Impossible, you say? By targeting Schultz instead of Kittle, you can potentially sneak in an extra starting-caliber RB or WR while still getting great TE value. However, as the draft unfolded, my sights became fixed on George Kittle and Hall, who were sliding past their ADPs of 31 and 35, respectively. To make things even more interesting, this wasnt your typical draft; it is nicknamed The Hard Way because it is chock-full of some of the industrys best high-stakes fantasy drafters (shoutout to @TheOGfantasy for the invite). 2022 Fantasy Football Draft Kit: Rankings, sleepers, strategy tips and more heading into his age-32 season and declining across YPRR and TPRR data points, there is a chance the No. Research past fantasy performance with sortable player stats including PFF-exclusives like aDOT and fantasy points per opportunity. Defenses you can stream week to week and try to find struggling offenses to target. Other than making sure you don't draft two QBs who are off during the same week Prescott and Lance both have byes in Week 9, for example you don't need to pay much attention here. This can provide two low-end RB1s, a solid alternative to a high-end RB1 and mid-tier RB2. Things also can change so much at the non-QB positions that a seemingly solid bye-week fill-in on draft day is a waiver-wire afterthought come Week 6. wasnt in the plans, but a Round-17 price tag was too good to pass up. The other name I considered at this spot was Hassan Haskins, who I love as an upside cuff to the over-worked Derrick Henry. Marcas Grant and Michael F. Florio are back for another edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast! If you can get all three early to have a loaded wide receiver corps, you would do it. My favorite target in that range is Cole Kmet, but others I like include Irv Smith and Albert Okwuegbunam. Championship Round: Weeks 15-17 ($500,000 to first) Also, the middle rounds are chock-full of wide receiver talent, which should be the primary focus. So his workload will be huge.". , including the penalties and the playoffs. Tolbert needs an upgrade to Tier 6 in my rankings. Josh . If, for some reason, youve avoided running backs up to this point or the other drafters went extremely receiver-heavy through the first three rounds, dont shy away from another stud running back if one falls with zero-RB all the rage nowadays. 2. Format:Re-draft If a player doesn't excite you or can give you only limited help, you shouldn't take him. If you still havent drafted a tight end, Kyle Pitts is your guy here in Round 3. But their odds of returning value increase dramatically in the PPR-scoring format. Team name:Play for Blood. Of course, theres no better way to do that than to practice drafting with our free mock draft simulator! If those QBs are available in the sixth round, I will draft them. Three yards after contact per attempt If you end up with one of those QBs, I like pairing them with an upside QB2. While no No. You're on the clock. Darrel Williams who went in Round 11 is the favorite for the backup role but is just a guy. Last season that group was the Cowboys, whose big turnover spike with Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs spiked them up into the value of a mid-WR1. Treat them just like the WRs and RBs from which you're deciding to draft. But don't be afraid to double down at the running back position even if you already drafted a stud in Round 1. This is a clear example of why knowing roles is beneficial on draft day. With the depth at WR, it's easy to become complacent while drafting. defense opens the the schedule against four questionable quarterback situations in the Panthers, Jets, Steelers and Falcons, which is a recipe for big-play turnovers. Advance Rate. Although, of course, it wasnt so long ago that the elite tier of WRs like Davante Adams, Julio Jones, DeAndre Hopkinsand Antonio Brown were drafted in the top half of Round 1. This was the most challenging draft selection I was torn between Smith and an elite quarterback. The best running backs might seem to have the ultimate relevancy in fantasy football, but the league's passing boom has brought standout wideouts to a whole new level. If you still haven't drafted a tight end,Kyle Pittsis your guy here at the end of Round 3 or the start of Round 4. At the same time, it's smart to pay attention to the latest buzz and health information. With the receivers quickly drying up, I made my first slight reach of the draft by taking Burks a half-round early. My targets were Brandon McManus, Nick Folk and Jason Sanders. All signs point to Lance as the starter for the 49ers, and he could provide a similar upside to Lamar Jackson thanks to his ability as a runner. Perfect 2022 fantasy football draft strategy, round by round 2.0 - PFF When you're filling that flex spot, you're generally pitting that 2nd QB against RB25+ or WR25+ or 37+ (depending on whether you start 2 or 3 WRs). If you do that, you should make sure to get some upside options in the middle and late-middle rounds so one could emerge as an every-week play. This means that heading into the season, Kelce and Andrews are de facto No. QB: Lamar Jackson, Trey Lance 2, including: My co-host of the Fantasy Football Hustle, Brian Drake, jumped on the airwaves with me to record the entire draft, which you can find here. This is a period where fantasy players tend to pull up risky RBs due to scarcity. Sure, you will have a tough go of it that particular week, but you will be in great shape the rest of the season. Considering your league's format standard vs. PPR is valuable, but regardless of the format, you're looking for the best bottom-line production with scrimmage yards and TDs. Roster spots:20, Regular Season: Weeks 1-12 My co-host of the Fantasy Football Hustle, 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 2FLX (RB, WR, TE), 1K, 1TDST, PPR for all positions except TE, which receive an additional .5 per reception, Four teams advance to the league playoffs, and the 1-seed (best record) and 2-seed (most remaining points) automatically go to the, championship round from Weeks 15 to 17 versus the top seeds from all other leagues, . I like taking Trey Lance in the eighth round, since his upside is sky high, and the position is deep enough to get a strong backup like Derek Carr or Kirk Cousins in the double-digit rounds (and Ryan even later than that). It's fine, though, to draft a starter from a different team for the same purpose if the opportunity is there. The risk in this strategy is that getting a legitimate WR1 in Round 3 isn't guaranteed. You are also able to find backs like James Conner, Travis Etienne, Breece Hall and Ezekiel Elliott in the third or fourth rounds. That means you can draft a defense solely based on the Week 1 matchups. It's lucky to win with your kicker and frustrating to lose because of your opponent's kicker. The 2023 NFL Draft is here! Here is how I will be attacking my drafts this year. Pierre Strong Jr. provides another young back to monitor heading through preseason, where a lot can happen. Most likely this position will be addressed on the wire once McManus is cut. Player. Targets: RB Tier 1A, WR Tier 1A and Christian McCaffrey. Fantasy Football 5th Pick in 12-Team Leagues The fifth pick in 2022 fantasy football drafts is where things start to get interesting. Once you draw a selection between No. This week, I entered my first Footballguys Players Championship (FPC) drafts at theFFPCto put all of mydraft strategies and tier articlesinto an actionable format. I include Cam Akers and J.K. Dobbins in that bunch, but there is enough upside to justify drafting them. Starters:1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 2FLX (RB, WR, TE), 1K, 1TDST Fantasy managers should feel comfortable taking an elite wideout in Round 1 because Round 2 is filled with a plethora of running back talent. The Jets high second-round pick demonstrated every-down ability throughout his collegiate career and is an excellent fit for the wide-zone scheme. 1 options. Introduction 2. His 20% target share ranked second-best at the position in 2021. By this point, managers should know which players they really want to target in season-long drafts and which carry the biggest risks. We're down to one week remaining in the 2022 NFL preseason. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals. He is another easy cut should things not go his way in camp. After the run, I decided to pivot back to grab one more WR. Its an even better strategy in best ball formats, where waiver wire RBs cant be added to your roster once the season starts. While you want to somewhat follow a script early, be prepared to pivot and freelance a little once you see your early draft results develop. FANTASY DRAFT STRATEGY: When it comes to tight end, if I miss out on Pitts, I tend to wait until we get close to the double-digit rounds to take one. 1 receiver can catch every ball thrown his way, those with frequent opportunities are valuable. Don't go for some shaky veteran WR5 when you can take a more valuable young RB4 who is an injury away from big touches. This is a solid plan for PPR leagues, but it requires focusing heavily on running backs over the next couple of rounds. Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at SoFi Stadium. In our default PPR scoring last year, 31 QBs averaged 16+ points per game, compared with 10 RBs, 13 WRs and 2 TEs. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Tight end Travis Kelce is also an option in Round 2, with his 2022 point projection just shy of Cooper Kupp. For the backfield, the same goes for drafting say, Nick Chubb and Saquon Barkley, both also off in Week 9. plus matchups against the Buccaneers and Bills in the championship round. Late in the draft, make sure you try to land whatever insurance you can. With Team 1 only rostering two receivers to this point, I felt confident he would turn two with his picks, so I prioritized the receiver over the backs. 2022 FANTASY SLEEPERS: If you begin with a good baseline of a tried-and-true gamebreaker or two at receiver, that can take the pressure off hitting on all the right high-upside sleepers later. If the third-year receiver scores five to six touchdowns, he could post a WR2 fantasy finish and is an easy pick to smash in Round 13 of drafts. The Fantasy Football Draft Bible also offers detailed strategy tips for whichever league you play in: snake draft, auction or best ball. The key to your backups is diversifying your portfolio. It may seem risky to some, but I would take Christian McCaffrey second overall. 2. wasnt my primary option, but Team 11 accidentally took a second kicker. Impossible, you say? Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts. And you can find the perfect draft strategy from each of our analysts below. The one thing you should always prioritize in your drafts is upside (so players like Drake London and Kadarius Toney). QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall. The perfect 2022 fantasy football draft strategy round by round Picks Like with every position, talent reigns, but volume is just as important. One strategy that has worked for us is to spend one half to two thirds of our budget early on a few stars, making sure the money is going to difference-makers, then waiting in the mid-game for people to catch up to (and often surpass) our spending before cleaning up with bargains late. His floor games from early in the season came when Chase Edmonds had a bigger role. During your draft, there are bound to be positional runs or drafters going straight down the list, filling out their starting lineups before getting backups. However, we can help you prepare for your upcoming draft by analyzing how to go about building a draft strategy . With Team 1 only rostering two receivers to this point, I felt confident he would turn two with his picks, so I prioritized the receiver over the backs. CeeDee Lamb can also be thrown into that late first-round mix. Williams possesses league-winning upside should he take over 65% of the work (51% of snaps in 2021), which may not happen out of the gate, but an eventual takeover later in the season is also in the range of outcomes. is one spot ahead of Jackson in my tiers, but the Cardinals Week 13 bye (league playoffs) was enough to swing me to Jackson in this format. However, after JT and CMC, it is fair game to select an elite wideout. This was the most challenging draft selection I was torn between Smith and an elite quarterback. While running fantasy mock drafts won't tell you who to select, they can provide insight into where players are going. Suddenly, a friend texts you: "Hey, are you ready for the draft?! Take a look at who they are higher and lower on. This approach makes staying fluid and flexible for the next few rounds much easier. 2022 Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: When and how to use Zero-RB to win your league Zero-RB isn't the strategy for every league type, but here's how to use it By Heath Cummings Aug 5, 2022. Six tight ends came off the board before it was my turn again. scooped him up, which then cascaded into a massive run on the position. In PPR leagues, it can be worth ensuring that you have a WR1 within the first two rounds. , who could spend more time outside at receiver in 2022. It's the highest-scoring position in nearly any format. Teams 5 and 6 doubled up on ball-carriers, which is another traditional approach. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor should be the top player picked and is an even better value if he falls to Picks 2 or 3. Draft the next highest-ranked wide receiver from the next tier, which could includeTee Higgins,Keenan Allen,Michael Pittman Jr.,Mike Williams, or evenCourtland Sutton. I dont have to worry about a run on backs leaving me scrambling in the middle rounds, which will be nice because quarterback and tight ends are still needs.