2022 Fantasy Football Tiers: Overall

Fantasy football tiers are an extremely useful weapon in your draft day arsenal. But you may have noticed that there’s one big flaw with the tiers that you find throughout the fantasy industry: they’re often only based on individual positions. It’s very useful to see how players stack up against others at their position, but it doesn’t do you as much on draft day when you must decide which player to draft across the fantasy positions.

To help you out here, I put together overall tiers that combine all four fantasy skill positions. The goal for these tiers is to show you when value drops off in your draft and to pinpoint which positions and players to target at each phase in your 2022 fantasy football drafts.

This set of tiers is also a great complement to my fantasy football draft board, which you can access as part of our Platinum Subscription. Along with fantasy football rankings and fantasy football projections, you’ll also get access to our Fantasy Football Game Plan Draft Guide and much more. Promo Code “RATPACK” will get you 20% off on any purchase.

(Check out the positional tiers: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End)

Tier 1 – JT

Jonathan Taylor

The top pick in 2022 fantasy football drafts is fairly easy this year. While some might get cute in this spot, don’t overthink it. Taylor is coming off a massive season and is set for another huge workload in the run-heavy Colts’ offense.

Tier 2 – Choose Your Own Adventure

Christian McCaffrey
Austin Ekeler
Cooper Kupp

After the top tier, you’re put to an interesting decision at pick 1.02. Do you go with a running back who has been in the elite conversation in fantasy draft season during each of the last two years only to leave fantasy managers frustrated due to a series of injuries? McCaffrey is absolutely electric, but the risk of another injury is very real. Ekeler has also displayed an enormous fantasy ceiling, though he has even said that his workload could be managed this season. Or we could just say “screw it” and draft arguably the highest-floor player in Kupp.

Tier 3 – Elite Potential

Derrick Henry
Dalvin Cook
Justin Jefferson
Ja’Marr Chase
Najee Harris
Joe Mixon
D’Andre Swift
Alvin Kamara
Davante Adams
Leonard Fournette
Travis Kelce
Stefon Diggs

<img src="https://d2y4ihze0bzr5g.cloudfront.net/source/2020/Dalvin_Cook.jpg" alt="If you get a pick in the latter part of the first round, you won’t likely have a shot at anyone from the top two tiers. But the good news is you’re very likely to get two players from this tier. In this group you have four wideouts who have the potential to finish No. 1 at the position, the seven remaining top 10 running backs, and Kelce. While it’s certainly tempting to grab the elite tight end on the board, there’s a stronger case to be made for scooping running backs and wideouts from this tier, especially given how quickly running back thins out. As for tight end, you can expect Kelce to go in the late first round or early second round this year. There’s no doubt he’s the cream of the crop at the position, but there’s still opportunity to grab value at tight end later.

Tier 4 – Slight Value Drop

Aaron Jones
Saquon Barkley
CeeDee Lamb
Deebo Samuel
Nick Chubb
Tyreek Hill
A.J. Brown
Mark Andrews
Mike Evans

The point of tiers is to show the separation between players in fantasy rankings. Sometimes the difference between the No. 17 player and No. 18 player is much greater than the difference between the Nos. 18 and 19 players. We have that tier drop here, which will occur in the middle of the second round. Here we have three running backs at the in Fournette, Barkley and Jones, but all three come with their own sets of question marks. Given those questions, this range might be more appealing at wide receiver, as there are several options who have the potential to finish as top-10 options at the position. We also have Andrews, who like Kelce, could end up going slightly ahead of his tier value if your league goes tight end crazy.

Tier 5 – Value WR1s or RB2s

James Conner
Cam Akers
DJ Moore
Javonte Williams
Tee Higgins
Michael Pittman
Kyle Pitts
Ezekiel Elliott
Keenan Allen
Diontae Johnson

<img src="https://d2y4ihze0bzr5g.cloudfront.net/source/2020/Cam_Akers.jpg" alt="Running back is going to dry up quickly in your drafts. If you you’re going with a Robust RB approach, this this is a solid range to grab your second RB. Of course, there are no sure things in this group, but you have major upside candidates in Akers and Williams. Elliott doesn’t have as much juice but is in a position where he could command a heavy workload. Of course, at the same time there’s plenty of high-end potential in wideouts like Moore, Higgins, Johnson, Pittman and Allen. Their presence in this range makes punting your second running back spot is an appealing path through the early rounds of drafts.

Tier 6 – RB Thins Out

Josh Allen
Breece Hall
Mike Williams
DK Metcalf
Patrick Mahomes
David Montgomery
Travis Etienne
Jaylen Waddle
Brandin Cooks
Justin Herbert
AJ Dillon
Elijah Mitchell
Terry McLaurin
Courtland Sutton
Lamar Jackson

Allen comes in at the top of this board, but we all know he’ll be gone long before this point in our home drafts in 1QB leagues. Likewise, Mahomes and Herbert will also go earlier than they’re positioned in these tiers. There’s so much depth at quarterback that we can certainly wait until later in drafts to address the position. But the depth at running back has already thinned out. We have lower ceiling options like Montgomery along with question marks in Etienne and Hall in this tier. Compare that to what we’re looking at with the wideouts in this range, and it’s a no brainer to lean wide receiver here.

Tier 7 – Upside WR Territory

Josh Jacobs
George Kittle
Chase Edmonds
Darren Waller
Rashod Bateman
Allen Robinson
J.K. Dobbins
Gabe Davis
Chris Godwin
Amari Cooper
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Marquise Brown
Antonio Gibson
Michael Thomas
Elijah Moore
Kyler Murray
Jerry Jeudy

With running back dried up, you’re going to start to see a lot of upside wide receivers going in the fourth and fifth rounds of your drafts. This is a prime spot to grab an upside guy like Bateman, Brown, Davis or Jeudy. You’ll also notice two more tight ends in this tier. While this is an appropriate place to value Kittle and Waller, both come with major injury baggage from last season. It’s wise to wait until the next tier of tight ends unless either falls in your drafts.

Tier 8 – The TE Wheelhouse

Dalton Schultz
Joe Burrow
Miles Sanders
Damien Harris
T.J. Hockenson
Darnell Mooney
Rhamondre Stevenson
Jalen Hurts
Russell Wilson
Amon-Ra St. Brown
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Christian Kirk
Dameon Pierce
Kareem Hunt
Drake London
Devin Singletary
Tony Pollard
Dak Prescott
Tom Brady
Rashaad Penny
Brandon Aiyuk
Dallas Goedert

<img src="https://d2y4ihze0bzr5g.cloudfront.net/source/2020/Dallas_Goedert.jpg" alt="

If you don’t grab one of the top five options at tight end, this is a great range to target the position. Sure, you may not see Schultz in this range, but Hockenson and Goedert come with high enough ceilings to give you plenty of bang for your buck at a position that is notoriously scarce.

Tier 9 – Risk It for the Biscuit

Cordarrelle Patterson
Kenneth Walker
Melvin Gordon
James Cook
DeVonta Smith
Allen Lazard
Kadarius Toney
Matthew Stafford
Zach Ertz
Trey Lance
Aaron Rodgers
Dawson Knox
Tyler Lockett
Cole Kmet

There’s no denying the risk in this tier, but there’s also some big time potential for return on investment. There’s major juice at running back with rookies Pierce and Allgeier. You have upside at wideout in Aiyuk, London, Lazard and Kirk. And you also have some very interesting quarterbacks in Stafford, Rodgers and Lance.

Tier 10 – More Upside

Adam Thielen
Hunter Renfrow
Treylon Burks
Michael Carter
George Pickens
Chris Olave
Robert Woods
DeAndre Hopkins
Julio Jones
Tyler Allgeier
Nyheim Hines
Darrell Henderson
Isaiah Spiller
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

There’s value up and down the board at wide receiver this year. Compared to running back, you simply have much more appealing options when you get into the middle rounds of your draft. In this tier, you’ll have a shot at upside with rookies like Olave, Moore and Wilson.

Tier 11 – Time to Look at QB

Derek Carr
Alexander Mattison
Jahan Dotson
Jakobi Meyers
Chase Claypool
Kirk Cousins
Tua Tagovailoa
Justin Fields
James Robinson
Pat Freiermuth
Tyler Boyd
Skyy Moore
Khalil Herbert
Kenneth Gainwell
Garrett Wilson

As I noted above, quarterbacks go earlier in home leagues than they do in industry leagues. But that doesn’t mean you should draft your quarterback earlier. There’s going to be value at the position, so start looking in this range, which puts you at about the tenth round. If none of these guys are available, just keep stacking up value at wideout or running back.

Tier 12 – The TE Zone

David Njoku
Jarvis Landry
Isaiah McKenzie
Jamaal Williams
Brian Robinson
Hunter Henry
Albert Okwuegbunam
Irv Smith
J.D. McKissic
Evan Engram
Russell Gage
Michael Gallup
Isiah Pacheco
Nico Collins
DeVante Parker
Kenny Golladay
Rondale Moore
DJ Chark
Gerald Everett
Rachaad White
Mark Ingram
Tyrion Davis-Price
Trevor Lawrence
Zamir White
Mike Davis
Matt Ryan
Mike Gesicki
Noah Fant

If history has taught us anything, it’s that there isn’t much difference among tight ends, once we get outside the top half-dozen or so. This group is very tightly bunched, and some of these guys won’t make it to the late rounds. If you don’t have one of the earlier tight ends, try to draft at the top of this tier. If you’re looking for a better backup, draft at the bottom of this tier.

Tier 13a – High-Ceiling Late-Round Options

Jameis Winston
Daniel Jones
Christian Watson
Raheem Mostert
Samaje Perine
Mac Jones
Brevin Jordan
Joshua Palmer
Jalen Tolbert
Wan’Dale Robinson
K.J. Osborn
Hayden Hurst
Romeo Doubs
Mecole Hardman
Alec Pierce
Zach Wilson
D’Onta Foreman
KJ Hamler
Donovan Peoples-Jones
Jameson Williams
David Bell
Parris Campbell
Van Jefferson
Isaiah Likely

There’s lots of upside to be had in the late rounds, especially at wide receiver. Players like Skyy Moore, Rondale Moore, David Bell, Christian Watson and Jameson Williams are all very appealing options who you can get on the cheap. You may also still have a crack at some running back handcuffs here. Players like White and Foreman should be prioritized if you have the respective starters in their backfields.

Tier 13b – Low-Ceiling Late-Round Options

Robert Tonyan
Darrel Williams
Tyler Higbee
Jeff Wilson
Kenyan Drake
D’Ernest Johnson
Ryan Tannehill
Damien Williams
Jared Goff
Corey Davis
Austin Hooper
Marvin Jones
Sammy Watkins
Gus Edwards
A.J. Green
Robbie Anderson
Laviska Shenault
Sony Michel
Zay Jones
Curtis Samuel
Logan Thomas
Jerick McKinnon
Boston Scott
Ameer Abdullah
Randall Cobb
Carson Wentz
Nelson Agholor
Jamison Crowder
Kendrick Bourne
Ronald Jones
Cameron Brate
Sterling Shepard

<img src="https://d2y4ihze0bzr5g.cloudfront.net/source/2020/Robert_Tonyan.jpg" alt="Unlike the first part of Tier 13, there just isn’t a lot of fantasy juice in this tier. It’s a good idea to let someone else in your league draft from this collection of low-upside running backs and tight ends.

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