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The King provides his updated 2022 dynasty fantasy football rankings for those participating in startup league drafts. The rankings are powered by fantasypros.com and lean to PPR league formats. We feature the top-150 overall and in-depth ranks for all skill positions.
While many fantasy players take a broad, longer-term view when drafting dynasty teams, our perspective is to win now and win later. That means not universally prioritizing players who we believe may be top starters for the next eight to 10 years. Too much changes in the NFL and on your fantasy roster on an annual basis and certainly within three-plus years of time. Sure, Ja’Marr Chase is a prime pick because he is already an established young superstar, but Austin Ekeler is not near the end of the line, either.
Full rankings appear following the analysis. We provide player tips at every position in an effort to further shape a well-informed dynasty startup approach to your drafts.
Running Back Dynasty Rankings
If you draft Christian McCaffrey in a dynasty startup league, it’s the biggest risk/reward pick in any fantasy format. I recommend a bit of a safer selection in the top-four. I’d rather have Ekeler. In dynasty leagues. At 27-years-old, I will expect another three strong seasons from Ekeler.
Travis Etienne has drawn comparisons to Alvin Kamara, and his dynasty appeal should skyrocket this season. … Leonard Fournette and James Conner are solid RB2 picks for those who have an eye on winning now and for the next two to three years.
Elijah Mitchell appears to be ticketed for a time-share role, hurting his appeal in all fantasy formats. Josh Jacobs may get caught in a committee situation this season, but he could conceivably be a starter somewhere else in 2023.
Rashaad Penny has an uncertain future that raises dynasty concerns. At some point, Kenneth Walker III may take over as the lead RB in Seattle, and if Penny misses more time due to injuries going forward, you will have an area of concern on your roster. Tony Pollard should be the starting RB for Dallas or another team in 2023, and his value will also rise this year.
The rookie RBs ranked in the 40 to 43 range can start to pop up on the radar as soon as this year and have some longer-term promise. Tyrion Davis-Price and Brian Robinson have paths to becoming inside running and goal-line options for their NFL teams in 2022. Tyler Allgeier will challenge for a starting job this season and Zamir White may be the No. 1 RB for the Raiders by 2023.
D’Ernest Johnson might have a significant role in the Browns backfield by next season. Kenneth Gainwell can get an opportunity to earn more touches because it’s apparent Miles Sanders is never going to lock down a major share of the workload for the Eagles.
Alexander Mattison is a free agent after this season and he is just 24-years-old. It is possible he will be positioned for a starting job somewhere next year. Hassan Hankins might be the eventual successor to Derrick Henry in Tennessee.
Wide Receiver Dynasty Rankings
I keep in mind that 30 is not the end of the road for a WR. The late, great Mike Tagliere used to chart their career falloffs after age 32. Cooper Kupp is 29 and well worth the elite selection in dynasty leagues. Mike Evans will also be 29 when the season starts and should give you three to four more good seasons, which is the win now/win later window I focus on.
D.J. Moore should start to score more frequently this year with a better QB situation, boosting his appeal in all formats. Courtland Sutton can elevate to fantasy WR1 territory working with Russell Wilson. Allen Robinson may be about to enter his prime with the Rams.
Don’t miss the breakout season and strong years ahead for Gabriel Davis. Any guy who scores four TDs in a playoff game is sending out a clear signal that exciting times are ahead. Chris Olave could prove to be an instant impact fantasy WR this season and a highly reliable starter for years to come. Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore might be frequently outstanding performers in the next two seasons if Zach Wilson starts to emerge as an improving pro.
I am not one of the Rashod Bateman backers. No. 1 WRs who work with Lamar Jackson don’t have much of a ceiling. JuJu Smith-Schuster is 25 years old and caught 97 passes and nine TDs two years ago with a challenging QB situation. Tyler Lockett is a value in many drafts. I landed him in the 11th round of a dynasty Superflex startup.
The Seahawks' QB change will hurt his production, but the outlook could change at that position no later than 2023. Alec Pierce may start for the Colts as a rookie and can make an impact in his debut campaign. The Jaguars overpaid for Christian Kirk and he will be miscast as a projected No. 1 WR for them.
Kadarius Toney reminds me of Percy Harvin. He seems to be an injury risk with lots of upside, although he can quickly erase the injury label with one healthy and productive season.
If Chase Claypool doesn’t break through this season, it will never happen. Tyquan Thornton has some big-play promise and may be a value pick among rookie WRs. Donovan Peoples-Jones is a deeper sleeper who can operate well with Deshaun Watson when his outlook for playing time is determined.
Quarterback Dynasty Rankings
This will be a pivotal season on the dynasty path of Jalen Hurts. If he makes hoped improvements as a passer, then he will be a top fantasy QB for many years to come. He now has the playmakers in the passing game to spur him to greater heights.
Lamar Jackson may never recapture his 2019 fantasy form, but he is still a fine pick if you wait after the top-four at the position are off the board. Trey Lance will at least be a good running QB early on as a starter, which makes him a quick top-10 QB candidate, but there is work needed to be done as a passer to launch him into top-five territory.
Russell Wilson should have at least two to three years left as a high-quality fantasy starter. Derek Carr appears to be headed for a career year with his best pass-catching crew ever. Trevor Lawrence’s true jump in production may come in 2023, as the supporting cast is still mediocre (improved from bad) and he does need to make some more fundamental strides forward.
Jameis Winston has a good group of playmakers and has a good chance to regain fantasy relevance this season. Jared Goff is not a bad Superflex depth option. Desmond Ridder might eventually become a productive fantasy QB. He has a better path to a starting job than most of the other rookies.
Tight End Dynasty Rankings
Age is not the prime factor for me when targeting most tight ends, although it does launch Kyle Pitts into the top spot. The position is so thin that you should not be using the age of 27 or older as a guidepost for making most of the decisions on targeted TEs.
If Hurts takes more steps forward as a passer this year, Dallas Goedert will deliver a career season. Zach Ertz is a good pick for quality output for the next year or two. The Cole Kmet breakout is coming.
Improved TD production in 2022 is clearly in the forecast. Irv Smith Jr. can push into back-end fantasy TE1 territory this season. Austin Hooper is a value play for 2022, as he is needed to step up for a Titans receiving group that is in transition.
Greg Dulcich may eventually emerge as the best pass-catching TE for Denver. The Tampa Bay TE picture is crowded now in the post-Gronkowski era. No one single player may be a viable fantasy starter in 2022, and Cade Otton should be ready to be the No. 1 guy by season two or three of his pro career. Daniel Bellinger of the Giants is a good stash for future years.
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