While rookies are the hot topic this time of year, there are always plenty of second-year NFL players ready to either break out or continue the hot start to their professional career. Let’s take a look at notable second-year fantasy football players with a chance to break out in 2022. We’ll get started with wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Second-Year Breakout Candidates: Kadarius Toney (2022 Fantasy Football)
It remains to be seen how the Giants new coaching staff is viewing Kadarius Toney heading into Year 2. They were rumored to trade the polarizing wide receiver before the NFL Draft, and the selection of Wan’Dale Robinson early in Round 2 isn’t a vote of confidence that is going to see an ultra-expanded role in Year 2.
However, what is clear with Toney is the talent. He flashed future target-magnet potential after commanding a 25% target rate per route run in 2021 – tied for 7th best in the NFL in 2021.
– Andrew Erickson
Kadarius Toney is a wild card. With offseason rumblings that he could be dealt and an offseason knee surgery to pile on top, Toney is a boom or bust type proposition for 2022. When Toney was on the field last year, there’s no denying that he flashed immense upside. In 2021 among all wide receivers with 100 or more routes, only Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, Antonio Brown, and Toney finished with a 29% target per route run rate (or higher) and at least 2.20 yards per route run.
– Derek Brown
I think many of us saw the run Kadarius Toney went on from Week 4 to Week 6 and instantly thought he might become a league-winner. Toney scored 50.1 fantasy points in two games (and a quarter in the third one) and really put himself on the map. Toney’s 43.5 fantasy points over Weeks 4 and 5 had him as the seventh-best wide receiver in fantasy over that time. All this to say, Toney may have only played in 10 games, but he flashed enough for us to have intrigue.
Toney has arguably some of the best quick-twitch muscles in the game and seems to be able to change direction on a dime — a trait many don’t have. That led to many targets when he was on the field, as he was targeted on a whopping 27% of his routes, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL. Wan’Dale Robinson is now in the fold, which will create some more competition at wide receiver, but I feel very confident that if Toney can stay healthy, he can be a competent flex play and be the best Giants wideout in 2022.
– David Mendelson
FantasyPros Staff Consensus 2022 Redraft Fantasy Football Rankings
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