Fantasy Football 2022: Breaking Down Updated Mock Draft and Mobile Cheat Sheet

COSTA MESA, CA - JULY 28: Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30), left, receives a hand off from quarterback Justin Herbert (10), at LA Chargers training camp at Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex on Thursday, July 28, 2022 in Costa Mesa, CA. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

We're in the thick of the NFL preseason, which means some fantasy football leagues have already held their drafts for the 2022 campaign. That likely isn't the case for most leagues, though, as there's still plenty of time until the regular-season opener on Sept. 8.

But if your draft hasn't happened yet, it should be rapidly approaching. So it's time to participate in mocks, construct rankings and tiers and read as much analysis as possible to put yourself in a position to build a strong core for your roster heading into the 2022 season.

Mocks also provide a great opportunity for fantasy managers to implement different strategies and see how their team ends up looking with each. Then, they can decide which route to take when drafting for real.

With fantasy draft prep in full swing, here's a set of top-40 rankings to serve as a cheat sheet, followed by a breakdown of a three-round mock that was conducted using FantasyPros' Mock Draft Simulator.

Top-40 Cheat Sheet

WESTFIELD, INDIANA - AUGUST 11: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts on the field during training camp at Grand Park Sports Campus on August 11, 2022 in Westfield, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

3. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

4. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

5. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

6. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

7. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

8. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

9. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

10. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

11. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

12. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions

13. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

14. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

15. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

16. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

17. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

18. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

19. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

20. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

21. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

22. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

23. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

24. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

25. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

26. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

27. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

28. DJ Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers

29. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos

30. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

31. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

32. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

33. Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

34. Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans

35. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

36. Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals

37. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

38. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

39. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

40. Allen Robinson II, WR, Los Angeles Rams

1st Round

FOXBOROUGH, MA - AUGUST 16: Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs the speed bumps during a joint practice between the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers on August 16, 2022, at the Patriots Practice Facility at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

2. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

3. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

4. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

5. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

6. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

7. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

8. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

9. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

11. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

12. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

This mock unfolded in a bit of an unorthodox manner after Taylor went No. 1 (as expected). In many leagues, the manager at No. 2 is selecting McCaffrey. But not in this one, as the Panthers running back fell all the way to No. 4.

Jefferson should put up huge numbers in 2022, but it's not even a general consensus that he should be the first wide receiver drafted. It probably would have been better to go with McCaffrey (the high-risk, ultra-high-reward option) or Ekeler, as it's better to land a stud running back early and then start picking up wide receivers a bit later on.

The managers at No. 7 and No. 8 both got tremendous value in Henry and Kupp, respectively. These are two players who should get top-five consideration, so they were both steals in the back half of the opening round.

2nd Round

FOXBOROUGH, MA - AUGUST 11: New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) on a rush during an NFL preseason game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants on August 11, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

13. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

14. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions

15. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

16. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

17. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

18. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

19. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

20. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

21. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

22. Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

23. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

24. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

The second round mostly unfolded as expected. Fournette continues to be undervalued, and if you're able to get him close to the turn heading into the third, then you're getting a probable steal. He's a standout RB playing for one of the NFL's top offenses who is likely to get a ton of touches again this year.

One interesting player often going in the second round is Barkley. He has tremendous upside, as he showed over his first two NFL seasons in 2018 and 2019. But he played only two games because of injury in 2020, then never truly got going in his 13 games in 2021. Some fantasy managers will be banking on a return to form, while others are steering clear.

There's been plenty of positive buzz about Barkley out of Giants training camp, and it could lead to a better 2022. If he's still on the board heading into the last handful of picks in the second round, it's probably wise to pick him up at that point, even if there's a bit of risk.

3rd Round

JACKSONVILLE, FL - AUGUST 12: Travis Etienne Jr. #1 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs against the Cleveland Browns during a football game at TIAA Bank Field on August 12, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

25. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

26. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

27. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

28. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

29. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

30. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

31. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

32. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

33. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

34. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

35. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

36. Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams

Fantasy managers have been waiting quite a long time for Etienne to make his fantasy debut, and that time is almost here after missing all of 2021 (which would have been his rookie season) with a foot injury.

It's hard not to be excited about the fantasy potential of Etienne, who was drafted in the first round by Jacksonville in 2021. He's reunited with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, his teammate at Clemson, and he should have a sizable workload to open the season, considering James Robinson is still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

There's some uncertainty surrounding Etienne because he's never played an NFL regular-season game. But he has so much potential that it makes sense to take him in the third round of fantasy drafts. He could be the type of player who helps you win a league if he plays as well as he's capable of.