Editor’s Note: Get an edge on draft day with our 2022 Football Draft Guide powered by Rotoworld that’s packed with hundreds of player profiles, expert rankings, projections, mock drafts, sleepers, busts and much more. And don’t forget to use promo code DRAFTGUIDE to gain access to it all for just $5 for the first month. Click here to learn more!
As July rolls on and training camp approaches, the fantasy landscape for the 2022 season is beginning to take shape. The fantasy football world is already in full-on draft mode with projections, rankings, mocks and hot takes populating sites and social feeds once again. There’s no shortage of expert-suggested, hypothetical studs and duds for next season, but how would a 2022 fantasy draft play out once the rubber meets the road? Which players are worth reaching for and who’s over or undervalued at their ADP? We enlisted 12 fantasy experts to help answer these questions while painting a picture of how your non-PPR mock draft might look.
Our 2022 Football Draft Guide is loaded with the tools you need to ace your summer drafts, filled with rankings, mock drafts, sleepers, hundreds of player profiles and so much more - we’re confident this year’s edition is among the finest we’ve ever produced. Plus, you’ll find exclusive feature columns from our experts on a range of important topics ahead of the season. If you’re looking for positional tiers, team-by-team insights, and projections for a variety of formats including Best Ball, IDP and Dynasty, then our Draft Guide could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Don’t Miss The Fantasy Football Expo: Catch the whole crew from A Good Football Show LIVE in Canton, OH for the fantasy football industry’s annual can’t-miss event Aug. 12-14. Don’t forget to use code NBCPASS for $20 off packages. Click here to learn more!
Today, we catch a glimpse at what a full, 12-team non-PPR mock draft might look like for the 2022 season. Our very own Denny Carter brings you into the fantasy draft war room as he remarks on each round’s picks to decipher who landed solid value and which picks are inherently risky. The non-PPR format poses different challenges to draft strategy because it puts less of an emphasis on receptions and more of a premium on rushing production. See how some of the industry’s top experts played their hands at their draft positions as Denny chimes in with his signature takes:
2022 Fantasy Football Expert Mock Draft | Non-PPR scoring
Round 1
1.01 Jeff Bell - Jonathan Taylor (RB - IND)
1.02 Victoria Geary - Austin Ekeler (RB - LAC)
1.03 Edwin Porras - Justin Jefferson (WR - MIN)
1.04 Scott Simpson - Cooper Kupp (WR - LAR)
1.05 John Bosch - Christian McCaffrey (RB - CAR)
1.06 Jennifer Eakins - Derrick Henry (RB - TEN)
1.07 Zack Krueger - Najee Harris (RB - PIT)
1.08 Jonathan Sale - Dalvin Cook (RB - MIN)
1.09 Linda Godfrey - Ja’Marr Chase (WR - CIN)
1.10 Luke Sawhook - Joe Mixon (RB - CIN)
1.11 Lawrence Jackson - Davante Adams (WR - LV)
1.12 Denny Carter - Tyreek Hill (WR - MIA)
- The Austin Ekeler pick is certainly a statement and could pay off if Ekeler continues pouring on touchdowns at his 2021 clip (he scored 12 rushing touchdowns and eight receiving TDs). Ekeler logged a career-high 206 carries last year, and it’s clear the team and Ekeler want that heavy workload to dissipate in 2022. Chargers general manager Tom Telesco conceded Ekeler logged a career-high in rushes because the rest of the team’s running backs were atrocious (my wording, not his). The Bolts drafted Isaiah Spiller, who had a prolific career at Texas A&M, rushing for 2,993 yards and 25 touchdowns in three seasons as the team’s starter. Spiller could take on a between-the-tackles banger role that will threaten Ekeler’s rushing output. As recently as 2020, Ekeler had just two rushing attempts inside the five yard line (and ten rushes inside the ten yard line) in ten games.
- Joe Mixon’s lack of pass-catching upside doesn’t really matter in this format. Getting him as the seventh back off the board is a solid choice. Mixon’s 26 rushing attempts inside the ten yard line last year trailed only James Conner, Damien Harris, and Jonathan Taylor. Mixon logged 30 green zone (inside the ten) touches in 2021, more than any back but Taylor. In a Bengals offense centered on an elite passing attack that will keep defenders out of the box, Mixon should once again have a path to a high-touchdown season -- touchdowns being far more important in Non-PPR leagues than they are in PPR.
Round 3
3.25 Jeff Bell - Kyle Pitts (TE - ATL)
3.26 Victoria Geary - Michael Pittman Jr. (WR - IND)
3.27 Edwin Porras - A.J. Brown (WR - PHI)
3.28 Scott Simpson - Alvin Kamara (RB - NO)
3.29 John Bosch - Keenan Allen (WR - LAC)
3.30 Jennifer Eakins - Tee Higgins (WR - CIN)
3.31 Zack Krueger - Mike WIlliams (WR - LAC)
3.32 Jonathan Sale - Cam Akers (RB - LAR)
3.33 Linda Godfrey - David Montgomery (RB - CHI)
3.34 Luke Sawhook - Diontae Johnson (WR - PIT)
3.35 Lawrence Jackson - Jaylen Waddle (WR - MIA)
3.36 Denny Carter - James Conner (RB - ARI)
-There aren’t many (any?) wideouts with more touchdown upside than A.J. Brown if the offseason Eagles acquisition can stay upright and healthy. Only seven receivers have more touchdowns than Brown since the start of the 2019 season despite Brown missing nine games -- and parts of others -- over that span. I’m slowly coming around on the potential for a more balanced Philadelphia offense predicated on feeding Brown and Dallas Goedert. If Jalen Hurts progresses as a passer in 2022, Brown could easily lead the league in receiving scores. Brown in 2021 saw a whopping 37 percent of the Titans’ targets when he was on the field. The man is a football magnet.
To get the full mock draft and much more fantasy analysis, check out our 2022 Football Draft Guide, available now!
The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
