X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

2022 Fantasy Football First-Round ADP Preview

Jonathan Taylor - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

It's never too early for a Mock Draft! Our Dominic Petrillo prepares his early 2022 first round NFL mock draft. How many receivers are in here after a historic year for wideouts?

Everyone loves a mock draft. Whether it be a mock of the NFL Draft in April, or a look ahead to next season and the looming fantasy draft. Well, here at RotoBaller, we love them too. Here is our first look at 2022 fantasy football ADP for the first round.

Many of the names will be different than in previous years. Christian McCaffrey, the reigning consensus number one overall pick? Not so much anymore. In fact, he might not even crack the first round in some drafts this season.

On the other hand, there may be more receivers present in the draft than you might expect. With running backs near the top taking a major downturn this season, more young receivers have a chance to creep into the mix. With eight months left to go before the official start of the new season, this is likely to change, but it is still fun to forecast. **For our purposes, we are using a league with ½ point PPR and no tight end premium with 12 teams.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Pick 1: Jonathan Taylor (RB, IND)

Taylor is a slam dunk No. 1 pick for many early drafters but this could easily be argued for Derrick Henry instead. The difference in my mind is not just the age but also the offense.

While Derrick Henry is a big, bruising running back coming off injury, he is getting a bit older. Jonathan Taylor, on the other hand, is just entering his third season in the NFL. With an offensive line anchored by stud Ryan Kelly and Quenton Nelson blocking for him, his ability to run is far easier than the path Derrick Henry will have in 2022. Coming off a Jones fracture which caused him to miss half of the 2021 season, Henry is just slightly behind Taylor due to risk.

 

Pick 2: Derrick Henry (RB, TEN)

In only eight games during the 2021 season, Derrick Henry compiled 935 yards and 10 touchdowns on 219 rush attempts. These numbers were by far the best in the NFL at the time of his injury. He led all Flex-eligible players with 23 fantasy points per game (half-PPR).

The Tennessee Titans, even with the addition of Julio Jones, were a run-first team. They will continue to be the same in 2022 but Derrick Henry is not getting any younger.

At 6’3 and 250 pounds, Henry has the body to take punishment. However, his size also will lead him to break down a bit quicker once the end comes near. Despite missing half of the 2021 season, Derrick Henry still has over 600 carries on his body since the start of the 2020 season. Entering his age 28 season, this could be the last elite season he has. With Jonathan Taylor being four years younger, this gives him the slight nod in this discussion. If someone were to take Derrick Henry at number one, I would not be shocked or dismayed.

 

Pick 3: Dalvin Cook (RB, MIN)

Although third here, Cook is the most well-rounded of the three top backs. His pass-catching ability is far superior to that of Derrick Henry and is better than the numbers you can expect from Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis.

Dalvin Cook is also on the best offense of these three. Meaning, he does not have to be the do-it-all the other two do. Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL and despite the hatred, Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback any of these three have on their team.

Coming off a dislocated shoulder to run for more than 200 yards against the Detroit Lions shows the ability Cook has to come back from injury. This is also where he falls short of the other two. While Derrick Henry missed the last half of the 2021 season with a broken foot, he has remained healthy for the rest of his career. Thus far in his career, Jonathan Taylor has had no major injuries to deal with. Unfortunately for Cook, he deals with something every week.

After missing much of his rookie season with a torn ACL suffered in Week 5, it took him the entire next season to get back to full strength. Since then, he has dealt with other ailments from hamstrings to the dislocated shoulder this season. He is still far too talented to drop extremely far down the draft order. But of the top three running backs, he has the most risk and therefore the lowest draft slot.

 

Pick 4: Nick Chubb (RB, CLE)

This is where things get murky. I decided to go with Nick Chubb, but there are a few other talented running backs and wide receivers who belong here as well.

Playing in 13 games, Chubb had the same number of rushes (219) that Derrick Henry had through his eight games. Despite the 219 rushes, Nick Chubb still managed to average 5.5 yards/attempt on his way to more than 1,201 yards thus far with one game to go in week 18. Though not to the crazy 36.8 rushes per game of Derrick Henry, 16.8 rushes per game for Chubb is nothing to sneeze at. Especially considering he is sharing a backfield with another talented running back in Kareem Hunt.

The Cleveland Browns want to be a run-first team. After seeing what Baker Mayfield has emerged into, this is the best thing for them. While the future of Baker Mayfield with the Browns is uncertain, the future of Nick Chubb on the team is set in stone. He will remain the lead back and whether it be Mayfield or a new quarterback, the Cleveland Browns will again be near the top of the heap in terms of rush percentage in 2022. Getting the lead back in this offense seems like good business sense.

 

Pick 5: Davante Adams (WR, GB)

Of course, this completely depends on Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers both returning to the Green Bay Packers. If they do, this is an easy pick. If not, all bets are off to where he may land in the draft.

Aaron Rodgers loves Davante Adams and the same can be said for the inverse. When Rodgers was staging his mock holdout this off-season, Adams continually came to his side and showed his support. The connection is real, and it will continue in 2022.

While I love Cooper Kupp and have since he was drafted, Davante Adams is still the best wide receiver in the NFL. Not to mention Aaron Rodgers is better than Matthew Stafford. This is the true key in deciding between the two for this position. You cannot go wrong either way here. But as long as the Rodgers and Adams connection is in Green Bay, they deserve the nod at this pick.

 

Pick 6: Austin Ekeler (RB, LAC)

There is going to be plenty of debate about where RBs outside the top three should fall. This may be one of the main points of contention as this slot could easily go to Alvin Kamara. Both players have similar skill sets. The difference is the surrounding offense.

While we are uncertain about the quarterback situation in New Orleans for 2022, we know Justin Herbert will be there for the long haul. Coming off a season in which he set the franchise record for touchdown passes, Herbert is ascending into the elite realms of NFL quarterbacks. The balanced offense helped Ekeler to score 18 TD during the fantasy football season. He may see regression, but it won't be drastic enough to keep him from producing first-round value if he stays healthy.

Alvin Kamara may in fact be the more talented player, but talent alone cannot overcome the offensive struggles in New Orleans. If the Saints are able to get Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson, this pick could easily switch to Alvin Kamara. As things stand now, Ekeler gets the slight advantage.

 

Pick 7: Alvin Kamara (RB, NO)

He is just so damn talented. 210 rushes and 752 rush yards does not seem like an elite running back, but Alvin Kamara really makes his waves in the receiving game. Much like Christian McCaffrey, Kamara is as good, if not better, as a receiver than as a runner. Even in a down year in 2021, Kamara has 45 receptions on 65 targets. This despite playing with the likes of Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian behind center for most of the season. Add his 423 receiving yards and his five receiving touchdowns to his rushing numbers and it is clear to see the elite nature of Alvin Kamara in the New Orleans offense.

Next season should be much different in New Orleans. Whether it be Jameis Winston or another quarterback, the position should be in a better place in 2022. This means Kamara will be in a much better position as well. With this in mind, Kamara cannot realistically drop much lower in drafts than right here.

 

Pick 8: Cooper Kupp (WR, LAR)

The best receiver in the NFL this season, Cooper Kupp comes off as the number two wide receiver here. With 138 receptions, 1,829 yards and 15 touchdowns, Kupp is on pace to lead the league in all three categories for the season. Although he contends that any records he sets should come with an asterisk, they will not, and he could be the single-season leader in receptions and yards come Sunday night.

Kupp, although entering the league only four years ago, is older than you might imagine. He will be 29 entering the 2022 season and although he still looks at the top of his game, there is still that age bias some people will need to get over if he is to be drafted any higher.

With Matthew Stafford in town and Robert Woods as well as Van Jefferson and possibly Odell Beckham Jr. returning, the Los Angeles Rams offense will be loaded. Much like this season, it will run through Kupp. Matthew Stafford loves him and so do I.

 

Pick 9: Joe Mixon (RB, CIN)

He is past the injury bug and added to this the Cincinnati Bengals finally have a quarterback to rely on.

With Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins in tow, some may think this too high to take Mixon with all the competition he faces for production. It has not affected him this season. As the Cincinnati Bengals surprised everyone and won the AFC North division, Joe Mixon put up numbers befitting of an elite running back.

1,205 yards on 292 rushes and 13 touchdowns in the run game added to his 314 yards and three more touchdowns on 42 receptions show a complete package at the running back position. At age 26, he will be in the prime of his career to go along with Joe Burrow and the receivers group headed by Chase. This offense could be destructive in 2022. They were fantasy gold in 2021 and the train should not stop. I want a piece of it and getting Mixon as the seventh running back off the board is excellent value.

 

Pick 10: Deebo Samuel (WR, SF)

Talk about a dual threat and you cannot do any better than Deebo Samuel. Not only is he leading the San Francisco 49ers in rushing touchdowns, he is doing the same in the receiving game.

Gaining 1,310 receiving yards and six touchdowns would be a great season for any receiver, but with Samuel you get a bonus. He has also rushed 51 times for 320 yards and seven more touchdowns. He is the reverse of most dual-threat running backs and it is a beautiful thing. This makes him just as valuable as those like Alvin Kamara and Joe Mixon.

Being a wide receiver, you do not need to take him quite as high in drafts. That is the reason he falls here at number 10. Injury risk is also a concern with Samuel. It is for everyone, but Deebo Samuel has not had a fully healthy season since he was in high school. If next year can be the first, he could easily be the number one overall fantasy receiver. If he continues to miss a game or two, you can still expect similar numbers to what he put up in 2021. Either way, you will want to draft him.

 

Pick 11: Christian McCaffrey (RB, CAR)

This one is extremely risky. Would I make this pick? Most of the time, no. There is no doubt that if he comes back healthy, Christian McCaffery is the best running back in the NFL.

Injuries have taken their toll on him the past two seasons. This is the reason he falls so far in an early mock. With the talent considered, he will still find himself being drafted in the first round in many drafts. We devour running backs and they are the linchpin of most fantasy teams. With Saquon Barkley struggling and Ezekiel Elliott sharing touches with Tony Pollard, taking a shot on McCaffrey actually seems like the safer bet here. It is scary of course, but if he can suit up for at least 13 games, nabbing CMC in the late part of the first round will all but win your fantasy league in 2022.

 

Pick 12: Najee Harris (RB, PIT)

Although the rookie season of Najee Harris can be seen as a bit disappointing due to his rushing average, 296 rushes for 1,172 yards is not too shabby. Especially when Ben Roethlisberger has been so bad this season, most teams knew what was coming.

Not fully utilized as a receiver during his time at Alabama, his 70 receptions for 440 yards this season show his potential to be the next LeVeon Bell in Pittsburgh. That's something the team will count on next season with a new quarterback. Whether that quarterback be a rookie, a free agent, or God forbid, Mason Rudolph.

One thing we know about the Steelers under Mike Tomlin, they count on one running back. From LeVeon Bell and DeAngelo Williams to James Conner, the Pittsburgh Steelers do not deploy a running back by committee approach. Instead, they deploy the run-them-until-they-puke approach. The same can be said for Harris as he has been on the field for 86% of offensive snaps this season and this number will only go up as long as he is healthy in 2022.

With 300 rush attempts and 90 targets coming his way in 2022, getting him with the final pick in the first round to pair with a stud wide receiver on the turn would be a great start to a fantasy team. Can you imagine starting a draft with Najee Harris and Ja'Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson? It could easily happen.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF