CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 04: Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson (30) carries the ball during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals on October 4, 2020, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) 2020 Fantasy Football RB Awards
2020 Fantasy Football RB Awards
Hello Heat Seekers, welcome to episode 122 of Sully’s 2 Cents Fantasy Football Podcast. I am your host, Rob Sullivan. The Sully’s 2 Cents Fantasy Football Podcast is a proud member of the RotoHeat Family of podcasts.
In episode 122, I picking up my four-part series, recapping the fantasy season. Each episode will cover one of the four skills positions. Episode 2 covers the Running Back position.
I will give you Sully’s MVP, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player, Breakout and Bust for each position. For the Dynasty fantasy managers, I provide a buy and a sell at each position as well.
Running Backs
MVP: Alvin Kamara – New Orleans Saints
I had some internal debate on this one. I could have made an argument for Dalvin Cook, and certainly for Derrick Henry as well. In the end I went with Kamara. In the first 11 weeks of the season, Alvin Kamara was a top 12 RB in every week. It wasn’t until week 12 that he fell out of the top 12.
In the first 11 weeks of the season, he was the RB1 averaging 25.69 PPR points a game, 15.60 points clear of RB2 Dalvin Cook, and 82.80 clear of RB3 Derrick Henry.
In Week 14, Kamara was RB9, Henry was RB1, and Cook was RB11. Week 15 Kamara was RB16, Henry was RB5, and Cook was RB3.
The fantasy playoffs clinched this for me, in weeks 14-16, Alvin Kamara was the RB1, Henry the RB3, and Cook RB5. All were great, but in Week 16 Kamara exploded for 56.20 points and was the runaway RB1, in the most important week of the season. Cook was RB15, and Henry slumped to RB31.
Overall, on the season, including Week 17, Kamara was RB1 with 377.80 PPR points, followed by Dalvin Cook with 337.80, and Derrick henry rounded out the top 3 with 333.1 points. You were happy to have any of these backs on your fantasy roster, but it was Kamara that from start to finish gave you the best week in week out chance of winning.
Rookie of the Year: James Robinson – Jacksonville Jaguars
For a few moments I debated if Johnathan Taylor belonged here. I quickly ruled him out when looking at the duration of the 17 week (16 game) schedule.
James Robinson delivered you 14 double digit PPR fantasy days in 2020. The only weeks he did not were weeks that he wasn’t in the lineup. Robinson missed the last two weeks of the season with a high ankle sprain.
Taylor who ended up with more fantasy points (if you include week 17) posted 11 double digit weeks. It is the weeks where he failed to delivery that are costly. Week 8 – 5.40, Week 9- 9.4, and week 10 -5.70 PPR points when you are fighting for a playoff spot is tough to swallow.
The defining factor in my decision process here is acquisition cost. Jonathan Taylor had a consensus ADP of RB20 and pick 45 overall. If you wanted JT on your roster in 2020, he cost you a fourth-round pick. Taking him at 45 you took him over Robert Woods, Keenan Allen, and DK Metcalf.
James Robinson on the other hand was a waiver wire pick-up.
