2022 Fantasy Football draft value: Sleepers, busts and more

Wide Receivers

Best Value: Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

ADP 94.2, WR 38

Have we forgotten that Lamar Jackson proved last year that he can support a WR1? Have we so easily replaced the University of Minnesota stud that dominated college football, with the rookie who missed half of his season due to groin muscle surgery and missed most of his rookie season? Did we miss the 11+ yards per reception and 100+ fantasy points he scored playing second fiddle to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who is now an Arizona Cardinal? I didn’t think so.

Rashod Bateman has two key factors that could point to a breakout season. His health, and increased volume. Bateman appeared, by the end of last season, to be rid of his groin injury. And, as mentioned above, his top competition for targets now plays most of the way across the country. Look for Bateman to put up good numbers as the Ravens’ top target.

Worst Value: Davante Adams

ADP 10.5, WR 4

I know, I know. I used Adams’ added presence as a reason to love Josh Jacobs a mere few paragraphs ago. This just goes to show a paradox present in fantasy football – talent vs. value.

While Adams has incredible talent – he’s been a premier top WR for the past several years – he’s changed teams and downgraded at QB (sorry, Derek Carr, but you’re not Aaron Rodgers), not to mention that he is now surrounded with likely the best group of pass-catchers in his career (we can debate Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller vs. Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Allen Lazard another time) who will compete for targets in the Raiders’ offense.

I would imagine that there’s a significant chance that he drops more than a spot or two in the fantasy WR scoring ranks, dropping him past his ADP value.

Adams should still challenge for WR1 (top 10-12) numbers, but his ADP of late first/early second round puts him up there with the most elite WRs, which I think is a tier from which Adams is more likely than not to fall. Wait for him to drop if you’re going to take him.

Like him in this spot: CeeDee Lamb

ADP 20.3, WR 8

Lamb is my bold pick to challenge for best WR in fantasy this season. And to get him in the late second/early third round? I’d be very comfortable with that, with such a high floor due to his newly expanded role. Lamb already showed that he was capable of leading the Cowboys’ receiving corps last season, as he out-scored top dog Amari Cooper in eleven of the Cowboys’ 17 games.

Cooper now plays in Cleveland, leaving open 134.5 fantasy points per game that aren’t likely to just dissolve. Lamb could see his top-20 WR stats from 2021 increase dramatically, easily landing him in the top 10, right where he’s being drafted.