Training camp is here! With rookies from Buffalo and Las Vegas reporting to camp yesterday, we know exactly what that means in the coming months: Fantasy updates based on WOW video clips and thin beat reporter “reads”.
But here at Aaron Torres Online, you know we like to stay ahead of all that noise. Without further ado, here are some of my fantasy football sleepers for the upcoming 2022 season (one per position):
QB – Davis Mills – Houston
Once you get past Trevor Lawrence at No. 18 on Fantasy Pros right now, it gets really ugly, really quickly. You run into low-upside veterans like Matt Ryan, Ryan Tannehill and Carson Wentz. Then you get blah sophomores like Mac Jones and Zach Wilson of the AFC East. I don’t know how much you really wanna mess with Jameis Winston or Jared Goff, either.
But then, I get down to No. 27 and think hmmmm. Davis Mills showed an awful lot as a rookie. Far more than most of us anticipated. He put together strong performances against New England, Tennessee and the Chargers. He really “looks the part” out there – big, stands tall, good athletic posture, hangs in the pocket and has very clean, overhand throwing mechanics.
And then we look at who he is throwing to, and we feel safe with veteran Brandin Cooks. Then we have a fellow sleeper, young WR Nico Collins, and we think okay, Mills can work with that duo. Ultimately, the X-factor to Mills’ fantasy potential might be popular rookie John Metchie III, who is coming off a non-contact ACL tear. The team says he is “close”. Regardless, you aren’t risking anything at all with the 27th-ranked quarterback.
RB – Cordarrelle Patterson – Atlanta
Look, I get it – Atlanta is in full “tank mode” and its season could spiral out of control quite rapidly. Nobody feels excited about the QB combination of Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder in fantasy circles.
But… Cordarrelle Patterson is the number thirty-five RB on Fantasy Pros at the moment. Pulling up my 0.5 PPR league right now, Patterson was the No. 9 overall RB last season. In my full-point PPR, he was No. 8.
So like, what are we talking about, here? Sure, it will likely get ugly for Atlanta at large, but look at the disparity in those rankings! From No. 8 down to No. 35 because people don’t like Mariota or Atlanta’s offense on the whole? The pricepoint is off, regardless. Head coach Arthur Smith does a very nice job scheming to utilize Patterson effectively in a variety of different ways.
WR – Robert Woods – Tennessee
A.J. Brown is gone. Julio Jones was a complete and utter bust. So are Mike Vrabel and gritty Tennessee simply going to go away, now?
Somehow, I doubt that. Tannehill is a veteran quarterback and Woods is a steady veteran receiver; there’s no question these guys are going to link up. Expect their timing to develop nicely as training camp progresses.
Currently at No. 43 on Fantasy Pros, personally, I would take Woods over Russell Gage (42), Brandon Aiyuk (41), Drake London (40) and DeVonta Smith (35) in Redraft. Dynasty is a different story based on age factors, of course.
TE – Hayden Hurst – Cincinnati
C.J. Uzomah left for my lowly Jets – yuck! – so now the door is wide open for Hayden Hurst in Cincinnati. The equation is very simple, here: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon take attention away, while Hurst runs freely, getting much better opportunities than he should.
At the No. 25 TE on Fantasy Pros right now, what are we risking? Taking a chance on Hayden Hurst is a no-brainer in Redraft right now.
John Frascella is a published sports author and Senior Fantasy Analyst for Aaron Torres Online. Follow him @LegendSports7 on Twitter for all things football.