NFL Picks and Predictions – Page 183

Fantasy football: Where to draft Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor

Analyzing Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor showed up big last season in multiple areas. Taylor was a powerhouse as he led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

His domination on the field led to awards like the Bert Bell Award, a 2nd-place in Offensive Player of the Year, a 2-time player of the month, and a 1st-team All-Pro appearance.

Below, we look at Jonathan Taylor’s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

Taylor is still so fresh in his NFL years and he still has so much left to offer to the Colts. He hasn’t even hit the height of his career yet which makes it all the more exciting to watch him this year.

Jonathan Taylor’s ADP: 1.64

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Taylor has an ADP of 1.64 in redraft leagues, which puts him in the first round of the draft. He has the highest ADP in the entire NFL for the 2022 season.

Among running backs, Taylor’s ADP puts him 1st at the position, Christian McCaffrey (Carolina Panthers), Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers), and Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans) fall behind Taylor.

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Jonathan Taylor’s 2021 stats

Games: 17

Carries | rushing yards: 332 | 1,811

Rushing touchdowns: 18

Receptions | receiving yards: 40 | 360

Receiving touchdowns: 2

Where should you draft Taylor?

Taylor’s fantasy value is high as a kite, and it is for good reason as well. He’s a stud, and while McCaffrey has some claim to the top overall spot, Taylor’s durability is the real X-factor in his position.

The 23-year-old Taylor led the league in rushing attempts, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns a season ago. He was an absolute stud and should have little competition this season. There really isn’t any reason to believe Taylor can’t build on last season, and he’s young enough to hope that injuries really won’t be an issue.

Draft Taylor 1st overall with ease and don’t let him fall out of the top 2 with McCaffrey as the only exception.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr.

Analyzing Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr.’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. will be coming into his 3rd season in the NFL after exploding in his sophomore campaign. He went from under 503 yards as a rookie to 1,082 last year.

He improved his catch rate and also had 5 more touchdowns than he did as a rookie. He’ll also have QB Matt Ryan throwing him the ball this season.

Below, we look at Michael Pittman Jr.’s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

Pittman is on the depth chart as the Colts’ top receiver, and he should thrive in a pass-heavy offense. WR Paris Campbell and 2nd-round draft pick WR Alec Pierce are the top options behind Pittman.

Michael Pittman Jr.’s ADP: 34.50

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Pittman has an ADP of 34.50 in redraft leagues, which puts him in the 3rd round for most drafts. Teammate RB Jonathan Taylor has the top ADP at 1.41.

Among wide receivers, Pittman’s ADP puts him 12th at the position, behind Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 30.08 and Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers) at 31.33 and slightly ahead of Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals) at 37.09 and D.J. Moore (Carolina Panthers) at 42.87.

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Michael Pittman Jr.’s 2021 stats:

Games: 17

Receptions | targets: 88 | 129

Receiving yards: 1,082

Receiving touchdowns: 6

Where should you draft Pittman?

The Colts virtually force-fed the ball the Pittman with QB Carson Wentz (now with Washington) under center.

Pittman’s fantasy value should get a boost with Ryan as the quarterback. Ryan is a more aggressive and accurate passer than Wentz was and should be able to extend possessions.

At a huge 6-foot-4, Pittman should be able to increase his catch rate quite a bit. The addition of Pierce doesn’t hurt his value much, and it should only increase year-over-year.

Pittman ranked 17th in PPR leagues of wide receivers and certainly has room to improve. I would take Pittman in the late 3rd round and even reach into the middle of the round in some cases.

His target share for a competent quarterback should make him even more valuable in PPR leagues.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Denver Broncos RB Javonte Williams

Analyzing Denver Broncos RB Javonte Williams’ 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

Few running backs have made as significant a jump in position rankings than Denver Broncos sophomore Javonte Williams. He went from being an RB4 with upside as a rookie to the top of the RB2 charts this year. Big things are expected, but they may need to be tempered just a bit.

Below, we look at Javonte Williams‘ 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

You couldn’t have found a backfield timeshare more evenly split than Williams and Melvin Gordon last season. Both of them had 203 rushing attempts and almost identical yardage numbers. Enter new head coach Nathaniel Hackett, stage left. Hackett has always spoken of running backs in terms of having “a stable” — something that may be at odds with Williams’ current ranking.

Javonte Williams’ ADP: 25.75

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com)

Williams has quickly moved into some rarified air and passed a couple of fantasy football staples with his current ADP at 25.75, although there is some distance between the top names and where he lands. He’s behind Aaron Jones (Green Bay Packers) at 21.16 and Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints) at 51.00 and ahead of established vets Leonard Fournette (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at 27.80 and Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) at 32.07.

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Javonte Williams’ 2021 stats

Games: 17

Carries | rushing yards: 203 | 903

Rushing touchdowns: 4

Receptions | receiving yards: 43 | 316

Receiving touchdowns: 3

Where should you draft Williams?

If you’ve seen Williams play, you know why there is so much steam behind him. There may be no other running back in the league that routinely makes the first and second guy miss when hitting a hole and he fights for every yard on every run.

The issue is Gordon and Hackett. Williams was drafted to be Gordon’s replacement when he free agency this spring. However, the Broncos brought him back on an incentive-laden deal that pays him pretty well even if he only marginally produces. It was a franchise investment bringing him back. The fact they both had 203 carries last year speaks to the organization’s belief in both of them. Gordon’s strong suit is finishing drives in close with short TD runs. No running back in the league has more double-digit touchdown seasons over the last decade than Gordon.

Hackett is a problem because of his history. He likes to run multiple backs in his offense and that lends itself to keeping everyone fresh but not allowing for one true bell-cow back.

Williams’ talent makes him the main man in the Broncos backfield, but he will likely have about 15-18 touches a game unless he completely blows up. That’s something both Fournette and Elliott will have if healthy — and a handful of 1-yard touchdown runs as the cherry on top. Williams is going to be great, but I get the feeling we’re a year too early to anoint him as a new big dog in the yard.

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Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Thursday’s Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks odds and lines, with expert NFL picks, predictions and best bets.

The Seattle Seahawks (0-1) will welcome the Chicago Bears (1-0) to Lumen Field Thursday. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks odds, and make our best NFL picks, predictions and bets.

The Bears come into this game following a Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Both QB Patrick Mahomes and QB Justin Fields played 1 drive with the former having his result in a touchdown.

Chicago used a 16-0 third quarter to gain and eventually keep the lead. RB David Montgomery didn’t see the field. RB Khalil Herbert should be expected to be among the several backs that see a bulk of the load.

Seattle, expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, used its first game to potentially settle a hot quarterback battle. The Seahawks lost 32-25 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Drew Lock finished 11-for-15 for 102 yards and 2 TDs while Geno Smith was 10-for-15 for 101 yards. Rookie RB Kenneth Walker III played just 5 snaps while projected starting RB Rashard Penny didn’t see the field.

Bears at Seahawks odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:19 p.m. ET.

Money line (ML): Bears +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Seahawks -180 (bet $180 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Bears +3.5 (-120) | Seahawks -3.5 (+100)
Over/Under (O/U): 39.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)

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Bears at Seahawks picks and predictions

Prediction

Seahawks 24, Bears 20

Money line

PASS.

The Lock-Smith combo should produce more than a few series of Justin Fields and then a plethora of Chicago backups. The Bears used 3 veteran QBs in their opener.

I wouldn’t bet against the Seahawks at home with 2 QBs looking to impress, especially at -180. The +145 isn’t juicy enough to consider backing Chicago either.

Against the spread

LEAN SEAHAWKS -3.5 (+100).

The thought process here is the same. The Bears were able to come back when QBs Dustin Crum and Chad Henne entered the game for Kansas City last week.

That won’t be the case as Seattle will have 2 starter-quality quarterbacks on the field for the majority of the game.

The Bears entered half down 14-0 and only came back when Kansas City went deeper into their rotation. Also, Seattle has some high-profile players like Walker III who should be expected to see increased loads as the season inches closer.

Lastly, the home team covered the spread in both teams’ Week 1 matchup, so I’ll back Seattle to put on a show in from of their fans at Lumen Field.

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Over/Under

BET OVER 39.5 (-108).

Overs were hot in Week 1 of preseason action, and considering there were 57 points in the Week 1 matchup between the Steelers and Seahawks, at least 1 offense is ripe for success.

The Bears’ defense struggled to defend the Chiefs’ top quarterbacks. With Lock destined for several series and Smith ready to take over after that, expect an efficient night from Seattle.

On the other hand, the Bears put up 19 points and should give Fields more snaps as the season approaches.

Montgomery was out with an injury last Saturday, but it was day-to-day and seemed precautionary. With another week to rest, the star back may see some action which would undoubtedly be a boost to Chicago’s offense.

With both offenses looking solid last week and Chicago’s struggles against the Chiefs when they had their top players in, expect the Over 39.5 (-108) to be the better play on the total.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Analyzing Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

To date, 2020 1st-round draft pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire of the Kansas City Chiefs has been a bust, missing 10 of 33 games and not posting the kind of numbers expected from an “Andy Reid guy” when he has played.

Below, we look at Edwards-Helaire‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

CEH’s numbers dropped considerably from his rookie season to last year — 10 yards fewer per game in both rushing and receiving. He’s now viewed as a RB3 with upside, but 1 thing is pretty clear — if you drafted Edwards-Helaire in either of his first 2 seasons, there is no motivation to go back to that well again.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s ADP: 73.05

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

As is typically the case, when you get into the 7th and 8th round of fantasy drafts, you are almost required to fill your weakest positions. Most fantasy players have the foresight to have a couple of running backs locked down early, which is why there is such a chasm between pick No. 60 and No. 80.

Elijah Mitchell (San Francisco 49ers) has an ADP at 60.17. Devin Singletary (Buffalo Bills) is at 80.87. In between them are only 2 backs — AJ Dillon (Green Bay Packers) at 68.72 and Edwards-Helaire at 73.05.

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Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 2021 stats

Games: 10

Carries | rushing yards: 119 | 517

Rushing touchdowns: 4

Receptions | receiving yards: 19 | 129

Receiving touchdowns: 2

Where should you draft Edwards-Helaire?

Based on his first 2 seasons, you shouldn’t draft Edwards-Helaire. He has been overdrafted both years and the Chiefs hedged their bets by signing former Buccaneer Ronald Jones. There are players still on the ADP board that could have the better shot at success, like Miles Sanders (Philadelphia Eagles) and Damien Harris (New England) so there shouldn’t be a rush to jump on Clyde.

Reid is no idiot. Because of his track record of success and knowing what kind of skill set works in his offense, you can’t completely discount Edwards-Helaire’s chances of having a big year — especially in a post-Tyreek Hill world. It’s all hands on deck. But as underwhelming as his rookie numbers were when he was being dubbed the “Next Big Thing,” even at a RB3, there are more likely options in front of him.

He has proved those who drafted him wrong twice. At an RB3, he can’t kill your roster like he has in his first 2 seasons when he was drafted to be an every-week starter and produce. If I’m ending up with a Chiefs running back on my roster it’s Jones (ADP 149.8) as my last RB, not Edwards-Helaire as my 3rd.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce

Analyzing Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

There isn’t much that needs to be said about Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce other than to explain his dominance. He was a fantasy stud before Patrick Mahomes or Tyreek Hill were on the field with him. His bust in the Hall of Fame may already be cast because it will happen.

Below, we look at Travis Kelce‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

Kelce is no longer in competition with other tight ends when it comes to ADP ratings. He’s in competition with the best wide receivers in the game.

Travis Kelce’s ADP: 15.26

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

For a player who has 6 straight 1,000-yard seasons, has averaged 95 receptions and has only missed 3 games in his career, it’s no wonder that Kelce far surpasses his tight end counterparts.

Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens) is the 2nd TE off the board with an ADP at 23.05. Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons) is next at 33.24. Then comes the tandem of George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers) at 49.52 and Darren Waller (Las Vegas Raiders) 49.61. We now know where the premium tight end depth stops — the end of the 5th round.

However, the better Kelce comparison is with wide receivers. On the current ADP, only 4 wide receivers have lower numbers — Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams) at 5.24, Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) at 5.93, Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) at 8.97 and Davante Adams (Las Vegas Raiders) at 14.10.

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Travis Kelce’s 2021 stats

Games: 16

Receptions | targets: 92 | 134

Receiving yards: 1,125

Receiving touchdowns: 9

Where should you draft Kelce?

The big question is whether you play in a tight end-mandatory league. If you do, Kelce should be at a premium at the turn from the 1st round into the 2nd round. Under that scenario, as far as receivers go, I would only have Kupp and Jefferson in front of Kelce.

His ADP in non-TE-mandatory leagues is about right. When your pre-draft expectation is 90 receptions for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns and you have Kelce’s durability and track record of meeting or exceeding those numbers, you don’t sweat it. You jump.

Tyreek is gone. Some see that as a bad thing. In an Andy Reid offense? Things don’t change. Shutdown corners don’t line up with tight ends. If you end up with Kelce, you won’t be disappointed — regardless of your level of investment.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson

Analyzing Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

Perhaps the most intriguing quarterback in the 2022 fantasy football draft is Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos. After a decade and a Hall of Fame resume built in Seattle, Wilson moves on to a young Denver offense with all the component parts to be special.

Below, we look at Russell Wilson‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

The problem with Wilson was the drop-off he showed in 2021 from just about every standard. He had the 1st losing record (6-8) of his career and just the 2nd time in a decade his team didn’t win 10 or more games. Take that in. The guy’s a winner. However, both his passing and rushing yards were the lowest of his career and the Seahawks didn’t put up a fight to keep him.

Russell Wilson’s ADP: 65.94

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

You can’t get much tighter than the 2-man group sandwiching Wilson. By the current ADP numbers, they are separated by 2.13 points – an impossibility in any individual draft.

It should be noted that the love for Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts (an ADP at 56.61) is the anomaly of the QBs behind him. Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady is ahead of Wilson at 64.62 and Dallas’ Dak Prescott is closely behind at 66.55. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is behind them all at 70.99.

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Russell Wilson’s 2021 stats

Games: 14

Passing yards: 3,113

Completions | attempts: 259 | 400

Passing touchdowns: 25

Interceptions: 6

Carries | rushing yards: 43 | 183

Rushing touchdowns: 2

Where should you draft Wilson?

Wilson is slotted effectively in the right spot, but, with the QBs listed above, I don’t have the faith in Hurts to get the job done, so, in my ADP mind, all the veteran guys take a bump up.

For the draft to get to this position (6th or 7th round) those who haven’t taken a QB yet have stockpiled other positions – most likely 3 RBs and 3 WRs or doubling down on RB early and taking the best available WR with the next 4. This would be the ideal opportunity to take 2 QBs to counter those who made an early QB investment and are now chasing their tails as they desperately try to land a 3rd RB or WR. Under this scenario, your roster is loaded and you could get both Wilson and Rodgers and become almost injury-proof at the position you ignored.

It’s a bold strategy, but mixing and matching Hall of Famers week to week is a good problem to have.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan

Analyzing Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan’ 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

The Retread Tour of anointed NFL starters continues for the Indianapolis Colts, as Matt Ryan becomes the 3rd veteran starter (replacing Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz) and the 4th different starter in the 4 years since Andrew Luck abruptly retired.

Below, we look at Matt Ryan‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position and where you should draft him.

Ryan is one of the most prolific passers of his generation and although the Colts are a run-heavy team because of Jonathan Taylor, it doesn’t mean Ryan’s job is just going to be handing the ball off.

Matt Ryan’s ADP: 122.39

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Because of his ability to post huge yardage and solid touchdown numbers — his 3,968 passing yards last year broke a streak of 10 straight seasons with 4,000 or more – Ryan’s ranking as the No. 20 fantasy quarterback is the lowest it has been in a decade.

Ryan’s ADP at 122.39 is behind 2nd-year quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) at 116.95 and Justin Fields (Chicago Bears) at 121.28 and ahead of fellow veteran Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) at 126.79.

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Matt Ryan’s 2021 stats

Games: 17

Passing yards: 3,968

Completions | attempts: 375 | 560

Passing touchdowns: 20

Interceptions: 12

Carries | rushing yards: 40 | 81

Rushing touchdowns: 1

Where should you draft Ryan?

The question here shouldn’t be why? It should be why not?

Every fantasy football QB2 is not expected to start in many games. By the time you drop to No. 20 among fantasy quarterbacks, it gets even more pronounced. You’re looking at the backup for someone who heavily invested early in the draft on someone like Buffalo’s Josh Allen or Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. Who would you rather have in a worst-case scenario of your heavy QB investment early in the draft getting injured. Lawrence? Fields? Thanks, but I’ll pass and take Ryan.

Neither of the young QBs has showed anything to bring the kind of confidence a Hall of Very Good beige jacket winner like Ryan does. In 14 NFL seasons, he has missed 3 games, so you know he’s going to be there. When you factor in that the all-time single-season yardage years that aren’t Peyton Manning or Luck in the history of the Colts (including Johnny Unitas) are Rivers in 2020 and Wentz in 2021.

The Colts are a playoff-caliber team and, while Taylor is the focal point, a dart-thrower like Ryan will thrive in play action with 8 defenders in the box and post the kind of numbers you look for in any QB2 – much less a guy at the bottom of that list.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin

Analyzing Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, along with new QB Carson Wentz looks to build off of a frustrating 2021 season. The Commanders held a 7-10 record on the season.

The organization is hoping Wentz returns to his old self, coming over from the Indianapolis Colts. As for McLaurin, he’s poised to be the top threat in what should be a well-balanced Commanders attack.

Below, we look at Terry McLaurin‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

McLaurin played in 17 games last season and had his 2nd straight 1,000-yard season. While the 2019 3rd-round draft pick from Ohio State is a stud, his team’s revolving door of quarterbacks has weakened his outlook.

Terry McLaurin’s ADP: 49.82

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

McLaurin has an ADP of 49.82 in redraft leagues, which puts him in the 5th round of the draft. His ADP is the highest on the Washington Commanders roster.

Among wide receivers, McLaurin’s ADP puts him 24th at the position, behind the likes of D.J. Moore (Carolina Panthers), Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins), Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers), and slightly ahead of Mike Williams (Los Angeles Chargers) and D.K. Metcalf (Seattle Seahawks).

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Terry McLaurin’s 2021 stats

Games: 17

Receptions | targets: 77 | 130

Receiving yards: 1053

Receiving touchdowns: 5

Where should you draft McLaurin?

McLaurin’s fantasy value should get a boost this season with the arrival of Wentz, who should be a more capable, veteran presence than QB Taylor Heinicke who had a 65% completion rate last season.

He was not a volume-heaving passing option. Wentz should be able to give them that presence.

McLaurin will be doing everything for this receiving corps and should thrive as the No. 1 option. WR Curtis Samuel being healthy could also benefit McLaurin’s numbers. He’s had 130 or more targets in 2 straight seasons and topped 1,000 in both despite struggling quarterbacks.

Expect all 3 trends to continue.

McLaurin has great upside in the 4th round and should be an early pick in that round. Given his receiving load, reaching for him in PPR formats would make sense as he should be a reception machine this season.

Early 4th is when to start targeting him.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson

Analyzing Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson’s 2022 fantasy football ADP and where you should target him in your drafts.

If there is such a thing as being a 100-reception receiver and still being relatively anonymous, that’s the story with Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Johnson has caught 195 passes over the last 2 seasons, including 107 passes for 1,161 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2021. With the Steelers losing 3 wide receivers to free agency (not to mention retired QB Ben Roethlisberger), Johnson and Chase Claypool are the only veteran receivers left as the Steelers offense takes on a much different look.

Below, we look at Diontae Johnson‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

Diontae Johnson’s ADP: 49.29

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Once you get to the lower end of the WR2 position, you start running into No. 2 receivers in offenses expected to be prolific and No. 1 receivers in offenses with new quarterbacks and some uncertainty if the numbers of the past can be replicated.

Johnson checks in with an ADP at 49.29, the 1st receiver after Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins) at 45.34 and directly in front of a mini-run at wide receiver including Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders) at 49.30, Mike Williams (Los Angeles Chargers) at 51.08 and D.K. Metcalf (Seattle Seahawks) at 52.20.

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Diontae Johnson’s 2021 stats

Games: 16

Receptions | targets: 107 | 169

Receiving yards: 1,161

Receiving touchdowns: 8

Where should you draft Johnson?

The problem you have pulling the trigger on drafting Johnson is the anticipated changing of the guard at quarterback. Mitchell Trubisky is a veteran and likely to get the first shot at replacing Big Ben, but the moment he runs into problems, the fan base will be clamoring to start 1st-round draft choice Kenny Pickett.

Johnson has been a consistent high-volume possession receiver, who will likely see his big plays limited, but there is no reason to believe his numbers will fall off the table. A season of 80 receptions for 1,000 yards and 7 touchdowns sounds like reasonable expectations.

The Steelers will need some inexperienced receivers to emerge behind Johnson and Claypool, but don’t sleep on Johnson’s ability to approach 100 receptions. However, this is typically the point in fantasy drafts where No. 2 receivers from proven offenses tend to go before the go-to guy on teams with question marks.