The 2022 NFL season is upon us, which means it’s time to prepare for your fantasy football draft. Of course, there’s no better way to do this than to practice drawing with our free mock draft simulator! Beyond our tools, we’ll provide you with our content throughout the draft prep season.
The goal of every fantasy football coach is to complete the perfect draft. Impossible, you say? Let’s call it a stretch goal and fight for fantasy football glory. Let’s take a look at our perfect fantasy football draft strategy.
Below you can find the perfect strategy draft from each of our analysts.
Perfect drafts
Derek Brown’s Perfect 2022 Fantasy Football Draft
Approach to round 1
With a top three pick, I’ll take one of Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Whoever I fall into that range is perfectly fine, so I’ll mention some players that are attainable without a top three pick for my early round targets.
First round players to target
- Justin Jefferson: Justin Jefferson’s rise is far from complete. Jefferson could end up as the overall WR1 in 2022 after posting a WR4 ranking last year. He was near the top of the rankings in every efficiency metric, ranking seventh in yards per carry, tenth in route winning percentage and first in weighted opportunity.
- Dalvin Cook: Dalvin Cook has played in at least 13 games in each of the last three seasons, so injury concerns are somewhat glossed over. During that span, Cook has been the RB9, RB2 and RB2 in fantasy points per game. Entering his age-27 season, he showed he has plenty left in the tank last season, sitting 11th in tackles evaded and second in breakaways. Cook ranks among the NFL’s top receiving backs, ranking eighth and 11th in rushing yards among running backs in 2019-2020. The Vikings are rumored to use him more in the passing game this season. Cook saw target shares of 13.4% (ninth) and 16.0% (tenth) in 2019 and 2020 before last season’s decline. If passing game usage returns to previous levels, Cook could be the RB1 in 2022.
Mid-round players to target
- Ja’Marr Chase: Ja’Marr Chase always had elite upside, but it was nice to see it right away in year one as he was the WR5. Chase was eighth in rushing yards and fourth in YAC per reception, while also leading the league in deep targets. Chase plays the depth role for the Bengals in lockdown. After seeing just 12 red-zone targets (35th) last season, there’s an even higher touchdown ceiling he can reach despite ranking fourth in total touchdowns last season among wideouts.
- Najee Harris – Last year Najee Harris racked up 1,667 total yards and ten touchdowns en route to an RB6 finish. Now, with concerns about his weight and Steelers starters possibly reducing his workload, some might feel a slight hesitation to select him in the first round. They shouldn’t be. Last year Harris became one of five players since 2017 to manage 380 or more touches in a season. His workload had to drop a bit if we want him available for every game. As for his weight, Harris played last season just four pounds lighter, so those concerns are also overblown. If the Steelers field an improved offense in 2022, Harris can improve on his 38 red-zone touches (21st) last year and fall into the top three at his position.
Last round players to target
- Travis Kelce: You need Doc Brown and a Delorean to find a season where Travis Kelce finished below the TE2 in fantasy points per game. We should put the pedal to the metal and go back to 2015 when Kelce was the TE9. Going back to 2022, Kelce is entering his age-33 season, and despite being an elder statesman, his metrics last season remained strong. He was seventh in rushing yards and 15th in receiving YAC. Comparing Kelce’s fantasy production per game in 2021, he would have been RB10 or WR11. Still tied to one of the best quarterbacks in the game as his unquestioned number one option, it’s worth paying for Kelce.
- D’Andre Swift: Before suffering a shoulder injury last season, D’Andre Swift was the RB7 in fantasy points per game. As the season progressed, Swift distanced himself from Jamaal Williams, finishing 12th in weighted opportunities and eighth in rushing share. Swift was incredibly efficient, ranking ninth in rushing yards, 18th in tackles evaded and first in yards created per touch. Swift was just 29th in red-zone touches last year, as a result of the Lions ranking 29th in red-zone scoring attempts per game. With an improved supporting cast, Swift’s touchdown prospects are even higher in 2022.
Approaching round 2
First round players to target
- Stefon Diggs: Stefon Diggs couldn’t top his first electric season in Buffalo last year as he fell to WR9 in fantasy points per game. His volume and usage remained top notch as he finished in the top 12 in weighted opportunities (12th), target share (11th) and air yard share (12th). The biggest point of regression for Diggs was his yards per carry, dropping from 2.49 to 1.84, which was still a top-25 mark (25th) among wide receivers with 50 or more targets. At 28, this may be the first sign of aging for Diggs, but he’s still worth drafting early with confidence. It’s major pressure on the best quarterback in the game, locked inside a top-five offense that will push the pace and passing rates.
- CeeDee Lamb: This season is CeeDee Lamb’s chance to break into the league’s elite receiver level. The Cowboys have cleared the way for Lamb with the departure of Amari Cooper for that to happen. Lamb was 13th in rushing yards last season while also operating as a mover in the open field. He was fourth in forced fumbles and 14th in yards after the catch during the regular season. As Dallas’ number one option, he can improve on last year’s WR18 finish.
Mid-round players to target
- Leonard Fournette: Leonard Fournette was the RB3 in fantasy points per game last season, but will slip to this point in the draft or later. Training camp footage of Fournette showing some offseason “gains” will send him off the board in some draft rooms. A workhorse running back in a top-five offense shouldn’t make it out of the first two rounds. Fournette is likely to repeat his top 12 (12th) and weighted opportunity shares (seventh) from last season as he heads for another fantastic season.
- Mike Evans: The dawn of another NFL season equals another chance to draft the underrated Mike Evans. He’s the poster child for consistency, ranking as a top-20 wide receiver every year but one. With Chris Godwin coming back from injury and Russell Gage in his first year of TB12 experience, look for Evans’ 12.7% goal-per-adjustment rate (52nd) and target share to rise. Evans was 15th in deep targets and 11th in red zone targets last season. He could easily see more volume in both areas in 2022, propelling him to top-five status at the wide receiver position.
Last round players to target
- Saquon Barkley: Saquon Barkley is in a great spot to help himself in a contract year. The nightmare fuel of an offense led by Joe Judge, Jason Garrett or Freddie Kitchens is gone. Barkley gets a scheme update and helps up front to open driving lanes with his return to the zone run. The Giants added Jon Feliciano, Mark Glowinski and Evan Neal to pave the way and protect Daniel Jones so he can keep the ball this season. With the buzz that Brian Daboll and company want to use Barkley more in the passing game if the stars align, he can return to the dizzying heights of his early production.
- Javonte Williams: No matter what metric you look at when evaluating the running back game, chances are you’ll find Javonte Williams near the top of the list. Williams finished last season as RB22 in fantasy points per game despite only hitting a 50.5% chance share (31st). Yes, Melvin Gordon is back in the game, but if Williams gets even 60% of that backfield, he could explode into an improved offense this season. Williams ranked sixth in tackles and seventh in yards created per touch. While his running prowess is known by many, his passing skills are being overlooked. With Nathaniel Hackett setting the screen rate this season for Russell Wilson, Williams should be heavily involved after ranking 17th in yards per route last year. The needle points to one of the best young running backs in the league.
Approaching round 3
First round players to target
- James Conner: James Conner is locked and loaded as Arizona’s go-to guy in 2022. Last season, when he was the workhorse, he averaged 21.8 touches and 114.4 total yards per game as a fantasy RB2. The addition of Darrel Williams could hurt Conner in the route department of the passing game, but his role as the primary goal line defender should be secure. In 2021, he ranked 16th in red-zone touches and 18th in red-zone touchdown share, but was the most red-zone effective in the NFL. Conner led all running backs in red zone touchdown conversion rate.
- AJ Brown: Adding one of the league’s most efficient wide receivers, AJ Brown, to the Eagles’ passing attack will pay immediate dividends. Brown was eighth in rushing yards last season. Brown could set career highs if Eagles increase pass volume in 2022. Philadelphia tried to pass last year, but then focused on the run when they realized they lacked the personnel to do it. Despite two top-five seasons under his belt among receivers in total touchdowns, Brown has never finished higher than 29th in red zone target volume. Last year, the Eagles led the NFL in red zone shooting at 61% (league average 48%). With the touchdown pendulum set to swing back to the passing game once they get close, Brown…