RADIO
As the 2021 NFL season approaches its official conclusion with the Super Bowl, dedicated fantasy football players are closely examining their dynasty league rosters. Trade offers have already started to fly in many leagues, but a patient approach can pay off well. We still need to see a lot of what shakes out in free agency, so we are going to be adjusting these ranks as needed in the weeks and months ahead.
Long-term outlooks are very important, yet you also have to strongly consider who can help you win next year. Player scouting reports change very often after every season. What appears to be a viable approach now won’t look the same a year later.
My latest dynasty fantasy rankings are powered by FantasyPros.com and are based on PPR formats. Full rankings follow the analysis. My usual approach in dynasty formats is not to simply build for three to eight years from now. I want to help you win in 2022 as well.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Running Backs
In startup dynasty leagues, some drafters may be warier about taking running backs early after all the injuries we witnessed this past season. Austin Ekeler became more of a goal-line runner this past year, cementing a place for himself among the very elite.
The Steelers had a shaky QB situation this past year, and Najee Harris still showed he is going to be a versatile standout for a long time to come.
Christian McCaffrey has become much more of an apparent injury concern, enough to the point where he is not the No. 1 overall player anymore in any format.
A healthy Ezekiel Elliott can still be very productive, and it may be a good time to trade for him.
Saquon Barkley is a risk, but still carries a ton of upside.
David Montgomery may be one of the most underrated RBs in the top-20 at the position.
We will boost Javonte Williams for sure once we know he will be the clear lead RB for Denver, but the QB situation also has to be stabilized. We could see a significant breakout campaign from fellow Tarheel Michael Carter in 2022.
It will be interesting to see if the 49ers truly count on Elijah Mitchell as a featured back next season.
Rashaad Penny was arguably the best RB in the game down the stretch, but his extensive injury history could also mean he works in a timeshare next season.
Devin Singletary looked pretty good late in the season, but he is simply not built to carry a heavy load and can’t be regarded as a consistent fantasy producer going forward.
Jerick McKinnon may have boosted his appeal in the AFC playoffs while damaging the fantasy outlook of Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
I am developing a stronger belief that we will never be able to count on Miles Sanders as a fantasy starter.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Wide Receivers
Some fantasy players may see wide receiver as a deeper, but less risky position in terms of injuries. We could have a hot debate between whether Justin Jefferson or Ja’Marr Chase is No. 1 at wide receiver, but I will take Jefferson for more catches and having to share the ball less in PPR while preferring Chase in non-PPR. You will do great going with either one in a dynasty startup draft.
If you want to avoid Cooper Kupp because he will be 29 years old next season, then I will gladly take him instead. As the late, great Mike Tagliere used to remind us annually, you will get at least another fine three to four seasons out of a WR at that age.
With a healthy Russell Wilson next year, DK Metcalf will fully recapture his best fantasy form.
Everyone is buzzing about Chase, but Jaylen Waddle could soon be a top-five fantasy WR.
CeeDee Lamb was a disappointment this past season, but I think the best is yet to come so stay patient.
DeVonta Smith should emerge as a more consistently explosive pass-catcher in his second pro season.
Jerry Jeudy and Michael Pittman Jr. are two interesting trade targets who could be headed for true breakout campaigns in 2022.
Notable improvements from Zach Wilson could lead to a big ’22 season for Elijah Moore.
Gabriel Davis is one of the hottest names in dynasty leagues at WR and could emerge as a fantasy WR2 next season.
Darnell Mooney should be set for another jump in production and should likely be more reliable in 2022.
Rashod Bateman’s progress was stunted by injuries in 2021 but look for more progress during the upcoming campaign.
Kadarius Toney reminds me of a young Percy Harvin. Versatile, explosive, and an injury risk.
If Michael Gallup leaves Dallas, his value could get a nice boost in the longer term. He is recovering from an ACL injury but could be worth the wait once he returns.
Quarterbacks
The word always is that quarterback is deep, but ideally, you want to have a top-nine player at the position on your dynasty team. Kyler Murray was frustrating late in the year and needs to be more dependable overall, but outside of Josh Allen, he remains the best passing/running threat in fantasy football.
A year after a devastating knee injury, Joe Burrow has shown us that he is about to set many fantasy teams up with premier QB play for a long time.
We cannot rank Lamar Jackson higher until we see more consistency as a passer.
You should get another good three to four years at minimum out of Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson. If you don’t have one of the top younger passers, those two guys can be ideal starters for a few seasons more. As I often say, dynasty players don’t have to look five-plus seasons down the line for success. Consider the near term and a few years down the line.
Aaron Rodgers is the ultimate dynasty “bridge” QB who can be a standout for another season or two while you wait for Justin Fields to develop.
Trey Lance is perceived to be on the verge of fantasy stardom and will be taken in the top-eight at the position in many dynasty startup drafts.
Mac Jones looks like a sound decision-maker, but he may never be a quality fantasy starter. He will likely be better in real life, and soon.
These could be pivotal years in the developments of Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson. We don’t see too many QBs make Josh Allen-type of leaps early in their careers, so it has to be now or next year for those two players. We may also discover whether Jalen Hurts will be ready to take his game to the next levels as a passer in 2022. It could be “now or never” for Hurts this season. The fantasy production can be there, but if he does not make enough strides as a passer, his future outlook could become more cloudy.
Davis Mills looked heady and poised at times as a rookie and should be held for depth.
Tight Ends
The tight end position is still very thin, but there are a few promising players to consider. Travis Kelce will turn 33 during the next season, but a good approach is to pair him with a young player like Cole Kmet for a transition sometime soon.
Darren Waller was a disappointment in 2021, but he should still be one of the better players at the position when healthy. Dalton Schultz has settled in very comfortably as a prime option for Dak Prescott on key downs.
Pat Freiermuth was very impressive as a rookie and should already be considered a fantasy TE1.
If the Broncos solve their QB issue, we could see Noah Fant finally start to become worthy of regular starting consideration. At this point, it is understandable that we are losing confidence in Mike Gesicki.
Once Irv Smith Jr. is healthy again, he can re-emerge as a notable option in the Vikings' passing game.
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.
