Fantasy Football 2022: Five sleeper wide receivers to consider drafting in the late rounds
Buffalo Bills: Isaiah McKenzie
McKenzie was top-10 in EPA/route run last season and has averaged a mere 27.0 fantasy points during games where he’s seen more than six targets since 2019. He easily beat Jamison Crowder to win Buffalo’s starting slot role this year, taking over for Cole Beasley, who averaged 82 catches while missing multiple games over the last two seasons.
Playing in such a pass-happy Buffalo offense that saw Josh Allen (who has the highest target share to slot receivers among all QBs over the last five seasons) attempt a whopping 65 throws in the end zone last year (no other QB attempted more than 50), McKenzie could legitimately finish as a top-25 PPR WR.
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Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Tolbert
Tolbert was an air-yards hog in college and is the favorite to open the season as the Cowboys’ WR2 on a Dallas offense that led the NFL in scoring last season but is now missing Amari Cooper, Cedric Wilson, Blake Jarwin, Michael Gallup and James Washington due to a combination of departures and injuries.
Green Bay Packers: Romeo Doubs
Doubs has struggled with drops and may open the season as Green Bay’s WR4, but he’s also made multiple “wow” plays throughout the summer while unsurprisingly separating himself from fellow rookie Christian Watson.
On a Green Bay team extremely thin at receiver, Doubs could easily emerge as Aaron Rodgers’ new favorite target over the second half of the season with Davante Adams gone.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Kirk
Kirk was used curiously by an Arizona team that refuses to move its receivers around, but he toasted man coverage and will likely now be force-fed targets in Jacksonville after signing a massive contract that broke the WR market during the offseason.
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His new quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, is now freed from "Bourbon Meyer" after quietly ranking top-five in “money” throws and having sneaky success on early downs, so Kirk has legit top-20 WR fantasy upside.
Pittsburgh Steelers: George Pickens
Pickens was a five-star recruit who slipped in the draft thanks to an injury and off-field issues, but his talent has people already comparing him to Randy Moss. In fact, Pickens’ performance in August has suddenly made him BetMGM’s favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at +850 despite sharing targets with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool from Mitch Trubisky.
Johnson’s target share drops 30 percent with Ben Roethlisberger off the field, Claypool can’t separate and Pickens looks like the real deal. Believe the hype.
