Welcome fantasy friends and foes to How to Draft from the 1.05 spot in 2022 Fantasy Football. The lineup for this exercise consists of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, and two FLEXs in a 12-team half-PPR draft.
Check out who I selected and why in the first seven rounds of the mock draft. Then, I provide my analysis and strategy by answering seven questions to guide fantasy managers given the 1.05 in their fantasy football drafts.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this draft spot?
With a pick in the middle of the round, there won’t be waiting too long between picking. However, you can also not grab the available elite running backs either. Based on ADP Consensus, Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry and Cooper Kupp will likely go with the first four picks. You may also see Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook scooped up before your first-round selection. The unknown nature of the frequent injury status of McCaffrey and Cook should place shade on taking the plunge on those two running backs.
Welcome fantasy friends and foes to How to Draft from the 1.05 spot in 2022 Fantasy Football. The lineup for this exercise consists of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, and two FLEXs in a 12-team half-PPR draft.
Check out who I selected and why in the first seven rounds of the mock draft. Then, I provide my analysis and strategy by answering seven questions to guide fantasy managers given the 1.05 in their fantasy football drafts.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this draft spot?
With a pick in the middle of the round, there won’t be waiting too long between picking. However, you can also not grab the available elite running backs either. Based on ADP Consensus, Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry and Cooper Kupp will likely go with the first four picks. You may also see Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook scooped up before your first-round selection. The unknown nature of the frequent injury status of McCaffrey and Cook should place shade on taking the plunge on those two running backs.
Do you have a specific strategy when picking at 1.05 in 2022?
The elite running backs are off the board, so where do you pivot? Grabbing McCaffrey or Cook could be a league winner if they stay healthy. The million-dollar question is, of course, will they stay healthy? In a PPR league, the focus should be on the wide receiver position especially considering this league starts three wide receivers and two flexes. My attention is on the wide receivers who are target hogs. Also, if an elite tight end like Mark Andrews or Kyle Pitts is available early, fantasy managers should jump all over it. In a one-quarterback league, there is zero need to select a signal-caller early. There are 16 quarterbacks that fantasy managers should be content with heading into the 2022 season. Regarding running backs, all eyes should be looking for upside backs who can leap into the upper tier, such as Travis Etienne, Breece Hall and AJ Dillon.
Who are the first-round targets in this spot, and what’s the order of preference?
Fantasy managers love their all-purpose backs with good reason. To get an RB that produces in the passing game is almost like getting two players in one. That said, the first-round targets should be Austin Ekeler or Joe Mixon. However, the preference should pivot to the wide receiver position. While Cooper Kupp had an all-world 2021 season, it will be unfathomable for Kupp to achieve those numbers again. There is another wide receiver that I am gearing to select, which is Justin Jefferson. Jefferson finished as the WR4 last season, producing 108 receptions on 167 targets to go along with 1616 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. With new head coach Kevin O’Connell taking over, the Vikings’ offense will look more explosive. The offense has prime fantasy assets with Kirk Cousins leading the charge at quarterback, Cook and Alexander Mattison in the backfield and Adam Thielen along with K.J. Osborn teaming up with Jefferson to give this offense a high ceiling and the opportunity to be an offensive juggernaut. O’Connell arrives in Minnesota with experience in elite offenses with the Super Bowl Champions Los Angeles Rams and in Washington, where he coached Cousins. Jefferson has the potential to finish as the WR1 this season.
Is there anyone you’re avoiding who might be available to you in the first round?
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is the one running back that should make fantasy managers. Volume is the best friend in the fantasy world, and that was precisely the case for Harris to push him to finish as the RB4 last season. Harris reached that lofty status by finishing first among RB in snap share (84.5), targets (94) and receptions (74). The former Crimson Tide running back led the league with 381 touches, but a reduction of snaps discussed by Harris and the team is a detriment to his floor this season. There are more negative components on the negative side of the fantasy ledger. Harris ranked a dismal 53rd with 3.8 actual yards per carry. The former first-round pick is not explosive and will also not have the luxury of playing with a quarterback who can only check it down, as Ben Roethlisberger was only able to accomplish in his last NFL season. Instead, the Steelers offense will be led by either Mitchell Trubisky or the 2022 first-round pick and local favorite Kenny Pickett. The uncertainty of the direction of the offense along with inefficiency and volume-based production has led Harris to tumble down the draft rankings.
What is the plan of attack for Rounds 2-3 based on the possible first-round scenarios?
In a perfect world, one of your realistic running back targets fall to you at the 20th pick, such as D’Andre Swift or Javonte Williams. However, if you aren’t lucky enough to select those elite backs, you should pivot to grab one of the top wideouts with your second-round selection. CeeDee Lamb will see plenty of targets in a Dallas Cowboys offense without the traded Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup still trying to recover from offseason knee surgery. Another prime target should be San Franciso 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel, a league-winner for many fantasy managers after producing 1770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns. You can go down different paths with Justin Jefferson and Lamb/Samuel to kick off your roster.
Looking at the running backs available, you have two backs Antonio Gibson and Cam Akers who have a history of RB1 production, but have warts regarding health concerns and being deep in running back committees. Josh Jacobs should be available at this point. Who was the focal point of the Las Vegas Raiders offense last season? Jacobs finished as the RB14 last season as the lead ball-carrier and will be crowded this season in the Raiders offense with the acquisition of wide receiver Davante Adams and the healthy return of pass-catching running backs Kenyon Drake and Jalen Richard. The trepidation on these backs should turn your focus to the elite wide receivers like Keenan Allen, Mike Evans or AJ Brown. A starting triplet of Jefferson, Lamb and any of these receivers in a PPR league will have you smiling and provide a significant advantage over your league mates.
Who are some targets in Rounds 4-7?
You have three stud wide receivers to start your roster, zero running backs, two flexes to fill and no quarterback or tight end. This doesn’t preclude you from drafting another wideout since you still need to fill those two flex spots. The wide receivers you should target are Michael Pittman Jr., who is the WR1 with the Indianapolis Colts and had 88 receptions for 1,082 yards and six scores last season. Pittman should see an increase in targets with Matt Ryan now under center. Another wide receiver who should take advantage of an upgrade at quarterback is the Denver Broncos Courtland Sutton. Sutton welcomes Russell Wilson to Denver and hopes their offense lets Wilson cook. DJ Moore is an excellent wide receiver but is handcuffed by the lackluster quarterback play of Sam Darnold. His usage is elite, but a better QB would rise Moore to top 12 territory. Other wide receivers are the perenially underrated Brandin Cooks, Amari Cooper, the Cleveland Browns WR1, and Terry McLaurin. Terry will also benefit from a quarterback upgrade in Washington with their trade for Carson Wentz.
If, by some miracle, Mark Andrews or Kyle Pitts fall into your lap in Round 4, hit the draft button immediately. However, if neither of those elite tight ends falls to you, punt the tight end position to the later rounds and stock up on running backs and wide receivers.
Speaking of running backs, fantasy managers utilizing the zero RB strategy will have their choice of upside running backs like Travis Etienne, who is recovering from a torn Achilles injury. Etienne was a monster RB in college, and all signs indicate he is performing well so far in camp. In addition, he returns to the Jaguars, who will have a new head coach in Doug Pederson and many upgrades to the offensive weapons surrounding second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence. James Connor was a league-winner for fantasy managers last season, producing 18 total touchdowns on his way to finishing as the RB5 for the Arizona Cardinals. His injury history scares many fantasy managers, but his production last season and current role as the only viable RB in the Cardinals offense should not. Another running back fantasy managers should target within this draft range is A.J. Dillon. Dillion is the 1B with Aaron Jones as the 1A in the Packers offense. Dillion is an efficient RB who finished with seven total touchdowns last season and should see plenty more touches this season in a Packers offense sans Davante Adams. If Jones gets injured, Dillon provides top-five RB, league-winning upside.
After seven rounds, which positions do you expect to be areas of strength for you, and which positions will you still need to address?
RB – Travis Etienne, AJ Dillon
WR – Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Mike Evans, Michael Pittman, Brandin Cooks
Heading into the eighth round, my wide receiver group is stacked, which is essential in a PPR league where you must start three WR and have two flex spots. Your two running backs have plenty of upside but are not surefire backs. You will have to focus on targeting RBs who are pass-catching backs with upside potential. Targeting running backs like Devin Singletary, Miles Sanders and Clyde Edwards-Helaire provide tons of boom potential. Fantasy managers also need to turn their focus to grabbing a tight end, especially one in a pass-heavy offense. Tight ends to select in these rounds are Dalton Schultz and Dawson Knox. Finally, there is still an abundance of viable quarterbacks for fantasy managers, such as Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr. You should have a fantastic base on your roster and pick upside and potential in these rounds to win fantasy championships.
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Trade Analyzer – which allows you to instantly find out if a trade offer benefits you or your opponent – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
