The 2022 NFL Draft is injecting plenty of new faces at premium positions into the league. While there isn’t an elite playmaker this year, our 2022 fantasy football rookie rankings should provide some hope for those in all fantasy leagues.
As mentioned above, don’t expect elite pass-catching talent like wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase or tight end Kyle Pitts. While the 2022 receiver class offers plenty of exciting players, no one reaching the highest level this year belongs in that tier of players.
While it’s thinner at the top of the fantasy football rookie rankings, obviously bad news for those with the No. 1 pick, there’s a lot of depth in the class. From wide receivers like Drake London, Jameson Williams and Garrett Wilson to a group of running backs headlined by Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III, there will be starting-caliber fantasy players.
All of that is without even mentioning all the talent drafted on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, many of them landing in some appealing landing spots for both short- and long-term fantasy value.
Let’s dive into our 2022 fantasy rookie rankings.
| Rank: | Player: | Position: | Team | Age: |
| 1. | Breece Hall | RB | New York Jets | 20 |
| 2. | Kenneth Walker III | RB | Seattle Seahawks | 21 |
| 3. | Jameson Williams | WR | Detroit Lions | 20 |
| 4. | Drake London | WR | Atlanta Falcons | 20 |
| 5. | Chris Olave | WR | New Orleans Saints | 21 |
| 6. | Treylon Burks | WR | Tennessee Titans | 21 |
| 7. | Garrett Wilson | WR | New York Jets | 21 |
| 8. | Skyy Moore | WR | Kansas City Chiefs | 21 |
| 9. | George Pickens | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21 |
| 10. | Dameon Pierce | RB | Florida | 22 |
| 11. | Jahan Dotson | WR | Washington Commanders | 22 |
| 12. | James Cook | RB | Buffalo Bills | 22 |
| 13. | Malik Willis | QB | Tennessee Titans | 22 |
| 14. | Christian Watson | WR | Green Bay Packers | 23 |
| 15. | John Metchie III | WR | Houston Texans | 21 |
| 16. | Alec Pierce | WR | Indianapolis Colts | 22 |
| 17. | David Bell | WR | Cleveland Browns | 21 |
| 18. | Kenny Pickett | QB | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24 |
| 19. | Jalen Tolbert | WR | Dallas Cowboys | 23 |
| 20. | Rachaad White | RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 23 |
| 21. | Trey McBride | TE | Arizona Cardinals | 22 |
| 22. | Zamir White | RB | Las Vegas Raiders | 22 |
| 23. | Velus Jones Jr | WR | Chicago Bears | 25 |
| 24. | Brian Robinson Jr | RB | Washington Commanders | 23 |
| 25. | Wan’Dale Robinson | WR | New York Giants | 21 |
| 26. | Isaiah Spiller | RB | Los Angeles Chargers | 20 |
| 27. | Tyler Allgeier | RB | Atlanta Falcons | 22 |
| 28. | Tyquan Thornton | WR | New England Patriots | 21 |
| 29. | Khalil Shakir | WR | Buffalo Bills | 22 |
| 30. | Romeo Doubs | WR | Green Bay Packers | 21 |
| 31. | Tyrion Davis-Price | RB | San Francisco 49ers | 21 |
| 32. | Desmond Ridder | QB | Atlanta Falcons | 23 |
| 33. | Jelani Woods | TE | Indianapolis Colts | 23 |
| 34. | Calvin Austin III | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers | 23 |
| 35. | Hassan Haskins | RB | Tennessee Titans | 22 |
| 36. | Danny Gray | WR | San Francisco 49ers | 23 |
| 37. | Kyle Phillips | WR | Tennessee Titans | 22 |
| 38. | Snoop Conner | RB | Jacksonville Jaguars | 21 |
| 39. | Greg Dulcich | TE | Denver Broncos | 22 |
| 40. | Justyn Ross | WR | Kansas City Chiefs | 22 |
Related: 2022 fantasy football dynasty rankings
Here you’ll find our fantasy football rooking rankings by position.
Fantasy football rookie rankings – Quarterbacks
1. Malik Willis, Tennessee Titans
How lucky do you feel? Just like for NFL teams, fantasy managers must weigh risk vs reward with quarterback Malik Willis. If it all comes together, he could be a better version of Jalen Hurts. We might even see flashes of it in his rookie season, assuming the Tennessee Titans use him in some RPO packages. There is just so much risk here. Willis is all traits, pretty much everything else needs to be reworked and rushing it increases the chance of him not fulfilling his potential.
He’s QB1 in our dynasty rankings because this can be a league-winning fantasy player three years from now. If you’re spending a top-20 pick on him, just know he won’t see the field much in 2022.
2. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a solid landing spot for quarterback Kenny Pickett. He immediately lands in an offense with Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, Pat Freiermuth and Najee Harris as his weapons. While Mitch Trubisky might provide some competition, Pickett likely wins the starting job. Matt Canada’s offense should fit Pickett’s skills nicely and this is a passer with above-average athleticism. He’s better for the fantasy outlooks of the Steelers’ receivers than Big Ben, but Pickett doesn’t offer much upside to be a fantasy starter.
- Kenny Pickett stat projections (2022): 2,937 yards, 18-13 TD-INT, 168 rushing yards, 2 TD
3. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
It came as a surprise to see quarterback Desmond Ridder slip to Round 3. Ultimately, this might be a somewhat favorable landing spot. The offensive line in Atlanta is still a mess, but that also increases the likelihood of oft-injured starter Marcus Mariota being sidelined at some point. Ridder should at least make a handful of starts this season and with his athleticism, this is a player worth planting a flag on in the years ahead. Of course, he’s not worth a top-20 pick in FYP drafts and he slides even further down dynasty rookie rankings if you need something immediately.
Related: NFL QB Rankings – Check our top-20 quarterbacks, find out why Josh Allen is No. 1
4. Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders
A stash pick in dynasty rookie rankings, Sam Howell won’t see the field in 2022. With that said, he’s got intriguing physical tools and we have more reason to believe he’d hold up as a dual-threat quarterback than Matt Corral. Give us the quarterback who will be given time to develop over the one who will be rushed and comes with some red flags.
5. Matt Corral, QB, Carolina Panthers
There are things to like about Matt Corral. NFL Network mentioned the Panthers’ coaching staff believes he has the best film among the 2022 quarterback class. Fantasy managers don’t have to be as worried about the maturity red flags. However, this profile might not carry the appeal some will build it up to be.
While Corral is a good rusher, he doesn’t have the frame (212 lbs.) to rush a lot and that’s especially true because of his reckless rushing style. Accuracy is also a problem and he rarely needed to progress through reads in college. He might snag a few starts, but there’s not as much upside as some want to believe.
Fantasy rookie running back rankings
1. Breece Hall, New York Jets
A year after drafting Michael Carter, most probably didn’t expect the New York Jets to draft a running back this early. With that said, they snagged the best three-down running back in the draft class. Speed (4.39 40-yard dash), power (6-foot-1, 220 lbs) and the ability to break through tackles. Hall will get all the carries he can handle as the Jets’ leading rusher. He projects as an RB2 in fantasy, losing some PPR appeal because of Carter’s pass-catching prowess.
- Breece Hall stats projections (2022): 217 carries, 928 rushing yards, 240 receiving yards, 8 total TDs
2. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks remain committed to their brand. Following a $5 million investment into Rashaad Penny, coach Pete Carroll spends the 41st pick on running back. This isn’t a knock on Kenneth Walker, the right landing spot would have earned put him No. 1 in our fantasy football rookie rankings. Instead, he’ll likely split touches with Penny – assuming Chris Carson’s career is over. The real concern here, beyond opponents having no respect for starting quarterback Drew Lock, Seattle will be starting multiple rookies on the offensive line and Walker’s value is hurt by lesser receiving skills. He’s likely a FLEX play in his rookie season.
- Kenneth Walker stats projections (2022): 207 carries, 870 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs
3. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
Dameon Pierce vauls up the dynasty rookie rankings after finally coming off the board. The 5-foot-10 running back runs with a desire to decleat anyone who tries to tackle him. He can also be a pinball, bouncing off defenders and always finding a way to maintain his balance after contact. He brings the vision, explosiveness and instincts to burst through holes and rip off some big gains. Oh, he also showed at Florida that he can be used as a receiver out of the backfield.
There’s a shot for Pierce to be a low-end RB2 this season in fantasy, even on an underwhelming Texans’ offense. You’ll find Pierce much lower in consensus dynasty rookie rankings, but sometimes it’s good to be different.
4. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
One of our favorite players in the 2022 NFL Draft. James Cook couldn’t be covered when moved out of the backfield, he is dangerous as a receiving back. That’s precisely why the Buffalo Bills wanted him. With more dynasty leagues shifting towards PPR scoring, Cook gets pushed up our 2022 fantasy football rookie rankings. There’s a chance he could have a Nyheim Hines-like role very quickly and this is a great offense to be a part of for Cook and fantasy managers who draft him.
5. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Landing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can be fantastic for a running back. A great offensive line, high-end receivers and quarterback Tom Brady make life easy for whoever is in the backfield. Of course, Leonard Fournette will be getting a significant chunk of the carries after signing a $21 million contract.
From a fantasy perspective, White’s receiving ability could help him see the field as a rookie. Brady loves dumping it off to his running backs, we see that every year and White could take Gio Bernard’s job. He also brings some nice pop and elusiveness, opening the door for him to receive a handful of touches every game. If Fournette ever goes down, White could become a strong RB2 in this offense.
- 6. Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders
- 7. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders
- 8. Isaiah Spiller, Los Angeles Chargers
- 9. Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
- 10. Tyrion Davis-Price, San Francisco 49ers
- 11. Hassan Haskins, Tennessee Titans
- 12. Snoop Conner, Arizona Cardinals
- 13. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
- 14. Pierre Strong Jr, New England Patriots
- 15. Tyler Badie, Baltimore Ravens
Fantasy Football rookie rankings – Wide receivers
1. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
The focus in Sportsnaut’s fantasy football rookie rankings is long-term. For those looking to find the No. 1 rookie wide receiver to draft, Jameson Williams likely isn’t the guy. He’ll still be recovering from a torn ACL in training camp and is likely to be limited at the start of the 2022 season. However, he’s the player capable of becoming a superstar at the position. Williams will be one of the fastest players in the NFL when healthy and perennial 1,000-yard seasons are very doable.
- Jameson Williams stats projections (2022): 43 receptions, 713 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns
2. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
Dave Ragone reportedly loved Drake London and the former USC Trojans wide receiver made an overwhelmingly strong impression on the Atlanta Falcons during the pre-draft process. Even with one massive athlete on the field, Kyle Pitts, the Falcons will get great use out of another giant. London’s strong hands and ability to make contested catches stood out, but he’s also got some YAC ability.
Don’t expect a Mike Evans-esque rookie season (1,051 yards, 12 touchdowns), but London could have that career trajectory and he’s the best rookie wide receiver for 2022. One thing to keep in mind, per MockDraftable, there are some athletic comparisons to Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman.
- Drake London stat projections (2022): 68 receptions, 862 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns
3. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
While Chris Olave might not be a YAC maestro, he knows how to get open. He also lands in an ideal situation, benefitting from defenses focused on stopping a healthy Michael Thomas. With Alvin Kamara likely serving a suspension this year, there will be even more targets for Olave. The rookie might not find the end zone a ton, but there could be a few 100-yard games coming for him as a rookie.
- Chris Olave stat projections (2022): 70 receptions, 887 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns
4. Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans
Meet the Tennessee Titans replacement for A.J. Brown. Ironically, Treylon Burks received some NFL comparisons to the man he is taking over for. Burks feasts on turning screens and quick throws into chunks of yards, using his size (6-foot-2) and speed (4.55 40-yard dash) to create havoc. It’s going to take a great offensive coordinator to find ways to feed him the ball and this will still be a run-first offense. But Burks is one of the biggest risers in fantasy football rookie rankings after the 2022 NFL Draft.
- Treylon Burks stats projections (2022): 57 receptions, 798 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns
5. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
The New York Jets were determined to find a go-to weapon for quarterback Zach Wilson. Rookie Garrett Wilson brings well-rounded skills, which all translate to the next level. One area of his game that stands out and will earn a quarterback’s trust quickly, Wilson’s catch radius is absurd for a 6-foot receiver. He does need to polish his route-running and he’s not an elite home-run threat, but he can be an outstanding No. 2 receiver with an outside chance of developing into a No. 1.
- Garrett Wilson stats projections (2022): 55 receptions, 791 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns
6. Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs
A dream scenario for Skyy Moore. There are varying NFL comparisons, ranging from Golden Tate to D.J. Moore. Reality might be somewhere in between. Moore finds himself behind Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster for targets on underneath routes, but Andy Reid is exactly the coach you want Moore to play for. There’s plenty of YAC ability and by 2023, he might be a starting-caliber fantasy WR.
7. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers
It came as a surprise to see George Pickens slide late into Round 2. On pure talent and physical tools, he is one of the best receivers in the 2022 draft class. No matter, this is an intriguing situation. We wouldn’t expect London to rack up a ton of receiving yards as a rookie, but he could find the end zone a few times. The biggest incentive to draft him is the chance to be a No. 1 receiver for Pittsburgh by 2023.
8. Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
Drawing some comparisons to Tyler Lockett, wide receiver Jahan Dotson walks into the NFL as a slot weapon for the Washington Commanders. He makes some impressive catches for his size, not shying away from contact and willing to contort his body to make grabs against a defensive back. We don’t love the quarterback situation in Washington and Dotson’s ceiling is limited, but he is a nice value in the dynasty rookie rankings.
9. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Needless to say, the Green Bay Packers love Christian Watson. In 2022, the hope is he can slide into the Marques Valdes-Scantling role as the deep threat. Looking beyond his rookie season, there’s a lot of long-term upside based on the size-athleticism combo.
10. John Metchie III, Houston Texans
Similar to his former Alabama teammate, John Metchie III is still recovering from a torn ACL. It might result in a slow start to his 2022 season, especially with Houston not in win-now mode. With that said, Metchie’s route-running ability and instincts can make him a great friend for a young quarterback. He’s a 2022 stash, but earns the No. 10 spot in our fantasy rookie receiver rankings because of WR3 upside in the future.
11. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts wanted to find another pass catcher for Matt Ryan and they found him with the 53rd pick. Alec Pierce received a lot of shared comparisons, among them Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Donovan Peoples-Jones. While Ryan doesn’t have the fastball and touch he used to on downfield, throws, he can get it to Pierce. If the rookie steps in as the No. 2 receiver after training camp, he’ll be even higher on dynasty rookie rankings.
12. David Bell, Cleveland Browns
David Bell might have been drafted later than he expected, but this is an ideal situation for the 21-year-old receiver. The 6-foot-2 receiver doesn’t make a lot of plays vertically, but his bread and butter is working underneath. He does a nice job bouncing off defensive backs, allowing him to fight for extra yards. If the Browns use him in the Jarvis Landry role, there is some real PPR appeal here.
13. Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
Those looking for an underrated target in fantasy football rankings should look toward Jalen Tolbert. The Dallas Cowboys lost Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson this offseason. Meanwhile, Michael Gallup (torn ACL) will miss the start of the 2022 season. Jalen Tolbert’s speed (4.49 40-yard dash) and profile make him a deep threat in the NFL. Expect him to see the field plenty in 3WR sets, getting some deep shots thrown his way by Dak Prescott.
14. Velus Jones Jr, Chicago Bears
This is all about opportunity. Chicago’s receiving corps is underwhelming with Darnell Mooney the only real ‘threat’ to take the largest percentage of targets. Velus Jones, turning 25 in May, is joining the Bears’ offense with the plan to use him immediately. Justin Fields loves throwing vertical and Jones (4.31 40 time) can make plays deep or pile up yards after the catch.
- 15. Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants
- 16. Tyquan Thomas, New England Patriots
- 17. Khalil Skahir, Buffalo Bills
- 18. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
- 19. Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 20. Danny Gray, San Francisco 49ers
- 21. Kyle Phillips, Tennessee Titans
- 22. Justyn Ross, San Francisco 49ers
NFL fantasy rookie rankings – Tight end
1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals might be trying to replicate the Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert pairing we saw with the Philadelphia Eagles. Trey McBride, a 6-foot-4 tight end, is not a real threat in the red zone. However, he does a nice job finding ways to get open in the middle of the field. Another plus, his willingness and proficiency as a blocker means he can see the field early. Just don’t expect much from him this fall.
2. Jelani Woods, Indianapolis Colts
Once a coveted quarterback recruit, Jelani Woods eventually had to convert to tight end. It’s easy to see why when you stare at a 6-foot-7 player who finished 88th percentile in the 40-yard dash, 89th percentile in wingspan and has long arms. Unfortunately, as of right now, his hands are a work in progress and he is going to need to spend a lot more time refining his routes. In a weak tight end class, Woods is a shot in the dark. At least the Colts have a solid history of developing tight ends.
3. Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos needed a No. 2 tight end after trading Noah Fant, enter third-round pick Greg Dulcich. He’s not much of a blocker, potentially limiting his role as a rookie. However, he moves really well for a 6-foot-4 tight end with the juice to make some plays vertically. If he irons out his route-running, Dulcich might have a future as a starting tight end with some fantasy appeal.
- 4. Jeremy Ruckert, New York Jets
- 5. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 6. Charlie Kolar, Baltimore Ravens
- 7. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
- 8. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
- 9. Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants
- 10. Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans