10 Rookies That Will Win Fantasy Football Leagues in 2022
By Hunter Haas
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
One of the biggest dark horses on this list is Cowboys’ new wide receiver Jalen Tolbert. Veteran Amari Cooper was sent to Cleveland earlier in the offseason, vacating snaps and targets on the outside. Add in the fact that Michael Gallup is still on the mend after a season-ending injury in week 17 of the 2021 NFL season, and the opportunity for Tolbert to see immense playing time is more than feasible.
Jalen Tolbert attended South Alabama, finishing on a strong note by winning his conference player of the year award and receiving an invite to the Senior Bowl. At the Senior Bowl, Tolbert turned heads. In a stacked group of wide receivers, he regularly stood out. He’s got a lanky six-foot-one frame and deceptive speed. Tolbert clocked in at 4.49 in the 40-yard dash but the tape looks a tenth of a second faster than that.
Jerry Jones is never afraid to take a wide receiver early in the draft, but this time it was as much of a need as it was a luxury. We hope that Gallup returns to 100% sooner rather than later, but he did not receive surgery until the beginning of February. That puts the 9-12 month timetable at November-February 2023. If Gallup misses that much time, or if he’s hobbled when he returns, Tolbert will become the No. 2 wide receiver in an offensive led by Dak Prescott. Holy upside. His current ADP sits at WR74.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
To say I had a massive draft crush on these final two players would be the understatement of the century. First, Christian Watson. Watson spent four seasons at North Dakota State, and he spent the 2019 season catching passes from eventual No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance. That is when he landed on my radar. Following the best season as a Bison, Watson earned an invite to the Senior Bowl. Similar to Tolbert, Watson looked liked he belong against elite competition. And also like Tolbert, Watson performed remarkably at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash, looking as though he was gliding on air as he made his way down the sideline. He didn’t quite make it into the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but early on in round two, the Packers traded up to take Watson at No. 34 overall.
The six-foot-four, 208 pound wide receiver has the unenviable task of replacing Packer legend, Davante Adams. It would be unfair to assume that Watson could replicate the numbers that Adams put up, but he doesn’t have to. The sheer number of targets will give Watson the chance at WR2 production immediately. If his connection with the back-to-back MVP, Aaron Rodgers, continues to develop as the season progresses, you could have a bonafide WR1 on your fantasy football roster. His ADP of WR54 is honestly stunning to me. I expect this to steadily rise as training camp solidifies Watson’s role in the offense. Take him with confidence as a top-40 wide receiver, with top-12 upside.
Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in the same conundrum that the Packers face. The franchise traded away superstar wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, to the Miami Dolphins for current and future draft capital. A couple corresponding free agent signings in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster (hyphen gang!) added talent at the position, but entering the 2022 NFL Draft, it was widely agreed upon that the Chiefs needed a guy capable of playing immediately.
Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore was their guy. Moore is a smooth mover when he’s out running routes. He has fluid hips and is able to get out of his breaks with so much ease, that he almost looks bored at times. He is not particularly fast, but he is very shifty and good with the ball in his hands. Speaking of his hands, they are among the best from this past draft class. I’m over 120 targets last season, Moore only dropped four. And if I was Moore, I’d have beef with a couple of those that got called drops.
How does he fit the offense? Well, like a glove. He has the ability to get open on the outside and from the slot, but early on it would be wise to let him play predominantly inside. It will give the rookie time to get his foot under him, while still allowing him to make an instant impact for Patrick Mahomes and Co. As with Christian Watson, you can’t predict that Moore will replicate what Reek was for the offense. He can still produce strong numbers, just in different ways. Moore will be a target monster once Mahomes realize that he’s open literally every play. Skyy Moore is the guy you have to draft in every league.