The NFL season is just a couple months away, and for most people it’s time to start researching for their draft. Lucky for you, we do the research all year round and are proud to present you with our 2022 fantasy football rankings.
Below you fill find a comprehensive breakdown of the top three players at each position. Keep in mind that this article, like most fantasy content, is subjective. These rankings are based on a number of factors and are not limited to a player’s performance last season.
Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
A combination of passing and rushing upside brought Josh Allen to the top of the total fantasy point leaderboard last season. Allen has placed #1 at his position in the past two seasons, not to mention a sixth place ranking in 2019. It’s time to start viewing the 26 year-old as one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league.
Josh Allen threw for 4407 yards with 36 TDs, 15 INTs, and a 63.3% completion percentage last season. He led the Bills to a third consecutive playoffs while being the #2 rusher on the team.The most promising aspect regarding Josh Allen is that he managed to back-up his breakout season (2020) by posting a very similar stat line in 2021. He’s here to stay and do damage throughout the upcoming season.
I view Allen as a top priority at the QB position this season, mainly due to his consistency and rushing potential. He’ll be targeting the reliable Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and newcomer Jamison Crowder at the receiver position, all while giving plenty of looks to the TE Dawson Knox.
Justin Herbert – Los Angeles Chargers
Despite not having the same playoff success as young quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Mac Jones, Justin Herbert has rather quietly become one of the best fantasy quarterbacks. He ranked #2 in fantasy production amongst QBs in 2021 with a 23.3 FPPG average. Herbert is an appealing option primarily because of the elite receivers at his disposal. This paired with his athletic, pocket-passer type of play is a recipe for high scoring.
Herbert was one of two quarterbacks to throw for over 5,000 yards last season, Tom Brady being the other. He threw for 38 TDs, 15 INTs, while maintaining a solid 65.9% completion percentage. Although he doesn’t have as much rushing upside as Josh Allen, he still managed to put up 302 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. His large, athletic physique makes him a QB sneak threat anytime the offense is on the goal line.
Justin Herbert’s primary targets will be Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler out of the back field. Young talents like Josh Palmer and Jalen Guyton will also receive some looks. I fully expect Herbert to take advantage of his stacked receiving core and post another elite fantasy season.
Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes spearheads the next generation of elite quarterbacks. The Chiefs’ play caller has had a stranglehold on NFL fans and fantasy gamers since his Super Bowl season in 2019-2020. Mahomes has made the playoffs every year since he’s entered the league, thus solidifying himself as one of the best QB options.
I carefully considered Mahomes’ place on this list because of the offseason transactions the Chiefs have made. Tyreek Hill is no longer with Kansas City, so Mahomes no longer has the luxury of checking down to the fastest player in the league. Byron Pringle was also traded, so Patrick will see some new targets in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Luckily, the difference in talent between this years and last years receiving core is not substantial.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 4,839 yards with 37 TDs, 13 INTs, and a 66.3% completion percentage. Despite being more of a pocket passer, he’s also very mobile – indicated by his 381 rushing yards on 66 attempts last season. All in all, Mahomes has proven his worth in the league, and he’s extremely comfortable in Andy Reid’s offense. Consider him a high priority QB1 for this upcoming season.
Runningbacks
Jonathan Taylor – Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor led fantasy scoring amongst RBs in all scoring formats. He was truly a workhorse last season as the Colts relied on the run-game for most of their offensive production. The Colts signed veteran QB Matt Ryan in the offseason, and there’s a good chance he’ll be adapting to Frank Reich’s run-heavy offense. I expect Matt Ryan to be feeding Taylor and checking down often as he gets a feel for the offense.
Jonathan Taylor rushed for 1,811 yards with 18 touchdowns last season. This paired with his 360 receiving yards put him over 2,000 scrimmage yards on the season. Taylor’s high usage rate paired with his scoring upside make him an ideal RB1 option, but it’ll still be important to watch how he progresses with a new starting quarterback.
Austin Ekeler – Los Angeles Chargers
LA’s Austin Ekeler ranked 60 fantasy points below Jonathan Taylor in terms of overall scoring amongst RBs. It’s important to realize that Jonathan Taylor had a season that was likely within the 98th-99th percentile, so don’t be fooled by the large gap in performance. Ekeler’s upside as a pass catcher is hard to beat at the running back position, highlighted by his 647 yards on 70 receptions and 8 TDs last season. If you’re playing full point PPR, Ekeler is tough to pass up.
Ekeler is also interesting because he seems to have gotten better each year he’s been in the league. He’s often regarded as the hardest working player in the NFL, so it makes me wonder if last year was just a tease of the greatness that’s to come. This is all speculation of course, but Ekeler has the potential for a 2,000+ yard season when you tally the stats he’s flashed in the past. He certainly remains a high upside fantasy option, especially paired with Justin Herbert as his quarterback.
Najee Harris – Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement might prove to be the best thing for Najee Harris. The former Alabama standout was a top fantasy option last season solely due to the number of attempts he saw per game. It’s likely that a few different quarterbacks will start for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, and that makes Najee Harris all the more favorable if the QB situation goes south.
Harris ranked fourth in fantasy scoring and fourth in rushing last season. Although he only rushed for 7 touchdowns last season, he added 3 TDs through the air while recording an impressive 74 receptions. His 1,647 total scrimmage yards ranked second in the league, only behind Jonathan Taylor.
Najee’s been a workhorse since his days at Alabama, and this was backed up by his 18 carries / 5.5 targets per game last season. Despite being in a favorable situation with Ben Roethlisberger, he’s still sitting pretty with a multi-quarterback rotation this season. Look for Najee Harris to produce another great fantasy season, primarily in PPR formats.
Wide Receivers
Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have made some moves at wide receiver throughout the offseason, but it’s impossible not to mention Cooper Kupp. Kupp was widely considered the gold standard in fantasy football last season, and rightfully so. His 25.9 FPPG led all NFL players in fantasy scoring and his 145 receptions led the way by a wide margin.
The Rams added former Bears WR Allen Robinson II to their roster – a talented receiver who ranked 6th in contested catches last season. Despite the added firepower, Cooper Kupp seems to be the right hand man of Matthew Stafford. He will likely play the same slot receiver role while Robinson and Van Jefferson act as the deep ball threats.
It would be a stretch to sit here and say Cooper Kupp will have a similar season to last year’s, but it’s certainly not out of reach. The sheer number of targets he gets makes him a high upside option in every game. I expect the chemistry to remain good between Kupp and Stafford, thus resulting in an elite fantasy season (especially in PPR leagues).
Davante Adams – Las Vegas Raiders
The former Green Bay Packers WR might go through a bit of a culture shock on his new team, but that doesn’t change his place as one of the best in the league. Davante Adams will play alongside the veteran Derek Carr this season in what looks like a great pairing on paper. Carr is a pass-heavy QB who ranked #5 in passing yards last season. He’s thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of his last four seasons while maintaining an elite completion percentage.
Davante Adams recorded 1,553 yards on 123 receptions last season. He was targeted a staggering 169 times and scored 11 touchdowns. Considering Carr had a personal best 626 pass attempts last season, this seems like a match made in heaven.
The Raiders are in a situation where they’re looking to bounce back from a series of unfortunate events. A key aspect of bouncing back, in this case, is good chemistry between Adams and Carr. Targets will likely be spread out amongst Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, and Davante Adams, but expect Adams to garner most of the attention.
Ja’Marr Chase – Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow’s former teammate and good friend Ja’Marr Chase lit up the league in his first season. The offensive synergy between these two was a driving factor for the Bengal’s first Super Bowl appearance in decades. It’s fitting that they won a national title together at LSU prior to becoming two of the best young talents in the league.
Ja’Marr Chase ranked fourth in receiving yards last season with 1,455. Despite not having as many receptions as other elite receivers, his upside in terms of yardage cannot be overlooked. He had two games last season with over 200 receiving yards, and four with over 125. Chase also seems to find the end-zone more often than his counterparts. He caught 13 touchdowns last season and had 3 multi-TD games.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow went through appendix surgery recently, but this is a surgery most recover from in weeks. He’ll share the wealth amongst receivers Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, but Chase will likely remain his go-to target. Expect another great season from the young wideout.
Tight Ends
Mark Andrews – Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens tight end became a favorite target for Lamar Jackson last season. His 1,405 receiving yards ranked first among tight ends and the same goes for his 107 receptions. Mark Andrews is a very promising option this season considering the WRs Baltimore lost in the offseason. Marquise Brown is no longer a Raven, so that leaves Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay as the top options. There are reasons to have interest in the new rotation, but Andrews has already solidified his role and might be Lamar Jackson’s top target.
A combination of size and speed makes Andrews an offensive force. His 458 yards after the catch and 75 first downs last season show that he’s a reliable option in any scenario. I primarily like Mark Andrews as an overlooked option in PPR leagues, or as a consistent piece in daily fantasy football lineups.
Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has been top tier for several years now. He ranked second amongst TEs last season with 1,125 yards. Furthermore, Kelce hasn’t had less than 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2015. He’s a familiar face for QB Patrick Mahomes to target at any given time.
Travis Kelce brings a sort of consistency that we don’t often see from tight ends. He’s recorded over 90 receptions in each of his last four seasons, and he’s a favorable target when a first down is needed. It’s promising that he’s almost guaranteed to have a 1,000 yard season if he stays healthy, but injuries have mostly been an afterthought throughout his career.
We mentioned the Chiefs’ changes in receivers, and this is something that could shake up well for Kelce. Mahomes still has plenty of elite receivers to target but Kelce is his last remaining stud from the Super Bowl winning team. There’s no reason to expect an uptick in production from Travis Kelce, but there’s reason to believe he’ll have another solid season.
George Kittle – San Francisco 49ers
Kittle is certainly a volatile fantasy option but nonetheless one of the better TEs in the league when it comes to a large sample size of games. If you look at his game logs over the past couple seasons, you’ll notice his yards per game are very inconsistent. He’s truly boom/bust on a weekly basis but his receptions and overall upside make him a top choice in PPR leagues.
Kittle will be working alongside a new quarterback in Trey Lance. Considering how young the QB is, it’ll be interesting to see if Kittle acts as more of a blocker throughout the season. He hauled in 71 receptions for 910 yards last year which resulted in his third most productive season to date. His 6 touchdowns were a career high but he also had a career high 2 fumbles.
George Kittle faces a competitive target-share situation. He’ll be joined by Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk as the primary receivers, and there’s no telling what percentage of targets he’ll see. Despite the uncertainty, Kittle remains a top season-long fantasy option at the tight end position.
Kickers
Nick Folk – New England Patriots
The Patriots, in their current form, are a field goal heavy team. If you watched their games last season, you’ll know that they often got into FG range but failed to convert touchdowns. This is promising for Nick Folk who made 36/39 field goals for the Patriots last season. He remained perfect from 20-49 yards but only hit 5/8 field goals from 50+ yards.
New England is the type of team to grind on offense and take the points they can get. Led by second-year QB Mac Jones, the Patriots will look to make the playoffs for what seems like the billionth time under Bill Belichick. Overall, a combination of accuracy and attempts make Folk a highly considerable option this season.
Justin Tucker- Baltimore Ravens
It’s hard to pass on the guy who’s liable to break a kicking record in each game. Last season, Justin Tucker did so by nailing a 66 yard field goal to win against the Detroit Lions. His accuracy and distance capabilities are second to none in the NFL.
Tucker is a great option at kicker this season because of Baltimore’s offensive situation. The lack of elite receivers and RBs will make it more difficult for Lamar Jackson to find the endzone, thus resulting in more FG opportunities. It’s easy to speculate that Tucker will see more kicking opportunities simply because the coaching staff knows what he’s capable of. Some teams don’t have the luxury of attempting a 50+ yard field goal because they fear their kicker isn’t capable. John Harbaugh will gladly let Tucker kick if it means getting much needed points on the board.
Justin Tucker had the highest FG percentage in the league last season at 94.6%. He converted 35 of his 37 kicks and was a perfect 6/6 from 50+ yards. There’s no reason not to believe he’s the best kicker in the league.
Matt Gay – Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are coming off a Super Bowl win and returning with largely the same high-powered offense. Although they do convert a lot of touchdowns, it doesn’t have much of an impact on Matt Gay’s fantasy production. Scoring touchdowns means more extra point attempts and ultimately more fantasy points for Gay.
Matt Gay converted 32/34 field goals last season with a long of 55 yards. He was a perfect 21/21 from 20-39 yards, and only missed one of five FGs from >50 yards. His 48 extra points made ranked top 5 in the league, all while being 98% accurate. The Rams are a team that always find a way to score, so it makes sense to look to Matt Gay as a high upside kicker.
2022 Fantasy Football Sleepers
Below you will find a brief rundown of potential fantasy football sleepers for 2022. Sleeper picks will be covered in more detail at a later time, but definitely keep these options in mind.
QBs:
Tua Tagavailoa – Miami Dolphins
Tagavailoa essentially has a whole new offense at his fingertips. He’s being touted as a potential breakout QB this year despite having a lackluster 2021 season. Look for Tua’s numbers to improve substantially as he’ll have several elite receivers to target.
Jalen Hurts – Philadelphia Eagles
Hurts has flashed his fantasy upside in the past, mostly due to his rushing upside. He’s a picturesque dual-threat quarterback who’s been relatively inconsistent at times. Similar to Tua Tagavailoa, Jalen Hurts is in a situation where he has talented WRs to work with. The Eagles added A.J Brown in the offseason which should open the door for more offensive production. Look for Hurts to capitalize on a favorable offensive environment this season.
Mac Jones – New England Patriots
The former Alabama standout made a name for himself in his rookie season. This will be his second year in Bill Belichick’s system, and we know first hand how quarterbacks can develop in New England. Although his numbers weren’t astonishing, Jones still ranked #1 among rookie QBs last season. Look for him to build off a productive first season, especially now with a better understanding of the system.
RBs:
Rhamondre Stevenson – New England Patriots
Ah yes, another Patriot, and one that’s being talked up A LOT. The Patriots had a multi-man backfield last season which primarily featured Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. It’s looking like things will be the same this year, but it’s worth noting that there’s competition at the RB position.
Although Damien Harris is the projected starter, Rhamondre Stevenson can certainly steal his role. The two runningbacks showed substantial upside last season, both in terms of rushing and receiving. Stevenson will likely stay under the radar relative to his counterpart, no matter how the depth chart ends up.
Chase Edmonds – Miami Dolphins
Edmonds established himself as a major receiving threat last season. He was traded to the Dolphins in the offseason and is expected to take the starting role. Tua Tagavailoa is prone to hitting short routes and Edmonds can benefit greatly from this.
The Miami Dolphins have an interesting offense from a game theory perspective. Tyreek Hill’s speed will draw defenders to his deep routes which creates more space for Jaylen Waddle and Edmonds in the flats. These factors, while not solidified, make Chase Edmonds a very enticing RB or flex pick.
Kenyan Drake – Las Vegas Raiders
Drake battled injuries for a majority of last season, but he shouldn’t be overlooked. He rushed for 955 yards with the Cardinals prior to a subpar 2021, while also being a decent receiver. If it weren’t for injuries, Drake would be on pace to make new career highs in receptions year over year. In addition to this, he’s shown he’s capable of posting double digit touchdowns. If he remains healthy, Kenyan Drake fits the criteria for a sleeper RB pick.
WRs:
Amon’Ra St. Brown – Detroit Lions
St. Brown comes from a bloodline of NFL talent, and he showcased this talent last season. The Lions wide receiver had a phenomenal rookie campaign, posting 912 yards on 90 receptions. Someone needed to step up and fill a long-lasting void on offense, and Amon’Ra St. Brown did just that. The Lions have a track record of being one of the worst teams in football, but the combination of Jared Goff and St. Brown is promising.
It’s important to realize that Amon’Ra only got better as the season progressed. He started off slow, but managed to record 80+ receiving yards in five of his last six games. This type of improvement over the course of one season likely instilled a lot of confidence from a coach’s perspective. Look for St. Brown to establish himself as the Lions’ top receiving option.
Darnell Mooney – Chicago Bears
Mooney relies on his speed and route running as one of the Bears’ better receivers. He bettered an above average rookie season by posting 1,055 yards on 81 receptions last season. The Bears are pretty much re-working everything on offense, but Mooney’s versatility makes this an afterthought. In addition to his solid receiving stats, he carried the ball occasionally and even had a rushing TD last season. His status as the WR1 on the Bears gives him a target share advantage, though Byron Pringle will be right behind him.
Gabriel Davis – Buffalo Bills
Gabe Davis came out of nowhere and ended up being a nice waiver-wire grab in 2021. His 4 touchdown performance against the Chiefs was enough for most fantasy managers to realize this guy has serious potential. Davis was not a starter last season, but looks to fill that role according to the Bills depth chart. Perhaps his couple of breakout performances foreshadow an uptick in production this season, thus making him a sleeper wide receiver.
TEs:
Dalton Schultz – Dallas Cowboys
The pass catching arsenal of the Cowboys seems to have taken a hit in the offseason. CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup will lead the way, but we can’t forget about Dalton Schultz. The Cowboys tight end had 808 yards on 78 receptions which ranked him 6th amongst TEs in 2021.
Dak Prescott liked to target Schultz when a crucial first down was on the line, and he no longer has Amari Cooper for this purpose. This is promising in terms of total receptions for PPR leagues. Schultz also had 8 touchdowns, so it’s clear that there’s plenty of upside surrounding him. Look for his production to stay relatively the same or slightly increase in 2022.
Dawson Knox – Buffalo Bills
Knox had career highs in every receiving statistic last season. His 587 yards on 49 receptions nearly doubled his numbers from 2020. Most promising about Dawson Knox is the fact that he scores a lot of touchdowns relative to his target share. His 9 touchdowns last season was more than a majority of receivers, let alone tight ends.
There’s nothing wrong with going back to Dawson Knox considering the offense he’s on. He clearly gets a lot of red-zone looks, and this is great from a fantasy football perspective. It’s worth noting that a majority of his production came from finding the end-zone last year. This creates a volatile situation when choosing to play Knox on a weekly basis. Nonetheless, expect his utilization to remain positive come September.
Hunter Henry – New England Patriots
The Patriots tight end is very similar to Dawson Knox from a statistical standpoint. Hunter Henry had 603 yards on 50 receptions for 9 touchdowns in 2021. Looking at his career numbers, this is a typical season for Henry. In fact, he’s relatively consistent, posting 600+ yards and at least 50 receptions in the last three seasons.
We can’t expect Henry’s production to increase a lot. He has a large sample size indicating what he’s capable of, and he’s likely toward the middle of his career at this point. Despite this, he’s paired with the young gun Mac Jones and coached by Bill Belichick who utilizes TEs substantially. Hunter Henry remains a high upside TE, mainly due to the touchdown looks he gets.
Kickers:
Rodrigo Blankenship – Indianapolis Colts
If you watched college football at all over the past few years, you’ll know this guy is a savage. Rodrigo Blankenship broke all types of records as a Georgia Bulldog and then managed to land a spot on the Colts. He’s still young with likely a long ways to go in the league, but it might be worth getting to him early.
Blankenship doesn’t have much of a NFL sample size to work with. Looking at his college stats shows the bigger picture though. He was the 2019 Lou Groza award winner, given to the nations top college kicker. In addition to this, he never missed an extra point while at Georgia – truly unreal.
Rodrigo’s 55 yard career long came as a junior in college. He’s now being coached at the NFL level, so you can imagine the technicals will improve over time. This plus being in a favorable offensive environment on the Colts could result in greatness for Blankenship.
Younghoe Koo – Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons kicker is very talented, in addition to having one of the best names in the NFL. Younghoe Koo had a great 2021, converting 27/29 FGs and 30/30 extra points. He’s shown three years of consistent kicking in Atlanta, and he’s established himself as an elite long-range kicker.
There are plenty of question marks when it comes to the Falcons’ offense this year, but that shouldn’t affect Koo. We’re talking about a guy who managed to be runner-up in total points scored (2020) while being on a bad team. Expect him to fly slightly under the radar just because of the Falcons’ pre-season changes.
Cairo Santos – Chicago Bears
The Bears underwent a complete rebuild in the offseason, so things are really up in the air. On the bright side, it seems as though they found a kicker who gets the job done. Cairo Santos was solid from short range and extra point distance in 2021. His range, however, is concerning. A long of 47 yards ranked him toward the bottom of all kickers, and he had a 86.7% FG%.
It’s promising that Santos made 11/13 kicks from 40-49 yards. The Bears, led by Justin Fields, might find themselves in field goal range more often this season. Considering his accuracy from short range, it’s possible that Santos sees more conversions. Although not a top priority, the Bears kicker is worth a look in larger leagues or if injuries prevail.
Conclusion
Thank you for checking out our 2022 fantasy football rankings. Throughout this article, we’ve given a rundown of the top options and sleeper picks so you can dominate your league. A lot of these picks are also viable in daily fantasy football, so please take that into consideration as well.
Feel free to check out the other content on our site, especially as the NFL gets closer. We strive to help you succeed across every major sport. Best of luck with your draft(s) in the near future.
