Giants' Biggest Sleepers, Busts, Stars to Target in 2022 Fantasy Football Drafts

NFL training camps are underway, and the 2022 preseason—which kicks off on Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game—is rapidly approaching.

Real, meaningful games will soon follow, and with it, the return of fantasy football.

The New York Giants haven't been particularly relevant in fantasy over the last couple of seasons. This is largely because the team's biggest star, running back Saquon Barkley, has been limited by injuries. A rookie Pro Bowler in 2018 and 1,000-yard rusher in 2019, Barkley missed most of 2020 with a torn ACL and suffered multiple injuries last year.

It's the start of a new era in New York, though, with a new head coach in Brian Daboll and an evolving offensive cast. So what does that mean for fantasy managers?

Here, we'll examine New York's fantasy outlook for 2022. We'll dive into some of the top stars, sleepers and potential busts for the Giants' coming season based on factors like past production, projected role, trending draft stock and any relevant camp reports.

Tight end is an odd position in fantasy. Managers have a small top tier to target—which includes the likes of Travis Kelce and George Kittle—and a wide group of second-tier starters.

Managers who don't wind up with an elite tight end and/or actively look to stream at the position should take a flier on rookie fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger. The San Diego State product is coming off an underwhelming 31-catch collegiate season but may have a bigger role in New York.

"The rookie fourth-round pick got plenty of opportunities with the first team this spring and caught the ball well," ESPN's Jordan Raanan wrote. "It seems likely, given his hands and the way he was moving at OTAs and minicamp, he was underutilized at San Diego State."

The Giants don't have a high-end pass-catching tight end on the roster, and Bellinger may quickly overtake Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins in the offense. The rookie isn't likely to immediately leap into the elite tier, but he could prove to be a viable streamer or spot-starter—as Dawson Knox became under Daboll with the Buffalo Bills.

Currently trending as the 43rd-ranked tight end, Bellinger can be had in the final rounds of season-long drafts.

Another potential sleeper to watch is veteran wideout Kenny Golladay. The former Detroit Lions standout had a miserable first year in New York but was also limited by injuries and a horrendous passing attack.

Golladay finished 2021 with just 37 receptions and 521 yards in 14 games. Back in 2019, though, Golladay led the league with 11 touchdown receptions and topped the 1,100-yard mark. He could really shine if he can bounce back in 2022.

Trending as WR53, Golladay is also worth a late-round gamble.

It's hard to call quarterback Daniel Jones a true bust because he isn't likely to be drafted in many season-long leagues. He's trending as the 22nd-ranked quarterback, which puts him firmly in backup territory.

However, managers may be tempted to take a chance, hoping that Jones finally emerges under Daboll. We're here to advise against it.

Jones has shown virtually no consistency as a signal-caller since throwing 24 touchdown passes as a rookie in 2019. He had just 10 touchdown passes last year and has a longstanding fumbling issue. Through three seasons, Jones has fumbled 36 times and thrown 29 interceptions.

Jones has also gotten off to a rough start to training camp.

"Don't care that it's early. This is bad," Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweeted. "And it's no stretch to envision Brian Daboll and the Giants trying Tyrod Taylor (or Jimmy G) if Daniel Jones’ 1st-string offense doesn't pick it up."

Even as a late-round target, Jones should be avoided.

Managers should also be out on Seals-Jones, who is the highest-ranked Giants tight end (TE39). Even if Bellinger doesn't claim the starting role by Week 1, Seals-Jones is likely to be part of a platoon at the position.

Seals-Jones is coming off of a 271-yard season and has never had more than 343 yards in a campaign. While Bellinger has some upside, Seals-Jones does not.

Let's be clear, there's no truly "safe" fantasy option on the New York roster this season. However, Barkley is the closest thing to a fantasy stud that the Giants have. The Penn State product has shown that he can be a high-end fantasy back when healthy, and he finally appears healthy.

"The way the reports sound out of New York, he may finally be healthy and ready to go for the upcoming season. If this is the case, and he's truly 100 percent next season, he is almost certainly a steal at his current ADP," FantasyPros correspondent Leo Sells wrote.

Barkley's pass-catching ability—190 receptions in 44 games—gives him a ton of point-per-reception (PPR) upside. Managers will still have to bet on him being and staying healthy, but the risk isn't extensive now that Barkley is viewed as a second-tier running back.

The 25-year-old is trending as RB25.

Wideout Kadarius Toney is another player who represents a safe pick at his current draft position. Trending at WR44, Toney is the highest-ranked Giants receiver in fantasy.

The second-year wideout struggled with injury and consistency as a rookie, but he did flash big-play potential with a 10-catch, 189-yard outing against the Dallas Cowboys. We could see more of that big-play ability in 2022.

"The way he can make people miss with the ball in his hands, it’s hard to really compare him to anybody," Golladay said, per Steve Serby of the New York Post.

While Toney is far from a "can't-miss" option, he's unlikely to disappoint as WR44.

*Rankings from FantasyPros and based on PPR scoring.