-2022 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2022 Draft Kit
Rhamondre Stevenson experienced a very successful rookie season that should not be overlooked. After fully escaping the Bill Belichick doghouse in Week 9, Stevenson earned top grades across the board. He was PFF's third-highest graded running back (84.2). Stevenson also ranked 13th in rushing yards and in yards per route run (1.41). For fantasy, the rookie running back was the RB25 in total points scored, eight spots behind his backfield teammate Harris. There's a high ceiling for Stevenson, especially if you ask former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich. The ESPN analyst went as far as saying that Stevenson "...will be one of the better, if not one of the top three, running backs in the league based on what I saw with his strength, explosion and catch-and-run ability."
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.
Evans will compete for playing time this summer, but his specialty seems to be working in passing-down situations. Of the 91 snaps he played in 2021, 72 were pass plays and he had a touch on 32 total plays (15 receptions). Unless he's the clear third-down running back for the Bengals, he should only be rostered as a hopeful long-term play in Dynasty leagues.
A Cleveland scout said Demetric Felton will focus on running back in 2022, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.Felton was dubbed a hybrid back when he was selected in the 2021 Draft, capable of playing running back or wide receiver, but he spent most of time in the receivers' room as a rookie. It's unclear what shape Felton's role will take in 2022. He was one of the Cleveland Browns' primary returners last season, but Cleveland added Jakeem Grant for both punt and kick returns this offseason, and the selection of running back Jerome Ford in the fifth round adds to a crowded backfield.
If there is any running back that could potentially de-throne Derrick Henry as the poster child for the "volume is king" mantra, it's Najee Harris. The Steelers rookie running back managed a league-leading 381 touches in 2021, and finished as the RB4 in half-point scoring as a result. The volume he is going to see in 2022 will ensure he is one of the safest running backs available in fantasy football. Still, the issue with Harris pertains to his true upside potential in an potentially capped offense led by a rookie quarterback. An immobile Ben Roethlisberger was a check-down target machine to Harris in 2021 which may not be the case in 2022. And despite all of his total raw touches, Harris only saw 37 touches (22nd) in the red zone and scored six red-zone touchdowns.
Travis Etienne Jr. was a standout college football running back for the Clemson Tigers from 2017 to 2020 and was selected by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft -25th overall. However, his rookie season was cut short by a preseason Lisfranc injury. Some NFL personnel reported that Etienne could have come back towards the end of the year had the Jaguars been in playoff contention instead of being the league's laughing stock. Etienne is expected to be fully cleared by training camp, giving him a leg up on the RB1 role as the Jacksonville Jaguars install a new offense under new head coach Doug Pederson. With James Robinson attempting to come back from a torn Achilles injury suffered on December 26th, Etienne figures to be the featured back during this spring/summer. Do not forget what this guy did at Clemson with Trevor Lawrence (QB - JAC) as his quarterback. During his final season as a Clemson Tiger, he led the country in receiving yards and ranked second in receptions among running backs. Etienne also racked up the most rushing attempts of 20-plus yards (40) from 2018 to 2019 while only carrying the ball 20-plus times once since 2018.
Running back Melvin Gordon signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos, ultimately halting the Javonte Williams 2022 breakout season. The idea of Williams playing a three-down role was salivating, but Gordon's return should not be overlooked after a seriously underrated 2021 campaign. MG3's return definitely hurts Williams' top-tier fantasy ceiling. He's going to split work with another capable back in Gordon which is exactly what new head coach Nathaniel Hackett desires and spoke on at the NFL owners meeting in March. However, keep in mind that Williams finished 13th in touches last season (246, 14.6 per game) and would be the favorite to take another step forward in the passing game - Aaron Jones-esque - after finishing as one of two rookie RBs inside the top-15 in route participation in 2021: Najee Harris (first) and Javonte Williams (13th). Williams falls just out of the fantasy RB1 conversation for me in redraft and best ball, but he's right on the cusp. I don't think he can be ranked worse than RB15 considering that's where he finished as a rookie amid a split workload in a much worse offensive environment.
Brightwell will be competing to earn the backup role behind Saquon Barkley. If it appears Brightwell is winning that battle, he becomes a worthwhile pick in the double-digit rounds of all leagues. Brightwell was mostly a special teams player as a rookie, but with Devontae Booker gone there's a possibility that Brightwell becomes relevant. There are worse places for a backup running back to be than behind Saquon Barkely, who has missed 21 games over the past three seasons.
Gainwell will likely play on passing downs for the Eagles and could have an opportunity for early downs work if Miles Sanders should get hurt again. That makes Gainwell worth a pick in the double-digit rounds in PPR leagues. Gainwell will still be just 23 years old when the season starts, so he has slightly more appeal in Dynasty leagues. The Eagles threw 23% of their passes to running backs last year, so there's room for success there even with a mobile quarterback like Jalen Hurts under center.
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.
2021 was a difficult season for Sermon. He was beat out by Elijah Mitchell and then struggled to stay healthy. But the nice thing about being in Kyle Shanahan's system is that one good offseason could change all of that. Sermon has immense upside if he could wrestle the job away from Mitchell or take over after an injury. But he also has competition from Jeff Wilson and Tyrion Davis-Price to even be the primary backup. Sermon is a late-round pick at best in redraft leagues, but a solid stash in Dynasty.
The Ravens signed Mason to a reserve/future contract Friday, Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun reports. Mason was a fifth-round pick by the Ravens in the 2021 NFL Draft but was waived in late August before spending time with the Patriots and Bears as part of their practice squads. However, he'll now have another chance to secure a role with Baltimore during the offseason.
Doaks was the Dolphins' lone running back addition in the draft or free agency. It's a poor sign for his NFL future that he could not crack this decidedly unloaded group, especially at the age of 23. The Dolphins have also waived/released LB Josh Harvey Clemons, CB Cre'Von LeBlanc, LB Benardrick McKinney, OT Adam Pankey C Matt Skura, C Cameron Tom, CB Javaris Davis, CB Tino Ellis, LB Shaquem Griffin, S Nate Holley, LB Kylan Johnson, DT Benito Jones, RB Patrick Laird, DE Jonathan Ledbetter, WR Kai Locksley, WR Khalil McClain, WR Kirk Merritt, LB Calvin Munson, TE Chris Myarick, WR Malcolm Perry, OG Durval Queiroz Neto, DE Tyshun Render, RB Jordan Scarlett, QB Reid Sinnett, DE Jason Strowbridge and FB Carl Tucker.
Rountree will compete to be the No. 2 running back for the Chargers this season behind Austin Ekeler, and Rountree could be worth a late-round flier in that role. Most likely, Rountree will compete with Joshua Kelley to be the No. 3 running back for the Chargers behind Ekeler and Isaiah Spiller. Keep an eye on what happens in training camp, and the No. 2 running back behind Ekeler could have value. However, Rountree has a lot to prove to move ahead of Spiller and possibly Kelley for that role.