While the NFL remains in the downtime of the year, fantasy football is ramping up with managers beginning their 2022 season preparation by testing their draft strategy with PPR mock drafts. As we patiently wait for the return of football on the field, here is a mid-July fantasy football 2-round mock draft with PPR scoring.
2022 PPR fantasy football mock draftÂ
For reference, this mock was run with a 1QB/2RB/2WR/TE/Flex roster format with a 10-team league.
1.01) Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (RB1)
There is a clear 1.01 pick in 2022 fantasy drafts, and it’s RB Jonathan Taylor. The RB1 of 2021, Taylor finished second only to Najee Harris (381) in touches with 372 (21.9 per game). Rushing a staggering 332 times, Taylor ran for 1,811 yards on the ground (5.5 ypc), clearing Nick Chubb at No. 2 by 552 yards. Taylor found the end zone 18 times thanks to his league-leading 85 red-zone carries.
While the bulk of his work comes from rushing, Taylor also brings plenty in the passing side of the ball, further adding to his value. Indianapolis should be a competitive team with a new QB in Matt Ryan. Barring injury, which is a caveat with all players, Taylor will be right up there with Henry for the league lead in touches and opportunities. He is both the RB1 in our rankings and comes off the board first in PPR fantasy football mock drafts in 2022.
1.02) Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers (RB2)
Whether or not you should select Christian McCaffrey at second overall boils down to one simple question: Do you believe McCaffrey plays in 15+ games? If yes, there is no reason McCaffrey should be sliding in drafts or going later than 1.02.
Since 2018, McCaffrey has averaged 25.6 ppg while finishing as an RB2 or better in 90% of his games. In 2021, he scored 24+ points in four of his six outings. He is the modern LaDainian Tomlinson. The recent acquisition of Baker Mayfield will be the best QB he has ever played with. When healthy, no running back can hit the ceiling of McCaffrey in PPR as he will threaten if not surpass 100 targets.
1.03) Cooper Kupp, Los Anageles Rams (WR1)
Cooper Kupp was a mid-round pick last year as fantasy managers debated who was even the WR1 for his own team. Yet, 145 receptions, 1957 yards, and 18 touchdowns later, there are no more questions.
Kupp had a historic season en route to capturing the elusive “Triple Crown.” Leading the NFL in targets and yards per game, Kupp is highly unlikely to repeat what he did last year, and that’s okay. Even an 85% version of this would still be the WR1 again in 2022. Kupp represents the perfect blend of volume and explosive upside in a high-powered offense that fantasy managers dream of on draft day.
1.04) Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans (RB3)
2021 was both a success and a disappointment for Derrick Henry’s managers. Henry led the position in fantasy PPR points per game (23.4) through the first eight weeks and was pacing his 2020 campaign by more than 2.5 PPR points per game. He was the ultimate touch hog, averaging 29.6 touches per game, seven more than the next closest RB.
And although he didn’t play again until the NFL postseason, Henry still finished 15th in total touches and as the RB20 overall in just eight games played. Tennessee might want to reduce those touches, but can they? Hassan Haskins is not the same rusher as Henry, and after trading away A.J. Brown, pushing the responsibility of the offense on a rookie WR and a 30-year-old receiver coming off an ACL tear might not be totally wise.
Henry will once again be amongst the tops in volume in 2022. At some point, the wheels will fall off. The key is guessing when … let’s hope it’s not 2022.
1.05) Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (RB4)
One of the best PPR options, Austin Ekeler was the RB4 in 2019 and followed it up by averaging 16.5 points per game in 2020 (10 games). Last season, Ekeler finished No. 2 behind only Taylor in scoring, averaging 21.5 PPR/game. Racking up 1,459 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns, Ekeler accounted for 62.4% of the Chargers’ rushing share and a whopping 15.1% of their targets.
Over the last three seasons, including 2019 with Melvin Gordon, Ekeler has finished as an RB2 or better in 76% of his games while averaging 19.7 PPR per contest. Los Angeles did nothing but get better in the offseason while further improving the offensive line. Isaiah Spiller should be able to compliment Ekeler, but he will not push him for extra reps. Ekeler could go as high as 1.02 in mock drafts. Anything beyond that becomes a better and better value.
1.06) Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (WR2)
You can flip a coin for who follows Kupp at wide receiver. The top three are in a tier of their own, filled out with Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. I can make a case for either, but in this PPR mock draft, Jefferson bested Chase.
After smashing Randy Moss’ rookie records with 88 receptions, 1,400 yards, and seven TDs, Jefferson followed it up with 108 receptions on 167 targets for 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021. His 3,032 yards are the most in NFL history for a player through their first two years in the league. After posting a WR6 finish and 17.1 PPR points per game in Year 1, Jefferson proved it was no fluke by putting up 19.4 ppg and ranking as the WR4 in 2021.
In 82% of his games (14), Jefferson finished inside the top 24. Jefferson is special. Under new head coach Kevin O’Connell, the prevailing belief is we see a more aggressive offense. The sky is the limit for Jefferson in 2022.
1.07) Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (WR3)
Once one of Chase or Jefferson goes, the next should closely follow. Hauling in 81 of 121 targets (23.7% target share), Chase was fourth with 1,455 yards and was third in scores with 13. His best game came against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, a 55.6-point outing where he went 11-of-12 receiving for 266 yards and three TDs.
When Joe Burrow needed a big play, Chase was his No. 1 target. The rookie from LSU was ninth among receivers with 1,617 air yards, accounting for 37.06% of the team’s total (10th-highest rate league-wide). Chase was more boom-or-bust than some might want to admit, though. He was a WR1 in just 29% of his games and a WR2 or better (top 24) in 41%.
However, he only had three contests with single-digit points. After a total revamp of the O-line, Joe Burrow will have plenty of time to scan the field to find his college teammate. Much like Kupp or Jefferson, Chase has WR1 overall upside.
1.08) Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings (RB5)
Playing in 13 games, Dalvin Cook rushed 249 times for 1,159 yards (fifth-most) with six rushing touchdowns. For the first time since 2018, Cook failed to top 1,500 scrimmage yards and double-digit touchdowns in a season. Cook was still involved in the passing game, which helped his PPR upside. He recorded 34 receptions on 49 targets (27th amongst RBs) for 224 yards.
Averaging 106.4 yards per game, Cook was fourth in the NFL in total yards but 16th in fantasy points and 11th in points per game. The lack of scores drastically hindered his per-touch upside as he finished 45th amongst the 55 RBs who recorded 100 touches or more (0.73 PPR/touch). I expect Cook to return to his average and be in the double-digit range in 2022.
1.09) Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals (RB6)
Joe Mixon averaged 18 PPR/game in 2022 and finished as the overall RB5 (minimum eight games played). He rushed for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns on 292 carries while adding a career-high 42 receptions for 314 yards and three more touchdowns through the air.
After a season where he averaged just 1.6 yards before contact, Mixon could set career-high numbers behind the new-look Bengals OL. I don’t know if he has the ceiling of players ahead of him, but Mixon should be a locked-in RB1 in PPR formats in 2022.
1.10) Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers (RB7)
As a rookie, Najee Harris led the NFL in touches with 381, accumulating 1,667 total yards and 10 touchdowns. Of his 1,200 yards, 913 (76%) came after contact. That’s 2.97 yards of his 3.9 average coming after the first hit.
Of Harris’ 401 opportunities, 94 of those (tied first for RBs) came from Ben Roethlisberger and his surgically repaired arm. Harris came in first in receptions amongst RBs with 74, totaling 467 yards with three touchdowns. His work out of the backfield allowed Harris to finish as the RB3 in PPR formats (18.4 PPR/game).
Despite a changing of the guard at QB, Harris’ volume should not significantly diminish. He is one of the few RBs in the league who bring 300+ touch upside. With this said, I don’t believe his passing numbers will be as gaudy in 2022. If they are, Harris, even in the back of the first round, is a significant value in 2022 fantasy football PPR mock drafts.
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