Fantasy Football 25% Season Awards

It is an annual rite of passage to pass judgement a quarter of the season in. This is about making lists and calling out those who are not…

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Fantasy Football 25% Season Awards

It is an annual rite of passage to pass judgement a quarter of the season in. This is about making lists and calling out those who are not living up to the standard we expected of them, who is leading us to glory, who has emerged and which rookie is stepping up.

Will some of these breakouts turn into duds by the end of this season? Of course, injuries or defensive game planning insights will turn the fortunes of some but we’re far enough in to see trends. Let’s not forget 4 NFL games is approximately a third of the regular season for fantasy leaguers and in the year of 2020, the year we’ll always remember for being mostly locked down and physically distant, who knows if we make sixteen total games away. So here you go with the studs, breakouts and busts four weeks in.

QB’s

1st Team — Dak Prescott (121 points; 30.3 weekly average) — If Dallas were winning I’d feel good about this but then again no team has a better trio of WR’s.

2nd Team — Russell Wilson (119 points; 29.9 weekly avg.) — #letrusscook has him on pace to win the ’20 season MVP.

Breakout QB — Josh Allen (115 pst; 28.9 weekly avg.) — I still don’t believe, yet, but I’ve never thought Stefon Diggs was elite so what do I know.

Best Rookie — Joe Burrow (71 pts; 17.8 weekly avg.) — Herbert is slightly better on weekly points basis but Burrow is playing consistently, arguably with less talent. Both have been good though.

Bust QB — Daniel Jones (41 pts; 10.3 weekly avg.) — Danny dimes was projected by many fantasy pundit (e.g. Matthew Berry) as a top 6 fantasy option and a modern day Blake Bortles. So far he’s neither. Which NY team is worse off at Quarterback?

RB’s

1st Team — Alvin Kamara (116 pts.; 29.2 pts per week) — This shouldn’t surprise anybody…with the Saints hobbled at receiver they’re ridden their young superstar.

2nd Team — Aaron Jones (100 pts.; 25 pts. Per week) — The Packers have been hot, Arod is on a mission and Jones has continued to disprove the haters (myself included) with fantasy stud productivity.

3rd Team — Dalvin Cook (93 pts; 23.3 pts. Week) — Vikings started off poorly (1–3) but Cook hasn’t been the reason…and it’s promising that despite trailing in most of their games Cook has remained a central part of their offense.

Breakout RB — Chris Carson (73 pts; 18 pts. Week) — Maybe this isn’t a traditional breakout but Carson has been doubted at every turn…this year he’s on a pace for 20 TD’s and another solid yardage season. If he can stay healthy, he will solidify himself as a top 5 fantasy RB in 2021 and get well deserved RESPECT.

Best Newcomer/Rookie — James Robinson (70 pts; 17.5 pts week) — The undrafted free agent hasn’t necessarily been better than Clyde Edwards-Helaire but he’s benefitted from more red zone opportunities. Both have looked good but Robinson gets the nod as a legit top 10 fantasy back 4 weeks in.

Bust RB — Kenyan Drake (36 pts; 9 pts. Week) — Considering Drake hadn’t proved a full season of value this is a weak bust call but so many had him as a top 10 RB this year…and yet if you watch the Cardinals games, Drake is simply not making plays. Chase Edmunds time?

WR’s

1st Team — Odell Beckham (72 pts; 18 pts week) — OBJ is back? Maybe, maybe not. He hasn’t been as consistent as our breakout & 3rd team guys below but he’s been explosive and if the Browns keep this up, he’ll regain the value he had back in the Big Apple.

2nd Team — Calvin Ridley (71 pts; 17.8 pts week) — This includes a big fat zero in week 4. Ridley is stepping up for the bust and playing for a winless team who has been putting up a lot of garbage time stats.

3rd Team — Tyreek Hill (71 pts; 17.5 pts. Week) — Surprisingly Hill hasn’t had a huge week, scoring between 13.1 & 23.3 points each week so far. If he & Mahomes stay healthy, he’s the best bet on this list to finish as the 1st team guy when the season ends.

Flex Option — Tyler Lockett (70 pts; 17.4 pts week) — Russell Wilson is serving up 2 top 5 fantasy receivers. Lockett has been doing it for awhile but this maybe the year he solidifies himself as a perennially top 5 producer.

Breakout WR — D.K. Metcalf (72 pts; 18.1 pts week) — Technically the highest scoring WR thru 4 weeks. Metcalf looked great as a rookie but he only ran deep routes. This year Metcalf has added a little more diversity to his route tree but he also just keeps winning deep, again and again and again.

Best Rookie — CeeDee Lamb (58 pts; 14.4 pts. week) — Lamb has looked great, he barely edges out Justin Jefferson (who has also looked great) in what appears to be a strong 2 headed race for this award. Lamb is a big play waiting to happen at all times.

Bust WR — Julio Jones (29 pts; 7 pts. Week) — This may not be fair given he’s been battling an injury…but that’s part of the game and Jones isn’t getting younger…as a top 3 fantasy WR pick he’s impacting many fantasy teams this year.

TE’s

1st Team — Robert Tonyan (55 pts.; 13.7 pts week) — It’s rare, maybe a 1st, when the #1 player at a non kicker position was available in 70%+ of fantasy leagues a quarter of the way through the season. My guess is he’ll be rostered in 90% by next week.

2nd Team — Travis Kelce (54 pts; 13.4 pts week) — We expect Kelce to be here, ultimately though he needs to increase his productivity to justify the draft capital we all spent. Though that’s true for all Chiefs except Tyreek Hill. Super Bowl hangover?

Breakout TE — Dalton Schultz (43 pts; 10.7 pts week) — This spot likely will be occupied by Tonyan when the season ends but Schultz gets it for now b/c he’s taken advantage of injuries in front of him to step up.

Bust TE — Evan Engram (22 pts; 5.4 pts week) — Engram has teased us for several years with insane talent…is it him or the situation? We may never know.

Rookie TE — N/A — until a rookie demonstrates a basic level of productivity, there is no reason to list one just to list one when none justify it yet.

K

1st Team — Randy Bullock (52 pts; 13 pts week) — The points are so close among the top few folks but Bullock has consistently delivered 3+ points more than a record setting annual run rate (10 points per week). That’s pretty great except he’s not started in a majority of fantasy leagues, yet.

2nd Team — Rodrigo Blankenship (49 pts; 12 pts week) — Blankenship is a prime example that every year a new guy steps up to be a league winning contributor at the kicker position. So far this year that guy is Mr. Blankenship.

Defense

1st Team & Breakout — Indy Colts (74 pts; 18.5 pts week) — They are 20 points ahead of the #2 team (Chiefs), and have the look of a historically great defense. I don’t like using defenses in fantasy but if I was in a league that required them, I would surely hope to have the Colts in 2020.