Fantasy Football Rankings 2022: Sleepers, breakouts, busts by computer model that nailed Taylor’s big season

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll named Geno Smith the team’s Week 1 starter following a competition between Smith and Drew Lock. Smith has played for four teams during his nine-year career, sitting behind Russell Wilson in Seattle over the last two seasons. Smith is not high in many 2022 Fantasy football rankings, but is he one of the 2022 Fantasy football sleepers to target? The shift from Wilson to Smith will change the 2022 Fantasy football projections for Seattle skill players like Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Are the star wide receivers in line to be among the 2022 Fantasy football busts? Before setting your 2022 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2022 Fantasy football cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Last year, the model accurately predicted that Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was being dramatically undervalued. Taylor was being drafted behind running backs like Aaron Jones, Ezekiel Elliott and Austin Ekeler last season but the SportsLine projection model predicted that he’d outproduce all of those backs and be a fixture in your Fantasy football lineups. The result: Taylor led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns to finish as the overall RB1 in 2021.

The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, also identifying A.J. Brown as another sleeper in 2020 and players like Julio Jones and JuJu Smith-Schuster as Fantasy football busts last season. Additionally, it’s called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.

The model is powered by the same people who generated projections for all three major Fantasy sites, and it beat human experts last season when there was a big difference in ranking. The projections update multiple times daily, so you’re always getting the best Fantasy football advice.

Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2022, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them. 

Top 2022 Fantasy football sleepers

One of the 2022 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting: Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith. He put up solid numbers during his rookie season, finishing 10th in overall team air yards share and top-20 in Pro Football Focus receiving grade among wide receivers with at least 100 targets. Smith played in a run-heavy offense, which was one reason why he finished as the WR29.

He never saw more than six targets in a game after Week 6, but the Eagles are expected to be throwing the ball more in 2022. Star wideout A.J. Brown is going to occupy the attention of opposing defenses, opening up room for Smith underneath. SportsLine’s model has him finishing ahead of wide receivers such as Jerry Jeudy, Adam Thielen and JuJu Smith-Schuster, but all three of those players are being selected ahead of him in drafts. See more Fantasy football sleepers 2022 here.

Top 2022 Fantasy football breakouts

The model is also projecting Seahawks tight end Noah Fant as one of its top 2022 Fantasy football breakouts. The 2019 first-rounder has finished as the TE13 the last two years, but was shipped to Seattle in the offseason as part of the Russell Wilson deal. Fant says the Seahawks’ offense is “very favorable” to tight ends. He should benefit from the departure of TE Gerald Everett and the fact that Seattle lacks a clear third option behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Fant’s best game last season (9-97-1) came when Albert Okwuegbunam was sidelined and Fant didn’t have to cede snaps to him. He should have close to an every-down role this year and plays for a team that’s not expected to be leading very often, which would lead to more passing situations. The 2022 Fantasy football TE rankings from SportsLine have Fant on par with Logan Thomas and slightly ahead of former teammate Okwuegbunam, despite both players having earlier ADPs. See more Fantasy football breakouts 2022 here.

Top 2022 Fantasy football busts

As for players to avoid, the model lists Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown as one of its 2022 Fantasy football busts. The fourth-round pick out of Stanford had inconsistent involvement in Detroit’s offense, but closed out the season with 51 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns in his final six games. That is fueling St. Brown’s surge in the 2022 Fantasy football ADP, with owners drafting him in the sixth or seventh round on average.

However, the offseason addition of former 1,000-yard receiver DJ Chark will present some competition for targets in 2022 and St. Brown’s general target profile leaves plenty to be desired. St. Brown ranked 85th in average distance of target (6.8) and 54th in air yards share (23.5 percent). He’s been the 22nd wide receiver off the board so far this season, but the model ranks him as its WR34 for 2022. See more Fantasy football busts 2022 here.

How to find proven 2022 Fantasy football football rankings

SportsLine is also extremely high on a surprising quarterback you aren’t even thinking about being taken in the middle rounds of 2022 Fantasy football drafts. This quarterback is listed as a shocking top-five option ahead of superstars like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. You can only see who it is, and the 2022 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.

So which 2022 Fantasy Football sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-five performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2022 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Jonathan Taylor’s huge season, and find out.