The Weekly Assist: 2020 Regular Season Fantasy Awards

As Ferris Bueller might say: The world of sports moves pretty fast...

... If you don't stop and look around at least once a week, you could miss it. In this special edition of The Weekly Assist we will award the best fantasy performers from the 2020 regular season. Now that your league has moved into the postseason, let's take a look at some of the players that helped you get there!

Most Outstanding Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers

Rodgers entered this season with questions looming over him, even after leading his team to the NFC Championship in 2019. Coming off three consecutive seasons (one cut short due to injury) where he failed to throw for more than 26 touchdowns led most of us to think his illustrious career was on the downtrend.

Another year in the Matt LaFleur offense seemed to be just what the Packers and Rodgers needed to live up to the expectations that came along with the coaching hire. LaFleur has found the right balance to maximize Rodgers' talents while keeping his talented back, Aaron Jones, involved in both the run and pass game.

The result has been one of Rodgers' best seasons as he's first in passing touchdowns (39) and in QBR (84.8). In fantasy football, touchdowns are king, and nobody has been more efficient at producing them from the QB position this year than A-A-Ron and for that reason he takes home Most Outstanding Quarterback for the 2020 regular fantasy season.

Like-A-Rock Award for Best Performance from a Running Back

Derrick Henry Tennessee Titans

When you lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns you're going to be in consideration for this award. But when you do it with the panache and physicality that we've seen Derrick Henry run with this season, he embodies the phrase "like a rock". If not for missing a few games due to injury this season we may be talking about Dalvin Cook here instead, but Henry has been the catalyst for the Titans' success this season and likely for his fantasy owners.

Even when Ryan Tannehill and the passing game struggled, Henry seems to be slump-proof. Henry has amassed eight 100 yard rushing games including two games over 200 yards. His 14 touchdowns is tied with Dalvin Cook for the league lead, but Henry also projects to be a better player for his fantasy teams through the fantasy playoffs.

Henry may not be the prototypical modern day fantasy running back that catches balls out of the backfield, but he is nearly unstoppable in the open field, and up until now we have no evidence to prove that he is not the Terminator. Unfortunately for opposing NFL teams and fantasy managers that don't have Derrick Henry, in 2021 he will be back.

J.P. Prewitt Award (Best Hands *Zoolander Reference*) Wide Receiver of the Year

Tyreek Hill Kansas City Chiefs

This decision was the toughest one to make on this list. Davante Adams has been just as good and just as important to his team and fantasy owners. Both benefit from having excellent quarterbacks and strong running games to support them. But the deciding differentiating factor between them in choosing a winner is the blinding speed that Hill possesses and the way that it can alter the outcomes of games.

We have seen Kansas City struggle to get their offense going in a few games this season, but Hill is always the guy that Patrick Mahomes will look to when they need a big play. Trying to keep the Cheetah in front of you is nearly impossible so don't even waste your time trying to game plan for him.

Hill is only ranked 14th in receptions with 77 but he's fourth in receiving yards (1,158) and tied for the league lead in touchdowns with 14. Considering how much more he's able to do with less catches, it's hard to argue that he isn't the most dangerous player in the league with the ball in his hands. As long as Patrick Mahomes is throwing him the ball, Hill is a walking touchdown waiting to happen. Hill's Week 12 performance against the Buccaneers is the highlight of his season as he posted 269 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 13 catches.

The Tony *Gonzalez* Award for Best Supporting Role in an Offense

Travis Kelce Kansas City Chiefs

Kelce currently leads the league in receiving yards. A tight end has never finished the season as the league's leader in that category. It seems like foregone conclusion that Kelce will become the first to accomplish that feat. Over his last six games Kelce either has had 100 yards receiving or a touchdown in five of them.

Kelce is one of the most consistent players on a week to week basis because he's Patrick Mahomes' favorite target. A former quarterback, Kelce has the advantage of seeing the field from a QB's perspective which is likely why you always see him open in the passing game.

There are a few players in the league we consider to be at the top of their positions, but none have distanced themselves from their nearest competition in quite the same way we've seen Kelce do it at the tight end position. The only other player considered here was Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders, but the statistical advantage that Travis Kelce held was too big to ignore.

Just like in most of the Chiefs' regular season games, Travis Kelce won this one by a landslide.