NBA Prop of the Day
Jake Silverman
The 2022 NFL offseason has been unlike any we’ve had in recent years. The QB movement alone was arguably the most insane we’ve ever seen — and certainly within the last decade.
But now that we’ve made it through free agency and the draft, where is the dust settling? Today, we’re taking a look at the 2022 offseason’s best moves from a fantasy football perspective.
Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos
This one may feel like a bit of a wash, because the goodness of Russell Wilson joining the Broncos may be evenly balanced by the sadness of sending Drew Lock to play with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. But on the whole, fantasy players can chalk this up as a win.
How often have we begged the Seattle brass to “Let Russ Cook”? They never truly have. And while the Broncos were just as run-heavy as the Seahawks last year (44% run rate for Denver and 43% for Seattle), the overall team in Denver is significantly better, and the receiving cast is comparable.
It would be maddening for Denver to trade the house for Russ just to let him hand the ball off a bunch again. And while that’s possible, let us be optimistic and say it’s unlikely. This move is a big plus for Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon, Albert Okwuegbunam and arguably an upgrade for Wilson, too. That’s a lot of lifted boats.
Allen Robinson to the Los Angeles Rams
Watching Allen Robinson toil away in Chicago last year was painful. After averaging 100 receptions and 1,200 yards his two previous seasons, Robinson posting a 38-410-1 line over the course of the entire 2022 season (5 games missed) was unthinkable.
Robinson, an immensely talented WR who went 80-1,400-14 in 2015 and then posted strong seasons in 2019-2020, did not suddenly forget how to play football in 2021. Is he past his prime? That argument seems easy to make. Is a change of scenery still something to celebrate? Absolutely.
Robinson lands with the defending champ Rams, who have already lost Robert Woods and Odell Beckham from their receiving room. Cooper Kupp will likely still lead the league in targets, but there’s a void for Robinson to fill as the team’s No. 2. It was a fruitful roll for Beckham, who scored in 7-of-12 LA games and picked up steam in the playoffs once he was acclimated.
Similar success for Robinson is what we’re all hoping for.
JuJu Smith-Schuster to the Kansas City Chiefs
The dynasty WR1 that never was, Smith-Schuster goes from a bad-usage situation in Pittsburgh to the league’s best young QB and play caller in Kansas City. Smith-Schuster gets out of a poisonous role with the Steelers and gets a chance to be a big playmaker again.
Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall drafted by the New York Jets
We talked about this on the FTN Data Cast podcast: What the Jets are doing by surrounding Zach Wilson with high-pedigree talent is exactly what you want to see. If these moves don’t get you excited to see what Wilson — last year’s No. 2 draft pick — could be capable of, then you probably never had faith to begin with.
Wilson now has Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall and Elijah Moore at his disposal, to go along with less-exciting-but-still-upgrades at TE in C.J. Uzomah and Jeremy Ruckert.
The moves don’t automatically vault Wilson into the highly competitive QB1 territory — or even streamer territory — but it certainly makes him much more interesting in dynasty and in superflex leagues.
Russell Gage to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is an under-the-radar offseason move for fantasy. The Buccaneers will open the season with Mike Evans at WR. That seems to be the only guarantee at the moment. Rob Gronkowski remains up in the air. Chris Godwin may still be rehabbing. Antonio Brown Antonio Brown’d.
In an offense that ran 1,282 plays (fourth most) and threw the ball 66.54% of the time (most) last year, Russell Gage could easily find himself in a fantasy-relevant role from the onset. Gage could be in position to see around 100 targets, which could legitimately earn him a fantasy WR3 role.
Leonard Fournette re-signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Leonard Fournette was a top-five fantasy RB last year prior to his untimely injury. The every-down RB re-signed with the Bucs and saw his biggest challenger for touches (Ronald Jones) leave town for the Chiefs.
The Bucs did retain Giovani Bernard, and they spent a Day 2 pick on pass-catching RB Rachaad White, but this still very much seems like Fournette’s backfield for 2022. Lock him in as a fantasy RB1.
Tom Brady un-retires and rejoins the Buccaneers
We’ll keep the Buccaneers theme going.
This one doesn’t really need analysis. Tom Brady playing football is good for his teammates, especially when his teammates are elite fantasy options like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette and maybe Rob Gronkowski.
Cordarrelle Patterson re-signs with the Atlanta Falcons
The new poster-child for late-career breakouts, Cordarrelle Patterson staying with the Falcons was his best possible outcome. Why would we want him to leave the team that finally found his skeleton key?
