ESPN has revealed its prediction for the top 100 players of the upcoming 2020 NFL season. Only two Detroit Lions made the cut: Matthew Stafford and Kenny Golladay.
Stafford is the top Lion, as expected. The longtime franchise QB checks in at No. 52 overall. His outstanding first eight games of 2019, before he injured his back for the second season in a row, and the promise of playing in Darrell Bevell’s offense for another year have the analysts at ESPN giddy over Stafford’s potential. As Mike Rothstein notes,
Darrell Bevell’s offense, which allows Stafford to use his arm strength for downfield throws, and Stafford’s better decision-making, honed from his years with Jim Caldwell, set the veteran QB up perfectly for a big year.
One of Stafford’s primary targets, Golladay makes an appearance at No. 76 overall. The NFL’s reigning TD receptions leader is looking to build upon a year where he proved himself one of the league’s preeminent downfield weapons,
Thirty-four percent of Golladay’s receptions gained 20-plus yards in 2019, the best rate among 71 players who recorded 50-plus catches.
A full season with Stafford at the helm in Bevell’s offense could launch Golladay well above the 76th ranking prediction here.
Four teams, the Jets, Football Team, Dolphins and Bengals, did not land a single player on the top 100 list.
