The Las Vegas Raiders traded for All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams this offseason. Will Adams produce enough to be on your fantasy football roster, and what is his current ADP in fantasy drafts?
Davante Adams ADP | Is he worth his current price in fantasy drafts?
Adams’ current ADP is 11th overall as the fourth wide receiver selected in fantasy drafts. This means he’s being taken in the first round of PPR leagues. Other players drafted in his range include Ja’Marr Chase and Stefon Diggs.
Our 2022 fantasy football WR rankings have Adams ranked as the 17th overall player and the sixth wide receiver in PPR leagues. Clearly, we’re not quite as high on Adams’ outlook as drafters. However, this has less to do with Adams’ talent than his opportunity.
Going from Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr is the first major downgrade Adams will have to overcome. He’s also entering a Josh McDaniels’ offense, which is incredibly balanced with the run game and how they distribute targets. Though we’ll have to see how McDaniels divides opportunities between Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and Darren Waller because he never had weapons like this in New England, logically, Adams will see fewer targets.
Carr’s lack of fantasy relevance throughout his career is another thing to watch. With only one 30-touchdown season on his résumé, Carr won’t be Rodgers, ever. It’s hard to imagine Adams would again produce over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns without the structure of Matt LaFleur’s offense and Rodgers’ talent.
This doesn’t mean it won’t be a great season for Adams, but his ceiling is clearly lower than some of his peers. It’s more likely Diggs and Chase see more volume this season, whereas Adams and Deebo Samuel will dip.
That doesn’t mean they’re not rosterable, but don’t reach for these two stars.
Davante Adams’ projected fantasy value in 2022
Adams’ arrival in Vegas isn’t as simple as just projecting his fit into an established situation. This uncertainty of whether Waller is even ready to play, or if Renfrow will somehow get more targets than Adams (he won’t), or what Adams’ true upside is should give you pause about taking him too early.
Taking a high-caliber back is a better strategy than forcing Adams at the end of the first round. Our expert fantasy mocks often have Adams on the board until the middle or late second round. There’s a point where you have to take him because Adams is so talented and will produce, but he’s not worth drafting over ascending receivers or backs in a position to be an RB1 or high-end RB2.
The proposition of taking Adams over those positions can put your entire season at risk. You’ll need to compensate for missing out on more sure things at tailback. If you take Adams at his ADP, plan on addressing the RB position in the second and third rounds.
That being said, you can be happy with Adams on your roster. He’s a phenomenal talent who can explode any given week. We’d love to see him unlock a new level to Carr’s game as the veteran reunites with his former Fresno State playmaker.
