Fantasy Football: Impact NFL Rookies for 2022
By J.P. Scott
Even without knowing where they’ll land in the 2022 NFL Draft, these rookies have the skill sets to make an immediate impact in Fantasy Football next season.
When it comes to Fantasy Football, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s season. Before we get to the season, we need to get through the NFL Draft.
Even though the draft order isn’t set, and we really have no idea which rookies are going to end up with which teams, there are a handful of prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft who have the look of players who can make an impact on the Fantasy Football landscape next season.
These players have physical traits or skills that — using only the eye test — that should help them transition from college to the NFL with ease. They’ll all get plenty of playing time, and some will be Week 1 starters.
Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Hall has been one of the most complete and productive backs in college football for a couple of seasons. I love his downhill, low-centered running style combined with great vision. He didn’t catch a ton of passes during his collegiate career, but when he did, he looked the part. There’s nothing fancy about Hall, he just gets the job done. Current NFL comparison: James Robinson
Zamir White, RB, Georgia
Just like Hall, White is a downhill runner who makes very few hesitations. Even when he makes cuts, he keeps moving forward. His ability to change running lanes between tackles without halting his forward progress is simply elite. White is the next in a long line of great Georgia running backs. Current NFL comparison: Nick Chubb
Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Burks is everything — big, strong, and fast. He’s solid over the middle and he can burn you deep. He can take a screen pass the distance. There’s not a team in the NFL right now who couldn’t get this guy a minimum of 5 targets a game. He’s going to land with a team that gets him 10 targets per outing right out of the gate. Current NFL comparison: DK Metcalf
Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Wilson just flat out gets open. He’s has that “phone booth” quickness that allows him to get separation on any type of route. That’s the sort of skill that is highly valued in the red zone, and red zone touches are highly valued in fantasy football. Current NFL comparison: Robert Woods
George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Pickens is a big target with great hands and good speed. He’s a prototypical No. 1 receiver who gives you as much value and production between the 20s as he does in the red zone. His length is going to make him a tough cover for small-to-average sized cornerbacks. Current NFL comparison: AJ Green
Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Williams is pure speed, and that’s always going to get you on the field on Sundays. Whether deep balls or runs after the catch, he’s going to change the way defenses play the against the offense he lands with. Even if he only gets two catches a game as a rookie, they’ll likely be explosive plays that add up to valuable fantasy points. Current NFL comparison: Robby Anderson
Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
Wydermyer is quite the physical specimen. He’s built like a defensive and comes with receiver speed. He’s not exactly an oversized receiver — he’s a traditional, big bodied tight end. But his size is going to cause some immediate mismatches. I see him having a Pat Freiermuth-like rookie season, regardless of where he lands. Current NFL comparison: Tyler Higbee
So where’s Isaiah Spiller?
Texas A&M running back Isaiah Spiller is the top running back in a lock of mock drafts that you’ll see. For me, however, the cons simply outweigh the pros in terms of him transitioning to the NFL.
He does have nice burst, but for me it ends there. He isn’t a good enough downhill runner at this point to be effective immediately in the pros. You see him change direction quite a bit, but it’s not as smooth and forward moving when he does it compared to the other two backs I’ve mentioned. He won’t be able to get away with that against front seven players as quick and athletic as he is at the next level.
He also has an upright running style that I’ve only see one player in the NFL succeed with in the last 20 years: Adrian Peterson. Spiller is not Peterson.