-2022 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2022 Draft Kit
Tony Pollard is coming off a career-high in rushing attempts (130) and targets (46). Pollard was one of the most efficient running backs in the NFL. Last season he was fourth in yards after contact per attempt behind only Rashaad Penny, Nick Chubb, and Jonathan Taylor (minimum 100 carries, per PFF). He was also first in yards per route run at the position. Pollard offers stand-alone RB3 production as he was the RB30 in fantasy points per game last season. If anything happens to Ezekiell Elliott, Pollard has league-winning upside.
Prior to the NFL Draft, you could have made the case for Carter as a breakout Fantasy option this year. He showed flashes of being a standout running back as a rookie in 2021, scoring at least 13 PPR points in five of his final 10 games. But the Jets decided to select Breece Hall in the second round of the NFL Draft, and it's clear Carter's role will be reduced. To what extent we don't know, but Hall should end up as the lead running back for the Jets. Carter could be relegated to passing downs work or just spelling Hall at times each week. Keep an eye on what happens in training camp, but Carter is now worth drafting after Round 10 in most formats. If Hall misses any time then Carter could be a Fantasy star, but if Hall is healthy it could be a rough season for Carter in a secondary role.
Until Nwangwu finds meaningful playing time, Fantasy managers shouldn't bother adding him to rosters.
Elijah Mitchell ran away with the job last season en route to finishing as the RB14 in fantasy points per game. He was third in opportunity share, but his underlying rushing metrics were a lackluster ball of meh. He was 36th in juke rate, 30th in breakaway run rate, and 34th in yards created per touch. With his 7.0% target share and 25th ranking in route participation, he doesn't have the pass game usage to save him if the rushing volume and efficiency aren't there. It's still possible that the 49ers roll it back in 2022 with him as the primary rusher, though, as long as he doesn't face plant in camp.
Williams was a very productive college back who fell in the NFL Draft due to poor testing and measurements at the combine. He's likely to begin the year third behind both Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, but that duo has missed a combined 25 games due to injury over the past two seasons, so an opportunity could absolutely present itself. Williams should only be drafted in deep redraft leagues, but he's worth a look in Round 3 or 4 of rookie-only drafts.
Nyheim Hines posted career-lows across the receiving board in 2021, but there's hope that with a new quarterback under center that he can bounce back in 2022. No passer targeted running backs more than new Colts quarterback Matt Ryan did in 2021 - 8.6 targets per game. Bodes well for Hines to provide more usable weeks like he did in 2020. That year, Hines finished as RB18 in PPR scoring.
Buffalo invested second round draft capital into a rookie James Cook this offseason, but that's no reason to totally write off last year's starting tailback Devin Singletary. The fourth-year back was unleashed down the stretch for the Bills, finishing as the RB3 in PPR scoring over the final six weeks of the season - 17 fantasy points per game. He gained the coaching staff's trust by earning 54-plus snaps to close out the season, the highest snap number Singletary saw all season dating back to Week 1. Buffalo also didn't let off the Motor Singletary when the team hit the playoffs, with the RB1 averaging nearly 20 fantasy points per game from the Wild Card Round through the Divisonal Round. With a proven track record and two years of bell-cow back usage in spurts, don't be surprised when PFF's fourth-ranked running back in rushes of 15-plus yards and seventh-ranked player in forced missed tackles in 2021 is the highly sought-after RB breakout that emerges from a high-octane ambiguous backfield.
Miles Sanders opened the year playing 60-83% of snaps in the first six games but only averaging 9.5 rushing attempts per game. He did see 3.8 targets per game. He then sustained an ankle injury that landed him on the injured reserve. When he returned from the ankle injury, he was the Eagles' clear lead back (Weeks 11-15), averaging 16.8 carries per game, although his pass game usage dried up (1.8 targets per game). Despite seeing 23 touches inside the 20, he failed to get into the endzone in 2021. While Sanders will see touchdown regression this season, he will still have to deal with Jalen Hurts near the goal line and the looming specters of Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell. He could return RB2 production this season, but there's the risk with his injury history and how high-value touches could be divided up in 2022.