The National Football League (NFL) season is back as 48 million people are participating in Fantasy Football. Throughout the start of the football season, injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the fantasy football performance of nearly every player. Here is a list of players you should keep in mind as we list the Boom, Busts, Rookie, and Defensive Performances this year.

Boom: 

Josh Allen and Russel Wilson Fantasy Football owners had the chance to pick Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes for their first quarterback pick this season, many overlooked Allen who has performed extraordinarily in these few weeks. Allen was very underlooked going into the 2020 fantasy season due to his performance last year. His performance last season was mediocre an was not worthy of a place on your starting lineup. Allen has thrown for 16 touch- downs with only five interceptions as he leads the AFC east with a record of six wins and two losses. Another Fantasy Boom player is Russel Wilson. Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league but is not the one being focused on due to his expectations coming into the 2020 season. Wilson has led the Seahawks to a six win and one loss record so far this NFL season.

Bust: 

Following a promising 2019 season, Kenyan Drake entered the preseason Fantasy Football rankings as a top 10 pick. Despite high hopes, Drake has performed underwhelmingly, featured in only 57.1% of the team’s carries inside the five-yard line. Elite running backs like Drake were projected to be carrying the ball 90 to 95% of plays within the five-yard line.” This season Drake has had 119 carries for 512 yards with only four touchdowns. For the first seven weeks, Drake has been nothing but a disappointment, although, in week 6 Drake performed like he did last year with a shocking 164 yards with two touchdowns. Many wouldn’t put him as one of the worst Running backs this year, but Drake is no where near one of the top 10 running backs as he was projected to be.

Rookie:

One of the best rookie draft choices has been Joe Burrow. Burrow may not be one of the best quarterbacks this year; however, he has shown his skill in adapting to the switch from college football to the NFL. Burrow is the quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, who has one of the worst offensive lines this season. With just an average of 2.65 seconds to throw the ball once it is snapped, Burrow has thrown for 2,272 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Burrow was the Heisman Trophy winner, National champion, and the first round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He has certainly shown that he is comfortable in the NFL as he set a new record for throwing for over 300 yards, three games in a row as a rookie. Another rookie that has taken the league by storm is Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings. Out of Louisiana State University (LSU), Jefferson is one of the league’s top receivers. Recording 31 receptions for 563 yards and three touchdowns in just five games. Additionally, Jefferson ranks fourth in the NFL in average yards per reception at 18.2 yards, meaning he averages the fourth highest amount of yardage per catch. As a young talent, Jefferson compliments the Vikings receiving core of Adam Theilen and Dalvin Cook near perfectly.

Defense:

In years past, Fantasy Football defenses have been dominated by teams like the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos. Although those teams pose defensive threats this season, none come close to the power house of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Leading the Steelers defense with six and a half sacks is T.J. Watt, followed by Bud Dupree and Stephon Tuitt with six sacks. Their defensive depth is unmatched in nearly every category. As a team the Steelers have totaled 30 sacks through seven games and have a plus five turnover ratio. If you looking for a new defense, consider trading for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

Breakout:

Going into the 2020 Fantasy Football drafts for many, Christian McCaffrey was pick number one or two overall in the running back position. Although McCaffery was injured, which had put him on Injured Reserved for four to six weeks, Mike Davis took on the role of replacing McCafferey. Davis has jumped from being a backup to being on the top ten list for Running Backs thus far. Many Fantasy owners picked Davis up on their teams off of waivers. Despite his excellent play so far, McCafferey is looking to make his return from Injury Reserve and to his starting position. Davis has proven to be a strong backup and potential starter in the free agency market. Davis has collected 594 total yards, 38 receptions, and three touchdowns making him a break- out player for 2020.