Efficient 2021 players who could get a bump

Every year in fantasy football, we find players who continue to produce but just aren’t on the field as much as we would like. Because the sample size is smaller, the efficiency is through the roof, but we always wonder what the season-long numbers would look like if the roles were larger. 

Here are some players who were very productive when they stepped onto the field in 2021 and could find more consistent roles entering the 2022 campaign. 

Let’s go.

Gabriel Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills

Through two seasons in the NFL, Gabriel Davis has yet to become a full-time player, logging 47.6 and 73% of the offensive snaps. However, after watching what he did in the playoffs, it’ll be difficult for Buffalo to not unleash him in year three.

Davis scored five touchdowns in two postseason games, including his astonishing 8-catch, 201-yard, four-touchdown game against the Chiefs. Whenever Davis has been on the field to begin his NFL career, he’s produced while showing insane efficiency. In 2020, Davis averaged 2.21 fantasy points per target (11th), and last year that number dropped a bit but was still at 2.0 points per target (22nd). A huge reason behind Davis’ insane efficiency has been his touchdowns, as he’s scored 13 regular-season touchdowns on just 70 career receptions. That type of touchdown rate obviously isn’t sustainable, but it has shown that quarterback Josh Allen has looked Davis’ way when Buffalo gets in close. In fact, Davis’ 12 end-zone targets were the eighth-most in all of football, while a whopping 19.7% of his targets came in the end zone. As a result, he averaged an absurd 3.60 fantasy points per touch, the third-most in the league at wideout. And during his rookie campaign, Davis saw 11 end-zone looks, which was still good for 16th-most in football. 

Now, I get it. Davis isn’t going to keep up this pace of scoring touchdowns and fantasy points. But his playing time should skyrocket in 2022. Emmanuel Sanders and Isaiah McKenzie are set to hit free agency, while slot receiver Cole Beasley has requested a trade. That means that as of now, Stefon Diggs and Davis are the only two wideouts on Buffalo who are locked into a roster spot. And Davis has done more than enough to not only make his case to be the WR3, but perhaps even the WR2. Obviously the Bills are going to add a free agent wide receiver, as well as draft a wideout. But Davis doesn’t even have to operate as the WR2 in this offense, as Buffalo ran out of three-wide sets 71% of the time last year, one of the five highest rates in the league. Even with Brian Daboll gone, I don’t expect that to change much going forward. Over the course of Davis’ first two seasons, whenever he’s played more in the absence of a teammate, whether it was John Brown, Beasley or Sanders, Davis has been fantastic. Entering his third season, he should be a full-time player.

Wheels up.

Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Every week, both Cowboys and fantasy football fans were clamoring for Tony Pollard to get more touches, potentially even straight up passing Ezekiel Elliott on the depth chart. Pollard was one of the most efficient running backs in the NFL a season ago, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, tied for the second-best mark among qualified running backs. An impressive 31% of his carries went for 15 yards or more, which was one of the highest rates in the league. Pollard also averaged 0.42 fantasy points per snap, tied for the 10th-most among all running backs. Pollard’s 6.4 yards per touch was good for fourth-best among anyone at his position, and he clearly provided Dallas’ offense with more pop. 

Multiple times last year, the Cowboys talked about getting Pollard more work, but it didn’t really materialize. He finished the year with 130 carries and 39 receptions, and while it is evident that he needs more touches, it remains to be seen if the Cowboys will really become a split backfield, especially considering how much Elliott is being paid. Pollard is talented enough to be an RB2 in fantasy if he saw 12-15 touches per game. He carries some standalone value, but a full-on breakout isn’t likely as long as Elliott is on the field. 

Cedrick Wilson, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Staying in Dallas, Cedrick Wilson has essentially been in the same role as Davis, just in the Cowboys offense. He scored six touchdowns last year on 45 receptions, while logging just 43% of the snaps. Wilson finished 22nd among wide receivers in fantasy points per snap (0.27), though it is a bit misleading when you consider he had a couple long completions. Still, Wilson provided a nice spark for this Cowboys offense and had to play a larger role very often, as both Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper missed time. Gallup only played nine games, while Cooper missed two contests. In the nine contests without Gallup, Wilson averaged a healthy 11.58 PPR points per game, making him fantasy relevant whenever he saw more playing time. 

Entering 2022, Wilson is a free agent. But with the news that Dallas is either going to trade or release Cooper when the new year begins, there is a path to Wilson returning and operating as the No. 3 receiver for the entire season, assuming Gallup is also re-signed. I’ll be keeping an eye on Wilson over the next month or so, especially in dynasty leagues.