Le'Veon Bell Fantasy football ranking: 2020 outlook, projections, ADP, value, predictions, stats

In his prime with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Le'Veon Bell was one of the most dominant Fantasy backs of the past decade. Fantasy drafters are apparently clinging to the past, as Bell's 2020 average draft position has him as the 14th running back off the board in 2020 Fantasy drafts, in spite of a 2019 season that was riddled with red flags. Where should he be in your 2020 Fantasy football rankings, and what Le'Veon Bell Fantasy football outlook can you expect?

Bell's volume dropped dramatically in his first year playing under Adam Gase as a member of the New York Jets, particularly around the goal line. To make matters worse, Gase was quoted as saying the Jets hope to 'lessen the load' on Bell in 2020. And considering New York signed veteran Frank Gore and drafted rookie Lamical Perine in the fourth round, a further dip in volume could really be coming for Bell in 2020. Still, we saw Bell finish inside the top-three at his position in Fantasy in terms of points per game for four-straight seasons from 2014 to 2017. He's one of the most talented backs in recent NFL memory and betting against him has generally not worked out to this point in his career. 

The 2020 Le'Veon Bell Fantasy football value remains strong, as he's set for another 250-carry campaign. He's an early round candidate in most formats, but how high should he be in your 2020 Fantasy football rankings? Here's what you need to know:

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.

Le'Veon Bell Fantasy ADP & ranking (via SportsLine's projection model)

No. 28.3 ADP
No. 14 RB (non-PPR)
No. 18 RB (PPR)

Le'Veon Bell Fantasy projections (via SportsLine's projection model) 

260 rushing attempts, 890 rushing yards, 5.5 rushing touchdowns, 83 targets, 67.7 receptions, 497 receiving yards, 1.19 receiving TDS
173.9 Fantasy points (non-PPR); 241.6 (PPR)

Le'Veon Bell 2020 Fantasy outlook 

Nothing against Bell the player -- he is, of course, awesome -- but what made him so special in Fantasy in his time in Pittsburgh was his role. As soon as Bell's league-leading volume was reduced, he proved to be mortal and capable of week-to-week inconsistency just like any other Fantasy back. In his final three seasons with the Steelers, Bell averaged 22.8, 28, and 27.1 touches per game. In his first season with New York, his average dropped to 20.7, and if Gase's offseason musings carry any truth, we could see that number drop below 20 in 2020.

The drop-off in total touches is notable, but what really stands out is Bell's dip in red zone usage. Bell led the entire NFL in red zone touches in his final season with the Steelers, as Pittsburgh afforded him 63 red zone carries and 16 red zone targets. In his first season with the Jets, Bell saw just 20 carries and 11 targets from inside the red zone.

New York has just the sixth-highest implied win total for 2020, and they're projected to face the third-hardest schedule. As such, I wouldn't expect any increase in red zone opportunities for Bell while playing on what will likely be one of the lowest scoring teams in the NFL in 2020. And if his total touches come down too, Bell is going to have a difficult time even replicating last year's RB16 finish.

Bell's likelihood to pile up 60-plus catches as a member of a Jets team that will often find itself playing from behind is enough to make him an okay Fantasy pick in PPR formats, as long as you aren't selecting him as a top-15 RB. His lack of upside while playing in this offense is enough to place Bell well behind backs who have a similar ADP like Miles Sanders, Kenyan Drake, Austin Ekeler, Chris Carson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, James Conner, and David Johnson in my rankings, where he comes in as the RB21.