2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (2024)

  • Fantasy staff

Sep 2, 2022, 06:52 AM ET

This page will be updated throughout the summer, so please continue to check back for the latest content.

If you've heard it once, you've heard it, well, once: When you think of summer, you think of fantasy football season.

Whether you play in a casual redraft league or a more serious, deep dynasty format; a traditional or a custom scoring format; with your friends and family or with your co-workers, we know that no two leagues are alike.

With that in mind, this will serve as a one-stop shop for all of our best material to ensure you make the best fantasy football picks you can in every draft you're in: rankings and cheat sheets for PPR and non-PPR, mock drafts for various league types, sleepers and busts for this season, and plenty of helpful information and tips from our expert team of fantasy football analysts.

Whether you have been doing this for years or are a fantasy first-timer, we have everything you need to help you draft a great team and start the season with a shot at a championship.

Below you'll find all of our best content as we lead up to the start of the NFL season!

New to Fantasy Football?

Start here with our beginner's guide to Fantasy Football and quickly get up to speed on the basics.

Fantasy football cheat sheets, mock drafts, projections

Cheat Sheet Central
A collection of downloadable, printable cheat sheets for the 2022 fantasy football season, including PPR, non-PPR, superflex and dynasty/keeper leagues. Perfect for your drafts.

Mock drafts
10-team, 1/2 PPR (9/1) |12-team, PPR, superflex (8/30) |10-team, non-PPR (8/25) |12-team, 1/2 PPR (8/18)
10-team, PPR (8/11) | 12-team, non-PPR (8/4) | 10-team, 1/2 PPR, superflex (7/28) | 12-team, PPR (6/23)

2022 projections
Mike Clay's projected output for players at every fantasy position, sortable by specific category.

Depth charts: Offense | Defense

Positional rankings

These rankings represent the consensus among our fantasy football analysts for the 2022 season. Each analyst maintains a personal ranking for the top 25 quarterbacks, 50 running backs, 50 wide receivers, 25 tight ends, 20 kickers and 20 defense/special teams units. The players are then ranked by the average of those rankings. Each position can also be sorted by any individual analyst's rankings.

Overall rankings

Tristan H. Cockcroft: PPR Top 200

Eric Karabell: Superflex Top 200

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (1) Eric Karabell's tiered rankings

Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (2) Cheat sheet

Eric Karabell's tiers, Do Not Draft list and Mike Clay's ultimate draft board in one printable cheat sheet to bring with you to your fantasy football drafts. Download »

Dynasty rankings

Mike Clay: Top 240 overall and top 65 rookies

IDP rankings

Clay, Cockcroft and Moody: Top 50 DLs, LBs and DBs

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (3) Custom Dollar Value Generator

Input your league's scoring system and roster requirements to generate values for your fantasy football salary cap draft. Custom Dollar Value Generator

Fantasy football advice and strategy

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (4) Mike Clay's Ultimate Draft Board
The ideal selections in every round of your draft.

Cockcroft: Is the top tier at QB worth drafting aggressively?
For years, our ESPN Fantasy analysts have preached waiting to take your QB in drafts. Are the top options suddenly too good to let slide?

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (5) Mike Clay's Fantasy Football Playbook
Mike Clay is one of the most respected and accomplished expert league competitors in fantasy football. Crack open The Playbook to find his thoughts on what to do in this year's drafts, and how to build a winning team all season long.

Yates: 10 essential rules for drafting
New to fantasy football or simply want a refresher on the basics? Following these rules will help you leave your draft with a solid team.

Cockcroft: What's more important in fantasy football's first two rounds: Floor or ceiling?
Tristan examines whether it's more critical to focus on players with high floors with your early picks, or if taking a shot on upside is the better approach.

Cockcroft: Best picks for each slot in Rounds 1 and 2
Tristan helps you get ready for your fantasy draft -- regardless of when you pick -- by planning for all possibilities ahead of time.

Lists and insight

NFL Nation: Assessing lower-tier WRs and insurance RBs
Our NFL Nation team answers the most important fantasy questions, focusing on later-round wideouts and insurance backs.

NFL Nation: Updates on 11 hard-to-call backfields
Our NFL reporters answers the most important fantasy questions, focusing on running backs.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (6) Field's favorites for the 2022 NFL season
Field Yates lists the players he's most excited about drafting for his fantasy football teams this season.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (7) Matt Bowen's 18 favorite draft targets
Matt lists the players he is landing on many of his fantasy teams this season.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (8) Eric Karabell's "Do Not Draft" list
Drafts are all about value. Eric provides his list of players being selected too early.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (9) Eric Karabell's "DO Draft" list
You've read Eric's Do-Not-Draft List. Now read his list of players who are being slept on a bit too much in fantasy drafts.

Clay: The 192
The 192 players who should be drafted in standard 12-team leagues.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (10) 12 players who could break out in 2022
Who will bust out like Jonathan Taylor and Deebo Samuel did last year? Mike Clay lists a dozen players to watch.

Sleepers, busts, breakouts for 2022
Our analysts' picks to overachieve, underachieve and emerge.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (11) Tristan's Deep Sleepers
If you're in a deep league, or one with larger rosters, these players could find their way to fantasy-relevance.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (12) Bowen's 'have skills, need opportunity' team
Matt highlights players who have the skill sets to produce but are waiting for their chance to shine.

Insight from NFL team reporters: Believe the buzz on Saquon Barkley, Brandon Aiyuk, George Pickens?
Our NFL Nation team answers the most important fantasy questions following the first full week of preseason action.

Injury outlook for 2022: The ACL club, Christian McCaffrey, Michael Thomas and more
Stephania Bell lists the many key players returning from injury and provides her expectations for them.

Moody: Favorite late-round targets
Eric Moody highlights players available in the latter stages of drafts who can be difference-makers for your fantasy squad.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (13) Bowen: TEs to target if you wait to draft one
Matt digs into the middle tier at tight end, giving his preferences once the top options are gone.

Eric Moody's favorite players to draft
Like most fantasy managers, Eric Moody has his favorites heading into this season. He lists the players that keep ending up on his teams.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (14) Karabell: WRs being forgotten about in drafts
Eric lists a handful of receivers being slept on in early drafts.

10 most intriguing second-year players for 2022
Our fantasy crew picks the sophomores for which they are most interested in seeing how things play out.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (15) Karabell: Hopkins among 10 toughest players to rank
Eric lists players who are difficult to assess in putting together draft rankings.

Moody: Catching up on what happened since Super Bowl
Following an eventful offseason, we sort out the 12 moves you need to know as you prepare for your fantasy football draft.

Clay: Tiered TE rankings
State of the position in fantasy following Rob Gronkowski's retirement.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (16) Clay: RB insurance rankings
Which backups are worth drafting as insurance, whether you've already drafted the starter or not.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (17) Clay: Players who will score more TDs in 2022
A look at players who underachieved last season who are expected to bounce back in 2022.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (18) Clay: Players who will score fewer TDs in 2022
A look at players who overperformed last season who are expected to regress in 2022.

Individual player analysis

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (19) Karabell: Is Christian McCaffrey the Mike Trout of fantasy football?

Moody: Is Gabriel Davis still a fantasy sleeper?

Moody: Why Russell Wilson could finish as QB1

Cockcroft: Will Cooper Kupp repeat as WR1?

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (20) Bowen: How does loss of Wilson affect Metcalf's value?

Cockcroft: Rodgers no longer QB1 without Adams

Clay: Which Packers and Chiefs WRs should you draft?

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (21) Cockcroft: Are Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill still first-round picks?

Create, manage or join a league

Mock draft lobby
Practice makes perfect! Hop into a mock draft and prepare for the real thing against other ESPN Fantasy players.

Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Football
It's free to play! Create or join a league with friends, customize your settings and battle all season for the top spot.

2022 fantasy football draft kit: Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts, sleepers and analysis (2024)

FAQs

What is the best position order to draft in fantasy football? ›

But elite RBs and WRs typically get drafted first because you need more starters at those positions and their scoring drops off more sharply. That's why the best way to draft is generally to prioritize RBs and WRs while waiting on QBs and TEs.

How to prepare for the NFL fantasy draft? ›

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy 2024
  1. Load up on running backs.
  2. Know the league rules.
  3. Know the ADPs of players during the draft.
  4. Wait on Tight Ends.
  5. Anchor your team with an ace QB.
  6. Balance your roster.
  7. Always back yourself up with depth.
  8. Be picky and use the “CUDDY” System when drafting.
Jun 27, 2024

What is live standard draft Yahoo? ›

Live Standard Draft - Managers take turns drafting players until all the roster spots are full. Available in all league types. Live Salary Cap Draft - Managers take turns nominating a player and all managers can place an offer for that player using a budget.

Who are the number one draft picks for fantasy? ›

Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers: CMC is the consensus top overall pick, so I made him the top choice in this 10-team league. No non-quarterback has scored more points than McCaffrey over the last two seasons, making him the obvious choice.

Should I draft a RB or WR first in fantasy? ›

The most common strategy for fantasy players is to target the elite running backs at the top of the draft. This is mainly because of how deep the wide receiver position is, making it more reasonable to find superstars in the middle rounds.

Which draft spot gives you the biggest advantage? ›

On top of that, the teams that have the biggest advantage going into the draft will be the first four. The teams in the middle of the draft will have the next advantage early on but it's that magical 12th position that will close the gap on that group in the middle as the draft progresses.

Should you draft a QB first in fantasy? ›

There are myriad ways to win a fantasy football league, and while it might start with the draft, it rarely ends there. Take a QB early. You might love the pick when you make it, but then, an hour later, you might stress about depth at running back and flex.

Who should be the first pick in fantasy football? ›

Wide receiver is the right first-round pick outside of 1.01: Christian McCaffrey is the right pick at 1.01, but at any other pick in the first round, a wide receiver is the right way to go.

What is the best fantasy football strategy? ›

One of the key strategies in an 8-team league is to attack TE and QB early in your draft. Taking a top player at these positions will provide a larger advantage over your opponents.

Is Yahoo Fantasy a snake draft? ›

All Best Ball Leagues use standard snake drafts: 30 seconds are allowed per pick. 1 pick per round in a predetermined order. The order of picks reverses after each round.

Can you drop a bench player after they play Yahoo? ›

Players who are in an active roster spot for an early week game can't be dropped until the following week. Players who are in a bench roster spot for an early week game can be dropped at any time, subject to your league's weekly waiver rules and roster move deadlines.

How to pick a player in Yahoo Fantasy Football? ›

Add a player to your roster
  1. From Yahoo Fantasy, mouse over Fantasy | select a sport.
  2. Under "My Teams and Leagues," click the fantasy team you want to add a player to.
  3. Click Add Player.
  4. Use the filter options to narrow your results.
  5. Click the Add Player icon. ...
  6. Click Add [Player's name] at bottom of the screen.

What is the best order to pick positions in fantasy football? ›

Ultimately, the best position to draft first in fantasy football 2023 depends on your league settings and the players available. However, if you are looking for the best possible chance of winning your league, you should consider drafting a running back or a wide receiver with your first pick.

What is the best fantasy football team to pick? ›

Fantasy Football NFL Team Power Rankings, 5.0
  • New England Patriots (31)
  • Carolina Panthers (29)
  • New York Giants (27)
  • Chicago Bears (28)
  • Houston Texans (23)
  • Green Bay Packers (19)
  • Tennessee Titans (25)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (16)
Nov 1, 2023

Is Travis Kelce worth a first round pick? ›

Fantasy players should only consider Kelce with the 1.01 pick if they use a Zero-WR draft strategy. While the top-end talent drops off quickly, there has never been more depth at the wide receiver position. Last year, 30 qualifying wide receivers averaged 10.2 or more half-point PPR fantasy points per game.

When should I set my draft order in fantasy football? ›

Your draft order is set prior to the draft according to league settings. In NFL-Managed leagues, the draft order is randomized and you will discover your draft order once you log in to the Live Draft client. In Custom leagues, your draft order will either be randomized or set by your Commissioner.

Who to draft in first fantasy football? ›

Round 1, Picks 1-12: Draft a wide receiver

No quarterback or tight end is worth a first-round pick this year. Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall are both worthy of being selected in the first round, but both also have slightly higher ADPs than they should given the talent at wide receiver.

What is the best pick in a 12 man snake draft? ›

The best place to pick in the snake draft varies from year-year. After some research, and using Draft Sharks rankings, the No. 1 pick looks to be the most valuable in PPR drafts.

How many of each position should I draft? ›

You need enough depth at each position to account for all of this. Every fantasy manager should draft their Best Ball roster with the same basic starting point. You will take at least two quarterbacks, four running backs, five wide receivers, and two tight ends. Those are the minimums you should have at each position.

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