NFL Draft: Fantasy football impact of Joe Burrow to the Cincinnati Bengals
As expected, Cincinnati made Joe Burrow the first selection in Thursday's NFL Draft. What does landing in Cincinnati mean for Burrow's Fantasy outlook?
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With the first pick in the NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected quarterback Joe Burrow out of LSU. Find Burrow's 2020 Fantasy outlook below:
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 216
Age: 23.3
Dynasty Ranking: 1.07 (QB1)
Redraft Ranking: QB15
Passing: 3,922 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Rushing: 52 carries for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Burrow is one of the most highly regarded QB prospects of the past decade, and QB-needy teams don't pass on that type of a talent. On top of that, Burrow's hometown ties to Ohio make this a perfect fit.
Is the fit also perfect for Fantasy, though? It's hard to classify ending up on the Cincinnati Bengals as "perfect," but as far as potential QB landing spots among teams picking near the top of the draft go, Cincy ain't so bad. Cincinnati's main problem is the offensive line, and if there is any quarterback in this draft class capable of circumventing that issue, it's Burrow. The footwork and creativity shown in his time at LSU is enough to inspire confidence in Burrow's ability to create plays even when the protection breaks down.
Outside of the O-Line, the Bengals have an exciting core to surround Burrow with. He has an established number one weapon in A.J. Green as well as talented and diverse young playmakers in Tyler Boyd, John Ross, and Auden Tate. Given his presumed landing spot in Cincinnati, I'd be comfortable drafting Burrow with a mid-to-late first-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts. In season-long leagues, Burrow's upside is high enough to make him worth a top-15 ranking among QBs. My early projections have him just behind Tom Brady and Ryan Tannehill, and I'd gladly take a chance on Burrow lighting it up as a rookie over a low-upside option like Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins, or Teddy Bridgewater.
So which players are poised for breakouts, which sleepers do you need to jump on, and which busts should you avoid at all costs in your Fantasy football league? Join SportsLine now to get early 2020 Fantasy football rankings, plus see which WR is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.