More 2020 Hype: "If You Need A RB or WR, this is the draft for you."

[Packerland]

I would take Taylor and Swift over Dobbins and Etienne. My top 6 non SF In order would be:
Taylor
Swift
Jeudy
Lamb
Dobbins
Etienne

That's just on ability right now not taking into account landing spots. Keep this in mind, Swift as a freshman was taking snaps from Chubb and Sony Michel.

[cantguardjake]

I don't even think Sanders would be a Top-5 RB in this class

I know we’re talking top 5 based on college, but do we really think 5 backs from this class are going to finish higher than rb14 in half ppr next year? That didn’t even happen in 2017. Sanders NFL success correlates with his college film (which I think is being under rated), which is why I raise the point.

For all the love Chubb seems to get around here he actually had a lower finish his rookie year than Sanders did. It would be interesting to see where people would rank him against this running back class.

I do really like the top 4 backs this year, I guess my comment was more commentary on how Sanders is still being underrated

[jman3134]

Performance rookie year (with good health) vs long term dynasty value

[Hottoddies]

I don't even think Sanders would be a Top-5 RB in this class

I know we’re talking top 5 based on college, but do we really think 5 backs from this class are going to finish higher than rb14 in half ppr next year? That didn’t even happen in 2017. Sanders NFL success correlates with his college film (which I think is being under rated), which is why I raise the point.

For all the love Chubb seems to get around here he actually had a lower finish his rookie year than Sanders did. It would be interesting to see where people would rank him against this running back class.

I do really like the top 4 backs this year, I guess my comment was more commentary on how Sanders is still being underrated

I don't have 1/2 PPR stats, but in full PPR in 2017 there were 4 rookies that finished in the top 10; Kamara(RB3), Hunt(RB4), McCaffrey(RB8), and Fournette(RB9).

This year Sanders finished as the RB13 and Jacobs as the RB19

It's not unusual for a rookie RB to finish in the top 12 and this year there weren't any. I would bet there is a good chance that a few will make the cut next year. I do like Sanders and Jacobs and think they are good prospects, but they just aren't in the same class as the top 4 RBs of 2020.

[mild]

Etienne is more explosive than Dobbins and has better contact balance. After vision, those are the most important things for RB success in the NFL IMO. He is the most explosive athlete in a class loaded with them. Him and Taylor are tied for first in my opinion right now. Taylor a little shifter and bigger, but Etienne a little more explosive.

Dobbins is extremely well rounded and plenty explosive. Those other guys are faster and stronger though so I think their ceilings are higher.

Yessss. Yesssssssssss. Please keep burying DeAndre Swift. My 1.05 SF pick demands it!

[Lord_Varys]

Etienne is more explosive than Dobbins and has better contact balance. After vision, those are the most important things for RB success in the NFL IMO. He is the most explosive athlete in a class loaded with them. Him and Taylor are tied for first in my opinion right now. Taylor a little shifter and bigger, but Etienne a little more explosive.

Dobbins is extremely well rounded and plenty explosive. Those other guys are faster and stronger though so I think their ceilings are higher.

Yessss. Yesssssssssss. Please keep burying DeAndre Swift. My 1.05 SF pick demands it!

I love Swift and he was my 1.01 a couple months ago. You could take any of those top 4 RBs 1.01 and I'd applaud the pick. I don't think heis as explosive as Etienne or Taylor, as game-breaking. He has the most receiving upside of the pack though, and that certainly counts for something.

[Mike from Canada]

Isn't it a bad idea to fall in love with one particular player before we know where he's going to play for the next 5 years?

[bjd5211]

Isn't it a bad idea to fall in love with one particular player before we know where he's going to play for the next 5 years?

A lot of people who were in love with AJ Brown a year ago fell out of love when he went to Tennessee....

[Lord_Varys]

Isn't it a bad idea to fall in love with one particular player before we know where he's going to play for the next 5 years?

We got 4 months till the draft and nothing but hairs to split!

[mild]

Yessss. Yesssssssssss. Please keep burying DeAndre Swift. My 1.05 SF pick demands it!

I love Swift and he was my 1.01 a couple months ago. You could take any of those top 4 RBs 1.01 and I'd applaud the pick. I don't think heis as explosive as Etienne or Taylor, as game-breaking. He has the most receiving upside of the pack though, and that certainly counts for something.

I'm with you, in that any of these guys feels like a total slam dunk and I'll be completely thrilled with any of them I can get.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgpzU0yxzpw

With that said - and all the usual armchair caveats apply here, including a lot of "swag" on this talk track which I know is annoying to some, but give it a chance - this breakdown by Top Billin' was what originally opened my eyes to Swift as the 1.01 of these backs. He's got the full package, and the "make 'em miss in the phonebooth" ability in spades. His receiving game is complete which is a massive bonus in my eyes, and he has speed and power to run through tackles too. He can do it all.

Don't get me wrong. I really really like Etienne. Speed kills, and he absolutely pops on tape. If he goes to KC, then he's the obvious 1.01 with a bullet and I won't be mad.

But in no way do I see the same refinement or ability in Etienne to make a man miss. He's a straight line runner with elite speed. There's nothing wrong with that, but I want the guy that actually makes people miss.

[Mike from Canada]

Isn't it a bad idea to fall in love with one particular player before we know where he's going to play for the next 5 years?

A lot of people who were in love with AJ Brown a year ago fell out of love when he went to Tennessee....

Fair enough.

[mild]

Isn't it a bad idea to fall in love with one particular player before we know where he's going to play for the next 5 years?

It's actually the opposite, just as the AJ Brown repliers are saying. Getting your head on straight right now as to who is actually the best of these players (to you, of course) can really help you draft with an advantage for value, because landing spots are going to spike everything.

Easy examples - Parris Campbell and Mecole Hardman going before AJ Brown in my draft. Or Rashaad Penny going before Nick Chubb the year before. The lesson is always draft the talent, because situations are fungible and can always change.

Frankly, my dream right now as a 1.05 holder in a Superflex is for Chuba Hubbard or Clyde EH to land in Kansas City...

[FantasyFreak]

Isn't it a bad idea to fall in love with one particular player before we know where he's going to play for the next 5 years?

It's actually the opposite, just as the AJ Brown repliers are saying. Getting your head on straight right now as to who is actually the best of these players (to you, of course) can really help you draft with an advantage for value, because landing spots are going to spike everything.

Easy examples - Parris Campbell and Mecole Hardman going before AJ Brown in my draft. Or Rashaad Penny going before Nick Chubb the year before. The lesson is always draft the talent, because situations are fungible and can always change.

Frankly, my dream right now as a 1.05 holder in a Superflex is for Chuba Hubbard or Clyde EH to land in Kansas City...

Yep. Agreed. Although I don't think Hubbard is a good fit for Reid's scheme. EH would be.

[mild]

Yep. Agreed. Although I don't think Hubbard is a good fit for Reid's scheme. EH would be.

No disagreement from me either, and frankly, given Reid's known proclivity for speed - you've got to think he's already having R-rated dreams about adding Etienne to his offense. It would be a truly nasty fit.

I'm just speaking purely from the devils advocate of a "non top-4 RB" from the pre-draft rankings spiking the rankings as we have them now. Happens every year

[Lord_Varys]

Yessss. Yesssssssssss. Please keep burying DeAndre Swift. My 1.05 SF pick demands it!

I love Swift and he was my 1.01 a couple months ago. You could take any of those top 4 RBs 1.01 and I'd applaud the pick. I don't think heis as explosive as Etienne or Taylor, as game-breaking. He has the most receiving upside of the pack though, and that certainly counts for something.

I'm with you, in that any of these guys feels like a total slam dunk and I'll be completely thrilled with any of them I can get.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgpzU0yxzpw

With that said - and all the usual armchair caveats apply here, including a lot of "swag" on this talk track which I know is annoying to some, but give it a chance - this breakdown by Top Billin' was what originally opened my eyes to Swift as the 1.01 of these backs. He's got the full package, and the "make 'em miss in the phonebooth" ability in spades. His receiving game is complete which is a massive bonus in my eyes, and he has speed and power to run through tackles too. He can do it all.

Don't get me wrong. I really really like Etienne. Speed kills, and he absolutely pops on tape. If he goes to KC, then he's the obvious 1.01 with a bullet and I won't be mad.

But in no way do I see the same refinement or ability in Etienne to make a man miss. He's a straight line runner with elite speed. There's nothing wrong with that, but I want the guy that actually makes people miss.

Thanks for sharing. Great stuff in that youtube link. Definitely clear why some people don't have Etienne as high. A couple responses:

1) Etienne might not make people miss like Swift, but Swift doesn't break tackles and create breakaway runs like Etienne. Not that Swift has bad balance, not at all, but ... it's like do you want B+ power with A+ elusivness, or A+ power with B+ elusiveness? This is an oversimplifaction, but it's almost like comparing LeSean McCoy vs Adrian Peterson as running backs. They're fairly different players who play the same position -- and both had very high ceilings. Noted that AP doesn't catch, which brings me to my second point...

2) I see that clip was from June 2019. Etienne has made huge strides in the pass game this year. 32 rec for 369 yards vs 12 for 78 last year. That's more recs and yards than Swift, or Dobbins, or Taylor. I remember hearing in August he was nervous to catch the ball, and still see some people knock him for that, but it's been put to bed for me. I wonder if the creator of that video would have all the same concerns at this moment in time.