With the 2022 NFL Draft fast approaching, we thought it was a good time to talk about our Top 10 fantasy football sleepers for 2022. It’s never too early to work on your draft strategy. We feel that these 10 players will be undervalued commodities in 2022, so feel free to take a flyer on any of them in the later rounds of your draft.
10. Rhamondre Stevenson: RB, Patriots
An early-season fumble put Stevenson in Bill Belichick’s doghouse for several weeks to start the 2021 season. To his credit, the former Oklahoma star persevered, and after a Week 6 touchdown against Dallas, started getting more playing time. Stevenson finished 2021 with 606 rushing yards, 123 receiving yards, and 5 rushing touchdowns.
Stevenson may be overlooked in most drafts for 2022 simply because Damien Harris will probably win the starting job. Even still, Belichick has proven that he prefers to split carries between two running backs. Stevenson’s ADP is currently around 103, which means he should be available in Round 8 or later.
9. Byron Pringle: WR, Bears
Pringle got into some trouble for reckless driving after allegedly doing doughnuts in his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Assuming he can stay out of trouble the rest of the off-season, Pringle could be a nice sleeper pick in your 2022 draft. The former Kansas State Wildcat had a breakout year in Kansas City last season by racking up 568 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns.
After having to share an offense with guys like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, look for Pringle to get even more productive in a fairly anemic Chicago offense. If Justin Fields continues to develop, Pringle could put up some surprising numbers in 2022.
8. Courtland Sutton: WR, Broncos
The addition of Russell Wilson should mean big things for Sutton, who has ideal size at 6-4 and 216 pounds. The former SMU standout had a disappointing 2021, as he only scored 2 touchdowns. Keep in mind though, that most of that was because he was coming back from an injury-riddled 2020 season.
With a seasoned playmaker like Wilson at the helm, we could easily see Sutton returning to his 2019 Pro Bowl form when he finished with over 1,000 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.
7. Khalil Herbert: RB, Bears
Most folks will overlook Herbert because of David Montgomery. However, new head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy may opt to move to more of a 2 RB system. Herbert flew under the radar because he was a 6th-round pick in the 2021 draft.
The 5-9 212 pounder has a thick lower half and he showed some flashes of explosiveness during his rookie campaign last season. He finished with 433 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. We think he may be able to double that output in 2022.
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown: WR, Lions
St. Brown was one of the few bright spots on the Lions roster in 2021. The former USC Trojan hauled in 90 receptions for 912 yards and 5 touchdowns during his rookie season. He also added 61 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
With that type of production, St. Brown may not be considered a sleeper. However, since he plays in Detroit, it’s possible that he may go unnoticed in your fantasy draft. If St. Brown is available in the later rounds, he would be a solid selection for your team in 2022.
5. Javonte Williams: RB, Broncos
Williams put together a splendid rookie season, especially when you consider that he had to share carries with veteran RB Melvin Gordon. Gordon is no longer in Denver, which makes us think that Williams could have a phenomenal 2022.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel ran for 903 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also did a good job of catching the ball out of the backfield by racking up 316 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. Williams should end up being one of the best fantasy running backs of 2022.
4. Kadarius Toney: WR, Giants
Toney has all of the tools to be a top-tier NFL wideout. He has 4.39 speed and the ability to separate from almost any defensive back. However, the former Florida Gator had a disappointing rookie season by only accumulating 420 receiving yards.
To make matters worse, Toney never even found the end zone in 2021. We look for that to change in 2022. Toney simply has too much talent to not bounce back this season, especially in Brian Daboll’s new offensive system.
3. Travis Etienne, RB, Jaguars
Most folks have forgotten all about Etienne because he missed his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury. Other people will be too afraid to draft Etienne because of the emergence of James Robinson last season. However, we have Etienne listed as one of our highest-rated sleepers in 2022.
Etienne was a stud at Clemson for several seasons with Trevor Lawrence. The two have a certain amount of chemistry, which should result in Etienne catching a bunch of swing passes in 2022. Look for new head coach Doug Pederson to find clever ways to use Etienne in this offense.
2. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Broncos
Jeudy is loaded with talent but he has yet to live up to the hype of a first-round draft pick. The former Alabama star battled some injuries in 2021 and he only finished with 467 receiving yards. He also didn’t score a single TD.
All of that will change in 2022, especially with Russell Wilson at QB. Jeudy should get more opportunities to make big plays, especially since Wilson has the uncanny ability to scramble and keep plays alive. Jeudy should be available in the later rounds of your draft and he could end up having a monster season!
1. Michael Carter: RB, Jets
Taking any player on the Jets doesn’t seem like a wise decision. However, Carter has all of the tools to be an exceptional NFL RB. The former North Carolina Tar Heel put together a respectable rookie season by rushing for 639 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Carter has good vision and plenty of speed, but what really attracts us to him is his pass-catching ability. Carter caught 36 passes for 325 yards last season, and we can see him improving on those numbers as Zach Wilson gets more comfortable in the Jets’ offense. This young man has a ton of upside.
