re: rookies, but also: Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and even Ezekiel Elliot are ahead in the pecking order.

New York Giants: TE Evan Engram

He hasn’t played a full slate of games since the Giants drafted him, and while the skills are there, it’s gotten a lot more crowded in the receiving corps with Darius Slayton, Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard getting the ball.

Washington Football Team: The running backs

Who will take the majority of carries after Derrius Guice was cut? Your guess is as good as mine.

Green Bay Packers: QB Aaron Rodgers

Yes, he had yet another 4,000-yard season and only threw four interceptions. But the Packers are a more balanced team now that doesn’t lean on Rodgers’ arm as much. Don’t pay high prices here.

Minnesota Vikings: QB Kirk Cousins

No Stefon Diggs, and even with the receiver on is squad last year he threw just 444 times. No thanks.

Chicago Bears: RB Tarik Cohen

I’m not sure he qualifies, but he had eight more receptions than he did in his breakout 2018 … and 269 fewer receiving yards.

Detroit Lions: The running backs

How sure are you that D’Andre Swift will get the, er, lion’s share? That the team is still down on Kerryon Johnson? No thanks.

New Orleans Saints: TE Jared Cook

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

He caught just 43 passes and nine of those were touchdowns. That’s unsustainable especially with Taysom Hill around. Plus, they just drafted Adam Trautman, who could steal some scores and receptions.

Atlanta Falcons: RB Todd Gurley

There’s talk of a noticeable limp in camp. That’s pretty much it.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Rob Gronkowski

I just don’t know if he’ll live up to his ADP and expectations. The receiver talent — Mike Evans, Chris Godwin — and fellow tight ends (O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate) make me nervous.

Carolina Panthers: Receivers not named D.J. Moore

Robby Anderson is a Panther now, and my high hopes for Curtis Samuel after a seven-touchdown 2019 are tempered.

San Francisco 49ers: RB Raheem Mostert

(AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Mostert was amazing for the Niners to get them to the Super Bowl, but Tevin Coleman, Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr. might split the carries with him in 2020.

Seattle Seahawks: The tight ends

Will Dissly was really good until he tore his Achilles and now Greg Olsen is in town.

Los Angeles Rams: The running backs

Cam Akers. Darrell Henderson. Malcolm Brown. Who’s winning that battle? Do you want to draft Akers that high to find out?

Arizona Cardinals: WR Larry Fitzgerald

Just in case you’re drafting on name recognition, the future Hall of Famer is behind DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk and maybe Andy Isabella entering this year.

See live draft results and grades at the 2024 USA TODAY NFL Draft Hub.

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