This means that heading into the season, Kelce and Andrews are de facto No. Just be sure there are not any better options at WR. Fantasy Football 2023: Dynasty Rookie Rankings, 1st-Round Mock After NFL Draft . Squeezing out a Tier 2 running back from the two-hole was a close call, but I felt good about James Conner serving as a failsafe if needed (Round 3, Pick 4 ADP). Are you happier about some positions more than others? By this point, managers should know which players they really want to target in season-long drafts and which carry the biggest risks. This makes Robinson a prime sleeper candidate. Vinnie Iyer is an NFL writer at The Sporting News. Chris Raybon lays out his draft strategy and targets at every position. We're down to one week remaining in the 2022 NFL preseason. Higgins was the most likely receiver to be available to me, and I would have also been happy slightly reaching beyond ADP on a Year 3 talent with immense breakout potential plus matchups against the Buccaneers and Bills in the championship round. 7 and No. Aug 4, 2022 You just wrapped dinner and plopped down on the couch to catch up on the latest binge-worthy TV series. My expectation was waiting on running back after getting Williams, but the gift of Hall provides maximum flexibility moving forward. Kyler Murray is one spot ahead of Jackson in my tiers, but the Cardinals Week 13 bye (league playoffs) was enough to swing me to Jackson in this format. After the run, I decided to pivot back to grab one more WR. However, as the draft unfolded, my sights became fixed on. The goal is to have as much productive talent as possible, then worry about minimizing availability conflicts. Also, the middle rounds are chock-full of wide receiver talent, which should be the primary focus. 2022 Fantasy Football Draft Kit: Rankings, sleepers, strategy tips and more Taylor is a strong No. In '18, it was the Bears; in '17, it was the Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet. Brown, Mike Evans. This is logical because of the situations both face. However, he's reportedly healthy and could provide first-round value. Last year New England led the NFL in gap run concepts (72%), but there is a chance that evolves as their roster changes. However, its impossible to ignore the high-end target share that Kelce will command in the Chiefs offense after they traded Tyreek Hill. We all know the best kickers usually play for the better offensive teams, making the weekly results random from that point. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. plus matchups against the Buccaneers and Bills in the championship round. The non-first-round running backs -Joe Mixon,D'Andre Swift,Alvin Kamara,Aaron Jones,Nick Chubb,Saquon Barkley,Leonard Fournette,James Conner, Javonte Williams and Cam Akers- provide enough production for a roster's RB1 slot. Michael Carter will likely remain involved thanks to his prowess as a pass-catcher, but Hall was one of the best receiving threats in the class and has the upside to handle 60-70% of the workload as an every-down back. There's been a general philosophy at this position to either address it early or wait until much later. 1 options. This is a tried-and-true strategy that provides both an elite RB and a high-level pass-catcher to kick off the draft. , who could spend more time outside at receiver in 2022. Third is where I would start thinking about a wide receiver or Austin Ekeler. Fantasy Football Draft Strategy, Rankings for 2022: How to Target Each If you miss out on a certain tier of receivers, you think there will be more talent to choose from later. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. If a player doesn't excite you or can give you only limited help, you shouldn't take him. Meyers isnt getting enough love for a player who has already flashed WR2-level talent in PFF receiving grade and TPRR for consecutive seasons. From our Start/Sit Assistant which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections to our Waiver Wire Assistant which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much weve got you covered this fantasy football season. While no No. Introduction 2. If those QBs are available in the sixth round, I will draft them. From 2018 to 2020, in PPR scoring, wide receivers have the highest percentage of top-12 finishes (55%). I selected Claypool 13 spots ahead of ADP, but he grades out in the same tier as a few guys that go ahead of him. Snake Draft Strategy for Early Picks: No. His 20% target share ranked second-best at the position in 2021. And you can find the perfect draft strategy from each of our analysts below. Our 2022 fantasy football cheat sheet has everything you need to dominate your draft: PPR and standard rankings, sleepers, busts, draft strategy tips, tiers, mock drafts, projected auction values . Falcons select DeMarcco Hellams with the No. 224 overall NFL Draft pick Of course, there's no better way to do that than to practice drafting with our free. One of the great things about fantasy football is that the player pool is different every year, so strategies can always be tweaked. The same approach works for quarterbacks. 78d ESPN Fantasy. Having already completed more drafts than I want to admit, I have crafted my 2022 fantasy football strategy. You're making every pick count with the intent that each pick can help you win a championship. Williams possesses league-winning upside should he take over 65% of the work (51% of snaps in 2021), which may not happen out of the gate, but an eventual takeover later in the season is also in the range of outcomes. This was the most challenging draft selection I was torn between Smith and an elite quarterback. Raheem Mostert will be over 30 years old this season but was an explosive back in his time with San Francisco. Go to my 2022 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings for details. These first few picks are going to build the backbone of your roster and should be players who don't come out except during their bye weeks. 2. There are a few durable rushers at the top, but there tends to be a lot of attrition tied to both fading veterans and injuries. My preferred targets were. The goal of every fantasy football manager is to complete the perfect draft. The first round is the most important round in the draft. Marcas Grant and Michael F. Florio are back for a DRAFT RECAP bonus edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast! Starters:1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 2FLX (RB, WR, TE), 1K, 1TDST They include Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers. Kittle has an average draft position (ADP) of 40, while Schultz's ADP is 63. Targets:Courtland Sutton, Mike Williams, Jerry Jeudy and Josh Allen. You can dive into all of our content, including rankings, projections, sleepers, busts, mock drafts, strategy and opinion from our award-winning staff of fantasy football analysts in our 2022 . 2022 Two-Round Fantasy Mock 1 of 4 Colts RB Jonathan Taylor will kick off many drafts in 2022. But don't be afraid to double down at the running back position even if you already drafted a stud in Round 1. 2022 Fantasy Draft Strategy: Standard, Superflex, Half-PPR, and Full Depth Charts. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts, 2. That means you will need to pay a premium draft pick to get them, starting with Allen in the second or third round and continuing with Mahomes around the fourth round. Andrew Erickson's Perfect Fantasy Football Round-By-Round Draft 2023 fantasy football breakouts - top 10 players - ESPN and gets a matchup in Week 17 against my QB (Jackson). K: Robbie Gould. 2023 fantasy football draft rankings for PPR and non-PPR leagues - ESPN Things also can change so much at the non-QB positions that a seemingly solid bye-week fill-in on draft day is a waiver-wire afterthought come Week 6. Fantasy football draft help - The best picks for each slot in - ESPN Tight end Travis Kelce is also an option in Round 2, with his 2022 point projection just shy of Cooper Kupp. But their odds of returning value increase dramatically in the PPR-scoring format. Not having a tight end yet was a bit worrisome, but four factors helped me decide to push it another round: Targets: Okwuegbunam, Knox, Irv Smith Jr. 2022 Fantasy Football RB position preview: Which running back draft 1 pick but not perfect due to the late-season bye and lingering questions around his role in the receiving game. After those three, there is a wide second-tier that includes the likes of Darren Waller, George Kittle, Dallas Goedert and Dalton Schultz. With running back becoming even deeper this year, you should take a receiver somewhere before the mid-third round. There is a lot of randomness with kickers, so I tend to take one tied to a good offense. If you don't believe that McCaffrey can stay healthy for a full season, trust your gut and pick another player. Draft the highest-ranked wide receiver from the next tier, which could include Tee Higgins, Keenan Allen, Michael Pittman Jr.and Mike Williams. 2023 Projections. It's fine, though, to draft a starter from a different team for the same purpose if the opportunity is there. When it comes to tight end, if I miss out on Pitts, I tend to wait until we get close to the double-digit rounds to take one. Round 1 (Pick 2): McCaffrey is the grand wild card of the entire 2022 fantasy football draft. You are also able to find backs like James Conner, Travis Etienne, Breece Hall and Ezekiel Elliott in the third or fourth rounds. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Expect Allen, Herbert and Mahomes to go earlier than expected in many drafts. Running Back Draft Strategy: 2022 Fantasy | Fantasy News - RotoBaller Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10. I include Cam Akers and J.K. Dobbins in that bunch, but there is enough upside to justify drafting them. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The explosive playmaker flashed immense potential in his first two seasons before his 338 PPR points (WR3) in 2021. There isn't likely to be a huge gap in production between them, so there's no need to overdraft a second-tier tight end. Advance rate ranking. However, as the draft unfolded, my sights became fixed on George Kittle and Hall, who were sliding past their ADPs of 31 and 35, respectively. From 2018 to 2020, in PPR scoring, wide receivers have the highest percentage of top-12 finishes (55%). With this strategy, fantasy players want to draft a running back with their first-round pick. With the depth at WR, it's easy to become complacent while drafting. (David Berding/Getty Images), Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, There's a wide second tier of TEs that includes Dallas' Dalton Schultz. The key here is knowing your tiers across positions. Grabbing one of the last tight ends in Tier 1C was a priority, but Team 4 (@Hilow) sniped Gronkowski right in front of me, causing me to shift my focus back to WR and RB. If you can get all three early to have a loaded wide receiver corps, you would do it. The last piece of draft advice I would give is that with there being more changes and unknowns than ever, it could be a good idea to avoid as much unknown as possible. Make sure you have done enough to hedge your bets and land a few lottery tickets. You must be strong at the flex, and tight ends matter more than ever. Perfect Fantasy Football Draft Strategy (2022) | FantasyPros Solidifying running backs in Rounds 1 and 2 also helps you avoid reaching on running backs in the upcoming RB Dead Zone, where your primary focus should be pounding WRs poised for significant leaps in 2022. It's a year-round game that allows fantasy players so many ways to build their team into a contender. TE: Albert Okwuegbunam, Irv Smith Jr. Scoring:PPR for all positions except TE, which receive an additional .5 per reception Keep in mind, many of those RBs don't need to be drafted in Round 2. Considering Swift only earned 26 red-zone touches last season - outside the top 30 - there's room for his touchdown potential to grow. Tier-Based Draft Strategy (2022 Fantasy Football) | FantasyPros This is less so the move in half-PPR formats because receivers cant make up ground versus running backs as easily without being rewarded a full point per reception. With NFL+, stay connected throughout the rest of the NFL offseason with special content from Training Camp, Hall of Fame, and more! Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images), Colts RB Jonathan Taylor will kick off many drafts in 2022. Robbie Gould wasnt my primary option, but Team 11 accidentally took a second kicker. Get Chris Raybon's latest rankings in our 2022 Fantasy Draft Kit, which is part of our PRO subscription. 2 option in the passing game is Smith, and I am thankful I pulled the trigger. Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts are in the top tier because they are their teams' top targets ahead of wide receivers and also centerpieces for their respective offenses. With Adam Thielen heading into his age-32 season and declining across YPRR and TPRR data points, there is a chance the No. You can get fortunate with the next Cowboys, Rams, Patriots, Bears, or Jaguars, but wait everyone out to try to get that unit. The fourth-round pick is an exceptional inside and outside zone runner and the Patriots are without a fullback for the first time since 2013. So, if there is already a high chance a player will be cut, why not at least use that spot to see if you can hit a home run. So get your studs early and wait till the later rounds to take shots on backs in ambiguous backfields. Players with boom-or-bust potential should be saved for the middle rounds. The Broncos will use plenty of heavy personnel groups with their new running game in 2022 under Nathaniel Hackett, which could restrict Jeudys routes. That trend continued in 2021, when seven of the top-12 overall finishers (58%) were WRs, with six finishing top-eight. Looking back, I could have waited and landed the Jackson arbitrage play in Jalen Hurts in the eighth to pair with Smith. Hall was a slam-dunk selection for the squad as the 22nd back off the board at pick 47. Draft positioning via FantasyPros. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers, 8. . 2 option in the passing game is Smith, and I am thankful I pulled the trigger. That gets you ahead of the mad dash to get the D/ST everyone is recommending on the waiver wire. Injuries are inevitable, and they're hard (some would say closer to. Does it matter that CeeDee Lamb, Deebo Samuel and Diontae Johnson are all off in Week 9? This approach makes staying fluid and flexible for the next few rounds much easier. The fourth-round pick is an exceptional inside and outside zone runner and the Patriots are without a fullback for the first time since 2013. Allen was also in play here as value past ADP, but there are just too many quarterbacks that I love remaining on the board. This information shapes the outlook for rookies in 2023 and beyond. If you want a dominate fantasy football team in 2022, then you better be. The late rounds were where to target positional depth, potential sleepers and, of course, get your defenses and kickers. The long-awaited 2023 NFL draft is now over, . The Steelers third-year receiver still carries. Late in the draft, make sure you try to land whatever insurance you can. Lets call it a stretch goal and strive for fantasy football glory. 2, including: My co-host of the Fantasy Football Hustle, Brian Drake, jumped on the airwaves with me to record the entire draft, which you can find here. The 2022 NFL season is approaching, which means it's time to prepare for your fantasy football draft. Of course, to those in the know, they never went anywhere. The cleverly coined Superhero RB approach sets you up nicely with two locked-and-loaded studs in your two starting RB spots. Other than making sure you don't draft two QBs who are off during the same week Prescott and Lance both have byes in Week 9, for example you don't need to pay much attention here. There's always one defense that has a ridiculous season and becomes a team-lifting fantasy force. It's great to have a fourth starting-caliber RB, but you shouldn't do so at the cost of having a low-end starting receiver. 2022 Fantasy Football: My Round-by-Round Strategy - WalterFootball.com Jeudy was a backup option to Sutton, but I am beginning to lean toward Sutton because of his safer role in two-wide receiver sets. Whether its best ball or redraft fantasy football, the golden standard approach of selecting a running back with your first-round pick has not changed. So get your studs early and wait till the later rounds to take shots on backs in ambiguous backfields. This is an addendum to the previous tip. The Big three wide receiver tier Justin Jefferson, JaMarr Chaseand Cooper Kupp are strong bets to meet Round 1 production without the cost. If you only grab one, backup tight ends I like in the later rounds include Gerald Everett, Evan Engram and David Njoku. With Burks currently slotted as one of my flex options, I decided to beef up my receivers with more upside by taking Claypool. Much like in DFS, this position needs to get the boot from redraft fantasy football leagues for good, and 2022 seems like another ideal year for that kind of cancellation. Its an even better strategy in best ball formats, where waiver wire RBs cant be added to your roster once the season starts.