While much has changed this year for me (MUCH!), there are a few things that remain exactly the same. I hold these truths to be self-evident. We are a country, a people, a fantasy-football-obsessed nation that has a short attention span.
Whether it’s quickly flipping through channels, scrolling off TikToks after two seconds or just trying to get fantasy football information. We love our bite-size nuggets, our infotainment, our quick lists. And I am nothing if not a man of the people.
It was with that in mind that I started what has now become an annual pre-season tradition. So, without further ado, here are 10 lists… of 10.
List 1: 10 Preseason Storylines I’m Buying
There are a lot of narratives that come out during the pre-season. Many of them are total BS, but some that emerge have truth to them. Here are 10 that I buy and that should affect how you draft.
1. The Vikings offense will have a breakout season under Kevin O’Connell.
2. Michael Carter isn’t going away. Breece Hall will be in a committee this year for the Jets.
3. That Clyde Edwards-Helaire will lose a decent number of touches to Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon this year.
4. That rookie tight end Isaiah Likely will have an immediate role in the Ravens offense.
5. That Rhamondre Stevenson will get half the early down work and all the “James White” work, making him the Patriots running back you want, not Damien Harris.
6. That James Robinson will maintain a significant role in the Jacksonville backfield.
7. That Isaiah McKenzie will be the primary slot option in Buffalo.
8. That Mo Alie-Cox will finally be a thing this year for Matt Ryan and the Colts.
9. That Romeo Doubs will have a bigger fantasy impact than many rookie WRs drafted in the NFL ahead of him, including Christian Watson.
10. That Ameer Abdullah will have the “James White” role in the Raiders offense, and that Zamir White will have a legit role as well next to Josh Jacobs.
List 2: My 10 “Chicken” Players
A few years ago, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh told his team not to eat chicken because “it’s a nervous bird.” In fairness, if I could be fried and eaten at any moment I, too, would be nervous. Anyways, fantasy football is an emotional game, and even though rationally you know a player is talented and will have a big role, something about him gnaws at you. Makes you a bit nervous. Gives you the heebee jeebees. So here are 10 players that are all talented, all ranked appropriately by me, but, for whatever reason, make me a bit nervous this year. Either because of a new quarterback or offensive situation, injury concerns, role concerns, too high ADP… whatever it is. Players that, when it comes to the point in the draft where they should be picked, I tend to go with a different but similarly ranked player.
1. Joe Burrow
2. Tyreek Hill
3. Nick Chubb
4. Cam Akers
5. Keenan Allen
6. David Montgomery
7. Amari Cooper
8. Jerry Jeudy
9. Tyler Lockett
10. Dallas Goedert
List 3: 10 “Unsexy” Players That Will Help You Win
These are players who are not generating a ton of buzz in the pre-season, and who no one will go “ooh, good pick” when you take them, but who will all be very solid and productive this year, are undervalued at current ADP and will help you win.
1. Kirk Cousins
2. Ezekiel Elliott
3. Devin Singletary
4. Rashaad Penny
5. Cordarrelle Patterson
6. Brandin Cooks
7. Adam Thielen
8. Robert Woods
9. Allen Lazard
10. Zach Ertz
List 4: 10 Best Fantasy Team Names for 2022 (That I can print!)
I asked my Twitter followers for their best team names this year, and they came through like champs. Here are the ten best (that I can print – though I highly recommend finding the thread and reading all of them).
1. Ja’Married with Children (@LittleGoldSongs)
2. Independent George (2WhoDatLucky)
3. McCafFREE Aaron Jones (jwsperbs)
4. Oh My God, You Killed Kenny Pickett (@Mizzou58Steel)
5. Thou Shenault Pass! (jbchoknows)
6. How I Kmet Your Mother (@JoeBeldner)
7. Likely Beating You (BSoup87)
8. CeeDee Cee Guidelines (@kidkeoni)
9. Easy Pickens (@moneytalks_27)
10. Kmet Me Bro (who3dat)
List 5: 10 Late-Round Running Back Targets
Here are 10 running backs being drafted outside the top 100 overall on Yahoo that have either tremendous upside in the event of an injury to the starter ahead of them or a reasonable path to playing time sooner than later.
1. Alexander Mattison
2. James Robinson
3. Michael Carter
4. Kenneth Gainwell
5. Darrell Henderson Jr.
6. Nyheim Hines
7. Khalil Herbert
8. Zamir White
9. Jerick McKinnon
10. Raheem Mostert
(Honorable mention for Rachaad White, Jamaal Williams, Isaiah Spiller and Isiah Pacheco)
List 6: 10 Favorite Late Round Pass-Catcher Targets
Here are 10 wide receivers and tight ends being drafted outside the top 100 overall on Yahoo that have either tremendous upside in the event of an injury to the starter ahead of them or a reasonable path to significant playing time sooner than later.
1. Christian Kirk
2. George Pickens
3. Chris Olave
4. Josh Palmer
5. Romeo Doubs
6. Isaiah McKenzie
7. Jalen Tolbert
8. Cole Kmet
9. Irv Smith Jr.
10. David Njoku
List 7: 10 More Great Team Names (That I can print!) From My Twitter followers
1. Fresh Prince of Helaire (@dosip24)
2. Breece Hall Pass (@redsoxfan2004)
3. Henry Given Sunday (@SPsedonym)
4. Fried Kylermari (@pintoaaron)
5. Amon-ra Boat (@beazhokie)
6. Joshua Allen Tree (@DerekDunning10)
7. Lance Lance Revolution (@amardesai23)
8. Rhamondre the Giant (@joshuaawesome6)
9. Beg, Burrow and Steal (@toniistalking)
10. Everybody loves Rhamondre (@CaliforniaJag)
List 8: 10 Bold Predictions for the Season
I’m not going to be able to do my annual “You Heard Me” column of bold predictions this year. But here’s ten. The idea here is not that I mail low percentage predictions but merely to underscore players that I feel strongly about one way or the other.
1. Kirk Cousins leads the NFL in touchdown passes.
2. Justin Jefferson has the best fantasy season by a WR of all-time.
3. Chris Godwin, currently being drafted outside the top 30, finishes as a top-5 WR in total points.
4. Gabriel Davis outscores Stefon Diggs in fantasy points.
5. D’Andre Swift finishes as the #1 RB in fantasy.
6. Both Aaron Jones & AJ Dillon finish as top-10 RBs.
7. Jalen Hurts finishes as the No. 1 QB in fantasy (just above Kirk Cousins because of the rushing).
8. Allen Robinson outscores Cooper Kupp.
9. Derrick Henry catches 40 passes (career-high is 19).
10. Cole Kmet, currently being drafted as TE 15, finishes top 5 at the position.
List 9: 10 Players Peter King Told Me to Draft
Peter King does a training camp tour every year and recently he made an appearance on the Rotoworld Draft Guide Show. I then appeared on his podcast and between the two appearances, we talked about what he saw, what he heard from coaches and what stood out to him on his tour. “Draft these guys and thank me later,” he told me. In no particular order…
1. JuJu Smith-Schuster
2. K.J. Osborn
3. Alec Pierce
4. Isaiah Likely
5. Wan’Dale Robinson
6. Romeo Doubs
7. Derek Carr
8. Allen Robinson
9. Nico Collins
10. T.J. Hockenson
List 10: One More List of the Best Fantasy Team Names (I can print!) That are Both from my Twitter Followers and from The Fantasy Life App (FantasyLifeApp.com)
1. Catalina Wine Mixon (@drummer_412)
2. Tua Fish Melt (jamjr5)
3. ETienne Phone Home (@CKatavic)
4. French Tonyan Soup (@matthutchings19)
5. Tua Lipa (@jperry211)
6. Better Business Burrow (doitforyourmomma)
7. Blood, Sweat & Beers (@Dunganoon)
8. Olave Garden (@elias23 on Fantasy Life App)
9. Breece Lightning (@dspiegs311 on Fantasy Life App)
10. Russless in Seattle (@javier_ on Fantasy Life App)
Matthew Berry – The Talented Mr. Roto – would love for you to sign up for his free, daily, Fantasy Life newsletter at FantasyLife.com