Fantasy Football 2022: Breece Hall and Top Rookies to Target in Mock Drafts

The NFL's 2022 rookie class is all about running backs and wide receivers.

The players at those positions will have the biggest impact of any first-year players in fantasy football.

The situations in front of Breece Hall, Drake London and others are favorable for them to play right away and turn into the front-runners for Rookie of the Year.

Quarterback is almost completely out of focus when it comes to rookies. Kenny Pickett has not received many first-team snaps with the Pittsburgh Steelers in training camp, while Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder and others are clear backups to begin the campaign.

The lack of a star rookie quarterback allows fantasy football players to focus solely on which running backs and wideouts are worth drafting before the regular season begins.

Hall might be the most intriguing rookie of them all because he has the potential to win the New York Jets' starting running back job and be the top fantasy point earner among offensive rookies.

London sits in a good spot with the Atlanta Falcons, but there could be questions around Marcus Mariota's effectiveness and if Kyle Pitts would be the primary target over London to start the season.

Other first-year players could move up depth charts during preseason, but Hall and London appear to be the most promising rookies prior to Week 1 of preseason football.

Breece Hall is officially listed as the No. 3 running back on the New York Jets depth chart.

That status could change between Week 1 of preseason and Week 1 of the regular season because of his performances in training camp and in preseason action.

Michael Carter and Tevin Coleman are Hall's main competition. The Jets could rely on a young backfield of Carter and Hall to build a core of recent draft picks on offense that includes quarterback Zach Wilson and wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

Hall's push to move up the depth chart may be easier than other rookies because of how his competition performed in 2021.

Carter carries a ton of promise as a second-year running back. He had 639 rushing yards and averaged 4.3 yards per carry in 11 games in his rookie season. Coleman started five games for the Jets and only totaled 356 rushing yards in 11 appearances.

Coleman's lack of eye-popping stats last season and the injury issues that plagued him over the last two seasons could play in Hall's favor as the Iowa State product attempts to earn more snaps in the coming weeks.

Hall had 3,941 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns on the ground during his three seasons in the Big 12. He also caught 82 passes and set a single-season best in receptions last year.

Coleman earned 15 receptions over the last two seasons with the Jets and San Francisco 49ers.

Hall's pass-catching ability could help him move above Coleman on the depth chart—or in certain situations to ensure he is on the field as much as possible.

New York's running back situation still needs clarity before September, but Hall's dual-threat ability makes him an intriguing mid-round selection in points-per-reception leagues.

Hall's ceiling is a No. 2 running back on fantasy rosters, but he should be drafted only after you have the primary ball carrier settled for your roster.

Drake London is listed further down on the Atlanta Falcons' official depth chart than the place he will be at during the regular season.

Scott Bair of the Falcons' official website noted that head coach Arthur Smith typically lists rookies near the bottom of the depth chart at this juncture of training camp. London is receiving time with the first-team offense.

London could be one of the few bright spots in the Falcons offense in 2022 since the team is expected to compete with the Carolina Panthers for last place in the NFC South.

Marcus Mariota has not started more than 10 games since the 2018 regular season, but he will be trusted with the Week 1 start.

The unknowns concerning Mariota's play in the pocket could hamper expectations for London and tight end Kyle Pitts. They will be the top two targets, but the concern is how often they will get the ball. Mariota has never had a completion percentage over 70 as a starter in the NFL.

London may not be in the best overall situation compared to other rookie wideouts, but he should at least get a chance to prove his worth right away.

The potential of being first or second in targets and receptions should excite fantasy players that need wide receiver depth in the middle rounds of a draft.

London's quarterback situation makes him a No. 3 fantasy wide receiver at best right now, but that could change if the Falcons turn into a pleasant surprise in the NFL landscape.

Kenneth Walker could go from college football's breakout star to fantasy football rookie phenom.

Walker's fantastic season at Michigan State led to him being taken in the second round by the Seattle Seahawks.

Chris Carson's offseason retirement created a wide-open competition in the Seattle backfield between Walker, Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.

Penny was listed as the No. 1 running back on Seattle's first official depth chart, but there are concerns about his fantasy football potential.

Penny has rarely been the No. 1 running back during his time in the NFL. He finished last season with career bests of 749 rushing yards and six touchdowns, but that was the only time in four years that he had a consistent run of solid performances.

The questions around Penny is if last season's surge was a preview for 2022 or just him being able to take advantage of an opportunity created by injuries.

Walker has the potential to take Penny's job, or at least create a split backfield in which he could take over in the middle of the regular season.

As of now, Walker is a No. 2 running back at best for fantasy rosters, but his potential is hard to ignore since only Penny is in front of him on the depth chart.

Walker could be worth an early selection based solely on his potential to take over the Seattle starting job and to receive a high workload with Drew Lock at quarterback.