Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays just got a lot better with the return of the NFL for the 2022 football season.
Way back in 2001, my brother, Josh, introduced me to fantasy football, and I’ve never looked back. I turned into the family star when it comes to fantasy sports, pushing my brother into an early retirement from the game that he loved.
Twenty-one years later, I’m in two different local leagues and I don’t shy away from daily fantasy either. Fantasy football is popular in the state of Kentucky, considering we lack a professional football franchise. Fantasy sports are played by over 1,000 men, women and children between Columbia and Russell Springs.
The interns and I have spent countless hours simulating the entire NFL season, generating projections, and creating a system (with help from local mathematician John Shelly) to provide with these pre-season rankings.
In this first edition of “Country Roads, Take Mahomes” you’ll find rankings for each position, sleepers, and potential busts for leagues that are non-ppr (meaning points per reception do not count).
Use this fantasy football toolkit to help you blow your friends’ minds and become the champ. Fantasy football isn’t always the easiest thing to predict, so with this article, the main goal is to show not only who to draft in the early rounds, but to provide the sleepers that could end up determining the league winner.
Quarterback
- Patrick Mahomes- Chiefs
- Josh Allen- Bills
- Justin Herbert- Chargers
- Jalen Hurts- Eagles
- Tom Brady- Bucs
- Dak Prescott- Cowboys
- Lamar Jackson- Ravens
- Kyler Murray- Cardinals
- Joe Burrow- Bengals
- Russell Wilson- Broncos
- Aaron Rodgers- Packers
- Trey Lance- 49ers
Sleepers: Trevor Lawrence-Jaguars, Justin Fields- Bears, Jameis Winston- Saints
Deep Sleepers: Desmond Ridder-Falcons, Kenny Pickett- Steelers
Avoid: Carson Wentz- Commanders, Deshaun Watson- Browns, Mac Jones- Patriots, Jared Goff- Lions
Tight End
- Travis Kelce- Chiefs
- Mark Andrews- Ravens
- Kyle Pitts- Falcons
- George Kittle- 49ers
- Darren Waller- Raiders
- Dalton Schultz- Cowboys
- Dawson Knox- Bills
- Dallas Goedert- Eagles
- Zack Ertz- Cardinals
- Albert Okquegbunam- Broncos
- TJ Hockenson- Lions
- Cole Kmet- Bears
Running Back
- Jonathon Taylor- Colts
- Derrick Henry- Titans
- Christian McCaffery- Panthers
- Dalvin Cook- Vikings
- Austin Ekeler- Chargers
- Najee Harris- Steelers
- Javonte Williams- Broncos
- Joe Mixon- Bengals
- Alvin Kamara- Saints
- D’Andre Swift- Lions
- Nick Chubb- Browns
- Breece Hall- Jets
- Rashad Penny- Seahawks
- Aaron Jones- Packers
- Leonard Fournette- Bucs
- Antonio Gibson- Commanders
- Cam Akers- Rams
- James Conner- Cardinals
- Miles Sanders- Eagles
- Elijah Mitchell- 49ers
Sleepers: Tony Pollard- Cowboys, Travis Etienne- Jaguars, AJ DIllon- Packers
Deep Sleepers: Khalil Herbert- Bears, Dameon Pierce- Texans, James Cook- Bills
Avoid: Saquon Barkley- Giants, David Montgomery- Bears, Josh Jacobs- Raiders, Ezekiel Elliott- Cowboys
Wide Receiver
- Cooper Kupp- Rams
- Jamaar Chase- Bengals
- Justin Jefferson- Vikings
- Davante Adams- Raiders
- CeeDee Lamb- Cowboys
- Stefon Diggs- Bills
- Keenan Allen- Chargers
- Deebo Samuel- 49ers
- Tyreek Hill- Chiefs
- DJ Moore- Panthers
- AJ Brown- Eagles
- Tee Higgins- Bengals
- Mike Evans- Bucs
- Michael Pittman- Colts
- Terry McClauren- Comm.
- Jaylen Waddle- Dolphins
- Mike Williams- Chargers
- Dionte Johnson- Steelers
- Jerry Jeudy- Broncos
- Cortland Sutton- Broncos
- Amon-Ra St. Brown- Lions
- JuJu Smith-Schuster- Chiefs
- Hunter Renfrow- Raiders
- DK Metcalfe- Seahawks
Sleepers: Allen Robinson- Rams, Russell Gage- Bucs, Michael Thomas- Saints, Chris Godwin- Bucs
Deep Sleepers: Chris Olave- Saints, Christian Kirk- Jaguars, Wan ’Dale Robinson- Giants
Avoid: Chase Claypool Steelers, Adam Thielen- Vikings, Amari Cooper- Browns, Tyler Lockett- Seahawks Thanks for following along throughout the first edition of “Country Roads, Take Mahomes” and keep an eye out throughout the football season, as we will be back with more endeavors based around lining your pockets with the cash of your friends and family.
This post is brought to you as part of Adair Drug Tuesday.
