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The NFL season will soon be upon us. After witnessing fireworks in the opening Thursday Night Football matchup between Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills, the first NFL Sunday of the season gets underway on September 11. This is when we will see the majority of our fantasy players for the first time, though Cooper Kupp, Steffon Diggs, Matthew Stafford, and Josh Allen will already have points on the board.
Like every new NFL season, new players arrive, with the rookies selected in the 2022 NFL Draft making their way into the league and on to some of your fantasy teams. Here, we will break down the top five rookies you should watch when drafting your fantasy teams for the upcoming NFL season.
Which NFL Rookies should you draft for your fantasy team?
Now, let's make some things clear before jumping into this list. Yes, it is heavily dominated by wide receivers, and in the modern era of the NFL, the ball gets thrown around a lot. These are some of the best rookies entering the league in 2022 to draft into your fantasy team.
#5 - Skyy Moore, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
It may come as a surprise that Skyy Moore is on this list, given that the wide receiver draft class is so stacked. Numerous receivers could've been chosen to start the list, but Moore is here mainly because of who is throwing him the ball: Patrick Mahomes.
Since the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, there have been some questions about the explosiveness of their offense going into 2022. In the second round of the NFL draft, the Chiefs selected Moore out of Western Michigan. Moore joins a receiving corps consisting of Mecole Hardman and newcomers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Heath Cummings of CBS believes that while Moore may not be WR1 in Kansas City in 2022, he possesses a deep threat that could present fantasy points. He said:
"What Moore currently is in the NFL is a deep threat who looks most comfortable playing in the slot. That's the hybrid part. He also has good hands and he's shown an ability to earn a huge target share. What Moore is not yet, is a complete wide receiver who looks like he could win on intermediate routes against top-caliber cornerbacks. That's the project part."
Moore will likely be available late in your drafts, but you must keep tabs on him as he could be a great option towards the end of the season.
#4 - Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints selected Chris Olave with the 11th pick in the NFL draft, and what a great pick it was. Labeled as the best route-running wide receiver, Olave is one to watch. He can play both outside and in the slot, giving him more versatility in a Saints offense consisting of Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry.
According to Kyle Bombardier of 360 Fantasy Football Draft Boards, Olave could provide the best value out of all the receivers available. He said:
"He’s not going first overall in rookie dynasty drafts, but Chris Olave may end up being the best value in the first round. Olave offers a unique combination of top end speed with outstanding route running ability, and scouts rave about his buttery-smooth mode of operation. Olave earned a Next Gen score of 84 his Senior year at Ohio State, and was drafted to be the future WR1 for the Saints. His dynasty value will be slightly higher than his redraft value, as Michael Thomas is expected to be back at 100% for 2022."
Bombardier predicted that wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase would win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in April 2021, so keep an eye on Olave's availability.
#3 - Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
New York Jets wideout Garrett Wilson is another wide receiver that should be near the top of your fantasy draft list. He was drafted one place ahead of Olave with the 10th overall pick, and he possesses genuine game-breaking ability. NFL defenses will have their hands full when they face Wilson.
Wilson came out of college with 143 receptions, 2,213 yards, and 23 touchdowns, an imposing stat line. Some will have Wilson as their number one ranked rookie wide receiver, and it is probably a toss-up between him and the next player on the list.
#2 - Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Drake London takes the top spot among the wide receivers you should draft for your NFL fantasy teams. London is the player you want to select despite the Atlanta Falcons losing Matt Ryan as their quarterback and having a terrible offensive line.
According to Randy Mueller, a former NFL general manager and team executive, London will eat up receptions and be a threat in the red zone. On ActionNetwork, Mueller said:
"London is big, he’s physical and his strength is catching the football in traffic and when covered. He made his living at USC on back shoulder throws and 50/50 balls, which will be the same at the NFL level. I see London as being a real option on third downs and in the red zone vs. smaller defenders, and will overall be a matchup nightmare because of it... London will get covered at the NFL level, but at nearly 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, I’m not sure what defenders can do to make a play on the ball."
With Marcus Mariota likely under center for the Falcons, London may struggle to post numbers as it is a step down from having Matt Ryan as your quarterback. He is big enough and physical enough to turn those 50/50 jump balls into receptions and touchdowns, which means points for your fantasy team.
#1 - Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
A list wouldn't be complete without a running back at number one. There is still respect for running backs on this fantasy list as Breece Hall takes the top spot. With the ability to run and catch the ball out of the backfield, it is only right that Hall takes the number one position due to the sheer volume of plays he will be involved in for the Jets in 2022.
Hall was the first running back to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, and it is clear why. In his college years in 2020 and 2021, Hall rushed for over 1,400 yards and had at least 20 rushing touchdowns in both seasons. Simply astonishing numbers.
Writing for CBS, Dan Schneier believes Hall will excel in the Jets system and that he has the breakaway speed and physicality to be an elite back in the NFL. He wrote:
"I don't know that there was a better fit for Hall than the Jets from a purely schematic standpoint. Hall excels as a one cut and go runner and that makes him a perfect fit for Mike LaFleur's Jets offensive system. Hall displays an excellent ability to create yards after contact and will immediately be a plus runner in that regard. He has legitimate breakaway speed that shows up on long runs on the game film where he often beats safeties -- backed up by his 4.39 40-yard dash."
This concludes the list of the top five rookies to look out for when drafting your NFL teams this season.
