2022 fantasy football advice – Page 26

Pick one fantasy football rookie WR: Alec Pierce or Christian Watson

Which rookie receiver would you prefer in fantasy football?

Two rookie receivers who may fly under the radar of casual fantasy football participants are the Indianapolis Colts’ Alec Pierce and Green Bay Packers wideout Christian Watson.

Despite not being highly touted prospects, both players are in situations that could lead to relatively outsized performances. But is one a smarter fantasy but than the other?

The case for and against Alec Pierce

Standing 6-foot-3, 211 pounds, the Cincinnati product is a viable threat in the red zone.
Pierce ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, and he posted a 40 1/2-inch vertical jump at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
He boasts a large catch radius, adequate physicality, and the necessary toughness to make catches all over the field.
Fills a much-needed hole in the offense opposite Michael Pittman Jr.. Quarterback Matt Ryan lacks proven weaponry aside from the third-year USC alum, which paves the way for Pierce to compete for a starting role as a rookie. His vertical nature pleasantly contrasts that of the possession-minded Pittman.
Parris Campbell has struggled to stay off the trainer’s table throughout his young career, and he profiles similarly to Pierce. A healthy season from the veteran could push Pierce into an infrequent role, but it also cuts in the rook’s favor if Campbell yet again misses significant time.
Separation could be an issue for him at the next level. Pierce doesn’t offer great burst off the line and isn’t lethal out of his breaks.
Just how many passes will be available in this run-centric offense? The Colts are likely to send somewhere around 130-150 passes toward Pittman, and hybrid tight end Mo Alie-Cox returns for what could be a notable role following the retirement of TE Jack Doyle. Will Campbell and Ashton Dulin steal too many deep routes from Pierce?

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The case for and against Christian Watson

It never is a detriment to catch passes from the reigning, back-to-back NFL MVP. Aaron Rodgers lost his favorite target in Davante Adams this offseason, and the Packers cobbled together a cast of unheralded targets for the future Hall of Famer.
Watson brings a trifecta of size (6-foot-4, 208 pounds), speed (4.36-second 40), and blocking ability to Titletown. Wide receivers in this system are required to block, even if it’s just adequate effort over pristine form.
Has NFL bloodlines — the son of a former pro safety
Improved as a route-runner as his collegiate career went along
Exceptional work ethic and dedication — already drawing praise in OTAs from veteran receiver Randall Cobb, “He has the total package. Just being around him for the past week and seeing some of the things he can do, he has all the tools. He’s very gifted.”
However, Watson has battled a case of the drops while running with the first-team offense. It could be nerves or nothing to worry about, just as we saw with Cincinnati Bengals standout receiver Ja’Marr Chase a year ago.
Rodgers historically has not taken kindly to rookie wide receivers, and if Watson continues to struggle with drops, it stands to reason his quarterback won’t be eager to deliver extra passes his way.
Despite all of the question marks at the position, Watson still has to fend off several veterans, including Sammy Watkins, Cobb and Allen Lazard.

Fantasy football takeaway

This one really could go either way. Pierce is in a better situation in terms of a lack of proven competition for targets, although his offense’s design isn’t likely to send a wealth of passes the rookie’s direction, so he’ll need to be highly efficient. That also means he’s poised to be an inconsistent performer.

From Watson’s perspective, he’s already running with the No. 1s, and the Packers have a ridiculous 169 targets to fill from losing Adams based on last year’s results. Even if that number were to dip to, say, 145, that’s a lot of looks to be replaced by any standard. Watson’s hands need to be watched during the summer practice season, and as long as he rights that ship, there’s more upside for a stronger season from the former North Dakota Stater than Indy’s rookie Bearcat.

Both receivers profile as No. 4 options in fantasy football redraft leagues, and it while it’s rarely recommended to select a pair of rookie receivers to a single team, this could be one of the few exceptions where it’s a viable play.

Fantasy football preview: Houston Texans wide receivers

What should fantasy owners expect from the Houston receiving corps?

There were times last season that the Houston Texans scarcely resembled a professional football team, lowlighted by an eight-game losing streak during which they were outscored 237-91 (that’s a whopping 11.4 points per game). Then-rookie quarterback Davis Mills took his lumps filling in for an injured Tyrod Taylor, now on the New York Giants, but those hard lessons may have paid off as Mills played fairly well over the final five weeks and will enter 2022 as the starter.

While it’s too early to call the passing game rejuvenated, it at least has the potential to generate some respectable fantasy football producers, particularly if Mills continues to show improvement. With that in mind, let’s look at the top of Houston’s wide receiver depth chart.

Brandin Cooks

Wherever he goes and from whomever he catches balls, Cooks delivers. To that end, the well-traveled wideout posted a 90-1,037-6 line serving as the primary target for Mills and Taylor. It was the sixth 1,000-yard effort in eight NFL seasons, and his second in a row since joining the Texans. There was some belief that Houston would trade Cooks as part of their rebuild, but the team handed him a lucrative, two-year extension instead with the expectation he’d be their No. 1 receiver.

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Improvement from Mills and better talent around him should prevent defenses from focusing too much of their attention on Cooks, who at 29 should still be in his prime. He may not be the flashiest receiver, and it’s easy to forget he’s out there when he’s languishing in Houston, but it’s hard to find fault in Cooks’ long-term durability and consistency.

John Metchie III

Had he not torn his ACL during the SEC Championship Game in December, Metchie likely would’ve been drafted in the first round. Instead, he fell to the Texans with the 44th overall selection. While the injury is the big news, let’s start with the scouting report. At 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, Metchie isn’t a big target, nor is he someone who is going to take the top off coverage. The Alabama product is more a possession receiver with refined route-running skills, good hands, and some elusiveness after the catch.

The rookie will likely slide into the No. 2 role whenever he’s healthy, but just six months clear of his injury it’s too early to nail down when that’ll be. For his part, Metchie has stated he’ll be ready to practice in July when training camp opens, but the team hasn’t put a timetable on it. Given the status of the Texans as a non-contender it’d be surprising (and short-sighted) to rush Metchie back on the field. As such, his rehab could certainly linger into the regular season.

Nico Collins

A third-round pick in last year’s draft, Collins (33-446-1) finished second on the club in receptions, receiving yards, and yards per catch (13.5) as a rookie. Compared to Cooks and Metchie, Collins (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) is a giant, and he has enough speed to get deep down the field.

While his physical credentials are impressive, Collins still has work to do with consistently catching the ball. His youth and upside should give him a clear advantage over retreads like Chris Conley and Phillip Dorsett to serve as one of the top-three wideouts for Houston this year.

Fantasy football outlook

If you’re looking for a steady producer to plug into your lineup as a low-end WR2 or really strong WR3, Cooks is your man. He’s never had a true monster season, but he’s finished with between 1,025 and 1,225 yards in six of his last seven years.

Metchie will be a desirable get in dynasty formats, but those in single-year leagues should view him as a late-round curiosity with modest upside.

Collins is interesting based on how different his body type is, which could make him a popular red-zone target, but he probably tops out as watch-list fodder.

Fantasy football pros and cons: Garrett Wilson vs. Chris Olave vs. Skyy Moore

Which of these three rookie receivers is the best fantasy option?

There was a time when it was deemed that wide receivers coming into the NFL learned the pro game as rookies, improved in their second year, and reached their full potential in their third season. That timeline has been sped up in recent years, and now the expectation is for a shorter learning curve as a rookie and hitting the ground running in the second year as the NFL becomes more pass-reliant.

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We take a look at the fantasy impact of three rookie receivers from the Class of 2022, their strengths and weaknesses and their potential to make an immediate impact – picks Nos. 10 and 11, respectively, in the draft Garrett Wilson (New York Jets) and Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints) as well as Skyy Moore (Kansas City Chiefs), taken with the pick No. 54.

The case for and against Garrett Wilson

He is viewed as the best route-runner in a deep and talented 2022 wide receiver draft class and has a variety of release packages that allow him to get separation in different ways.
He had a breakout season as a junior at Ohio State last season, catching 70 passes for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns in a star-studded position room.
He is explosive in a short area with an incredible jab step and the ability to stack a defender.
He has a ton of natural athletic intangibles, including a big catch radius, the ability to run past defenders and exceptional body

Any expectations have to be tempered by the fact he is playing for the Jets, where Zach Wilson is still in the formative stages of his career and needs as many weapons as he can get.
Had too many concentration drops as he looked to make plays before securing the ball – a problem that can be solved with coaching, experience, and a commitment to mechanics.
He needs to be more physical, because he doesn’t consistently beat press coverage at the line.

The case for and against Chris Olave

A productive, four-year athlete, who caught 32 touchdown passes in 31 games over his last three seasons. He saved his best for last, catching 65 passes for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior.
He’s a smart player who quickly picked up the Saints’ playbook and has looked the part from Day 1 of rookie minicamp by showing his football intelligence.
He has elite footwork, which creates routine separation from defenders that gives his quarterback open throwing windows.
Comes to an offense with a lot of firepower if the key component parts can stay healthy, with QB Jameis Winston, wide receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry and do-it-all running back Alvin Kamara.
With Landry locked in as a slot receiver, Olave will likely draw a lot of single coverage on the outside if Thomas returns to form and demands added defensive attention that was required before he was slowed by injuries.
Olave struggled against physical coverage and will need to improve his core strength to become an elite receiver at the NFL level.
He is viewed by a lot of scouts as a player with a high floor and low ceiling, which has historically been the recipe for a long career but perhaps never being an elite receiver.
He doesn’t win enough 50/50 balls when in the red zone.

The case for and against Skyy Moore

In the post-Tyreek Hill era, Moore will be given an immediate opportunity to contribute as Patrick Mahomes deals with a completely revamped wide receiver corps.
Has an elite quarterback on his side
Moore has experience playing both inside and outside, which gives him an edge for playing more snaps because of his down-and-distance flexibility to line up anywhere.
He was the first freshman since 2014 to earn First-Team All-MAC honors and received such recognition twice in three years.
A prolific receiver who dominated lesser competition in 2021, catching 94 passes for 1,283 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He has a small frame and will likely need to add bulk to be optimally effective.
Moore didn’t run a full route tree at Western Michigan and hasn’t shown elite burst out of his cuts to achieve separation, which is a problem that will only be more pronounced in the NFL.
He is in a crowded receiver room with Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling likely starting training camp in front of him.

Fantasy football outlook

All three of the rookie receivers have the ability to make an immediate impact, but they are entering the league in very different situations.

Olave should have the opportunity to make the most immediate impact, because he plays in a division that is poor defensively, and he should step in to a significant role in the Saints offense early on. He is a borderline WR2 but more likely a WR3 with the chance to make the climb as the season progresses.

Wilson has the best chance to get the most reps of any of the three. The depth on the Jets at wide receiver is markedly less than the Saints and Chiefs, so he will get more snaps, which translate into more opportunities. The question is whether the Jets offense can consistently create enough big-play opportunities. He has solid WR3 potential, but in most leagues he will more than likely be a WR4 with strong upside.

Moore is the wild card of the group. He was the 13th wide receiver taken in the draft, so clearly other teams thought more highly of others than him. But, he has Mahomes throwing the ball, and he has made fantasy-relevant players out of a lot of receivers in his short career. Moore is making a big jump to the NFL from the MAC, so he will likely take more time than the others, making him an end-of-the-draft stash player on the back end of rosters in hopes of delivering early in the high-powered Chiefs offense.

Fantasy football injury outlook: New York Giants wide receivers

Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard injury updates for fantasy football purposes.

The 2021 New York Giants were nothing short of a total disaster for fantasy football purposes, and a large reason was the revolving door at wide receiver, thanks to a bloodthirsty injury bug.

Two of the prominent losses down the stretch were rookie first-rounder Kadarius Toney and veteran slot man Sterling Shepard. The former missed seven of the final eight contests with various ailments and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery following the season. The latter tore an Achilles tendon in Week 15 and remains in the rehab phase. As of June 2, Shepard told CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson he is running again but has no timetable for his full-fledged return.

The 2022 Giants are expected to emphasize Toney in the offensive plans under new head coach Brian Daboll, the former play-caller for the Buffalo Bills. Shepard actually could find himself in position to lose his job by way of an injury, especially if the second-year receiver stands out in training camp. In Year 7, despite this being a new system, Shepard’s mental reps will likely be enough to get a grasp on the offense, but rust could be a serious concern well into the regular season.

Most players are physically healthy from an Achilles tear nine months post-surgery and mentally trusting the repair by a year. Nine months would put Shepard back into action within the first few weeks of the season, but he may not be himself until closer to the final month of it.

Toney’s current recovery is more straightforward. He had a knee scope, presumably to clean up loose bodies, and the recovery time is usually in the weeks and not months timeline.

Durability is a major factor to weigh when considering him in 2022 fantasy drafts. In addition to the final two weeks he missed, Toney sat out four games in his rookie season with a quad strain. Toney also didn’t go in Week 7 because of an ankle injury, and he missed three contests with a moderately strained oblique muscle. To compound the litany of injuries, the former Florida Gator was absent for most of training camp and the preseason with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. In a sense, this will be his rookie season in part.

Fantasy football outlook

Shepard broke through as a rookie and scored eight times on 65 receptions in 2016. He has 13 touchdowns over 284 grabs since, and his career high in yardage is just 876. In other words, he’s a role player and not the game-changing weapon that Toney offers.

Quarterback Daniel Jones‘ on-field maturation is the driving force behind all things New York passing success, and if any coach can coax it out of him, Daboll figures to be the man for the job.

Currently, gamers are opting for Toney with an early selection in Round 11, on average, as the 52nd receiver drafted. That placement presents an opportunity for profit, but it’s obviously not without risk given the exhausting list of 2021 injuries he suffered. It becomes even more uncertain after New York’s second-round investment in slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. Toney can man the outside better, though, and the rookie should be considered more of an insurance selection by the club and a flier for fantasy purposes.

The team’s No. 1 receiver, Kenny Golladay, has injury issues of his own, and another lengthy absence could thrust Toney into the top role, giving him even more upside.

Shepard’s ADP is Pick 14:10 in PPR, and he’s WR70, on average. At this stage of his lackluster career, coupling Toney’s likely ascension with Shepard’s rehab situation, the veteran is no more than a late-round depth.

So long as Toney’s recovery goes as planned with a return for training camp, he’s the guy to own between these two.

Will Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks offer fantasy football value?

Could fantasy owners be overlooking value among Seattle quarterbacks?

For the past decade, the Seattle Seahawks have been led by the combination of head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson. That changed this offseason when the Seahawks flipped Wilson to the Denver Broncos in exchange for QB Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive end Shelby Harris, and five draft picks, including two first-rounders.

That move announced Seattle’s decision to start rebuilding their roster after winning just one playoff game over the last five years. There were rumors that more moves could be in the offing, most notably trading away one (or both) of wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, though as of now the tandem remains on roster and appears likely to remain there, at least to start the 2022 season.

Regardless of who lines up on the outside, it’d be surprising to see the Seahawks not lean into their long-preferred formula of featuring a ground game that includes running backs Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Walker III, and possibly Chris Carson (neck), though a neck injury clouds his future.

With Wilson gone, Lock and veteran Geno Smith are set to compete for the starting job in the Emerald City. The team has had a lot of positive things to say about Lock, and their decision not to target a quarterback in the draft, even as several of the better prospects tumbled into the middle rounds, suggests there’s more than just bluster there. Smith went 1-2 as a starter when Wilson was hurt last season, but his two losses were by a combined six points, so the team knows it can be competitive with him.

Drew Lock

A second-round pick of Denver in 2019, Lock went 8-13 in 21 starts, most of which came in 2020. He had his moments, passing for four TDs against the Carolina Panthers, and throwing a touchdown pass on the final play to upend the Los Angeles Chargers, but those were overshadowed by the type of poor decision-making that saw him tie for the NFL lead in interceptions (15) in 2020 despite finishing 20th in attempts. It was painfully obvious that the Broncos coaching staff had lost faith in Lock by last season, electing to play a visibly injured Teddy Bridgewater ahead of him.

While the results have been lacking, Lock isn’t without some talent. He has good size, a strong arm, and underrated athleticism that could allow him to supplement the ground game if Seattle decides it wants to incorporate read options or designed runs.

There’s considerable talent at the skill positions as well, though it’s not like he’s coming over from a talent-strapped squad in Denver that included WRs Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Entering Year 4, Lock needs to prove he can be a starter in the NFL, and perhaps a change of scenery is what he needs.

Geno Smith

Per Carroll, Smith has a leg up for the No. 1 job by virtue of having spent the last year in the team’s system, and the veteran has reportedly been splitting first-team reps with Lock in Smith’s second season with Seattle. That’s all well and good for June, but you must believe the team wants Lock to win the job considering how limited we know Smith to be after bouncing around the NFL since 2013.

While Smith has 34 career starts, 30 of them came in his first two seasons, meaning he’s made just four in seven years since. He’s a game manager, but he won’t lose many games for you, and that carries some value in the NFL.

Fantasy football outlook

There’s only intrigue here if Lock wins the job. If Smith is the starter, you can bank on a steady diet of handoffs and short throws where ball security is the top priority.

If it’s Lock, he at least carries a mix of athleticism and arm strength that could potentially generate some fantasy value — his ceiling might be as a Wish.com version of Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.

Unless you’re bullish on Lock, however, it’s safe to leave him as a watch-list candidate. In best-ball formats, Lock is worth a QB3 selection behind two safe options or No. 4 spot otherwise.

Assessing fantasy football’s top risk-reward targets

Recognizing risk is necessary in making sure the juice is worth squeeze.

Fantasy football gamers are tasked with making decisions at every juncture of their seasons. Whether it be the draft, setting lineups, making trades or waiver claims … you name it, there is a choice to be made. Some of them are mundane, and others will drastically alter the course of your team’s fortunes.

One way to help mitigate the chance of a disastrous showing is to understand the amount of risk being assumed. Since the foundation of any good fantasy roster is laid during the draft, we’ll focus our attention on which players offer the most potential in the face of unmistakable risk. You’ll also read about guys with greater risk than reward, despite being highly ranked or having an early average draft placement.

Fantasy football: Philadelphia Eagles running back breakdown

Will any of Philly’s running backs fly high in 2022?

One would be hard-pressed to come up with a team that went through more of a philosophical about-face in 2021 than the Philadelphia Eagles. Through the first seven games, Philly’s game plan seemed to be to put as much on Jalen Hurts’ right arm as possible. To that end, Hurts averaged 35 passing attempts per game over the first seven as the Eagles opened the year 2-5.

After that, the focus shifted 180 degrees to the ground game as Hurts averaged just 24 passes per outing across his final eight with Philadelphia posting a 6-2 mark — Gardner Minshew made two starts down the stretch as well, including a meaningless Week 18 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. When the dust settled, the Eagles had rushed for an NFL-leading 2,715 yards despite not having anyone reach 800 yards on the ground (Hurts led the club with 784 yards and 10 TDs).

Three of the top four backs from last year return; Jordan Howard (86-406-1 in seven games) remains a free agent and appears unlikely to be re-signed, though obviously preseason injuries could change that math in a hurry.

Miles Sanders

In terms of talent, Sanders is the standard-bearer. He has good speed and is a quality receiver out of the backfield, making him one of the focal points of the offense … when healthy. Durability has been a real issue in his young career, however, missing nine games combined over the past two years. In 2020 he suffered a pair of knee sprains, and last season he dealt with a sprained ankle for months and then broke his hand.

Sanders’ struggles to remain on the field are doubtless a big part of the reason that Philly’s most talented back has rarely been used like a featured player. In 24 games over the last two seasons, Sanders has reached the 20-touch plateau just four times. He’s a little like Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones in that way, though Jones consistently reaches the high teens while Sanders had six games with fewer than a dozen opportunities last year. It’s hard to consistently produce when you’re not getting the ball.

Kenneth Gainwell

As a rookie last season, Gainwell logged 101 combined touches for 544 yards and six touchdowns, though his role really dried up over the season’s final two-plus months — only twice during that stretch did he log more than five touches in a game, and one of those was that glorified exhibition in Week 18.

The thinking here is that a full year in the system, combined with his strong receiving skills, should allow him to function as the top passing-down back. Whether he has the size (5-foot-9, 200 pounds) to see an expanded role in case of injury is Sanders is debatable.

Boston Scott

Scott is a stocky back (5-foot-6, 203 pounds) who has shown the ability to find the end zone in his career (13 career TDs on 228 carries) due to his athleticism and deceptive power. He’s a solid receiver as well, though perhaps not on the same level as Sanders or Gainwell.

Scott saw double-digit carries in six of his final seven games last year and projects as the more likely backup in case Sanders gets hurt. He should battle it out with Gainwell for the No. 2 job during training camp.

Fantasy football takeaway

When factoring in an intended increase in passing volume following the addition of wide receiver A.J. Brown, along with potential to lose ground scores to Hurts, this backfield may be more detrimental than beneficial to fantasy lineups many weeks.

Having three backs with similar skill sets makes them interchangeable, which in turn makes it tough to determine the roles they’ll fill — there is currently no one of Howard’s bruising disposition on the depth chart, but someone is like to pick up his nearly 90 touches.

Sanders has RB2 upside, but his low usage and injury history make him better suited as an RB3. Gainwell seems to have a higher weekly ceiling than Scott, but neither player is worth more than late-round consideration as roster depth.

Fantasy football injury outlook: RB James White, New England Patriots

Will James White rebound after missing nearly the entire 2021 season?

For most of his eight seasons in the NFL, New England Patriots running back James White’s primary role was as a reliable checkdown option for current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. His best years came during Brady’s final two seasons in New England, when the receiving corps was thinned by poor drafting, with White averaging 1,042 total yards and nine touchdowns in 2018-19 while hauling in a combined 159 passes. In his lone full season without Brady, White totaled 496 yards and three touchdowns.

White seemed like he could be in line for a renaissance last year with then-rookie Mac Jones under center and leading a very conservative offensive approach. Those hopes came crashing down when the University of Wisconsin product suffered a hip subluxation in Week 3 that ultimately led to surgery and kept the veteran from returning to action in 2021. He finished the year with just 132 yards and a score.

At 30, White is on the older side of the ledger for NFL running backs. Of course, it’s not always the years, it’s the miles, and White has more career receptions (381) than carries (319), meaning he hasn’t taken the type of physical pounding many backs have endured after eight seasons. Reports out of minicamp have classified White as a limited participant with the veteran stating that he has “a little while to go” before he’s sufficiently rehabbed and ready to roll.

White’s durability has been good across his career, but he’s coming off a major injury that he feared might have been career-ending, so he’ll need to be monitored come late July. Along those same lines, don’t read too much into the two-year, $5 million contract he signed to return to New England. Only $500,000 is guaranteed, and he’ll need to compete with rookies Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris, as well as J.J. Taylor, for spots behind roster locks Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson.

Fantasy football outlook

White is a Bill Belichick guy, so if he looks like his old self chances are there will be a spot for him. In that scenario he’d be the designated passing-down back while Harris and Stevenson handle the early downs.

His sure hands and skills in the open field should make an attractive option for Jones on a team that has struggled for years to identify and cultivate talent at receiver. Even still, White would be a stretch as a draft-day target outside of deep PPR formats. Think of him as an RB5 or even a No. 6 and nothing more.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Joe Burrow: Which QB should you be drafting?

Is the reigning, back-to-back MVP ready to take a back seat to the third-year pro?

Comparing Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow prior to the 2021 season would have seemed like a lopsided exercise in futility. But, Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl to make the conversation much more realistic, despite Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers posting a league-best 39 wins over the past three seasons.

So, who has the better 2022 fantasy prospects? Let’s look at their pros and cons.

Aaron Rodgers

Pros

Not just a four-time MVP winner, but he has won the last two (2020, 2021)
He has thrown 85 touchdown passes the last two seasons – the most in any two-year stretch of his career.
Rodgers is incredible at protecting the ball and not throwing ill-advised passes. Over the last four seasons, he has thrown 2,223 passes and just 15 interceptions – an average of one pick per every 148 passes.
While not much of a rusher in fantasy terms, he has scored six rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons – the most in any two-year span in the last decade.

Cons

The trade of Davante Adams takes away his unquestioned top target. Over the last four seasons (57 contests), Adams was targeted 614 times – almost 11 times a game.
Not only did Rodgers lose Adams as his primary weapon, the Packers also allowed Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown to walk in free agency – two players who had a long history learning with Rodgers.
Entering his age-39 season in a young man’s game
He hasn’t been the developer of young wide receivers at nearly the same rate as his predecessor Brett Favre. Rodgers is notorious for not trusting rookies.

Credit: Sam Greene/Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK

Joe Burrow

Pros

Has made incredible progress in just two NFL seasons, making his first Super Bowl appearance in just his second season. His success demonstrates the potential for another significant jump in his maturation process. Still learning the game, as he increases his quarterback IQ, the game will slow down for him.
He has three of the most dynamic young receivers in the league with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
The Bengals have a balanced offensive attack and can run Joe Mixon 20 times per game to take the pressure off Burrow to be the focus of the offense at all times.
Cincinnati upgraded its offensive line with the additions of center Ted Karras, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La’el Collins.
Displayed good consistency last season, completing more than 70 percent of his passes has averaged 39 pass attempts a game in his career. With that many attempts consistently, good things will happen.

Cons

Whether it was the fault of his offensive line or holding the ball too long, Burrow was sacked a league-high 51 times. He has been sacked 83 times in 26 NFL career starts.
He has already suffered one significant injury, and until the on-paper upgrades along the line show it on the field, Burrow will continue to be a quarterback fantasy owners have to fear will miss time due to injury.
He threw 14 interceptions last season, just one fewer than Rodgers has thrown in the last four years combined.
Although he didn’t show too many ill-effects from the significant leg injury he suffered in 2020, his rushing attempts bottomed out. As a rookie, he averaged 3.7 rushing attempts a game. In 2021, he dropped to 2.5 attempts. His rushing yards also took a hit, dipping from 14.2 yards a game to 7.4 yards a game.

Fantasy football outlook

Rodgers (ADP 6:06) is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he has the weakest supporting cast of receivers at any point during his career. Without his security blanket in Adams, he has to count on lesser receivers to get the job done.

Burrow (ADP 5:10), on the other hand, has young dynamic weapons who are only getting better with time. Because of that, if he stays healthy, Joe Burrow is the better fantasy quarterback option in 2022.

Fantasy football outlook: Baltimore Ravens running backs

What will this backfield offer after a catastrophic 2021 season?

In a span of less than three weeks last preseason, the Baltimore Ravens lost running backs J.K. Dobbins, Justice Hill, and Gus Edwards to leg injuries — Dobbins and Edwards suffered torn ACLs, whereas Hill ruptured his Achilles.

With their depth chart in shambles, the team wound up with veterans Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray as the top options. Neither player is set to return in 2022, however, leaving the Ravens without a single back who carried the ball for the team last season. With that in mind, it’s a good time to preview what Baltimore’s backfield will look like this year.

J.K. Dobbins

Prior to his injury, Dobbins was a popular breakout candidate after he averaged a whopping 6.0 yards per carry as a rookie to go along with nine TDs on just 134 carries. He’s a compact, powerful runner who can break tackles while still possessing elusiveness in the open field. Dobbins is easily the most talented of Baltimore’s options and should fill the primary role.

There’s a caveat within that designation, though, as the Ravens have long been a proponent of the committee approach. In fact, over the past nine seasons there have been only two Baltimore backs to top 1,000 yards in a season: Mark Ingram (1,018 in 2019) and Justin Forsett (1,266 in 2014). Couple that with Dobbins’ perceived limitations as a pass catcher, and it’d be smart to temper any expectations of the Ohio State alum posting RB1 numbers.

Gus Edwards

Steady as she goes has been the mantra for Edwards, who has gained between 710 and 725 yards rushing in each of his three NFL seasons while averaging at least 5.0 yards per carry. Checking in at 6-foot-1, 238 pounds, Edwards is a big back, but with only 10 career touchdowns in 414 carries. He has never shown a penchant for goal-line work; that could certainly be a byproduct of his height making him too large of a target for consistent short-area usage.

Edwards has yet to show anything as a receiver, either, managing just 18 career receptions. Take that with the lack of scores, and suddenly the fifth-year pro profiles as a middle-of-the-field, early-down back, which limits his upside. Assuming health, Edwards can safely be penciled in as the complementary option to Dobbins.

Mike Davis

Signed in May, Davis is a true journeyman, having played for five NFL clubs in his seven seasons. While he offers little in the way of explosiveness — something his career average of 3.7 YPC can attest to — the veteran is a capable receiver and typically reliable ball carrier with six career fumbles over his 719 total touches, though four of them came in 2021. He’s cut from the same well-worn cloth as Freeman and Murray from last season.

Justice Hill/Tyler Badie

A fourth-round pick in 2019, Hill saw limited opportunities in his first two seasons and then watched his chance for extended work dashed last year by the Achilles injury. He’s more reliable than explosive, and entering the final year of his rookie deal he’ll need to fend off Tyler Badie, who the Ravens snagged in the sixth round of this year’s draft. Badie runs hard and is a capable receiving threat, which might give him a leg up in the battle for a roster spot.

Fantasy football takeaway

If everyone can stay healthy, Dobbins and Edwards should carry the load. Their lone season together in 2020 saw Edwards (144) get more carries than the then-rookie Dobbins (134) while Ingram (72) was also involved.

This season look for the latter’s touches to be redistributed among the top two backs with whoever emerges among Davis, Hill and Badie getting spot duty. Dobbins has borderline top-20 appeal, and Edwards is a solid RB5 depth type. The rest can be bypassed entirely.