It’s officially NFL Draft week, and fantasy managers in dynasty and redraft leagues will be keeping a close watch on the landing spots for the top skill position players in this year’s draft class. Our analysts have been studying these prospects and their potential fits with NFL teams over the last several months, and they’ve written tens of thousands of words and created over a dozen mock drafts while evaluating the different ways they see the 2022 NFL Draft playing out.
Below are the potential landing spots they considered for Arkansas WR Treylon Burks, Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, and Ohio State WR Chris Olave. You can find our full set of consensus dynasty rookie rankings for superflex leagues here.
- Potential Landing Spots for Garrett Wilson, Kenneth Walker III, Jameson Williams
- Potential Landing Spots for Malik Willis, Breece Hall, Drake London
- Potential Landing Spots for Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral, Christian Watson
Treylon Burks (WR – Arkansas)
22. Green Bay Packers
The Packers traded away Davante Adams and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, so they need to find a wide receiver for oft-disgruntled quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
With great size (6-2 and 225 pounds) and sufficient athleticism (4.55-second 40-yard dash), Burks could be Adams’ replacement. As a true junior last year, Burks was 66-1,104-11 receiving and 14-112-1 rushing in 12 games.
– Matthew Freedman, Day Before the Draft Mock Draft
No Davante Adams. No Marquez Valdes-Scantling. No problem. Green Bay addresses its glaring hole at wide receiver by adding YAC god Treylon Burks.
The Arkansas Razorbacks wideout finished first in his class in yards per route run (3.57) while also ranking No. 1 in yards per route run when lined up outside (6.08) among all receivers. It’s an encouraging sign that a size-speed specimen delivered when aligned on the perimeter, as he spent 77% of his career in the slot.
His 8.5 yards after the catch rank 14th among 169 qualifying wide receivers (92nd percentile) over the past two seasons, which caters perfectly to the Green Bay offense.
The Pack finished third in total YAC in 2021.
– Andrew Erickson, Final Mock Draft
Kenny Pickett (QB – Pitt)
32. Detroit Lions
Jared Goff will still be in the plans for the Lions in 2022 with a $15.5 million roster guarantee this season. It seems most likely he will be the opening day starter while the team grooms a rookie franchise quarterback behind him.
Goff has a potential out in his contract before the 2023 season. Detroit also desperately NEEDS a quarterback competition to stir up drama for HBO’s Hard Knocks.
With the fifth-year rookie quarterback option in mind – even though its importance has been massively overblown – the Lions select small-hands Kenny Pickett with the 32nd overall pick.
Pickett finished third in PFF passing grade from a clean pocket (94.3) and first in his class in adjusted completion percentage (79%) during his 2021 breakout season.
– Andrew Erickson, Final Mock Draft
I was incredibly tempted to have just one quarterback in Round 1: This is a subpar class at the position, and mocks tend to be too high on quarterbacks anyway. I can see Pickett falling past the Saints, Steelers and Titans at Nos. 16, 19, 20 & 26.
And I am skeptical that we see more than two quarterbacks on Day 1.
Recent-ish history shows that if no QB goes in top 5, the NFL is down on that class.
No top-5 QBs –> total Rd. 1 QBs:
– 2013: 1
– 2000: 1
– 1997: 1
– 1996: 0
– 1992: 2
– 1991: 2
– 1988: 0
– 1985: 0
– 1984: 0
– 1981: 1
– 1980: 2We probably won't see 3-4 Rd. 1 QBs this year.
— Matthew Freedman (@MattFtheOracle) April 24, 2022
But No. 32 has become a destination spot for a passer in recent mocks, and Pickett is present in 80% of sharp mocks. I simply had no option but to include him.
Despite his childlike hands …
Well, in Pittsburgh they say, Kenny Pickett’s hand size grew 1/8 inches that day. (Measured 8-5/8 inches at #Pitt pro day instead of 8-4/8 at NFL Scouting Combine.)
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) March 21, 2022
… Pickett might be the most NFL-ready quarterback in this draft class.
– Matthew Freedman, Final Mock Draft
26. Tennessee Titans
The buzz is building that the Titans are a real candidate to take a quarterback on Day 1, and Pickett could easily fall down the draft board if the Panthers don’t take him at No. 6.
– Matthew Freedman, Day Before the Draft Mock Draft
Chris Olave (WR – Ohio State)
15. Philadelphia Eagles
Howie Roseman is no stranger to selecting wide receivers early on, having selected one in the top two rounds over the last three seasons, two of which have been first-round picks.
Chris Olave draws very close comparisons to Calvin Ridley. Philly was reported to be “in” trading for Ridley before the veteran was suspended for the entire 2022 season.
– Andrew Erickson, Final Mock Draft
16. New Orleans Saints
Longtime general manager Mickey Loomis has had zero issues spending high-end draft capital on WRs in the past, making Chris Olave the selection here.
The former Buckeye doesn’t offer the same skill set as Thomas, but he can separate from defenders at an elite level downfield. Olave wrapped up his 2021 season in the 96th percentile in separation versus single coverage and caught seven touchdowns on throws of 20-plus air yards.
He further cemented himself as a top-20 selection by blazing a 4.39 40-yard dash (90th percentile) at the NFL Combine.
Olave draws parallels to Calvin Ridley with his route-running ability. But like Ridley coming out of school, Olave doesn’t offer much after the catch.
His forced broken and missed tackle rate ranked 43rd among 43 qualifying wide receivers in the class. His yards after the catch per reception (4.2) ranked 37th.
– Andrew Erickson, Mock Draft 6.0
Over the past three years, Olave has proven himself to be an NFL-ready pass catcher with 163-2,505-32 receiving in 31 games. In the short term, Olave could be a dynamic field-stretching supplement to injury-riddled No. 1 receiver Michael Thomas. In the long term, he could be Thomas’ replacement.
– Matthew Freedman, Final Mock Draft
FantasyPros Mock Drafts
Andrew Erickson:
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 2.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 3.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 4.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 5.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 6.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 7.0 (Final Edition)
Matthew Freedman:
- Version 1: Post-free agency
- Version 2: Post-Eagles & Saints trade
- Version 3: Mid-April
- Version 4: 10 days away
- Version 5: Seven days away
- Version 6: Week of the Draft
- Version 7: Day Before the Draft
- Version 8: Day of Draft (Final Version)
Derek Brown:
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