The biggest fantasy football sleepers entering the 2022 NFL season

Akers made a miraculous recovery from a torn Achilles to return late last season and is the clear bell-cow back for the Rams heading into 2022. There are high expectations for Akers as an early third-round pick, but he has a chance to greatly exceed that value if he can stay healthy in one of the best offenses in the league.

The Ravens made the shocking trade of Marquise Brown on draft day, so someone else will need to step up. That someone is likely Bateman, the team’s 2020 first-round pick who showed flashes in his rookie season with 515 yards receiving in 12 games. Despite a run-heavy offense, there are yards to be had for receivers in Baltimore, and Bateman could fill the void.

Brown surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in Baltimore last season, but he could go on to bigger things in Arizona. He will be the top’s top wideout for the first six games while DeAndre Hopkins serves a suspension, and can maintain that role afterward considering Hopkins’ struggles last year. Reuniting with college teammate Kyler Murray, Brown won’t need much time to get up to speed with his new team.

New head coach Josh McDaniels was gold for his quarterbacks at his last head coaching stop in Denver, and there’s no reason to think he won’t have the same impact in Las Vegas. Carr has made nice strides over the last few seasons and now has star Davante Adams at his disposal. The upgrade could allow Carr to go from a backup fantasy option to a fantasy starter.

Claypool was one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football last season, failing to surpass his rookie numbers. His role could become bigger this season as the team’s clear No. 2 wideout, and with a new quarterback under center. While showing enigmatic tendencies, the elite talent has always been clear for Claypool and he could finally become a premium deep threat in his third season.

Davis has been Buffalo’s third wideout over his first two seasons, but that’s about to change. After a late-season onslaught that included a historic 201 yard, four-touchdown performance in the Divisional Round, Davis is set to see more targets as Buffalo’s No. 2 wide receiver. A huge boost in fantasy value should follow.

Edmonds shared carries for his time in Arizona but has a chance to be a much bigger part of the Miami offense. The slashy runner has averaged an impressive 4.7 yards per carry during his career, and new Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel comes from an offense conducive to running back production in San Francisco. Edmonds has a real shot to finish as a top 10 runner if he can stay healthy.

Edwards is in the right place at the right time after getting traded from the Raiders to Atlanta. He could emerge as the top wideout on a team lacking many options after losing Calvin Ridley to a season-long suspension. While Atlanta’s offense could be stuck in the mud with Marcus Mariota at quarterback, someone has to catch passes.

Etienne missed his rookie season with a foot injury, but new head coach Doug Pederson has a plan for him this year. The talented running back is set to see work in a variety of roles, including wideout, as he works in tandem with James Robinson. That could be a boon for fantasy managers, especially in PPR leagues.

Gage was signed for big money as Tampa Bay’s third wideout, jumping into a great situation. Chris Godwin could get off to a slow start after returning from an ACL, and the Bucs are also looking for help at receiver with Rob Gronkowski possibly retiring. With the return of Tom Brady, Gage should see plenty of looks in Tampa.

The Titans missed Jonnu Smith following his departure last year, so it was no surprise they addressed tight end in the offseason. Hooper has been a capable receiver and blocker during his career, and the loss of A.J. Brown creates opportunities for Tennessee’s weapons. The targets should trickle down to Hooper, who was a Pro Bowler earlier in his career with Atlanta.

Hurts really came on strong late last season when the Eagles became a more run-heavy offense. With the addition of A.J. Brown, they have more options. Brown’s addition, along with a full year under DeVonta Smith’s belt, could go a long way in spiking Hurts’ passing stats. His running ability, including 784 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, is still the factor that gives Hurts a high floor in fantasy leagues.

Lance is set to replace Jimmy Garoppolo was San Francisco’s starting quarterback. While Lance struggled when he found the field last season, a year in the league and a scheme that is more fitting of his skillset could work wonders. Offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan is likely to design more runs for Lance, and recent history has shown that running quarterbacks produce in fantasy football.

Much of the attention was on Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy following the addition of Russell Wilson at quarterback, but we shouldn’t forget about Patrick. He has over 700 yards in each of the last two seasons, and should still play a very prominent role in the offense, especially after tight end Noah Fant was traded. If the recent injury issues for Sutton or Jeudy continue, a 1,000-yard season is within reach.

Much of the attention in Seattle is being paid to rookie Kenneth Walker, but we shouldn’t forget what Penny did late last season. He had four 100-yard rushing games over his first five contests and was used as a true bell-cow back down the stretch. Penny and Walker are likely to share carries, but the experienced Penny has the momentum and likely top workload on a team that will run more without Russell Wilson.

Pittman notched his first 1,000-yard receiving season in 2021, but there’s more meat left on the bone. He remains the Colts’ only reliable receiver and has a more experienced quarterback throwing him passes this year in Matt Ryan. Entering his third season, Pittman is a true breakout candidate with top 10 wideout potential.

Polland has averaged over five yards per carry in three seasons and has seen more work each year while Ezekiel Elliott has gotten older. That trend is likely to continue with Elliott’s per carry production dwindling. The Cowboys’ offense plays at a different speed when Pollard is on the field, and he could add to what was his first 1,000 total yard season in 2021.

Smith missed the entire 2021 season due to injury but will be back in the fold as Minnesota’s starting tight end this season. He became a nice Red Zone option in 2020, with five touchdowns in 13 games, and should be set to build on that production.

KC reworked their wide receivers, replacing Tyreek Hill, Byron Pringle, and Demarcus Robinson with Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and rookie Skyy Moore. The loss of Hill, in particular, leaves a huge void. Elite quarterback Patrick Mahomes shouldn’t have a problem producing, and Smith-Schuster has shown off elite production in the past, including a 1,400-yard season in 2018.

Tagovailoa’s first two NFL seasons have been nothing to brag about, but there’s reason to believe things will change in his third campaign. The Dolphins have made efforts to help him on every level, hiring Mike McDaniel, fixing the offensive line, and adding weapons like Tyreek Hill, Chase Edmonds, and Cedrick Wilson. He’s finally set up to succeed and be a viable fantasy option in the process.

The Cowboys’ depth suffered during the offseason, trading Amari Cooper and losing Cedrick Wilson in free agency. The team was able to re-sign Michael Gallup, but he’s returning from a knee injury and might not be ready for the start of the season. Washington is the clear beneficiary, potentially stepping in as the team’s No. 2 wideout to begin the year after failing to get regular attention in Pittsburgh over the last two seasons. He’s been primarily a deep threat during his career but has never had a more capable quarterback than Dak Prescott.

Green Bay’s wide receiver group took a huge hit in the offseason, losing Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. They didn’t do much in free agency to stop the bleeding, but second-round pick Christian Watson could be the answer. He’s impressed the team in offseason minicamp and has the size to be an elite Red Zone threat for Aaron Rodgers. The work Adams saw has to go elsewhere, and Watson could see a big target share.

Tampa Bay was able to bring back Leonard Fournette, but they replaced Ronald Jones with White. The rookie is in the right place at the right time, as the Bucs are expected to run more under head coach Todd Bowles. Fournette has had some minor injury issues in recent seasons and has a lot of tread on his tires entering his age 27 season. White has huge upside in his rookie season, as a result.

Arizona lost significant running back depth by letting Chase Edmonds walk in free agency. Williams doesn’t present the same explosiveness as a backup, but the former Chiefs running back is in a good situation backing up James Conner. Conner looked like a superstar after getting out of Pittsburgh, but he’s missed time to injury in all five of his NFL seasons. Williams has a chance to be a nice stash and eventual spot starter with top 30 running back potential.

Winston didn’t do much for fantasy managers before hurting his knee last season. The optimism surrounding him has been tempered due to the loss of Sean Payton, but the Saints have the same offense with much-improved weapons. Not only is Michael Thomas returning from injury, but the Saints have added veteran Jarvis Landry and first-rounder Chris Olave. Winston could enter fantasy starter territory again with his wealth of strong options.