Expert Rankings

Craig Lakins on Aug 8: I'm bullish on the Jets as a sneaky offense to buy into. Breece Hall gives them a serious threat in the backfield. They have an improving O-line that should be dangerous if they can stay healthy. If game scripts get tough, Hall is a capable pass-catcher that won't have to leave the field.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: The Jets have a lot of questions, and Hall's success hinges on Wilson making a massive improvement under center. But if the Jets do show offensive growth, Hall will likely be the new engine.

Andy Hicks on Aug 7: Breece Hall presents as the number one rookie running back and lands in a situation where he should immediately press for high fantasy production. Only problem is its with the Jets. The pieces are there for team to be better, but will Zach Wilson be up to the challenge? How good a season Hall has is dependant on that. His future as a dynasty option suffers unless the Jets become a decent team.

Jeff Haseley on Jul 25: People will shy away from Hall due to Michael Carter's presence on the team, but don't let that deter you from being bullish on the young back who can do it all. His talent scores are off the charts and his production should follow suit. A 50-60 catch season with an additional 1,000 yards rushing is a distinct possibility. His place in the top 10 will be determined based on his ability to score touchdowns. He scored 23 touchdowns in 12 games in each of the last two years at Iowa State. He has the tools to be elite and a nose for the end zone to top it off.

Adam Wilde on Jul 13: Breece Hall has the size and three-down ability to be a true workhorse back in a west-coast offense.

Ryan Weisse on May 25: Breece Hall has the talent to be an immediate three-down back in the NFL. While the Jets weren't seen has the perfect landing spot for that to happen, it is still very possible. Michael Carter had a few good games last year but was far from impressive. He is far better suited to be a solid backup than a starter or even a B option. The Jets are an improving team and if they choose to give the keys to Hall, he has a top-20 floor and an incredibly high ceiling.

Craig Lakins on Aug 8: Should step in as the immediate WR1 in Atlanta. He may have some speedbumps as the offense figures out their new QB situation, but he has plenty of opportunity right out of the gate.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: If Desmond Ridder surprises everyone, wins the job, and plays well, London could be the best rookie of the crop. But that's a lot of ifs. Most likely, London flashes but suffers the inconsistencies of playing for a team without a good quarterback.

Andy Hicks on Aug 7: Atlanta doesn’t really have a running game or a quarterback, but it does have two high draft picks to catch the ball. It would be three if Calvin Ridley was available. Kyle Pitts already demonstrated high usage in his rookie season and Drake London should do the same in 2022. There really is little else on offer for the Falcons outside Pitts and London so expect London to grab a huge share of targets, as poor as the offense could be. As a dynasty prospect he is elite....once he gets a quarterback. And a running game. And a good offense

Adam Wilde on Jul 13: Drake London falls into a situation void of target opposition, but the offense should struggle mightily with Marcus Mariota at the helm. Temper expectations early but be willing to invest in the long term

Ryan Weisse on May 25: With the loss of Calvin Ridley for 2022, the Falcons were just about the best spot for a rookie wide receiver to land in this draft. London should immediately be the WR1 on a team that should be throwing a lot and he is really only competing with Kyle Pitts for targets. The table is set for well over 100 targets and I will not be surprised if London is the rookie WR1 by season's end.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Corey Davis is on the decline, and Wilson and Elijah Moore could be a dynamic 1-2 tandem for years to come. But it all starts with Zach Wilson and he's not the guy. At least I don't think he is.

Ryan Weisse on May 25: Wilson was my rookie WR1 before the draft and landing with the Jets does not change that for me. While he has tougher competition for targets than Treylon Burks or Drake London, he has the talent to establish himself as the alpha over Elijah Moore.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Michael Thomas' health. Jarvis Landry's assimilation. A new head coach. Jameis Winston's healthy and consistency. That's a lot of unknowns we need to be answered before confidently projecting rookie Olave. His long-term value is sky high, but don't overpay for 2022.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 1: While I love Olave as a player and think he his dynasty value is high, year one may not show his full potential. In New Orleans, he will be competing for targets with Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and the newly signed Jarvis Landry. On top of target share, there are still major concerns at quarterback, with Jameis Winston not fully healthy and uninspiring backups. I like his touchdown upside, especially if Winston is at quarterback, so he may be a better non-PPR play as a rookie.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Walker landed on a team committed to a power running game, but right now Seattle has no answer at quarterback and several veteran tailbacks vying for snaps.

Adam Wilde on Jul 13: Given that Rashaad Penny is already dealing with a hamstring injury, Kenneth Walker should have no trouble taking over his run-heavy backfield by Week 1.

Ryan Weisse on May 25: Walker was pretty firmly the rookie RB2 behind Breece Hall entering the draft but may have ended up in a better landing spot. The Seahawks offense wants to run the ball a lot and the running backs ahead of Walker, Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson, both have injury concerns. With Carson's future still up in the air, Walker will be the 1B to Penny from Day 1 and may claim the primary job, through talent or injury, by season's end.

Adam Wilde on Jul 13: Jameson Williams has gone back and forth with Drake London for my rookie WR2 position, but the Lion's organization seems to be trending in the right direction under Dan Campbell, and I like what I'm hearing regarding the team easing Williams back into action

Ryan Weisse on May 24: Williams certainly has the talent and the speed to make it in the NFL. For his rookie year the questions will be about his health and where do his targets come from? Detroit ran a lot of three wide receiver sets last year, but not many with four. With almost 90 targets to the 4th wide receiver or worse, most of those targets should funnel to the top-3 guys, if they all stay healthy. There is enough for everyone to see a fair share, but efficiency and scoring will be key. Jared Goff needs to improve to help these wide receivers become fantasy relevant.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Burks is raw, and miscast as A.J. Brown's replacement. Treat the rookie as a "show me" player. Draft him for whatever you see as a baseline outcome, and don't count on upside.

Adam Wilde on Jul 13: Treylon Burks is struggling with conditioning, and/or asthma early in the off-season. These rookie mini-camp reports carry little value. If Burks had any serious medical limitations the Titans would have known about them long before drafting him in the first round

Ryan Weisse on Jun 1: Burks finds himself in a position to be the Titans WR1 in his rookie year. He was extremely productive in college and, with the team trading AJ Brown, there is a huge need in Tennessee. Early training camp reports have been rough for Burks, but as long as he's healthy by the preseason, he has every chance to lead this team in targets in 2022.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: The Chiefs are throwing a lot of darts at the wall in hopes of finding Tyreek Hill's replacement. It's always tempting to go for the rookie, but too many veterans were added to expect Moore to make his mark early in the season.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 9: Going into the draft, we all wanted the Chiefs to spend early draft capital on a wide receiver and they selected Moore in the 2nd Round. Moore showed blazing speed at the Combine and is a solid route runner. It may take some time and development, but he could easily be the WR1 in Kansas City, even by the end of 2022.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Expectations for Cook vary from forgettable rookie backup to the Bills' new lead slot receiver. Neither is likely to prove true. He'll be a complementary piece and have a few eye-popping games, but will be maddeningly irrelevant in others.

Jeff Bell on Aug 2: The Bills have traditionally excluded the running back from the passing game (18.1% target share for the position was 29th). Still, it is essential to note the team attempted to sign J.D. McKissic and was rumored to inquire about Christian McCaffrey in trade. Dorsey served as Carolina's QB coach in 2017 before coming to Buffalo; the team jumped from a 3rd worst 9.7 target percentage to 37.5, 2nd in just one season. Cook is an exceptional receiver who could see work in the slot with his talent.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 7: All preseason rumblings are that Cook will be heavily involved in this offense immediately. I'm a notorious hater of Buffalo running backs with Josh Allen. Allen is the best redzone back on the team and it caps all other's value. However, if the rumors are true that Allen is going to run less, then there could be a double-digit touchdown season out there for Cook, even splitting time with Devin Singletary.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Dotson has the all-around game to become Terry McLaurin's running mate, but the Commanders appear set to give Curtis Samuel one more shot at earning his contract.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 7: Dotson feels like a forgotten man in rookie drafts. He is not getting the same kind of respect that most 1st-Round wide receivers get in fantasy football. Washington will throw the ball plenty and Dotson should slide right into the WR2 role opposite Terry McLaurin. The team still has Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas, but both are recovering from 2021 injuries and may not be ready for Week 1. Dotson's role is immediate and can be effective for fantasy managers.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 9: After they traded away Davante Adams, wide receiver was at the top of every Green Bay fan's wishlist. It took until the 2nd Round, but the team drafted Christian Watson. Watson is tall and fast, he will remind most of Marquez Valdes-Scantling. No one was going to step right in and replace Adams, but Watson is an immediate fit with Valdes-Scantling now in Kansas City. He will have ups and downs, as will any rookie wide receiver, but he could still lead this team in targets as a rookie.

Andy Hicks on Aug 7: Not only does Pittsburgh have an excellent record of drafting wide receivers, they often come out and have fantastic rookie seasons. Their most recent successes include Chase Claypool and his nine-touchdown rookie season and JuJu Smith-Schuster who ranked 17th in his debut year. Even Diontae Johnson almost finished as a fantasy starter, despite being raw. George Pickens has first-round grade talent but fell to 52 due to character concerns. This is a situation where you trust that the location fixes issues, coaches well and produces immediate results.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Given Austin Ekeler's consensus ADP (top-3 overall), Spiller has to be drafted in every league particularly if he cements the No. 2 role with a strong training camp.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 10: Spiller was my third favorite running back coming into the draft but dropping to Day 3 dropped him to 4th in my rankings. I still like the landing spot. There should be plenty of work behind Austin Ekeler and Spiller is better than any back on the current roster.

Jeff Haseley on Jul 25: Alec Pierce has a chance to earn significant playing time as a rookie in the Colts offense. He has an excellent size/speed combination and has drawn similar comparisons to Jordy Nelson. The Colts aren't a high-volume pass offense, but Pierce can carve out a role as early as this year.

Ryan Weisse on Jun 10: Indianapolis was considered a favorable landing spot for any rookie wide receiver and Pierce is a good fit for the role opposite Michael Pittman. With Matt Ryan at quarterback, we should see overall improvement in the Colts' passing game and if Pierce can win the job quickly, he could approach 100 targets in his rookie season.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Rex Burkhead and Marlon Mack aren't daunting roadblocks, but they're roadblocks nonetheless. Pierce doesn't have the draft pedigree to assume he'll be a star if he wins the job. But his ADP could skyrocket if he turns heads early in camp. Caveat emptor.

Jeff Haseley on Jul 25: Dameon Pierce at 5'10, 218 pounds fits the role of a typical NFL running back. He has the tools to perform well despite not taking flight at Florida due to him occupying a part-time role with the team. He has good vision and the size to move forward after contact. He is a physical back with adequate receiving skills, but he is not going to accelerate out of trouble or be an elusive type of back who can easily evade tacklers. He will battle Rex Burkhead and Marlon Mack for carries but it may take a few weeks before his role increases. Any running back with draft capital potential is one to watch for fantasy purposes and Pierce fits that category well as we head into the 2022 season.

Ryan Weisse on May 25: Pierce was solid runner in college but never a high volume guy. That is why I caution against a stance that he will become a full-time starter right away in Houston. I doubt the Texans move away from the committee approach from last year and that limits his upside. As long as his ADP stays low, he's worth the risk, but if he creeps up, don't overpay.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Last year we all overdrafted Mike Davis because he was the only credible option as the Falcons' starter. That ended poorly, and veteran receiver Cordarrelle Patterson shocked the world by morphing into a lead back. Patterson returns to that role, and Allgeier isn't talented enough to displace him.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Mitch Trubisky is more than capable of starting, too, so the Steelers have the luxury of keeping Pickett on the bench until he's ready. Whether that's Week 1, Week 10, or 2023 remains to be seen.

Jeff Bell on Aug 3: The fastest back at the combine with a 4.37 40 time, Strong brings a chunk yardage element that would compliment the power carried by Harris and Stevenson. A darkhorse for a significant role if injury creates opportunity.

Jeff Bell on Aug 3: Thornton ran a 4.28 40 for the fastest time in the 2022 draft and projects as a long-term deep threat with the Patriots. He will likely be a backup to Agholor to begin his career, but his speed makes him a rookie to watch.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Haskins is not a younger version of Derrick Henry, but he is a hard-nosed, smart, power runner. If Henry gets hurt again, Haskins is the best bet to be the 1a in a multi-back committee.

Craig Lakins on Aug 8: Doubs is the rookie WR to take out of Green Bay. He has a well-rounded skillset and a great college production profile. He's been making plays throughout training camp and drawn praise from Aaron Rodgers.

Jason Wood on Aug 8: Ridder is raw and there are no guarantees he'll evolve into a long-term starter. But the Falcons have no incentive not to give him a try later this season because Marcus Mariota certainly isn't the answer beyond a one-year stopgap.

Ryan Weisse on Jul 24: While Metchie will not play football in 2022, he is still an interesting prospect for dynasty drafts. This should give him ample time to 100% recover from his knee issues, and hopefully beat cancer with no problem! Draft him knowing 2023 will be his true rookie year.

Jeff Bell on Aug 2: A day three pick who primarily played in the slot, Shakir brings a level of gadget utility to the position. Unless he quickly develops outside, he has a steep climb to any fantasy utility in 2021, but his skill set in this offense bears long-term monitoring.

Ryan Weisse on May 24: I believe that James Robinson will miss at least six games in 2022 and won't be as effective a runner when he does return. If I'm right, Conner could be the back up for 6-8 weeks and handle more work than you'd expect from a 5th-Round pick. I like Travis Etienne a lot this season, but he can't take every carry. Conner finished college with 5.2 YPC and 26 touchdowns on 300 total carries at Ole Miss. He hasn't shown much in passing game but they don't need him there. At 5'10" 220 lbs, he can be a goal-line guy and steal some touchdowns.

Jeff Bell on Aug 3: Harris emerged from a deep South Carolina backfield and finished seventh nationally in rushing yards at 1,138 in 2020. A developmental power compliment who likely needs Damien Harris and Stevenson out of the lineup to gain value.

Craig Lakins on Jul 26: It seems like what could NOT happen for him to kickstart a successful career just happened. He'll now miss his entire rookie season before it ever got started.

Jeff Bell on Aug 2: Bringing size to the position at 6'3", Ezukanma flashed limited run game usage his final season with Texas Tech. A depth piece who would require multiple injuries to see fantasy utility.

Jeff Bell on Aug 3: Zappe set the NCAA record for single-season passing yards with 5,967 in 2021. A 4th round picks with good arm talent but lacking the athletic ability for a true fantasy performer.