Fantasy football drafts are all about collecting the best possible values, but we all know those special players exist whom we badly want on our squad.
Whether it's the young, up-and-coming wide receiver on our favorite team, a sleeper running back no one is talking about or this year's big breakout at tight end, these players add an extra level of excitement to the roster construction process.
This round-by-round analysis will give you an idea of what's going through my head on draft day, headlined by those players I have circled on my cheat sheet.
For a more philosophical look at the 2022 fantasy football landscape, including strategies for drafting, trading and working waivers in all types of formats, be sure to check out the 2022 fantasy football playbook.
Here it is: my personal recipe for a 2022 fantasy football championship.
The Core
When I'm making my selections, I often ask myself: "Am I drafting this player at his ceiling?" If the answer is "yes," I generally aim for someone with more upside. Of course, all of the players available in the first round or so are likely at or near their ceiling, so this is an opportunity not to overthink it and simply take the best available player on the board.
Round 1 - Best available RB or a big three WR
This exercise is always tough for Round 1 because draft slot will determine who is available. If I'm picking first, I'm aiming for reigning top-scoring fantasy RB Jonathan Taylor (though I couldn't knock you for rolling with Christian McCaffrey). Otherwise, I'm following my board and choosing either the best available running back (ideally Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry or Najee Harris in the middle of the round) or one of the big three at wide receiver (Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase). As I wrote in the playbook last month, I think this could be a transition season at RB and thus a better year than usual to address RB in Rounds 3 through 5. That being the case, it makes it more palatable to grab a wide receiver with our first and/or second pick instead of, say, an age-27-or-older running back.
Round 2 - Deebo Samuel or D'Andre Swift
The second round is also loaded with top-end talent, but there are certainly a few players I don't love in this range (Travis Kelce, Aaron Jones, Nick Chubb) and a few I have on my radar (Samuel, Swift and perhaps Mark Andrews at the Round 2/3 turn).
I don't have a good explanation for why Samuel is consistently available throughout the second round of drafts. Folks just don't seem to like him (relatively speaking), which is a mistake. During a breakout 2021, he ranked second at wide receiver in fantasy PPG when operating primarily as a pass-catcher and then fourth when asked to play the wide-back role in the second half of the season. It's unclear how he'll be used in 2022, but last season showed it doesn't really matter. Unless Trey Lance can't get the ball in his hands, Samuel is set up for another high-volume, elite fantasy season.
During what was a bit of a mini-breakout last season, Swift was fifth among RBs in fantasy points while playing 72% of Detroit's snaps prior to suffering a season-derailing injury in Week 12. Swift is used very similarly to Alvin Kamara and is very much a candidate for a 200-plus-carry, 70-plus-catch campaign. He's a steal in the second round.
Round 3 - Cam Akers
Before I dig into Akers, I want to be clear that his availability in this range is pretty much the only reason I'm not talking about wide receivers. A.J. Brown, Tee Higgins, Keenan Allen, Michael Pittman Jr., DJ Moore and Jaylen Waddle are all on the board in this area, and I have no qualms with any of them. Especially if one or both of my first two picks were running backs, this is an area in which I'm thrilled to be addressing wideout. But again, Akers has been a favorite target of mine in the third round. Sure, his 2021 season was derailed by a torn Achilles, but he returned late last season and is averaging 19.9 carries and 2.4 targets per game in 10 outings in which he has played a substantial role. Akers might be limited a bit as a receiver, but his rushing upside is enormous in Sean McVay's offense.
Although age is becoming a mild concern, I also like undervalued Leonard Fournette and James Conner here, and I'm not afraid to throw the occasional dart on a potential game-changer like Kyle Pitts. Don't be shocked if Pitts is the No. 1 tight end off the board in 2023 fantasy drafts.
Round 4 - Terry McLaurin
For years, I've been saying the following: "If we don't draft a wide receiver in the fourth round this year, we're doing it wrong." As noted earlier, that's not quite as applicable this season, but this is nonetheless a good area to attack the position. McLaurin has been one of the league's best wide receivers since entering the league in 2019, but underwhelming QB play has kept his touchdowns -- and, in turn, fantasy upside -- limited. With Carson Wentz now under center, McLaurin is set up for a career year. He's a strong WR2 target in the fourth round.
McLaurin isn't the only good wideout available here, with Diontae Johnson, Mike Williams and Brandin Cooks making for strong targets. If not a wideout, I'll be hoping to land rookie RB Breece Hall or David Montgomery. We'll see some QBs come off the board in this range, but it's not quite the time to strike.
Round 5 - J.K. Dobbins or Marquise Brown
I'm generally still looking to attack wide receiver here, but like Akers earlier, Dobbins sticks out like a sore thumb. Activated from the PUP list earlier this month, Dobbins is back from last preseason's torn ACL and expected to be ready to roll in Week 1. Dobbins has super ability and led the NFL in yards per carry (6.0) and YAC (2.5) on 134 rookie-season carries. The 24-year-old won't need a substantial passing-game role to post an RB2 fantasy campaign in a Greg Roman/Lamar Jackson-led offense.
If I do go wide receiver, Brown is the top target. Sure, he changed teams, but Brown is one of the league's most underrated players, having finished top 12 in target share and top five in average depth of route in each of the past two seasons. He was fantasy's No. 11 wide receiver (PPG) with Lamar Jackson last season and will now work with Kyler Murray, who was top five in completion rate and yards per attempt last season.
I'm also not opposed to throwing the occasional dart at breakout candidate Gabriel Davis. Chris Godwin's recovery from a torn ACL is something we're all monitoring, and he'll be a major value in this range if he's cleared early in the season.
Round 6 - Jerry Jeudy or Amon-Ra St. Brown
Year 3 used to be the breakout age for wide receivers, and perhaps Jeudy is on that path after an underwhelming first two pro seasons followed by Denver's QB upgrade to Russell Wilson during the offseason. Jeudy has seen a respectable volume of targets (career 21% target share), but the team's QB woes have led to a 54% catch rate and three touchdowns on 167 targets. Both of those marks are sure to improve with Wilson in town.
St. Brown was fantasy's No. 2 wide receiver during the final six games of his rookie season and is one of 14 players since 1950 with eight-plus catches in five straight games. He has more competition for targets this season, but the genie seems to be out of the bottle after the dominant finish to 2021.
I also like Darnell Mooney here, making this a strong area to attack WR.
The Middle Rounds
OK, so the core of my team is in place. It's time to start filling gaps and adding depth. I obviously want players with upside, but I also want guys I feel comfortable placing in my Week 1 lineup. We'll save the high-risk fliers for later.
Round 7 - Dalton Schultz or T.J. Hockenson
I wrote about the tight end tier situation earlier this offseason and noted that the Schultz/Hockenson area of the draft is my favorite time to strike.
Schultz exploded for a 78-808-8 receiving line during a breakout 2021 season and was fantasy's No. 3 tight end. He'll remain a major (if not larger) part of the pass-heavy Dallas offense with Amari Cooper gone and Michael Gallup expected to miss time. Hockenson was handling 7.1 targets per game and was a top-five fantasy TE in half of his outings (sixth best) prior to last season's thumb injury. The 25-year-old remains on the ascent in an improving offense.
If not tight end, I'm interested in Miles Sanders in this range and would also think about Devin Singletary. Touchdown machine Adam Thielen is atop my list at wide receiver.
Round 8 - Aaron Rodgers
The offseason departure of Davante Adams has led to Rodgers -- the two-time reigning NFL MVP -- making for a popular 2022 bust pick, and he has, in turn, been plummeting in fantasy drafts. To some extent, it makes sense (Adams is really good), but on the other hand, Rodgers has finished top 10 in fantasy PPG in 13 of the past 14 seasons and is somehow available in the eighth round of fantasy drafts in the year 2022. On some platforms, he's being picked in the same vicinity as Trey Lance (two career starts) and Derek Carr (zero career top-10 fantasy seasons). I believe there are 12 "safe" starting QBs in fantasy this season, and Rodgers is often the last of those 12 to come off the board. I'll take that discount (double check) any time I can get it.
I wanted to highlight Rodgers here, but I've selected rookie WR Drake London (more on first-round rookie WRs in a bit) in this range a ton this season and, if I'm in the WR market, I'm also looking at Kadarius Toney. If I need some RB help, Kareem Hunt is on my radar. (editor's note: Kenneth Walker III was originally also included here but removed following news of his injury).
Round 9 - Dart Throw!
This area of the draft includes a few intriguing breakout players (James Cook, Rhamondre Stevenson) and some undervalued veterans (Chase Edmonds, Cordarrelle Patterson) at running back, as well as a couple overlooked veteran receivers (Christian Kirk, Tyler Lockett). I'll usually come away from drafts with one or two of these players.
Cook (Devin Singletary) and Stevenson (Damien Harris) have roadblocks to full-on fantasy breakouts, but Cook's elite passing-game prospects and Stevenson's impressive rookie showing suggest they could be league winners if called on for lead-back duties. Edmonds and Patterson might lack for rushing volume, but both play substantial passing-game roles and are among the last "lead" backs picked in most drafts. RB2/flex value is on the table. Kirk is one of the league's highest-paid wide receivers and will be the top target in a potential breakout Jaguars offense with a very light schedule. Lockett's ADP has plummeted with Russell Wilson gone, but landing a guy who has at least 965 yards, eight TDs and a top-16 fantasy campaign in each of the past four seasons this late is tough to pass on.
Round 10 - Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave
I teased my affection for first-round wide receivers earlier, and here's why: 13 WRs have been picked in the top 10 of the NFL draft since 2011 and played as a rookie. Nine were top-30 fantasy WRs in their first seasons, and the four exceptions all missed at least three games. Aforementioned London (eighth) and Wilson (10th) were both top-10 picks in April, with Olave (11th), Jameson Williams (12th), Jahan Dotson (16th) and Treylon Burks (18th) not far behind in what was obviously a loaded class. Aside from London, these receivers are usually available after the eighth round, and their superstar upside makes them very appealing (and underrated) targets. I'll be sure to have plenty exposure to this group.
Second-round rookie Skyy Moore (potentially Patrick Mahomes' top target) and Chase Claypool (TD regression to the mean candidate) are also available here and on my radar.
The Late-Round Fliers
At this point, our starting lineup is likely full, which means it's time to look for values and upside for our bench.
Round 11 - Trevor Lawrence or Pat Freiermuth
Over the past five seasons, we've seen a barrage of high-pedigree QBs make the leap to fantasy QB1 status (some to elite status) in their second seasons. That list includes Carson Wentz in 2017, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in 2018, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen in 2019, Kyler Murray in 2020 and Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts in 2021. Many of those quarterbacks were available in the late rounds of drafts, which in hindsight, doesn't make much sense.
That being said, there are several high-pedigree, second-year QBs available in the late rounds of drafts in 2022. The list is, of course, led by Lawrence, who got plenty of rookie-season run (seventh in pass attempts, fifth in carries among QBs) but understandably struggled during the dumpster fire that was the Urban Meyer era. With better coaching, a pass-first scheme, substantially improved targets and perhaps the league's easiest fantasy schedule, Lawrence is primed for a Year 2 leap. I don't love drafting multiple QBs, but I'll make an exception for Lawrence when appropriate. In addition to Lawrence and Lance, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones and Davis Mills are the remaining second-year QBs positioned to start in 2022.
I mentioned Dotson last round, and he's often on my radar in this range if I'm eyeing some upside or wide receiver depth.
Round 12 - Joshua Palmer
Palmer is one of my favorite late-round fliers after he impressed as the Chargers' No. 4 receiver as a rookie. The 2021 third-round pick scored in all three games in which he played at least 60% of the snaps, and he's likely to be in that position every week moving forward. Sure, his upside is blocked by Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, but he's a rare wide receiver with "insurance" appeal, as in if either of them misses time, Palmer will leap to, at least, the WR3 fantasy mix in the Chargers' elite offense. That makes him well worth a bench spot.
The running back position is pretty ugly at this point, so I'm not going to force one if I see an appealing wide receiver option. If I waited at tight end, Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry are on my radar here.
Rounds 13-14 - High-ceiling insurance and breakout candidates
ADP starts to go out the window late in the draft, so now is the time to get our favorite late-round sleepers and breakout candidates.
Here are the players I will be considering with my final few picks:
Quarterback fliers: As mentioned, I generally select one quarterback, especially because a lot of solid QB2 options will go undrafted in most formats. However, if I'm looking to throw a dart at a breakout candidate or sleeper available this late and didn't already grab Lance or Lawrence, Daniel Jones and Zach Wilson stand out.
Running back insurance: I won't go too in depth here as I already ranked each team's insurance situation 1 to 32, but the headliners available this late include Khalil Herbert, Jerick McKinnon, Sony Michel, Jamaal Williams and Brian Robinson Jr.
Wide receiver veterans: With teams using more wide receivers than ever, there are always notable, high-floor veteran wideouts available late. Robbie Anderson upgraded at QB to Baker Mayfield, Marvin Jones Jr. remains a featured target in a Jacksonville offense with a light schedule, DeVante Parker very well could be Mac Jones' top perimeter/vertical target, KJ Hamler is positioned for a big role in Denver with Tim Patrick out for the season, second-year receiver Nico Collins has a chance for a big boost in usage behind Brandin Cooks in Houston and DJ Chark will play a big early-season role with Jameson Williams rehabbing from a torn ACL.
Wide receiver rookie fliers: Despite the comfort of a safe veteran receiver, I'm typically aiming for more upside here. That said, rookies Williams, Christian Watson, Jalen Tolbert and Alec Pierce (Wan'Dale Robinson, George Pickens and Velus Jones Jr. in deep leagues) are among the youngsters I'm happy to stash on the end of my bench. I could expand this list even further, but as a simple rule, we should have our eyes on first- and second-year receivers selected on Days 1 and 2 of the NFL draft.
Tight end options: There are a few interesting late-round TE options this season and, among those available in this range, David Njoku is my favorite, as he very well could be second in targets in Cleveland. Noah Fant also stands out, as the former first-round pick will play a big role in the passing game in Seattle. Evan Engram, Austin Hooper, Hayden Hurst and Albert Okwuegbunam are other names to consider.
Rounds 15-16 - Kicker and D/ST ... or more breakout candidates!
We're assuming a 16-round draft here, so this is the point where league rules come into play. If we're drafting here at ESPN, we'll be forced to select both a defense and a kicker (I'll cover my favorite targets at those spots later).
However, if there's flexibility, this is a spot where we can gain a leg up on the competition. Most of our leaguemates are going to select at least one kicker and defense and let them rot on their roster until Week 1.
Why? I have no idea. Don't do that.
In lieu of those positions, I will gather up insurance policies at other positions (especially running back) and wait for injuries to strike during the preseason. If I have the Ravens' defense rostered and Derrick Henry goes down for the season, I have the Ravens defense. If I have Hassan Haskins rostered and Henry goes down, I have a potential RB2/flex. Oh, and I can always drop two players and pick up a defense with a good matchup and a decent kicker just prior to Week 1. By the way, if your league is hosted here at ESPN (why wouldn't it be?), one way around the draft room restrictions is to cut your kicker and defense after the draft in favor of adding more of the high-upside stashes mentioned in Rounds 13-14.
Defense/Special Teams
History has taught us over and over and over again that we should never reach on D/ST. In fact, since 2016, the top-scoring fantasy D/ST has finished ninth or worse the following season. That includes the 2016 Vikings, 2017 Jaguars, 2018 Bears, 2019 Patriots and 2020 Rams (The Cowboys were No. 1 in 2021). Be smart. Just don't do it.
The Bills, Saints, Packers, Ravens and Buccaneers top my D/ST rankings, but because I like to stream, I'll also be looking at the Panthers, Browns, Bengals, 49ers, Colts, Commanders, Titans and Broncos, as each has a relatively light Week 1 opponent.
Kicker
This is as simple as picking the top guy left on the board. Justin Tucker, Evan McPherson, Matt Gay, Harrison Butker and Daniel Carlson are the best five options, but don't reach on any of them. The last No. 1-scoring kicker to finish top 10 the following season was Matt Bryant in 2017.
So, there you have it. My game plan for a 2022 fantasy football championship. Remember, this piece should not serve as your only draft board. It's simply the players I've found myself targeting and, with ADP in mind, that I would love to have on my squad this year.