Fantasy: NFL draft analysis and projections after Round 1
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theScore's Justin Boone provided instant breakdowns of every fantasy-relevant selection in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Drake London, WR, Falcons (8th)Star potential:
2022 projection (17 games): 53 receptions, 816 receiving yards, 6 TDs
London fills a massive need for the Falcons, who entered the draft with arguably the worst receiver depth chart in the league following Calvin Ridley's suspension.
The 6-4, 219-pound London is a versatile big man on the outside, capable of winning in contested situations downfield or using his run-after-catch skills to gain big yards on screens.
He'll form a strong duo with pass-catching tight end Kyle Pitts, giving the Falcons a one-two punch in a passing attack that was stagnant at times last season. Pitts' presence will also help draw attention away from London while the 20-year-old gets acclimated to playing in the pros.
London will also need to fill out his lanky frame and prove he's up to the challenge of battling with NFL corners, but the opportunity for targets in Atlanta will be significant. Sadly, Marcus Mariota is unlikely to be the quarterback to help him reach his peak.
Though this offense is still a work in progress, London has a chance to hit the ground running as a volume-based WR3 in fantasy with a path to WR2 production if he can settle in early.
Fantasy stock up: Drake London, Marcus Mariota
Fantasy stock down: Olamide Zaccheaus, Auden Tate
Star potential:
2022 projection (17 games): 61 receptions, 872 receiving yards, 5 TDs
Wilson was the top-ranked receiver in our 2022 prospect rankings, but landing with the Jets leaves something to be desired.
Wilson joins an offense with an unproven quarterback in Zach Wilson, who'll be looking to take a serious step forward in his game after a disappointing rookie season.
Garrett Wilson's arrival will help, since he brings game-breaking quickness and burst that he uses to create separation at every level. His huge catch radius makes him a quarterback's best friend and he's a dangerous threat with the ball in his hands.
Though the 21-year-old has all the tools to emerge as the new No. 1 option in the Jets' passing attack, he'll have to compete with talented sophomore Elijah Moore, veteran wideout Corey Davis, pass-catching back Michael Carter, as well as new additions at tight end in C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin.
While it's a bit more crowded for Wilson than fantasy managers would like, he's the type of instinctive playmaker who's destined to become a star in the pros. He'll offer WR3 fantasy stats in Year 1 with a future outlook that could include far more production.
Fantasy stock up: Zach Wilson
Fantasy stock down: Elijah Moore, Corey Davis
Star potential:
2022 projection (17 games): 55 receptions, 704 receiving yards, 5 TDs
Olave might be the most pro-ready of this year's receiver prospects, even if he doesn't offer the same elite ceiling as some of the other wideouts who'll be selected in the first round.
His quality route running and above-average hands will ease the transition to the NFL and he has the speed to cause problems downfield. The Saints are getting a finesse pass-catcher who isn't going to mix it up over the middle or come down with a lot of contested grabs.
The 21-year-old profiles as an overqualified No. 2 target, which fits nicely in New Orleans, assuming Michael Thomas can regain his form in 2022.
For Olave to truly excel, the Saints' coaching staff will need to take the training wheels off quarterback Jameis Winston - something it seemed reluctant to do early last season before he was injured.
For now, we'll approach Olave as a WR4 with upside, especially if Thomas struggles in his return to the field.
Fantasy stock up: Jameis Winston
Fantasy stock down: Tre'Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway, Adam Trautman
Star potential:
2022 projection (9 games): 35 receptions, 560 receiving yards, 3 TDs
Even after suffering a torn ACL in January, Williams impressed NFL decision-makers enough to be selected 12th overall.
The Lions were so smitten with him they traded up from No. 32 in order to secure a player many believe can be a superstar at the next level - once he's healthy.
Williams is coming off a 78-catch, 1,561-yard, 15-touchdown campaign where he showcased his elite speed and ball-tracking skills. He's more than just a field-stretcher, as he offers dynamic agility and an extra gear to blow past defenders before or after the catch.
Depending on how his recovery goes, we might not see Williams until the midway point this season, but once he returns it shouldn't take long for him to make an impact in Detroit.
Though Jared Goff lacks the ideal traits to unlock Williams' downfield skills, the Lions will almost surely be in the market for a new passer soon.
It might take a bit for Williams to get back on the field and hit his stride, but he'll be worth the wait for fantasy managers. Becoming a top-12 fantasy receiver is well within his range of long-term outcomes.
Fantasy stock up: Lions' future franchise QB
Fantasy stock down: D.J. Chark, Josh Reynolds, T.J. Hockenson
Star potential:
2022 projection: 39 receptions, 507 receiving yards, 4 TDs
By moving back from 11 to 16, the Commanders chose to pass on some of the other top receivers in the class and instead go with Dotson - a good all-round pass-catcher who succeeds thanks to his savvy route-running and excellent hands.
He's fearless when fighting for the ball, which is an admirable trait but one that might cause issues for him in the pros since he lacks size and strength.
In Washington, he'll slot in as the No. 2 option behind Terry McLaurin, whose name has been mentioned as a trade candidate this offseason. A McLaurin trade would open up significant opportunity for Dotson, but we'll cross that bridge if it happens.
The bigger question for Dotson is: who's his long-term QB? If Carson Wentz remains at the helm, Dotson's upside will likely be capped. So consider him a better dynasty pick than someone you should go out of your way to acquire in redraft leagues.
Fantasy stock up: Carson Wentz
Fantasy stock down: Curtis Samuel, Dyami Brown, Cam Sims
Star potential:
2022 projection: 62 receptions, 801 receiving yards, 5 TDs
In a Round 1 stunner, the Titans shipped star wideout A.J. Brown to the Eagles and immediately replaced him by selecting Burks 18th overall.
We'll be discussing the ripple effects of this deal for a while, but the end result in Tennessee is a nice landing spot for Burks, who will have a shot to emerge as the team's top receiver - perhaps as early as Week 1.
Though Burks has the size of a strong weapon on the outside, his skill set is far more unique than that. In college, Arkansas was often able to get Burks the ball on high-percentage plays near the line of scrimmage and let him make plays from there. He can certainly develop into a well-rounded downfield threat as well, but ideally he won't be asked to simply line up outside as a rookie.
Veteran Robert Woods has made a career as someone offensive coordinators were able to get creative with, deploying him from all over the formation - including out of the backfield. He's the perfect mentor for Burks early in his career.
As long as Burks is used correctly, he'll turn into an outstanding fantasy asset with a chance to reach his NFL ceiling in Tennessee's offense. In that scenario, the 22-year-old would be a fantasy WR3 with immediate WR2 upside.
Fantasy stock up: Treylon Burks
Fantasy stock down: Ryan Tannehill
Star potential:
2022 projection (8 starts): 1,829 passing yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs
168 rushing yards, 1 TD, 7 FUMs
The Steelers - one of many quarterback-needy teams in the opening round - made Pickett the first QB off the board.
It makes sense when you consider Pickett's the most pro-ready passer in this year's class and his local heroics at Pitt, but he falls short when you take into account long-term ceilings.
The 23-year-old is a leader and showed stellar command of his offense during a breakout 2021 campaign - he finished sixth in the nation in passing yards (4,319) and fourth in passing touchdowns (42). Unfortunately, he doesn't have the most powerful arm, and issues with ball security might be linked to his smaller hand size (8 5/8 inches).
With the right talent around him, which Pittsburgh has, Pickett can turn into a competent NFL starter. However, if the Steelers are hoping for more than that, they'll have their work cut out for them.
Fantasy managers should be cautious about overvaluing Pickett based on landing in Pittsburgh. He's far from guaranteed to be under center in Week 1, but we'll know more about his outlook when we see him go head-to-head with Mitch Trubisky in training camp.
Fantasy stock up: Kenny Pickett
Fantasy stock down: Mitch Trubisky
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