Andrew Erickson’s Fantasy Football Rankings, Advice, & Cheat Sheet (2022)

The 2022 NFL season is rapidly approaching, so it’s time to prepare for your fantasy football draft. What better way to do that than to practice drafting with our free mock draft simulator! Beyond our tools, we’ll also have you covered throughout the draft prep season with our content.

To help you dominate your fantasy football draft, Andrew Erickson shares his 2022 fantasy football rankings, advice, and cheat sheet.

• Fitz’s Cheat Sheet
• Freedman’s Cheat Sheet
• DBro’s Cheat Sheet
• Joe’s Cheat Sheet

Andrew Erickson’s Overall 2022 Fantasy Football Strategy

For a full breakdown of my perfect draft strategy, check out the critically acclaimed “Andrew Erickson’s Perfect 2022 Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Round-By-Round” article that precisely explain what to do round by round for the 2022 fantasy football season. It has been updated throughout the preseason to make sure you are equipped with everything you need come draft day.

But for those looking for the quick SparkNotes version, here’s the rundown. Get your stud running backs early (1 or 2), save the early-to-middle Rounds (3-6) for drafting breakout WR candidates, and stay out of the middle to wait longer drafting a tight end. Be open to taking a Big 3 tier WR – Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Cooper Kupp – at the top of Round 1 in full PPR formats knowing there’s a solid crop of RBs that will fall to you at your next pick. Stefon Diggs is a strong WR option for those picking at the turn.

Avoid the running backs in the “RB Dead Zone” and pricey target hog WRs that project to play in bad offenses. Stockpile your bench with upside running backs.

And as always, follow a late-round QB approach unless you can get Jalen Hurts (or whatever other elite QB falls) in Round 6/7.

Andrew Erickson’s 2022 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet

QB Sleepers:

Trey Lance (QB – SF), Derek Carr (QB – LV), Justin Fields (QB – CHI), Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAC), Daniel Jones (QB – NYG), Jameis Winston (QB – NO), Marcus Mariota (QB – ATL)

QB Busts (in relation to where they’re being drafted):

Patrick Mahomes II (QB – KC), Joe Burrow (QB – CIN), Aaron Rodgers (QB – GB) and Tua Tagovailoa (QB – MIA).

RB Sleepers:

Dameon Pierce (RB – HOU), Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE), Devin Singletary (RB – BUF), Kareem Hunt (RB – CLE), Melvin Gordon (RB – DEN), , Rex Burkhead (RB – HOU), Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – WAS), Khalil Herbert (RB – CHI), Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PHI), Darrel Williams (RB – ARI), Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC), Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB- SF), Tyrion Davis-Price (RB – SF), Rachaad White (RB – TB), Chris Evans (RB- CIN), Sony Michel (RB – LAC), Damien Williams (RB – ATL), Jerick McKinnon (RB – KC), Ameer Abdullah (RB- LV)

RB Busts (in relation to where they’re being drafted):

Derrick Henry (RB – TEN), Ezekiel Elliott (RB – DAL), Antonio Gibson (RB – WAS), J.K. Dobbins (RB – BAL), Elijah Mitchell (RB – SF), Josh Jacobs (RB – LV), David Montgomery (RB – CHI), Kenneth Walker III (RB – SEA), Damien Harris (RB – NE),  J.K. Dobbins (RB – BAL), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB – KC), Miles Sanders (RB – PHI)

WR Sleepers:

Christian Kirk (WR – JAC), DeVante Parker (WR – NE), Jahan Dotson (WR – WAS), Joshua Palmer (WR – LAC), Jalen Tolbert (WR – DAL), K.J. Osborn (WR – MIN), George Pickens (WR – PIT), Romeo Doubs (WR – GB), Isaiah McKenzie (WR – BUF), Parris Campbell (WR – IND), Rondale Moore (WR – ARI), Wan’Dale Robinson (WR-NYG), Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF), Kadarius Toney (WR – NYG), Russell Gage (WR – TB), Allen Lazard (WR – GB), Skyy Moore (WR – KC), K.J. Hamler (WR-DEN), Jameson Williams (WR – DET)

WR Busts (in relation to where they’re being drafted):

Deebo Samuel (WR – SF), Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA), Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT), DK Metcalf (WR – SEA), Adam Thielen (WR – MIN), DeAndre Hopkins (WR- ARI), Amari Cooper (WR – CLE) Robert Woods (WR – TEN), Michael Gallup (WR – DAL), D.J. Chark Jr. (WR – DET), Kenny Golladay (WR – NYG)

TE Sleepers:

Cole Kmet (TE – CHI), Irv Smith (TE – MIN), Albert Okwuegbunam (TE – DEN), David Njoku (TE – CLE), Gerald Everett (TE – LAC), Brevin Jordan (TE – HOU), Mo Alie-Cox (TE – IND), Logan Thomas (TE -WAS) and Isaiah Likely (TE – BAL)

TE Busts (in relation to where they’re being drafted):

Mark Andrews (TE – BAL), Dawson Knox (TE – BUF), Pat Freiermuth (TE- PIT), Mike Gesicki (TE – MIA), Hunter Henry (TE – NE), Noah Fant (TE- SEA)

Early-Round Value Picks (Rounds 1-5):

Dalvin Cook (RB – MIN), Joe Mixon (RB – CIN), Stefon Diggs (WR – BUF), CeeDee Lamb (WR – DAL), Leonard Fournette (RB – TB), Saquon Barkley (RB – NYG), D’Andre Swift (RB – DET), Mike Evans (WR – TB), Alvin Kamara (RB – NO) A.J. Brown (WR – PHI), Michael Pittman (WR – IND), James Conner (RB – ARI), Courtland Sutton (WR – DEN), Marquise Brown (WR – ARI), Cam Akers (RB – LAR), Nick Chubb (RB – CLE), Mike Williams (WR – LAC), Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – JAC), Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)

Mid-Round Value Picks (Rounds 6-10):

Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI), Tom Brady (QB – TB), Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET), Darnell Mooney (WR – CHI), Allen Robinson (WR-LAR), Gabriel Davis (WR – BUF), Dalton Schultz (TE -DAL), Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL), Elijah Moore (WR – NYJ), DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI), Devin Singletary (RB – BUF), Kareem Hunt (RB – CLE), Christian Kirk (WR – JAC), Melvin Gordon (RB – DEN), Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA), Trey Lance (QB – SF), Zach Ertz (TE – ARI), Russell Gage (WR – TB), Allen Lazard (WR – GB), Kadarius Toney (WR – NYG), Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF), Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE), Dameon Pierce (RB – HOU)

Late-Round Value Picks (Round 11 or later):

James Cook (RB – BUF), Cole Kmet (TE – CHI), Joshua Palmer (WR – LAC), Darrel Williams (RB – ARI), Gerald Everett (TE – LAC), Justin Fields (QB – CHI), Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAC), , Jarvis Landry (WR- NO), DeVante Parker (WR-NE), Jalen Tolbert (WR – DAL), Robert Tonyan (TE-GB), Gerald Everett (TE – LAC), Isaiah McKenzie (WR – BUF), Sony Michel (RB – LAC), K.J. Osborn (WR – MIN), Brevin Jordan (TE-HOU), Skyy Moore (WR – KC), Khalil Herbert (RB – CHI), David Njoku (TE – CLE) and Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – WAS)

Deep-League Value Picks:

Sony Michel (RB – LAC), Rex Burkhead (RB – HOU), Chris Evans (RB- CIN), Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC), Parris Campbell (IND – WR), Kyle Philips (TEN – WR), Deonte Harty (NO – WR), Hayden Hurst (CIN – TE), Tyler Conklin (NYJ – TE), Mo Alie-Cox (TE – IND), Jonnu Smith (TE- NE), Damien Williams (RB – ATL), Eno Benjamin (RB – ARI), Jerick McKinnon (RB – KC), Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB -SF)

Backup RBs to Target:

Tony Pollard (RB – DAL), Sony Michel (RB – LAC), Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – WAS), Alexander Mattison (RB – MIN), Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE), Melvin Gordon (RB – DEN), Khalil Herbert (RB – CHI), Darrel Williams (RB – ARI), Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC), D’Ernest Johnson (RB – CLE), Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PHI)

Backup RBs to Avoid:

Ronald Jones II (RB – KC), Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL), James Robinson (RB – JAC), Raheem Mostert (RB – SF), Samaje Perine (RB – CIN), Darrell Henderson (RB – LAR)

Rookies to Target:

Dameon Pierce (RB – HOU), Breece Hall (RB – NYJ), Skyy Moore (WR -KC), George Pickens (WR – PIT), James Cook (RB – BUF), Jahan Dotson (WR – WAS), Jalen Tolbert (WR – DAL), Rachaad White (RB – TB), Isaiah Likely (TE – BAL), Daniel Bellinger (TE – NYG), Romeo Doubs (WR – GB)

Rookies to Avoid:

Kenneth Walker III (RB – SEA), Christian Watson (WR – GB), Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL), David Bell (WR – CLE), Isaiah Spiller (RB – LAC), Alec Pierce (WR – IND)

D/STs to Target:

San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans

D/STs to Avoid:

Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs

5-Word Draft Tip: Draft guys on good offenses.

Andrew Erickson’s 2022 Redraft Fantasy Football Rankings