One of the more enjoyable parts of being a Devy player, Dynasty player, and NFL Draft obsessor is that intersection that happens with rookies. For all three levels, you are constantly evaluating rookies and projecting how good they will be. Knowing where each of these players falls in the rookie pecking order is important if you want to be a successful devy owner, dynasty owner, or draft evaluator.
This is why I have created Rookie Watch 2022! Here I will highlight and mock the top rookies for the upcoming class. I will be ranking them according to a mixture of factors including my personal draft evaluation, potential draft capital, and how impactful they can/will be in fantasy football. In upcoming editions, I will also highlight the movement these players may see in their value. All of this will culminate in a full report on all the top rookies at the end of the year in hopes to help you make better selections in your rookie drafts.
So without further adieu, here is mock one of the Rookie Watch 2022!
2022 Rookie Rankings
These rankings are standard rankings. Throughout the year I will make specials rankings that include PPR, Superflex, TE Premium, etc.
Wide Receiver Domination
Once again, we are seeing a run of top-end wide receivers. For me, this class is super top-heavy with a handful of elite receivers and others that have the upside to be big-time contributors in the fantasy realm. Pickens, Wilson, Bell, and Olave should be round 1 locks in the draft and could be high-end WR1’s in the NFL. Pickens will have to show he is back to full strength when he comes back from injury, but for now, he is my top guy.
There are others that I think have the ability to sneak into the first round, but at worst should be day 2 selections. Burks, Metchie, and London have a ton of upside and should end the season with the production to back it up.
Quarterback/Runningback Snoozefest
For me, the Quarterback class is a far cry from what we saw a year ago. Lawrence, Fields, and Wilson (probably even Lance), were all easily ahead of this class at this point. We have seen some less than stellar performances from the top guys as well. In standard leagues, I don’t see any reason to take these guys in the first round at all.
When it comes to the running backs, there are just too many question marks for my liking. Breece Hall and Isaiah Spiller are both studs and could sneak into the first round of the NFL Draft. Beyond that, I start to lose confidence as you go further down. Don’t get me wrong, there is a ton of upside in this RB class, but for now, they are going to sit in the back of the 1st/early 2nd.
Strategy
WR is the safest bet you can make with your pick in this class. There are at least 7 guys that will have the talent, production, and draft capital for you to feel good about selecting. If you are RB needy, don’t be afraid to take Hall or Spiller if you have the chance. If you are someone with multiple first-round picks, you could decide to take one of the only RBs at the top, hope people reach on the rest of the class, then let some stud wide-outs fall into your lap. We have a long way to go in the season, but it is looking like wide receiver is the way to go in 2022!
