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

Competitive NFL Receiving Corps to Avoid in 2022 Fantasy Football Drafts

amon-ra st. brown fantasy football rankings NFL DFS lineup picks

Justin looks at fantasy football wide receivers and tight ends you may want to avoid for the 2022 NFL season. Hi overvalued players for fantasy football drafts.

There is fantasy value on every NFL team. I can't name a single team where I would fade the whole team no matter what.

But there are teams that are trickier than others to figure out. Maybe it's because there are too many cooks in the kitchen. Maybe it's because those cooks aren't very good at cooking. Maybe it's because the executive chef (the head coach in this metaphor) of the restaurant (team) is really bad at delegating responsibilities and ignores half of his sous chefs for some reason.

Anyway, today we're going to talk about some receiving corps to avoid this year. For the most part, I mean receiving corps where there's maybe one guy who is a step ahead of the others, and then after that, it's such a mess that you don't know where to look. A good example of this is the first team we'll look at: the Lions. Amon-Ra St. Brown is good. After that...IDK!

Editor's Note: Steer clear of costly draft mistakes with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Bust analysis. We break down overvalued players, potential letdowns, and risky ADPs to avoid, so you can build a smarter, safer roster.

 

Detroit Lions Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

Amon-Ra St. Brown is the best receiver on this Lions team. At some point, a healthy Jameson Williams will push him for that role and Detroit will be all the better for it.

But with Williams expected to miss much of his rookie season, the Lions will have to make do with St. Brown plus a host of other guys.

D.J. Chark will have the first shot at the No. 2 role, but Chark's per-game numbers have slipped each of the last two seasons. In four NFL campaigns, Chark has had one good season and one "ehh, it's fine" season.

Beyond Chark, there are some solid depth pieces like Quintez Cephus, Josh Reynolds, and last season's No. 2 receiver, Kalif Raymond. Lot of mouths to feed, which will lead to only St. Brown having consistent fantasy value.

 

Buffalo Bills Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

Yeah, lots of people are all in on Gabriel Davis this year. But I think that beyond Stefon Diggs, there are three solid receivers fighting for snaps on this team, which is going to sap the value from the non-Diggs guys.

Last year, Stefon Diggs had full control of this receiving unit, with 164 targets, 25% of the team's total targets.

Cole Beasley was second with 112 targets, then Emmanuel Sanders had 72. Gabriel Davis saw 63 targets. Isaiah McKenzie 26.

Beasley and Sanders are gone, but the team signed Jamison Crowder, who'll compete with Davis and McKenzie for snaps. Someone here will emerge in the Beasley role, but that role only accounted for 693 yards last year. Someone can be the other outside receiver across from Diggs, but that role accounted for 626 yards.

The non-Diggs guys are going to cannibalize each other's value again this season.

 

New England Patriots Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

For most of these teams, there's one clear top guy and then question marks. For the Patriots, there are two guys who might be the No. 1 guy, then some talent behind them that will also be fighting for snaps.

The problem for the Patriots is usage patterns. Jakobi Meyers led the team with 126 targets last year, but despite ranking 20th among all receivers in targets, he had just 13 targets in the red zone, with two touchdowns. Mac Jones looked other directions in the place on the field where receivers can earn more fantasy points.

The team signed DeVante Parker this offseason, who spent the last seven seasons with the Dolphins and has two seasons with over 100 targets. He'll pilfer some of those chances away from Meyers, which really will just leave both players with fewer targets than you'd need to feel comfortable with them in fantasy.

Then there's Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and second-round pick Tyquan Thornton, who'll all also be part of the equation. And that's not to mention that the Pats have historically liked to target tight end and running back. Per FantasyPros, the Patriots targeted wide receiver at the eighth-lowest rate last year.

 

Baltimore Ravens Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

We know the Ravens like to run. We also know the Ravens like to throw to tight end Mark Andrews. The team targeted tight end 172 times last year, the second-most in the league behind the Dolphins.

Because the team didn't target running backs much, there were still 337 targets available last year for the wide receivers, with 146 of those going to Marquise Brown. So, 43.3% of the WR targets went to one player.

That player is gone, but Rashod Bateman should step up in his absence to take on this role as the primary wideout. And that leaves limited opportunities for the rest of this receiving corps. Devin Duvernay, James Proche II, and Tylan Wallace should all rotate in and out of the lineup, making it tough to find receiver value here beyond Bateman.

 

Chicago Bears Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

The Bears probably should have devoted this offseason to getting some real weapons for Justin Fields.

Instead, he enters 2022 with Darnell Mooney as his top target, which is theoretically okay...if there was a receiver who was close to Mooney's talent on the roster to pair with him.

But the Bears receiving corps right now looks like this: Equanimeous St. Brown, Byron Pringle, N'Keal Harry, Dante Pettis, Tajae Sharpe, and rookie Velus Jones Jr.

That's a lot of guys whose NFL careers have largely been disappointing and who come to Chicago after failed tenures elsewhere. Guys like Pettis and Sharpe probably won't make the final roster, but enough of these veteran retreads will that it will cloud the playing time picture for Jones, who probably is the second-most talented receiver on this team.

 

Atlanta Falcons Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

With Calvin Ridley suspended and Russell Gage now in Tampa Bay, the Falcons have a lot of holes in their receiving corps.

Thankfully for the team, Drake London was on the board when the team made its first-round draft pick, as they're going to wind up asking a lot of London.

But beyond London, there's not much to like here. Tight end Kyle Pitts and "running back" Cordarrelle Patterson will eat up a lot of targets, leaving a questionable crew fighting for leftovers. Can you trust Bryan Edwards or Olamide Zaccheaus in fantasy? Are they really better than the backups like Auden Tate and Damiere Byrd?

 

Dallas Cowboys* Receivers - Fantasy Outlooks

There's an asterisk here because at some point this season, the Cowboys receiving corps will settle in with CeeDee Lamb as the main guy and Michael Gallup as the clear No. 2.

But that won't be until Gallup returns from his ACL tear. We don't know exactly when that will be, so for at least the first few weeks of the season, you'll want to avoid wide receivers on this team who aren't Lamb.

It looks like Jalen Tolbert should start the season as the No. 2 receiver, but he's a third-round rookie. Will he be effective from the jump?

And if he isn't, is there really a world where we trust Noah Brown or Simi Fehoko in fantasy?

I don't think so.



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

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
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
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

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

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
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
Riley Greene

Homers Twice, Drives in Six on Wednesday
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF