Fantasy Football 2022: PPR Cheatsheet and Mock Draft Strategy
The 2022 NFL season kicks off next Thursday, which makes this the biggest draft weekend in fantasy football.
Do you have your draft board set yet? And have you tried to execute it during real-time mock drafts?
If the answer to either question is no, then you really need to get moving. It's important to have a strategy heading into the draft. It's also critical to remember that curveballs may force you to veer off course at some point, which is what makes mocks so helpful, since you can actually encounter that experience—only with no season-long stakes attached.
To help with your final pre-draft cram sessions, we've constructed a quick cheatsheet for point-per-reception (PPR) drafts then laid out a couple of strategies for any last-minute mocks.
PPR Cheatsheet
Top-30 Ranking
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
2. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
4. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
5. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
6. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
7. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
8. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
9. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
11. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
12. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
13. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
14. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
15. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
16. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
17. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
18. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
19. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
20. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
21. Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
22. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
23. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
24. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
25. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
26. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
27. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
28. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
29. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
30. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
Sleepers to Target
Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos
Matt Ryan, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
AJ Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers
Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Noah Fant, TE, Seattle Seahawks
Busts to Avoid
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots
Target WR, RB Positions Early
Mapping out the first few rounds—if not more—is always a smart move, just to make sure the draft board breaks right. You don't want to be in a position of making a big reach just to fill an area of need, particularly early in the process.
Having said that, there are a few handfuls of elites at running back and wide receiver, so you should be able to stick to these spots in the first couple of rounds without having to reach. If you find that isn't true, then by all means seek out a value pick elsewhere, like a high-end quarterback or tight end.
Assuming your mock draft room doesn't divert too much from typical draft patterns, though, you should look to load up with running backs and receivers early. You could go five to eight rounds without addressing another spot and still be in solid shape at the other positions.
Just remember to keep an eye out for any position runs that potentially drain the talent pool. You don't want to wind up in a spot where you're forced to start players you wouldn't normally rank as a QB1 or TE1.
Search for Consistent Values
A single mock draft is nothing more than a snapshot. You can't treat it as gospel in terms of draft behaviors and draft positions.
That's why you want to get in at least a few different mocks if you can. That way you can start identifying trends and following patterns to see which players are being under- and over-drafted.
Now, there is, of course, no guarantee that your real league will follow these trends, but it can still be helpful in identifying later-round targets and having a decent idea of where those players will go.
If you are going running back and receiver heavy at the top, then you'll want to make sure you have quarterbacks and tight ends you like later in the draft.