-2022 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2022 Draft Kit
The Baltimore Ravens traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, opening the WR1 role on offense. Bateman has the opportunity to step in and be the true No. 1 wide receiver for Lamar Jackson (QB - BAL) in 2022 and beyond. With Brown's 23% target share departure, Bateman can seize a massive role for fantasy as a high-end WR2. 2022 is Shoddy B breakout SZN.
Ja'Marr Chase broke Justin Jefferson's record for most receiving yards by a rookie, finishing 2021 as the WR5 in fantasy points per game and the WR22 in expected fantasy points per game. Only Deebo Samuel scored more fantasy points above expectation (+74.3) than Chase - a testament to his home-run hitting ability. Chase's 18.0 yards per reception ranked second-best in the NFL behind only Samuel. The Bengals wide receivers' dominance continued in the postseason with back-to-back 100-yard games in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Chase commanded a 27% target share when it mattered most during postseason play, a 5% increase from his regular season target share.
Nico Collins commanded end-zone targets and high air-yard throws in 2021 but ultimately never put together a true breakout game. He finished behind Brandin Cooks in air yards and all other receiving categories. Still, he should open the 2022 season at worst as the de facto No. 2 option - if John Metchie is not fully back from his torn ACL - for up-and-coming second-year quarterback Davis Mills.
Fehoko can be ignored in all leagues until a path towards Fantasy relevance presents itself.
Milne can be ignored in all Fantasy Football leagues until a path towards Fantasy relevance presents itself.
Amon-Ra St. Brown cannot be denied. The Day 3 rookie silenced the doubters with an incredible hot streak down the stretch for the Detroit Lions commanding a 33% target share - 11 targets per game - en route to a WR3 PPR finish from Weeks 13-18. But the elite late-season production comes with the caveat that De'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson were not healthy. Before their injuries, ASB was an essential non-factor outside a stretch from Weeks 4-6 where he commanded a 22% target share. The Lions' rookie wide receiver was an extreme outlier as he not only finished top-50 but 21st overall; that almost never happens with fourth-round picks. The path for upside St. Brown showed last season is what we should be pursuing, but be mindful that it will likely take more injuries with first-round pick Jameson Williams and veteran D.J. Chark added to the roster this offseason.
Rondale Moore is entering his second season with a straightforward path for an expanded role in the Cardinals' offense. He flashed his potential early on for Arizona in 2021, with 182 receiving yards in his first two NFL games. But Kliff Kingsbury never opted to go back to Moore with the likes of A.J. Green and Christian Kirk playing solid roles. We should see Moore - and his dead-last 1.3 aDOT - experience significant growth in Year 2 especially with DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six weeks of the season.
Atwell struggled through his rookie season after the Rams made him a second-round pick and then ended the year on injured reserve due to shoulder surgery. There has been some talk about how good he's looked this offseason, so he's at least worth holding in most Dynasty leagues. You can ignore him in redraft unless the Rams have multiple injuries in training camp.
DeVonta Smith didn't have the record-breaking rookie seasons like Ja'Marr Chase or Jaylen Waddle, but he was still extremely solid. He finished 10th in overall team air yards share and top-20 in PFF receiving grade among WRs with at least 100 targets. So Smith's WR29 finish and WR42 standing in points per game hardly does the rookie justice while playing in a run-heavy offensive attack. From Week 7 onward, Smith never saw more than six targets in any game. I don't necessarily believe that Smith's targets per game will increase substantially after the team added A.J. Brown this offseason; that puts Smith firmly in the fantasy WR3 tier.
Until Smith finds meaningful playing time, Fantasy managers shouldn't bother adding him to rosters.
Anthony Schwartz remains in the mix for the No. 2 wide receiver spot, and the Cleveland Browns are not compelled to add a second proven veteran wideout at this time, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.The organization acquired Amari Cooper as the No. 1 receiver during the offseason and don't feel the need to add a veteran No. 2 for the sake of it. High-profile receivers like T.Y. Hilton and Will Fuller are available, but the Browns feel that either Schwartz or Donovan Peoples-Jones can fill that role. They also have David Njoku and Harrison Bryant at tight end as capable pass catchers.
Until McMath finds meaningful playing time, Fantasy managers shouldn't bother adding him to rosters.
Jaylen Waddle looked primed to make the leap into the top-12 conversation after a stellar rookie season. Along with breaking Anquan Boldin's rookie reception record, Waddle commanded a 22% target share and 24% target rate per route run - 18th-best in the NFL. But with the expensive addition of veteran Tyreek Hill, it is less likely that Waddle is the clear-cut No. 1 receiver in Miami. Hill is coming off a season where he commanded the league's seventh-highest target rate per route run (27%). The trade moves Waddle down from a fringe WR1 to mid-range fantasy WR2 after seeing almost zero target competition last season.
Eskridge will battle Freddie Swain for the No. 3 wide receiver role in Seattle. As long as DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett stay healthy, it's unlikely any other receiver in Seattle has Fantasy value. They can be ignored in redraft leagues. In Dynasty leagues, Eskridge is still a stash in most leagues due to his Round 2 pedigree and the fact that Lockett will turn 30 in December.
Brown's Fantasy value was negatively impacted by the acquisition of Jahan Dotson, but the 22-year-old still has some appeal in Dynasty leagues, where he should be stashed at least until early in the year. If Brown is the No. 3 wide receiver, he may have some best ball appeal as a deep threat. Brown can be ignored in redraft unless something happens to McLaurin or Dotson.
It's unlikely that second-year receiver Wallace finds meaningful playing time in the Ravens offense this season. Tight end Mark Andrews figures to be the top target with second-year wideout Rashod Bateman expected to be very involved. It doesn't leave much for Wallace to contribute, especially in a run-first offense like the Ravens' is. He should remain stashed on Dynasty league rosters only.
Newsome now faces a tougher battle for snaps after the Bears drafted Velus Jones, Adam Jahns of The Athletic reports. After being selected in the sixth round of the 2021 Draft, Newsome played in just three games, catching two passes for 23 yards. With the team looking to add speed to the receiver group, it added Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown in free agency along with Jones in the draft. Newsome will likely need to have an impressive training camp in order to earn significant snaps in the regular season.
The Patriots signed Nixon to a reserve/future contract Monday. Nixon joined the Patriots' practice squad at the beginning of September after failing to land a spot on their 53-man roster. He didn't join the active roster during the 2021 campaign but will remain with the organization heading into the offseason.
The second-year receiver might be fun to watch during the preseason, and Smith-Marsette legitimately could have a decent future in the NFL, but as long as Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are on the field, his chances to contribute will be slim. That keeps him as a straight-up hold in Dynasty league play.
Williams played in just two games in 2021 and finished the season with one catch for 34 yards. In two games, Williams played a total of 47 offensive snaps. The rookie wideout was waived by the Broncos in August and subsequently spent time on the team's practice squad before being signed to the active roster Jan. 3. Former head coach Vic Fangio was impressed with his performance in Week 17, earning him an active roster spot. The 21-year-old Auburn product joins a crowded wide receiver room in Denver, headlined by the team's top trio of Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. If Williams remains a member of the Broncos in 2022, he'll have an uphill battle to see meaningful playing time for fantasy purposes.
The Saints signed Baker to a reserve/future contract Monday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Baker was a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft and spent the majority of the season on the Saints' practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster for two games and played entirely on special teams. Baker will have a chance to make the Saints' active roster in 2022 with a strong showing during offseason activities and training camp.
Cornell Powell signed a reserve/future contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports. Powell spent his rookie campaign on Kansas City's practice squad after failing to make the roster out of training camp. The 2021 fifth-round pick out of Clemson has yet to make his NFL debut.
Darby barely saw the field with the offense as a sixth-round rookie in 2021, catching just one 14-yard pass all year and seeing more than one offensive snap in only two games. Now buried on the depth chart behind the team's offseason acquisitions, most notably first-round pick Drake London, Darby is not worth rostering in most Fantasy leagues to begin the season.
Elijah Moore ranked as the fantasy WR2 over his last stretch of six games played. His 16.1 fantasy points per game would have ranked fifth had he continued the production the remainder of the season. Unfortunately his season was cut short due to injuries and COVID-19 implications. The addition of Garrett Wilson makes Moore's second-year ascension less certain as he did not have much target competition during his scorching finish outside of veteran Jamison Crowder.