Let’s take a look at players on Pat Fitzmaurice’s 2022 Do Not Draft List.
Rankings noted using FantasyPros half-PPR Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) and Consensus ADP.
6 Players You Should Avoid Drafting
Tannehill had two 300-yard games in 17 starts last season and had only four games with multiple TD passes. He finished QB12 in fantasy scoring, propping up his value with seven TD runs. Tannehill averaged 219.6 passing yards a game, ranking 20th in that category. Tannehill will be entering his age-34 season, so there’s no hidden upside here. The conservative nature of the Tennessee offense limits his fantasy potential, as does his lack of pass-catching weaponry.
Is Ezekiel Elliott still a great RB, or is he a falling knife you shouldn’t dare try to catch? Zeke hasn’t looked himself the last two seasons, and a partially torn PCL may have had something to do with Zeke’s relative inefficiency in 2021. But, man, there’s a lot of mileage on the odometer. Could Elliott regain the form that made him a fantasy wrecking ball from 2016 through 2019? Sure. Should you place a substantial bet on a 27-year-old running back finding the Fountain of Youth after two lackluster seasons? No.
Ronald Jones joins the Chiefs after a roller-coaster four-year run with the Buccaneers, and it seems as if his shortcomings as a pass catcher and pass blocker will always hold him back. At best, Jones will be an early-down thumper whose value will be tied closely to his touchdown production. Personally, I never feel good about starting a running back whose fantasy point total will almost certainly disappoint me if he doesn’t score a TD.
Michael Thomas missed much of the 2020 season with injuries, including a late-season ankle injury. Thomas put off ankle surgery, then missed all of 2021 when the ankle didn’t heal properly. Thomas was a force before the injuries, racking up 378 catches over a three-year stretch from 2017 to 2019. Will he still be the same player upon his return, and can he return to such lofty heights with a QB other than Drew Brees? Don’t bet on it.
I’m also not betting on Adam Thielen‘s touchdown rate continuing in 2022. Thielen’s efficiency numbers have been plummeting, but he’s piled up 24 touchdowns over the last two years. Thielen hit career lows in yards per catch (10.8) and yards per target (7.6) last season and he averaged 55.8 receiving yards a game. Unless Thielen has a third consecutive season of lucky TD production, he’s bound to disappoint his investors.
I consider Higbee to be the most overrated tight ends in the league. While he’s on the field a ton, it hasn’t translated to fantasy success. I don’t see that changing in 2022. Even with the Rams’ passing game booming throughout the 2021 season, Higbee averaged 9.2 yards per catch and 6.6 yards per target. The promise of Higbee’s sensational late-season stretch in 2019 has never flowered into consistent production.
FantasyPros Staff Consensus 2022 Redraft Fantasy Football Rankings
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
