Tag: 2022 fantasy football tips

Can Kyle Rudolph find fantasy football success in the twilight of his career?

Will the cagey vet resurrect his career in Tampa?

The most recent retirement of Rob Gronkowski opened the door for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to add a veteran to the roster — the impetus to longtime NFL tight end Kyle Rudolph being signed.

One of the most underappreciated aspects of Gronk’s game among casual fans was his masterful blocking skills, which especially was overlooked in fantasy football since points aren’t awarded for doing the dirty work. The Buccaneers won’t be able to one-for-one replace his receiving skills, but the duo of Cameron Brate and rookie Cade Otton will give it their all. Acting as a line extension happens to be where Rudolph fits in best. Another rookie, Ko Kieft, also could be in the mix as a blocker.

Also see: Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE outlook (before Rudolph)

Entering what will become his age-33 season in November, Rudolph is a 12-year fixture who spent all but last year with the Minnesota Vikings before signing with the New York Giants. He hasn’t played a full campaign in the last two years (27 of 33 games), and we have to go back to 2016 to find his career-best stat line of 83-840-7. Since that season, Rudolph has generated 12 total touchdowns and 958 yards in 63 appearances.

Fantasy football outlook

It would be foolish to expect a strong fantasy season from him, but there is still room for utility in best-ball formats or if Brate gets injured. Tom Brady loves to spread the ball around to as many weapons as possible, and there will be added emphasis on working in the peripheral players while wide receiver Chris Godwin (knee) recovers from a Week 15 ACL tear. He may need time to get back into football shape, which could come at the expense of missing a few games or being limited early on.

The Bucs could work in both veterans for a one-two punch, although the praise placed on Otton and him being cleared for camp (November ankle surgery) warrants a close eye over the next six weeks.

Barring a setback in Otton’s recovery and/or an injury to Brate, it’s tough to see Rudolph offering frequent service in fantasy lineups. He could score a few touchdowns here and there, particularly with the attention paid to Mike Evans and a healthy Godwin. Nevertheless, Tampa’s backfield will get its receptions, and Rudolph has to prove himself following three straight years with fewer than 370 yards as well as consecutive one-TD seasons. Avoid him in drafts for now.

Fantasy football battle: Dallas Goedert vs. Mike Gesicki vs. Dawson Knox

How does this trio of tight ends stack up against each other?

For those who choose to wait on drafting tight ends to fill other positions first in fantasy football drafts, there are still quality players available once the shelves begin to empty, but they aren’t viewed as “can’t miss” fantasy prospects. They all have some concerns keeping them from being one of the top guys.

We take a look at three of those prospects at the bottom end of the TE1 grouping and where to rank them – Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles), Mike Gesicki, of the Miami Dolphins, and the Buffalo Bills‘ Dawson Knox. Each has some strong selling points, but they also have some cause for pause on draft day.

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Trying to make sense of Miami’s crowded backfield

How do we see Miami’s murky backfield shaking out in fantasy?

Despite going a combined 19-14 over the past two seasons, the Miami Dolphins effectively blew things up this offseason, replacing head coach Brian Flores with San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and then aggressively overhauling their depth chart. While the acquisition of wide receiver Tyreek Hill grabbed the headlines, the Dolphins’ backfield saw plenty of attention as well — that should come as no surprise given Myles Gaskin led the team in rushing with just 612 yards.

In an effort to put a more dynamic ground game around quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Miami signed a trio of backs in free agency: Chase Edmonds (two years, $12.6 million), Raheem Mostert (one year, $3.125 million), and Sony Michel (one year, $2.1 million). Gaskin returns as well. It’s a crowded backfield, so let’s look at the candidates to see who’s worthy of your attention.

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Fantasy football preview: Carolina Panthers quarterbacks

Is there anything to see here for fantasy footballers?

The Carolina Panthers have struggled to get past the Cam Newton era but overhauled the quarterbacks room in the last three months. Carolina has become the dumping ground of 2018 draft failures, where Cleveland passed on Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson to take Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick, and the New York Jets followed shortly thereafter in taking Sam Darnold at No. 3.

Darnold was an undeniable failure in New York, getting run out of town when he struggled, and the Jets drafted Zach Wilson with the second pick in the 2021 draft to officially end the experiment. Although Mayfield led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs in 2020 for the first time since 2002 and earned their first playoff win since 1994, his erratic play led to a 29-30 record as a starter and the signing of a megadeal with Deshaun Watson that eventually sent Mayfield packing.

Rookie Matt Corral was rumored to be in consideration as a first-round draft pick, but fell all the way to the third round and has the “QB of the future” tag, while third-year man P.J. Walker has to wonder where his future lies.

Fantasy football players on the rebound for 2022

Which fantasy football weapons are poised to rebound in 2022?

Every season, several proven players regress and even fall off of the fantasy football map due to injury, demotion, a poor system fit, or another unforeseen calamity. Players of the fake game understandably tend to be of the, “What has he done for me lately?” mindset and may underrate some proven options coming off a bad year.

Heading into the 2022 season, we’ll explore which players are most likely to bounce back from a down year in 2021. The players are ordered from least to most important in relation to their potential fantasy returns.

Be sure to sign up for The Huddle to gain the needed edge on your competition. In this space last year, we correctly called bounce-back performances from the likes of Dak Prescott, Austin Ekeler, Deebo Samuel, and Matthew Stafford to help create winning rosters.

Fantasy football players on the rebound for 2022

Fantasy football sleepers: 5 rookie receivers to consider

Late-round rookie receivers to consider in fantasy football drafts.

Does anything get fantasy football owners’ blood pumping more than rookie wideouts and running backs? Those whose perceptions haven’t been stained by a year or two of underwhelming production while learning the intricacies of the NFL game.

We all know the first-round wideouts with find homes in fantasy drafts, but where will we find this year’s version of Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown? Here are five names to consider in the later rounds.

Fantasy football: Sifting through the Detroit Lions’ receiving corps

A retooled receiving corps leaves plenty of unanswered fantasy questions heading into training camp.

Heading into last season, the Detroit Lions had arguably the saddest collection of talent at the receiver position in the NFL with wide receivers Kalif Raymond, Quintez Cephus, and Tyrell Williams (currently a free agent) atop the depth chart.

Much has changed since then. Unheralded fourth-round pick Amon-Ra St. Brown put together a strong rookie campaign, emerging as a reliable target for quarterback Jared Goff, and Josh Reynolds arrived via the waiver wire, reuniting him with Goff from their days together with the Los Angeles Rams.

This offseason has brought even more reinforcements, highlighted by the selection of Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams (knee) with the 12th overall selection — that’s the earliest the Lions have drafted a wideout since Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in 2007. Detroit also took a one-year flier on former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver DJ Chark Jr., who had a 1,000-yard season in 2019 but is coming off a fractured ankle that limited him to four games this past year.

In what must be considered something of a surprise, Goff will again steer the ship in 2022 as the Lions chose to sit out one of the busiest offseasons in league annals in terms of quarterback movement, despite not having an obvious heir apparent at the position. While Goff had some good years in LA, much of that credit has been given to Rams head coach Sean McVay, and the team’s decision to move on from Goff leading to an immediate championship certainly supports that statement.

Still, Goff is an experienced pro who shouldn’t hold the offense back too much. On paper, this looks like the finest collection of weapons he’s had since 2018 when the offense included Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods (Tennessee Titans), Brandin Cooks (Houston Texans), and running back Todd Gurley (free agent).

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Fantasy football mock draft series: July takeaways

Recapping a recent fantasy football industry draft to look for trends and more.

Fantasy football drafts are heating up as we enjoy summer weather and cold beverages. A recently hosted industry mock draft is the source for this recap. Out of respect for the hosts of this draft, no reference will be made to its identity so the content remains fresh on their end, nor will the entire draft results be published here.

The draft results will appear in a magazine as part of a larger evaluation of the draft. Before getting into my individual picks, here are a few observations from a 12-team, PPR draft.

  • In last June’s iteration, Round 1 saw seven running backs and five receivers, including Cooper Kupp going at No. 2 and Justin Jefferson as the third selection. This version saw Kupp drafted fourth and Jefferson seventh with nine RBs making up the rest of the round.
  • Six RBs came off the board in Round 2 in 2021’s June draft, followed by one fewer receiver and solo tight end. This year’s June draft was no different. In the July edition, five backs, one tight end, and six wideouts were chosen.
  • The first QB, Josh Allen, was taken with the opening pick of Round 5 in June. Justin Herbert went just two picks later, and only a pair of passers came off the board in the next 31 selections (Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes). This time around, Allen was Pick 5:05, and Mahomes went with the very next spot. Herbert went with the eighth pick in the fifth round. Seven quarterbacks went in the first 75 choices this time. Quarterback remains quite deep with a viable starter often being available into the 13th round.
  • Tight end remains a little top-heavy, just like last year. Following the consensus top-six TEs — all of whom went in the first five rounds — the position gets really dicey. If you’re not comfortable playing the matchups, make sure to secure one of Mark Andrews, Travis Kelce, Kyle Pitts, George Kittle, Darren Waller or Dalton Schultz.
  • In the first 100 picks, nine QBs, 40 RBs, 43 WRs and eight TEs — no significant changes from the June version when eight quarterbacks, 38 RBs, 45 WRs and nine tight ends were chosen.
  • Pick 10 is an interesting spot this year. In the FSGA draft, which was a 14-teamer, it was brutal compared to a 12-squad setup. This draft having a dozen teams made me appreciate the slotting more than expected.

Here’s a snapshot of the first 10 rounds broken down by number of positional picks:

1st: 9 RBs, 3 WRs
2nd: 5 RBs, 6 WRs, 1 TE
3rd: 5 RBs, 5 WRs, 2 TEs
4th: 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 2 TEs
5th: 3 QBs, 3 RBs, 5 WRs, 1 TE
6th: 3 QBs, 3 RB, 6 WRs
7th: 1 QB, 4 RBs, 5 WRs, 2 TEs
8th: 1 QB, 4 RBs, 7 WRs
9th: 2 QBs, 5 RBs, 3 WRs, 2 TEs
10th: 3 QBs, 3 RBs, 6 WRs

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My roster

Pos Player Team Bye
QB Aaron Rodgers GB 14
RB James Conner ARI 13
RB JK Dobbins BAL 10
RB Rashaad Penny SEA 11
RB Miles Sanders PHI 7
RB Hassan Haskins TEN 6
WR Ja’Marr Chase CIN 10
WR Stefon Diggs BUF 7
WR Jerry Jeudy DEN 9
WR Allen Lazard GB 14
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling KC 8
WR Jalen Tolbert DAL 9
TE Dalton Schultz DAL 9
TE Austin Hooper TEN 6
PK Matt Prater ARI 13
DT Los Angeles Chargers LAC 8

By round

Pick Rnd Player Tm Pos
10 1.1 Ja’Marr Chase CIN WR
15 2.3 Stefon Diggs BUF WR
34 3.1 James Conner ARI RB
39 4.3 J.K. Dobbins BAL RB
58 5.1 Dalton Schultz DAL TE
63 6.3 Jerry Jeudy DEN WR
82 7.1 Rashaad Penny SEA RB
87 8.3 Miles Sanders PHI RB
106 9.1 Allen Lazard GB WR
111 10.3 Aaron Rodgers GB QB
130 11.1 Marquez Valdes-Scantling KC WR
135 12.3 Hassan Haskins TEN RB
154 13.1 Austin Hooper TEN TE
159 14.3 Jalen Tolbert DAL WR
178 15.1 Los Angeles Chargers LAC Def/ST
183 16.3 Matt Prater ARI K

Keeping the previous iterations’ format alive, each pick gets a brief explanation of my draft thoughts:

Fantasy football preview: Kansas City Chiefs running backs

The best way to approach KC’s muddled backfield in fantasy football.

While the trading of wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins doesn’t necessarily signal major philosophical changes to the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense, the team is poised to have a different look in 2022.

The signing of larger wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster at least positions them to employ a more physical ground game. Of course, when you have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and arguably the NFL’s top tight end in Travis Kelce — not to mention historically pass-happy head coach Andy Reid — one still figures handing off will be Plan B.

Kansas City’s receiver overhaul garnered most of the offseason attention, but they didn’t play a pat hand in the backfield, either. Gone is Darrel Williams, last season’s leading rusher signed with the Arizona Cardinals in May, replaced by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones II, who fell behind Leonard Fournette last season. The team also re-signed Jerick McKinnon and drafted Rutgers’ Isaih Pacheco in the seventh round.

With a lot of changes happening in Kansas City, let’s look at the team’s running back room to see how Reid might divvy up the touches in 2022.

Is 2022 the year David Njoku finally lives up to his potential?

New quarterbacks and less proven competition await David Njoku.

As we revisit the Cleveland Browns’ passing game, having discussed their receiving corps last month, we must once again open with the status of quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was subjected to a three-day disciplinary hearing in late June with post-hearing briefs due on July 12. With training camp now just over a week away, we should expect to learn the length of Watson’s suspension at any point. Speculation has the QB’s suspension ranging anywhere from a few games to a full season, but until we get official word it’s meaningless chatter.

With Baker Mayfield now a member of the Carolina Panthers, veteran Jacoby Brissett stands ready to make however many starts are needed to cover Watson’s suspension. The journeyman has started 37 games in his career across three franchises, compiling a 14-23 record and a 36-to-17 TD:INT ratio in that time. Brissett is as prototypical a game manager as you’re like to find on an NFL roster — he averaged 218 yards and a touchdown per game in five starts with the Miami Dolphins last year. Cleveland also will look to add another veteran passer should Watson miss time.

Although clearly the Browns’ passing attack would be much more potent with Watson at the helm, the strength of their running game should keep defenses from focusing on the pass. To that end, we saw Case Keenum (now with the Buffalo Bills) go 2-0 in his two starts for Cleveland while throwing for 375 yards and three TDs in a role like what Brissett would fill. Those are modest numbers, but outside of wide receiver Amari Cooper there aren’t a lot of proven targets, so the tight ends should see action.