Fantasy Football 2022: 5 Players Generating Buzz Entering Preseason Week 1

NFL training camps feature some players who appear to be breakout stars and others who are struggling to stand out. But nobody really knows how either group will fare until they get onto a stadium field for game action against another team.

That will be happening soon enough. Although this year's Hall of Fame Game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars has already taken place, the preseason schedule really ramps up this week. There are two games scheduled for Thursday, followed by five on Friday, eight on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Fantasy football managers will be watching closely over the next three weeks of exhibition contests, especially those whose leagues haven't yet drafted. While the game results may not matter, there could be telling events that impact where certain players stand heading into the 2022 regular season.

With that in mind, here's a handful of players whose fantasy stock is on the rise early in training camp and heading into the preseason.

The Texans had no player rush for more than 427 yards during the 2021 season. So they need a boost to their backfield in 2022. And Dameon Pierce, a rookie who was selected during the fourth round of the draft out of Florida, could be the one to provide it.

According to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime, Pierce "looks like the Texans' best running back" in training camp because of his vision, footwork and explosiveness. Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported that although Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead will have roles in Houston's backfield, Pierce should also be in the mix.

The 22-year-old has the most fantasy potential among that group. If he performs well in game action and proves he can handle a sizable workload as a rookie, he could quickly become the Texans' top running back.

Considering how difficult it can be to find starting RBs in fantasy drafts (particularly after the first few rounds), it's likely wise to consider taking a flier on Pierce while seeing how Houston's running game develops moving forward.

It's important for fantasy managers to not forget about Travis Etienne Jr. this summer. The 2021 first-round draft pick missed all of last season because of a foot injury, but he's healthy now and should have a sizable role on the Jaguars' offense in 2022.

Etienne has impressed during training camp practices, and it seems quarterback Trevor Lawrence (his former Clemson teammate) is excited to have the 23-year-old in the fold.

"He looks like he's in better shape than I thought he was our last year at Clemson," Lawrence recently told reporters, including Julia Morris of WYFF News 4. "His body looks great, I think he's running really well, he's picking up the offense."

Not only will Etienne likely split carries out of the backfield with James Robinson, but he should also be a target in the passing game. So Etienne is an even better player to target in points-per-reception leagues.

In 2019, DeVante Parker had a big season for the Miami Dolphins, recording 72 catches for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns, all of which were career highs. But he didn't reach that level over the past two seasons. He could in 2022, though, only now for the New England Patriots.

Parker is giving the Pats' receiving corps a needed boost, and he could quickly become a top target for quarterback Mac Jones during the upcoming season. Jones and Parker have looked good when connecting on plays in training camp. And New England's defenders are learning how difficult it can be to cover the 29-year-old Parker.

“You can’t guess. If you guess on [Parker], it might be a touchdown," Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills recently said, per Gage Nutter of MassLive.com.

Perhaps this could be the year that Parker returns to that 2019 form and becomes a key fantasy contributor.

The Packers' receiving corps took a major hit when the team traded Davante Adams to the Raiders in March. Now, Green Bay will need some playmakers to step up and become weapons for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to utilize in the passing game.

So far, the breakout receiver of training camp has been rookie Romeo Doubs, who was selected in the fourth round of the draft out of Nevada. He's even impressing Rodgers, which isn't always an easy feat for young unproven players.

"Every single day, there's been at least one kind of 'wow' play from him," Rodgers recently told reporters. "And that's kind of rare for a young guy like that. Now we've had some guys over the years to kind of do that, but they're all in the top 10, I think, in the Packers' receiving history."

Of course, training-camp hype doesn't always carry over into the regular season, especially for rookies. But if you're adding WR depth late in a fantasy draft, it's definitely worth taking a chance on Doubs, because he could end up high on the Packers' depth chart early in 2022.

Albert Okwuegbunam hasn't put up huge numbers over his first two NFL seasons, but he was also blocked on the Broncos' depth chart by Noah Fant. That's no longer the case, as Fant was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, making Okwuegbunam the new No. 1 tight end.

Not only that, but Okwuegbunam will have a better quarterback throwing him passes now that Russell Wilson is in Denver. So a breakout season could be on the horizon for the 24-year-old, especially as the Broncos look for pass-catchers to step up and fill the void left by Tim Patrick (season-ending torn ACL).

Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters that the tight ends on the roster will need to step up now that Patrick is out for the year. And Okwuegbunam seems to be the most talented among the group.

It can be difficult to find reliable fantasy tight ends beyond the first couple of tiers, but Okwuegbunam could emerge this year. He may be worth a late-round pick, but if not, keep an eye on him as a possible early-season waiver-wire pickup.