Fantasy Football 2022 Rookie Rankings: Nos. 10-6
It’s time to get into the Top 10 rookies for this upcoming fantasy season, which is not the same as ranking dynasty rookies. The Top 10 – and today we’ll look at Nos. 10-6 – are how I believe they will impact fantasy teams in 2022 redraft formats. For the Honorable Mentions, click here. Otherwise, let’s get started.
10. Tyler Allgeier, RB, Falcons (Round 5, No. 151 overall)
Allgeier has draft capital working against him. Fifth round running backs do not typically become fantasy relevant players, and often fail to ever see the field in a meaningful way. For Allgeier, however, the situation in Atlanta gives him about as good a chance as any fifth rounder to make a dent. The Falcons’ current RBs include Cordarrelle Patterson, a breakout player in 2021 as a hybrid who is not suited for a big workload, veteran Damien Williams, who also has never maintained a starter workload, and Mike Davis, who flopped as their lead back last season. This argument also led to hype for Javian Hawkins last preseason. Hawkins was a talented, undrafted free agent who appeared to have a path to playing time and he ended up being cut before Week 1. Allgeier doesn’t necessarily have Hawkins’ flash, but he does have impressive production at BYU on his side. He rushed for 1,130 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior when he assumed the lead role, and then put up more than 1,600 rushing yards with 23 touchdowns last year. He also showed receiving chops, hauling in 28 passes for 199 yards. Allgeier does not have the freak athleticism we fall in love with so much, but he proved he was a quality, productive player in college and he’s the type of player who can provide value with enough volume. Atlanta is short on receivers, so if Patterson plays more receiver in 2022, that leaves the door open for Allgeier to get the touches he needs.
9. Christian Watson, WR, Packers (Round 2, No. 34 overall)
We all envisioned Aaron Rodgers with steam coming out of his ears as the Packers drafted defensive players with their two first round picks, but they did wind up with a high-upside receiver in Watson in Round 2. Watson does not have prolific production to point to; he’s never topped 800 yards or 50 receptions in any collegiate season, btu he also played at FCS North Dakota State, where offenses simply are not putting up video game stats. He did have his best season as a senior, posting 801 yards and seven touchdowns on 43 receptions. He never averaged fewer than 18 yards per catch, and impressed everyone with a 4.36 40-yard dash and 38.5-inch vertical leap at the Combine. At 6’4, 208 lbs. Watson is a prototype WR1, and that’s what Green Bay desperately needs with Davante Adams gone. The thing is, Rodgers had such a connection with Adams, and proved in the playoffs that he must trust the players around him or he will not target them. It won’t be easy for Watson to develop that chemistry right away, and it’s difficult to project him getting a lot of volume out of the gate. The Packers have a number of veterans in the receiver room – Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins – and while none of them are WR1s, they all have a leg up on Watson in terms of time with Rodgers, NFL experience or both. Watson is a very sexy target in dynasty/keeper leagues, but for 2022 he’s a shaky proposition.
8. Dameon Pierce, RB, Texans (Round 4, No. 107 overall)
Like Allgeier, Pierce being a fourth rounder lowers his margin for error in terms of becoming fantasy relevant. Also, like Allgeier, he has a pretty clear path to consistent carries with his main competition being Marlon Mack trying to come back from a torn Achilles tendon, and Rex Burkhead, the dictionary definition of a complementary player. There’s a lot to like about Pierce; he has a sturdy build, runs powerfully, and scored 16 total touchdowns as a senior at Florida. The downsides are non-elite speed, and a lack of proof that he’s able to handle a bellcow’s workload in the NFL. Despite his talent, the Gators never fed him more than 106 carries in any season, so it’s a stretch to think the Texans are going to ride him heavily. It’s more likely that Pierce sees limited work in the early going, and will have to be very impressive to gain more opportunity as the season progresses. That can definitely happen, but it lowers his ceiling in 2022 as a rookie.
7. James Cook, RB, Bills (Round 2, No. 63 overall)
Cook, the brother of Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook, landed on a team in which he could immediately become the lead back. Talent is not an issue here; the main knock is that Cook has never handled more than 113 carries at the college level, and prior to his senior season at Georgia he’d never even logged 50 rushing attempts. In Buffalo, Devin Singletary hasn’t proven to be a star rusher, but he did come on strong at the end of last season and is a lock to enter 2022 as the starter. Cook will need Singletary to falter or sustain an injury in order to take over the lion’s share of carries, and even then it’s unlikely he will be a three-down option at any point in his rookie season. He is a good pass-catcher, however, so he could establish himself as a regular presence for the Bills on passing downs, and that would lock him into PPR value at a minimum.
6. Chris Olave, WR, Saints (Round 1, No. 11 overall)
Olave, a speedster out of Ohio State, joins a Saints team that was in dire need of playmakers in the receiving game. They’ve been without Michael Thomas for essentially a season and a half, and the passing game has cratered. Thomas should be back and healthy in 2022, which can only help Olave thrive as a rookie. It’s not always easy for rookie wide receivers to make an impact, but the scenario in New Orleans is very favorable for Olave to get a lot of work very early. He was prolific for the Buckeyes, racking up double-digit touchdowns in 2019 and 2021, and catching 65 passes for nearly 1,000 yards as a senior in an offense littered with NFL talent. Olave ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at the Combine, and is considered one of the top route runners in this draft. That last bit is important, since he will be catching passes from Jameis Winston, a notoriously inaccurate QB. Olave will probably operate out of the slot a lot, so I expect him to be more of a PPR friendly option who will underwhelm on the touchdown total, but there’s a good chance he winds up a useful player right away.