Fantasy football: 2022 NFL free agency roundup

Now that NFL free agency is upon us, we’ll run through the fantasy football outlooks for trades, re-signings, midrange players, and tag recipients.

This analysis will be updated as players sign/re-sign in free agency, so be sure to check back regularly.

Signed with new team or traded

WR Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars: Arizona’s leading receiver in 2021, thanks to a DeAndre Hopkins injury, will head to Duval County to catch passes from Trevor Lawrence. The fifth-year wideout is a capable deep threat and should step right in to fill the role vacated by DJ Chark Jr. hitting free agency. The Jaguars have a proven head coach in Doug Pederson to get the most out of Lawrence, and adding pieces around the franchise QB likely isn’t finished with the Kirk signing. There’s risk here, and Kirk has been inconsistent in his career, but we have erratic WR2 production within reach at what will be a reasonable price tag.

QB Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers: The former No. 2 overall pick fizzled out playing for an overmatched Chicago Bears coaching staff and spent a year backing up Josh Allen in Buffalo. Trubisky was given a two-year deal from the Steelers and has weapons around him to reestablish himself as a viable fantasy quarterback. He isn’t a lock to start, though that is the presumption in a year of weak rookie QBs, a feeble free-agent class, and shaky depth on the Pittsburgh roster. The structure of the Steelers as an organization should provide Trubisky all of the tools to succeed, and gamers are doing themselves a disservice by writing him off. Healthy skepticism is warranted. Outright dismissal is foolish.

RB Chase Edmonds, Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins will feature a zone-blocking system under new head coach Mike McDaniel, and Edmonds’ versatility will come in handy for those in PPR scoring. It’s unclear how much of a touch split to expect percentage-wise with Myles Gaskin, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Dolphins add a hammer to this backfield. Edmonds is a weak third running back in standard scoring and a safer option in reception-rewarding settings.

QB Teddy Bridgewater, Miami Dolphins: The well-traveled veteran enters the picture in Miami as an experienced insurance policy in the event Tua Tagovailoa falters. Even if Bridgewater ends up in the starting lineup at some point, he’s not viable outside of two-QB leagues.

Re-signed/extensions

QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota extended Cousins a year, increasing his 2022 salary to $40 million and guaranteeing his 2023 contract for $35 mill. His return may not push the Vikes ahead of Green Bay in the NFC North, but it’s a win for fantasy football continuity from an offense that won’t see a great deal of change from 2021, despite a new regime. Cousins is a low-end QB1 who’ll once again be drafted as a backup in fantasy, presenting some value if you miss out on an elite passer.

WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys: Gallup coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 17 is apparently of no concern for Dallas as it traded Amari Cooper to Cleveland before agreeing to a massive extension with the Colorado State product. Gallup should be ready by November after undergoing surgery in early February, dramatically reducing his fantasy football appeal. While nine months is enough to be physically ready after knee reconstruction, trusting the knee and getting back into game shape tends to take around a year. Gallup is worth a late-round pick to stash for depth but shouldn’t be counted on as a key component in your championship plans.

QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: Four years and 200 million reasons later, Rodgers’ flirtation with leaving Titletown came to an end with a record-breaking extension. The Packers have to address tight end and find a way to compensate Davante Adams to his liking, but the core of this offense returns intact. There shouldn’t be much of a drop-off in fantasy production from the NFL’s back-to-back MVP.

TE Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals: A midseason trade in 2021 sent Ertz from Philly to the desert, and the veteran didn’t disappoint. He stepped up in an offense that was without its starting quarterback and top receiving target for a stretch of games, and the Cards rewarded the 31-year-old with a three-year extension. Arizona should keep him involved enough to warrant low-end TE1 consideration in drafts.

WR Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions: Reynolds isn’t a needle-mover in fantasy, per se, but he has an opportunity in what will be his first full offseason with Detroit to gain some ground. The Lions are likely to add another receiver to the mix, but Reynolds will be granted every opportunity to be among the top three wideouts for the Lions. He’s a deep-league flier, largely due to his past connection with QB Jared Goff, although his max value depends upon where Detroit turns in free agency.

TE Ian Thomas, Carolina Panthers: Carolina secured Thomas with a contract extension, and he’ll compete with Tommy Tremble for the majority of targets at the position. There’s really no draft-worthy fantasy value here, but his utility could gain steam in DFS if Deshaun Watson is acquired. Put a pin in this one and we’ll revisit it as more is known. Thomas also faces five misdemeanor charges from a 2021 alleged incident, so a short suspension could await.

Franchise/transition tagged

WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The second straight franchise tagging for Godwin has the team working to reach a long-term deal with him, and that has been accelerated with the return of Tom Brady creating a massive need to free up cap space. Godwin is coming off an ACL tear and probably won’t be himself until at least the midpoint of the season, if not later, but he has WR3 appeal in PPR drafts with upside for the occasional WR1 outburst once he’s fully recovered.

TE Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys: Dallas sent Amari Cooper packing, freeing up considerable work. Some of those targets will head Schultz’s direction, and after two strong years in a row, he’s a midrange TE1 for most scoring formats. It’s unlikely the Stanford alum will take a step into the “Big 3” of TEs if Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews and Darren Waller all remain on the field, but there’s no reason a healthy Schultz cannot reprise his 2021 TE4 placement in a battle with oft-injured George Kittle.

TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: Njoku’s return to the Browns is mildly surprising in relation to his lack of involvement (53 targets in 15 games last year). The Kevin Stefanski offense likes to deploy two tight ends, and the system has used Austin Hooper less as a receiver than expected when he was given a bag of cash just a few offseasons ago. Long story short, even after trading Odell Beckham last year and releasing Jarvis Landry this week, Njoku isn’t a draftable fantasy option in the vast majority of traditional leagues.

TE Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins: The Penn Stater will have to wait before testing the market for the first time in his career as Miami takes one of the top tight ends off the market. He should enjoy a strong season in South Beach if quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continues to grow as a passer. The incoming West Coast offense thrives by utilizing tight ends more than most, and Mike McDaniel’s system will push the ball down the seam. Gesicki could be poised for his best season to date.

WR Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers: Adams was franchise tagged but informed the team he will not play without receiving a long-term deal. The two sides currently are far apart, per reports, so we’ll have to remain patient. Given Adams’ past comments about not leaving money on the table due to his humble beginnings, it’s difficult to see him actually sitting out NFL games.

Unsigned notables

Quarterbacks: Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton
Running backs: Leonard Fournette, Cordarrelle Patterson, James White, Melvin Gordon, James Conner, Sony Michel, Rashaad Penny, Phillip Lindsay, David Johnson, Ronald Jones, Marlon Mack, Darrel Williams, J.D. McKissic, Jerick McKinnon, Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Tarik Cohen
Wide receivers: Allen Robinson, Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, DJ Chark Jr., Russell Gage, T.Y. Hilton, Cedrick Wilson, Tre’Quan Smith, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jamison Crowder, Sammy Watkins, Keelan Cole, Jakeem Grant, A.J. Green, Emmanuel Sanders, Byron Pringle, Demarcus Robinson, Zay Jones, Braxton Berrios
Tight ends: Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard, Evan Engram, Blake Jarwin, Robert Tonyan, Gerald Everett, C.J. Uzomah, Jared Cook, Eric Ebron, Hayden Hurst, Mo Alie-Cox, Kyle Rudolph, Jimmy Graham, Anthony Firkser, Tyler Conklin