The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t have this problem in 2021 when it was the Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller show. There was no third target in Las Vegas that demanded Derek Carr’s attention. Nothing could be further from the truth going into the 2022 campaign – not with the acquisition of Davante Adams, who is arguably the best receiver in the NFL.
Gibson is a controversial figure in dynasty these days. He has been efficient in his first two NFL seasons after converting from wide receiver at Memphis. His Box-Adjusted Efficiency Rating was the No.11-highest mark among lead backs last year. This came in higher than those of guys like Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb. He was even more impressive in that area in 2020, with a BAE Rating of 125.0-percent.
Dalvin Cook has never played a full season, and he doesn’t necessarily need one to produce great numbers. 2021 wasn’t necessarily a bad year, averaging 15.9 (No. 9 among qualified running bacs) Fantasy Points Per Game in 13 games played. He finished with 1,159 (No. 5) rushing yards, but only scored six (No. 27) TDs. In 2020 he scored 17 times, and in 2019 he scored 13 times. Look for positive regression in the TD department next season, as well as more receptions.
2022 could be both a breakout and bounceback season for Cam Akers. While he hasn’t technically produced a great fantasy season yet, he has shown flashes of what he’s capable of. With Sony Michel gone, and a full offseason, he will look to return to form and finish as a top RB. He is the dynasty RB6 for a reason. He should be the main running back on the defending Super Bowl Champ Rams, which provides tons of upside.
In 2020, we saw Zach Ertz go from TE4 to TE31 due to injury and the emergence of Dallas Goedert. In 2021, Ertz would be traded to the Arizona Cardinals where he would become a favorite target and finish the year as TE5. Like any other year, 2022 should have some players bounce back from a poor season in 2021. Let’s take a look at five potential tight end bounceback candidates for 2022.
Have you drafted the wrong running back in the past? Are you tired of the Clyde Edwards Helaire’s of the fantasy world letting you down? Want to find yourself the next Alvin Kamara or Jonathan Taylor? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Consider this article dating advice for finding the right running back in your fantasy leagues. This article asks, what qualities make up the RB1 in fantasy football? This is part one in a series of articles that will be breaking down this topic, so stay tuned!
In order to be an RB1 in fantasy football, their Dominator Rating needs to be at least 34.0-percent. This was what Alvin Kamara’s was the year he became the RB1 in 2020. This was the lowest mark of any RB1 over the last five seasons. It’s fair to say, this is a mark any potential RB1 should be able to hit.
The Lions added Jameson Williams in the draft and D.J. Chark in free agency. Two excellent options to pair with Amon-Ra St. Brown, T.J. Hockenson, and D’Andre Swift. Look for Jared Goff to utilize his weapons in year 2 with the Dan Campbell Lions. And for some added entertainment this offseason, watch Hard Knocks which will follow the Lions this year.
Russell Wilson has only missed three games in his career, all in 2021 due to the tendon rupture. Providing that heals, he should have no setbacks in 2022. He is even more valuable in fantasy due to his ability to scramble for extra yards. He has averaged over 20.0 Fantasy Points Per Game in five different seasons, look for him to do it again next season. It’s possible the Matthew Stafford/Tom Brady trend continues with Wilson just as much as it does Matt Ryan.
No less than three league-winning wide receivers emerged from ambiguous situations in 2021. You won’t have trouble naming them. Cooper Kupp, Ja’Marr Chase and Deebo Samuel all recorded top-5 fantasy seasons in 2021 and ascended to wide receiver royalty. They all came from truly ambiguous WR situations: 2021 was just one season. But over the last six, trends have developed which have implications for fantasy WRs in the future. More top-scoring players will emerge from ambiguous WR situations in 2022 and beyond.
The rookie hype is real in fantasy, but the hype is well-founded. The NFL is enamored with rookie wide receivers, too. There were 17 wide receivers taken in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL draft, tied with 1994 and 2007 for most rookie WRs drafted in the first three rounds ever. Fantasy drafting is all about finding edges. Many fantasy managers move away from ambiguity because they equate it with uncertainty. Actually drafting wide receivers from ambiguous situations is a surer thing than seemingly more certain situations. Move toward ambiguity when drafting receivers!
The Indianapolis Colts were on the run-heaviest teams in the NFL last season. Their 499 carries were good for No. 5 in the league and 47 more than league average. A presumed quarterback upgrade from the departed Carson Wentz to the newly acquired Matt Ryan could mean more passing volume in the year ahead, but the strength of this Colts team is their dominant running game. We shouldn’t expect that to go away in 2022.
Continue drafting Jonathan Taylor as an elite RB1 and don’t stress over identifying his handcuff. That role probably doesn’t exist behind him in the same way that it does behind other workhorses like Dalvin Cook and David Montgomery. There just isn’t a player in this backfield with the clear talent to step in and command a three-down role. If you simply must, there are worse at-cost investments than taking a late shot on D’Vonte Price.
The Giants have brought in former Bills Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll to replace Joe Judge. Expectations are that the offense will improve under the new head coach, and that Daniel Jones will finally tap into his potential. If that happens, Kenny Golladay should definitely improve and at least average double-digit Fantasy Points Per Game like he has three times before in his career. This is a guy who scored 11 TDs in 2019, and it would be a surprise if he doesn’t at least get one in 2022.
Allen Robinson has had Blake Bortles, Chad Henne, Mitchell Trubisky, and Justin Fields as his quarterbacks and still, he’s had two top 10 seasons under his belt. Robinson has had four years with over 150 targets, an amount possible, but unlikely to get next year. Matthew Stafford threw the ball 601 times, and I don’t see why he’d throw the ball less next season. In fact, Stafford’s production could very well go up in Year 2 with the Rams as he is now fully adjusted to the system. Assuming he stays healthy and Beckham doesn’t return to LA, 2022 should be a great bounceback season for Robinson.
Drake London is a large target with 95th-percentile arm length, benefitting him for contested targets. He also boasts an 18.1 (99th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Breakout Age and 34.9 (69th-percentile) College Dominator Rating, a similar mix of Breakout Age and College Dominator Rating to Donte Moncrief, Sammy Watkins, and DeAndre Hopkins. Atlanta’s QB situation will be the primary thing to hold him back.
The Titans swapped out A.J. Brown for Treylon Burks during the draft, adding the Arkansas product to a team expected to contend. The Titans are looking for a new physical WR1, and with Robert Woods getting older, Burks is next up. With Derrick Henry in the backfield, Burks may not see as much pass volume as guys like Drake London or Jameson Williams. Still, he has a physical profile and clear path to being the WR1 on his own team, giving him a strong case to be the rookie WR1.
