Fantasy Football: Top 6 rookie running backs for 2020 season
By Drew DeLuca
4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Taylor turned in one of the most impressive running back performances in all of college football, finishing in the Top Three in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns. He garnered as many first-place votes for the Downtown Athletic Club’s premier award as Heisman Trophy Finalist Justin Fields.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 219 pounds
Projected 40 time (per WalterFootball.com): 4.54 seconds
The Salem, NJ native logged 2,003 rushing yards on 320 attempts and led all of FBS with 26 touchdowns, five through the air. He tacked on 252 receiving yards and caught 25 of 34 targets thrown his way for a fairly mediocre 73.53 percent catch rate.
However, the largest concern surrounding Taylor is ball security. For all of his terrific on-field exploits, Taylor appeared to make little progress in this area during his junior campaign, fumbling five times in 2019. All told, he coughed up the football a staggering 15 times in just three seasons.
Taylor’s proponents point to Miles Sanders as an example of what proper coaching can do. Under the tutelage of Philadelphia Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley, Sanders made monumental progress in tackling similar issues throughout his rookie season.
The upside is clear, but his fumbling issues and less-than-stellar receiving chops keep Taylor out of our Top Three. Assuming he dedicates his offseason to developing these weaknesses into strengths, Taylor could become a bona fide top-10 running back in fantasy football leagues, provided a sizable role in the right offense.
Preferred Draft Day Destinations: Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans