One year ago the fantasy football handle was estimated as a $9 billion dollar industry, with little signs of slowing growth. What was once a fun office hobby for some jovial bragging rights, is now an all out financial strategy for millions across the world. The amount of analyzation, metrics and studying that go into fantasy football can be flat out overwhelming at times. No matter what your drafting philosophies are, finding late round value sleepers will always be key in high-performing teams.
There are some usual suspects at the top of the draft boards with big names like Jonathan Taylor, Josh Allen and Justin Jefferson. While the big names are key to hit on early, it’s often the later depth and hidden gems that will make the difference between winning and losing. We’re providing you nine players you should consider drafting or adding to your early DFS lineups that could be the supporting cast to your first round picks to carry you to a title. A few of the names on our list may not surprise you, but a couple of these guys are sure to get your attention in one way or another. Thanks to FantasyPros.com for the Average Rankings we used below to ballpark the estimated draft position.
The BetCrushers Top Picks:
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: RB 22
The San Francisco 49ers have some big question marks heading into the season, however the running game should not be one of them. Leading the pack is running back Elijah Mitchell, who should get the largest share of backfield snaps in a group of four players. Mitchell showed great promise as a rookie averaging 4.7 yards per carry and finding the end zone five times on the ground. Injuries were really the only thing that kept the dynamic back from easily eclipsing the 1,000 yard mark. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will be focused on the ground game as is his trademark, and the team has already stated Deebo Samuel will be used less as a running back and more at receiver. Look for Mitchell to put up top RB1 numbers that could mirror some of the top talents in the league.
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: WR 14
In a season that saw several really strong rookie performances, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was right in the mix of the league’s top young talent. Heading into this season, he’s shifted from a wide receiver one, to a wide receiver two, with the addition of the speedy Tyreek Hill. There is some obvious concern over losing out on some targets, however we’re not letting that scare us away from the talented wideout. With Hill opening up the field, Waddle should find favorable single-coverage matchups routinely. Having already developed some rapport with quarterback Tua Tagavailoa, he should pick up right where he left off a season ago on an offense that should be much more explosive. If you can manage to pair Waddle with one of the other top receivers at the receiver position, you should be able to count on a lot of production from your wideouts.
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: QB 19
The Indianapolis Colts will have their 4th different week one starting quarterback in as many seasons, as they’ll look to veteran Matt Ryan to take a talented roster to the next level. After an MVP campaign and Super Bowl that he should have won, Matty Ice has fallen down the ranks of the quarterback fraternity. Things should be a little different in Indy as Ryan will have the luxury of both solid pass protection, and an elite running game. This Colts offense actually has some similarities to the team in Atlanta that helped launch Ryan to his most successful seasons. Ryan will be drafted as a backup QB in leagues, however don’t be surprised if he ends up a must start at some point during the season. He should also be a good early season inexpensive DFS play if you’d prefer to spend your money at the skill positions.
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: WR 32
Since we’re on the topic of forgotten players, let’s add new Rams wideout Allen Robinson II into the conversation. Robinson has spent his career exiled in Jacksonville and Chicago with what could generously be described as mediocre quarterback play. For basically the first time in his NFL tenure, he’ll not only have a star QB throwing to him, but also another skilled receiver on his opposite side. And lets not forget what should be a lot better offensive play-calling in Los Angeles. Robinson has the talent to be a really good wideout in the league, and this is the time for him to prove it. He’s coming off of some disappointing and injury-plagued seasons, but the fresh start with great surroundings should be all he needs to re-establish himself as a big-time player in the league. With an ADR in the low to mid-30s, take a chance with him, and he could provide a huge return on investment.
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: RB 13
Leonard Fournette is not a quiet name in the fantasy world, but despite his re-emergence, he’s still not considered a top-ten producer in fantasy football. We’re fully expecting him to be that top ten running back who ends the season with not only plenty of rushing yards and touchdowns, but more importantly in PPR leagues, a whole lot of catches. The Buccaneers drafted Rachaad White in the third round, and the team still has Ke’Shawn Vaughn and pass catcher Gio Bernard on the depth chart. Fournette is undoubtedly the lead dog in the running back room, and should see the lion share of the snaps. When Tom Brady un-retired, Fournette went from an after thought, to a primary thought in the world of fantasy football. With Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski no longer on the team, look for a whole lot of checkdown throws to Fournette out of the backfield. Fournette has gained the trust of Brady, and on a team with Mike Evans and a returning Chris Godwin, it could be the big running back who leads the team in fantasy points when it’s all said and done.
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: WR 31
Choo-Choo, here comes the cliché train selection of our list with the Buffalo Bills Gabriel Davis. The third year wideout is one of the “squarer” or trendier picks, as the world watched him explode against the Chiefs in the Divisional playoff thriller a season ago. There’s a reason why he’s a hot name heading into 2022, and it’s that the guy can flat out play. He’s a sideline technician, has speed to get deep, really good hands, and is an underrated route runner. In simple terms, he’s a polished player. Everyone knows that Stefon Diggs is the primary target for quarterback Josh Allen, but Diggs sees as many double teams as any receiver in the league. With Cole Beasley no longer on the roster, there should be plenty of targets headed towards Davis, particularly in the red zone. Don’t worry about not “sneaking” this pick in, get Davis on your roster and he will provide points-a-plenty.
AVERAGE DRAFT RANKING: TE 26
The Cincinnati Bengals have been trying to find a tight end weapon since Tyler Eifert’s unfortunate string of injuries derailed his promising early career. Last year’s starter, C.J. Uzomah left via free agency, and in one of the quieter moves of the offseason, the team lured former Raven and Falcon Hayden Hurst over to man the position. It was a quiet move because Hurst has largely underachieved since being a first round pick of Baltimore. He may have landed in a perfect spot as he’ll be connecting with Joe Burrow as his quarterback, on a roster that has three really good WR options around him. Hurst will be an afterthought at the tight end position, and with the amount of upside that he has, he could really help your team if you don’t land one of the big five tight ends.
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