2020 NFL Draft Rookie WR Landing Spots: Rounds 3 & 4 (Fantasy Football)

Before I jump in – I want to relay a few brief personal thoughts one time and one time only, because I think fantasy football is a perfect outlet to get away from all the scary discussion that surrounds everyone. I’m excited to play a small part in providing that distraction, but I want to express this first.

Sports are wonderful, and I miss them dearly – but they will remain in the back of my mind for a while longer, and that’s okay. My sister is a surgeon, my mother is a nurse, and my father runs his own business. My family and I certainly feel the effects of this Pandemic closely, but we’re also very blessed. The phrase “it could be a lot worse” is incredibly relevant right now, and frankly – it’s relevant all the time for a LOT of us. If you’re able to even read these words in a safe environment with WiFi and a computer, you have plenty of things to appreciate. Everyone has a different life, and everyone has a different upbringing. No one person is more or less necessary than the next, and each one of us impacts the situation as a whole, even by doing nothing. Think of it this way: spending hours researching dynasty sleepers could actually be saving a life. If that’s not a beautiful excuse to obsess over fake football, I don’t know what is.

If there’s anything that working for the Footballers and interacting with the #FootClan has taught me in the past year, it’s that community, kindness, sense of humor, faith, and making smart decisions for yourself and those around you are a crucial part of life. Normally it’s the decision to wait on a QB, but this year it’s more complicated. Remember those things first, and think of the things you wish you could do second. We’re literally living through our future history, and defining the perception of our generation. If that sounds intense, it’s because it is. Don’t overwhelm yourself, and definitely don’t panic or surround yourself with bad news, but don’t ignore it all either. Stay informed, safe, and sane. Feel free to DM me @TheFFGator if you want to chat about it, or even if you want to chat about football to distract yourself from it.

As long as the world is moving again, this NFL season WILL be the most exciting one yet, because it will signal a celebration of all of us moving towards normalcy, and very likely – embracing a new normal. This will be the first and last time I will ‘go there’ in this setting. Sticking to sports is something I want to do, but once in awhile the outside noise gets too loud for me to pretend like I can sleep soundly.

Okay – that’s all. Let’s do this. This year’s draft was exciting, and I cannot wait to get into the rookie ranks because they’re all over the place. The third and fourth rounds are where great franchises become dynasties and good teams become great ones. This year was particularly deep, and the wide receiver class is absolutely insane. Let’s dive into them pick by pick, and discuss my initial thoughts on their landing spot for fantasy purposes.

Round 3

Antonio Gibson- Washington Redskins

Round 3, Pick 2 (66th overall)
Gibson is a player a lot of us were watching closely since he has the potential to mold into a difference-maker for the right team. He took snaps at both receiver and running back during his time at Memphis and you saw the biggest impact after the catch. He’s a bit of a project for an offense that lacks explosiveness, but Scott Turner has shown the ability to incorporate a versatile albeit unrefined skillset into his offense. He’s not someone I’m excited about for fantasy right away, but it’s worth keeping an eye on him for the potential he slides into a Taylor Gabriel or Tarik Cohen style role if the pace of play speeds up in Washington. The roster opportunity is certainly there.

Early Prediction: Perennial Waiver Wire Guy
Dynasty Capital: Round 4 Flier

Lynn Bowden Jr.- Las Vegas Raiders

Round 3, Pick 16 (80th overall)
Bowden is another do it all athlete that projects as a raw pass-catching prospect with specific YAC upside. His fantasy relevance will depend entirely on how the Raiders build their shiny new offense as his abilities lie primarily after the catch. He’s not a burner, but he’s quick off the line and can be dangerous in space. He doesn’t have the best hands and his wingspan is small for an NFL receiver, so he will likely function more as a ‘gadget’ guy – even though I hate that term. The Raiders have Waller, Renfrow, Williams, and the newly drafted Ruggs and Edwards competing for snaps – so his path to meaningful impact is not an easy one.

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Early Prediction: Long Term Project
Dynasty Capital: Fifth Round Rookie Flier

Bryan Edwards- Las Vegas Raiders

Round 3, Pick 17 (81st overall)
Deja Vu here, but a completely different player. This is a good one. Edwards is exciting. He was one of my favorite mid-round targets going into the draft, and the landing spot is solid, just a little crowded. After Waller and Ruggs, Edwards has a chance to be a productive weapon for the Raiders since Bowden and Renfrow would likely stay inside. He has a WR1 type build but doesn’t have the same speed and explosiveness that most breakout big-bodied receivers do. He should compete with Tyrell Williams for snaps early on, and he has a chance to slide into the WR2 spot by the end of the year if he can improve his consistency on quick routes off the line. He’s great at the point of catch and should be a regular on Sportscenter. His fantasy value will be determined by the fundamentals, not the potential.

Early Prediction: Solid Fantasy Asset by Year 2
Dynasty Capital: Mid-Third Round Rookie Pick 

Devin Duvernay- Baltimore Ravens

Round 3, Pick 28 (92nd overall)
Speed kills. The Ravens are keeping up with the Chiefs in terms of top-end speed, and that’s the mold that I’ve been screaming about for three seasons. Marquise Brown, Lamar Jackson, J.K Dobbins, and now Duvernay. John Harbaugh is realizing earlier than most that if you can’t catch someone, you can’t tackle them. The Ravens continue to build a powerhouse, and Duvernay is a great pick here. He has the chance to compete for snaps in the slot immediately, and I love him as a sleeper in Dynasty rookie drafts. I don’t like to make singular comparisons, but he reminds me of Deebo Samuel and he’s playing for a coach that knows how to fit his playbook to individual skillsets, not the other way around. The structure of the Ravens scheme will open up opportunities for a track star like Duvernay, he just needs to expand and refine his route tree. I love this landing spot. Mark my words, this will be the guy you wish you took earlier in your rookie drafts.

Early Prediction: Boom or Bust Bench Stash
Dynasty Capital: Early Third Round Pick 

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Round 4

Gabriel Davis- Buffalo Bills

Round 4, Pick 22 (128th overall)
Davis is a wide-framed mammoth of a man who has a lot of raw potential, but it’s hard to define. His route running skills are subpar, but his production at UCF was outstanding. He’s not really a prototypical wide receiver in any way. He’s not speedy enough to be a consistent deep threat, his jump ball skills didn’t pop off the tape, and his metrics elsewhere aren’t too exciting – but none of them are particularly poor. He appears to be someone who does all things well but doesn’t do anything great. The Bills could use a big-bodied red zone threat alongside Stefon Diggs and Dawson Knox, so there’s a small window of opportunity for Davis. For fantasy purposes, it’s difficult to see a path to stardom but I wouldn’t write him off. 

Early Prediction: Depth Piece or Bye Week Fill-in
Dynasty Capital: 4th round rookie pick 

Antonio Gandy-Golden- Washington Redskins

Round 4, Pick 36 (142nd overall)
An intriguing blend of speed, length, and unknown upside makes this pick a fun one. Since he comes from a smaller school, it’s difficult to project how he will handle the competition at the NFL level. One thing we can be certain of is his ability to dominate at the levels he has been in. He finished in the top ten in multiple categories nationally including total yardage, and his stats are eye-popping. The Redskins need playmakers, so Gandy-Golden could get a chance to contribute right away. He’s not blazing fast, but his 4.55 40 time makes him more than capable of being a threat at the second and third level if he can refine his footwork and explosiveness off the line. His improvement from Junior to Senior year was impressive, and his wide wingspan and point-of-catch skills are exceptional. He’s someone to watch closely in dynasty leagues, even if it’s simply for the sake of opportunity. Washington’s offense is fairly boring, but things have to change at some point so this may be the time to take a shot.

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Early Prediction: Should be on your “Sleeper” radar
Dynasty Capital: Late 3rd/Early 4th round rookie pick