2020 Fantasy Award Winners

I not only make New Year’s resolutions, but I also reflect on the past year. The 2020 season has been a wild ride, and it is time to memorialize the fantasy football stars for the history books. I assembled a team of Pro Bowlers for the Scholar’s Fantasy Football Awards to recognize this year's preeminent alternative-reality players. Four Fantrax fantasy football writers—Mick Ciallela, Peter Chung, Ahaan Rungta, and Corbin Young—joined me to vote on their top three players in seven fantasy football categories. I totaled the results, and the top fantasy performers are listed below.

Quarterback of the Year

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo (21 points)

2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay (9 points)

3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City (9 points)

My picks didn't mirror the panel's—Josh Allen led the quarterback-of-the-year vote. The Bills' signal caller exploded on the scene and lived up to the expectations that came with being a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. After two disappointing campaigns, Allen passed for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns, completing 69.2% of his passes. More importantly, he rushed for 421 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns. He averaged over 30 fantasy points per game, earning the most votes by the panel.

As many predicted, Patrick Mahomes was the No. 1 fantasy quarterback over 15 weeks. The former MVP notched 40 touchdowns (38 passing and 2 rushing) and led the league with 4,740 passing yards while throwing only six interceptions. Mahomes was a model of consistency, tossing a touchdown in each of his 15 starts and, in 6-point touchdown leagues, scoring over 30 points on seven occasions, with only one game under 20 fantasy points. My award winner, however, is the now-frontrunner for NFL MVP, Aaron Rodgers. The Packers signal caller, who finished QB No. 7 in 2019, was on a mission this year, correcting a wobbly season the previous year. He finished the fantasy campaign leading the league in passing touchdowns by a commanding margin (career-high 44 with Mahomes and Wilson tied for second at 38) and threw only 5 interceptions. Like Mahomes, he was a consistent machine, and unlike Mahomes, he didn't cost an early-round pick. Aside from a complete beatdown in Tampa Bay in Week 6, Rodgers averaged 31.5 fantasy points, and in Weeks 14-16, he was clutch for his playoff managers, scoring 10 touchdowns and turning the ball over only once. Rodgers was the biggest value pick at quarterback in all formats during his redemption tour, earning the future Hall of Famer my first-place vote. 

- Ahaan Rungta

Running Back of the Year

1. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota (21 points)

2. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans (16 points)

3. Derrick Henry, Tennessee (5 points)

For me, choosing the best running back in fantasy is as difficult a decision as it has been in years. By the slimmest of margins, I chose Dalvin Cook over Alvin Kamara. Cook is the only non-quarterback to average over 20 fantasy points per game in standard leagues, and he still leads Kamara in points per game in ½-point PPR formats. Cook has carried a workload that is virtually nonexistent in today’s NFL. Over his last nine games, the Vikings’ star has touched the ball 252 times, producing 1,365 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns in that stretch. While Kamara’s Herculean Week 16 effort brought many managers fantasy championships, Cook’s consistency throughout the season was unrivaled. For that reason, I nominate Dalvin Cook as this year’s best fantasy football running back.

I also must show some love for James Robinson. He ranks third behind Cook and Kamara in my running back voting but is the runaway leader for me in both the Rookie of the Year and Fantasy MVP votes. Jacksonville leads only the New York Giants and New York Jets in points scored this season, and their offensive line hasn't done Robinson many favors. Their 69% run-blocking win rate is 26th in the NFL, and the 1.09 yards before contact created by their unit upfront ranks 31st. Yet, Robinson finished the fantasy season third in rushing yards and fourth among running backs in fantasy points. When you consider that Robinson began the season on the waiver wire in many leagues, the undrafted rookie provided one of the best returns on investment we have seen in recent fantasy football memory.

- Mick Ciallela

The Gridiron Scholar’s 2020 All-Fantasy Team

QB Josh Allen, Buffalo

RB Dalvin Cook, Minnesota

RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans

WR Devante Adams, Green Bay

WR Tyreek Hill, Kansas City

WR Calvin Ridley, Atlanta

TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City

K Younghoe Koo, Atlanta

SuperFlex Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

Wide Receiver of the Year

1.  Davante Adams, Green Bay (21 points)

2.  Stefon Diggs, Minnesota (16 points)

3.  Tyreek Hill, Kansas City (8 points)

Before the 2020 season, I labeled Aaron Rodgers as a quarterback bust. However, I'm taking a massive loss here, since Rodgers finished as the second-most efficient quarterback with a +31.1 Production Premium (No. 2). Adams earned a 34.6% Target Share (No. 1) with a +28.7 Production Premium (No. 4), 0.78 Fantasy Points Per Route Run (No. 1), and 2.39 Fantasy Points Per Target (No. 4). In two fewer games, Adams scored two more fantasy points than Tyreek Hill in ½-point, scoring leagues. Imagine what those numbers would look like over a full 16-game season.

With question marks surrounding Stefon Diggs heading to the Buffalo Bills, he silenced critics by dominating every receiving category. Diggs currently leads the league with 120 receptions and 1,459 receiving yards and ranks second with a 29.7% Target Share. Josh Allen took a massive leap in passing production, and Diggs likely contributed to Allen's improvements. Another young stud, Calvin Ridley exploded here in 2020. Ridley earned a 24.8% Target Share (No. 13), 1,988 Air Yards (No. 1), and a 41.9% Air Yards Share (No. 2). He ranked 5th with a 0.65 Weighted Opportunity Rating (WOPR) behind Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins. Even though Matt Ryan played poorly at times and lacked efficiency, Ridley proved efficient with a +10.8 Production Premium (No. 23), 10.1 Yards Per Target (No. 11), and 0.53 Fantasy Points Per Route Run (No. 8). Ridley also accounted for over 35% of the total team receiving yards and touchdowns with a 36.7% Dominator Rating (No. 3).

It's no surprise to see Davante Adams here, since he had an FFPC ADP of 12.25, but he dominated in 2020. However, both Stefon Diggs and Calvin Ridley smashed their ADP. Diggs had an FFPC ADP of 69, and Ridley had 40.25. That said, both Diggs and Ridley should rank as WR No. 1 heading into the 2021 season, meaning their ADP will spike. All three of these receivers likely won fantasy managers' head-to-head matchups and championships. 

- Corbin Young

Tight End of the Year

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City (25 points)

2. Darren Waller, Las Vegas (15 points)

3. Robert Tonyan, Green Bay (3 points)

 If there’s a clear consensus winner for any skill position, it’s gotta be Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. The eighth-year veteran validated every Fantasy Football manager who drafted him early, finishing the season as the No. 1 TE in all scoring formats—by a wide margin. In fact, his 260.3 ½-point, PPR points would’ve made him the overall WR No. 3, beating out league-winning superstars like Stefon Diggs, Calvin Ridley, DK Metcalf, and DeAndre Hopkins.

Compared to running backs, Kelce would’ve landed as the RB No. 4, nestled between the colossal Derrick Henry and rookie sensation James Robinson. He finished as a Top-10 TE in all but one week and nearly averaged 100+ yards and a TD per game. If you won your league this season, you likely had Kelce boosting your team.

But if you missed out on Kelce, then Raiders phenom Darren Waller was a wonderful consolation prize. After his breakout campaign last year, Waller picked up right where he left off as fantasy’s No. 2 TE (202.9 points). While inconsistent at times, his heavy usage as QB Derek Carr’s go-to option gave him a safe floor and week-winning upside. Sure, the gap between Kelce and Waller was substantial (57.4 points). But the gap is just as wide for the next guy, Robert Tonyan, who finished the year with 141.8 points (a 61.1-point difference).

Rounding out the list for me is Washington Football Team’s Logan Thomas. He was the overall No. 6 TE in fantasy points (129.4) and had downright putrid games early on, but he’s my vote for the bronze medal because he may’ve been the reason you got into the playoffs and he was available for free on waivers. Since Week 6, Thomas has been the overall TE No. 3, an outstanding feat made even more impressive given that he did it by catching passes from the least desirable QB carousel: Kyle Allen, Alex Smith, and Dwayne Haskins. In his last four games, he averaged a whopping 10.8 targets, 8.8 receptions, and 76.3 yards. Thomas’ consistently favorable fantasy production in the second half of the season—particularly in December—edges him over other higher-scoring candidates like Tonyan or T.J. Hockenson, who may have dashed your championship hopes with their ghastly Week 16 performances.

- Peter Chung

Kicker of the Year

1. Jason Sanders, Miami (21 points)

2. Younghoe Koo, Atlanta (14 points)

3. Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas (5 points)

While kicker leagues are often portrayed as inferior because of the added variance, some kickers weren't just loaded with opportunity; they produced without their fantasy managers breaking a sweat. While most of the hype centered on the legend of Younghoe Koo, who seemingly couldn't miss and carried his fantasy owners and the Atlanta offense for a while, a tipped Week 16 field goal might have cost some titles. Instead, my first-place vote went to the situation and clutch gene of Miami's very own Jason Sanders. 

Along with Koo and Dallas' Greg Zuerlein, Sanders tied for the lead in field-goal attempts. He hit 34 of them while also going a perfect 34-for-34 on PATs and, in leagues that account for field-goal length, Sanders was this season's #1 kicker, going 15-for-15 from within 40, 11-for-13 between 40 and 49, and 8-of-9 beyond the 50 mark. Only Denver's Brandon McManus attempted and made more kicks from beyond the 50-yard line. Sanders' season is another testament to seeking kickers with range and in situations that aren't flooded with touchdowns, like Will Lutz, who went a berserk 54-of-54 on PATs but was outside the Top 10 at his position in fantasy this season.

- Ahaan Rungta

Rookie of the Year

1. James Robinson, Jacksonville (23 points)

2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota (13 points)

3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles (7 points)

 If you're willing to die on the hill that owning rookies in fantasy football remains one of the riskiest strategies in the game, you missed out on some talent again. Yet, the draft class produced top-tier offensive talent and, in many cases, immediate fantasy studs. In one case, it was the early NFL debut of the 2020 rookie fantasy points leader and likely Offensive Rookie of the Year, Justin Herbert. In another case, it was LSU's 2020 NFL draft first-rounder, WR Justin Jefferson. Offenses desperately needed to use their newest talent.

Nevertheless, the value pick of the year in fantasy football is a guy who wasn't selected in the 2020 NFL Draft and wasn't selected in most re-draft fantasy leagues: Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson. He gets my first-place nod for this award for being one of the best rookies in the NFL at perhaps the most important position to stack talent. He proved his worth in the Jacksonville system as early as Week 1, with 17 touches, and kept balling with volume and production for the fantasy managers who picked him up off waivers. Through Week 16, Robinson was Top 5 among running backs in rushes, touches, rushing yards, and yards from scrimmage and was a weekly start in all formats.

He finished the year (Weeks 1-16) as the PPR RB No. 4 and showed some immunity to his messy quarterback situation, producing as a Top 24 running back nearly all season. With Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence likely joining Robinson in Jacksonville in 2021, the offensive ceiling of everybody on the Jaguars is expected to rise, and Robinson could be seeing re-draft league action in the 2021 drafts as early as the first round. 

- Ahaan Rungta

2020 Fantasy Football MVP

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City (12 points)

2. Stefon Diggs, Minnesota (7 points)

3. A. Kamara, D. Adams and J. Allen (5 points)

When I sat down to fill out my ballot, I reflected on some of the most memorable fantasy football MVPs during my 32 years playing the game: Jerry Rice (1995), Emmitt Smith (1995), Marshall Faulk (2000), Priest Holmes (2002), LaDainian Tomlinson (2006), Michael Vick (2006), and Lamar Jackson (2019). None of the previous fantasy football celebrities played tight end.

For the rest of eternity, Travis Kelce deserves a gold bust among the pantheon of all-time fantasy football stars. In PPR leagues, the Chiefs’ playmaker scored 312 fantasy points on 105 receptions, with a league-record 1,416 receiving yards among tight ends and 11 touchdowns. In ten games, Kelce produced over 20 fantasy points and fell below double-digit points only once all season…Incredible!

There is no doubt that Kelce helped many fantasy footballers win their Championships in 2020. I will never forget the Kansas City game-breaker, and Kelce’s 2020 crusade now ranks among the greatest fantasy football seasons of All Time.

- John Laub