2022 NFL fantasy football rankings: The rookies

Hall is the unquestioned top of the 2022 fantasy rookie class, with a great chance to overtake Michael Carter as the Jets bell-cow running back. The Iowa State alum has elite speed and the receiving ability to be a top 10 fantasy back immediately.

London could be Atlanta’s No. 1 wideout immediately following the suspension of Calvin Ridley. He has 11 catchers per game at USC last season and should see plenty of targets in his rookie season.

The Jets were desperate for wide receiver help. While they have some capable options, none have the upside of Wilson. The Ohio State does need to go far to be Zach Wilson’s top option.

Walker was a surprise second-round pick for Seattle after Rashaad Penny’s breakout late last season. The Michigan State alum is coming off a spectacular season and should get plenty of work in what should be a run-heavy Seattle offense without Russell Wilson.

Williams has elite deep speed, but a torn ACL could keep him out for the start of the regular season. He should hit the ground running when he does return, without another Lions wideout with the same skillset. The big plays will be welcomed by fantasy managers.

Burks can do everything, with the type of skillset to be a dynamic player like Deebo Samuel. Unfortunately, he didn’t get off on a right foot in rookie minicamp and will have to overtake the experienced Robert Woods in a conservative offense.

Watson’s rookie ceiling could be as high as any wideout with Aaron Rodgers throwing him passes, though he still needs to beat out some competition to gain consistent snaps. Given the draft spot, the price could be worth the risk.

Moore is slightly undersized but played much bigger as Western Michigan’s top wideout last season. He has an opening to gain big value after the departure of Tyreek Hill in KC, with Patrick Mahomes dispersing the ball.

Olave was a polished route runner at Ohio State and enters an offense with plenty of weapons now with Michael Thomas back from injury and the addition of Jarvis Landry. The crowd probably makes Olave a better keeper than a first-year player, but he has upside.

A 1,000-yard rusher at Arizona State last season, White will step in as Leonard Fournette’s primary backup following the departure of Ronald Jones. Given Fournette’s history of injuries and workload, it’s an opportunity that could pay off big for White.

Dotson gives Washington a legitimate second weapon opposite Terry McLaurin, though it remains to be seen how aggressive the offense will be with Carson Wentz under center. The rookie is coming off a huge season at Penn State, with nearly 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Pickett will almost certainly be Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback after a great career down the road at Pitt. While the Steelers will likely work him in slowly, Pickett has a lot of help with plus weapons around him.

Cook is expected to be Buffalo’s primary third-down back, though an even bigger role isn’t out of the question. The Bills have struggled to run the ball in recent seasons, but still have a high-powered offense that will score plenty of touchdowns with Josh Allen at the helm.

Bell could emerge as Cleveland’s No. 2 receiver behind Amari Cooper after impressing in minicamp. The Purdue alum had multiple 1,000-yard seasons in college. Unfortunately, questions about Deshaun Watson’s status hurt Bell’s upside.

The starting running back in Houston will be anyone’s guess, but the team is expected to run the ball often with Lovie Smith calling the shots. Pierce is very much in the picture despite limited work in four seasons at Florida.

Pickens struggled with injuries and inconsistency at Georgia, but there’s no questioning his talent. He has a chance to step in as Pittsburgh’s No. 3 wide receiver.

Indy has been in search of wide receiver help for years, and Pierce has a direct path to becoming the team’s No. 2 receiving option behind Michael Pittman. The Cincinnati alum was an elite deep threat in college.

Tolbert is expected to need some seasoning after playing his college ball at South Alabama. That’s not to say there isn’t a big upside, especially on a team that lost Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson in the offseason. Tolbert could be the team’s No. 3 wideout and possibly more if Michael Gallup isn’t able to rebound from knee surgery.

Any running back drafted by the 49ers is worth bookmarking. Davis-Pierce doesn’t have a clear path to playing time, though he could emerge down the like just as Elijah Mitchell did for the team last season.

A late-season injury caused Metchie’s draft stock to plunge after accumulating over 1,100 yards at Alabama, but he’s in a good position to contribute behind Brandin Cooks in Houston. The Texans don’t have the most explosive offense, however.

The versatile Ridder will be breathing down Marcus Mariota’s neck immediately in his new home. The Falcons are pretty clearly in another rebuilding season, so there’s a good chance Ridder starts under center by the second half of the season.

Robinson is undersized but a problem for defenses with the ball in his hands. He had over 1,400 yards from scrimmage at Kentucky last season but will need some help to jump up the depth chart in New York.

White is behind Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake on the depth chart, but he was also handpicked by the Raiders. That positioning as a possible piece of the team’s future could vault him up the roster with a good training camp.

A highly productive runner at BYU, Allgeier has the benefit of a weak depth chart ahead of him in Atlanta. If Cordarrelle Patterson isn’t able to take on the workload he did last season, Allgeier could see significant snaps.

The Panthers are currently relying on Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback, which isn’t a great situation. Corral is waiting in the wings should the team fail to add another quarterback, and is in a great position to find playing time after a strong career at Ole Miss.