Maxxcash Before all eyes are on the upcoming redraft fantasy football season, the latest episode of PFN’s Premier Fantasy Football Podcast breaks down some of the top dynasty buy-low candidates for the 2022 NFL season. Which players are set to vault into new tiers and should be acquired before their value shoots to the moon?
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6 dynasty buy-low candidates for the 2022 dynasty fantasy football season
PFN Fantasy Analyst Jason Katz joins me on the latest episode of the PFN Premier Fantasy Football podcast to discuss some of our top buy-low candidates for the 2022 dynasty season. Starting with a QB, Katz leads things off with one of the biggest winners of the offseason.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
I am all for any time someone hypes up Jalen Hurts. Finishing as the QB6 in 2021 (21.4 ppg), Hurts is arguably the second-best rusher in the NFL behind Lamar Jackson, according to Katz, after leading the position in attempts, yards, and touchdowns. But what is missed is Hurts was averaging 34.6 pass attempts per game in the first seven games of the season as the Eagles ran one of the pass-heaviest offenses for the first half.
Hurts is fully capable of airing the ball out, and the addition of A.J. Brown leads to the notion of an offensive shift away from the rush-heavy offense that ended the 2021 season and a move to a more balanced approach. Last season, only 1 quarterback averaged more fantasy points per game than Hurts did before his ankle injury in Week 12. That was Josh Allen, the overall QB1.
Also, only two QBs rushed for more than 700 yards while passing for more than 3,000 yards: Allen and Hurts. In what appears to be a prove-it year, Hurts has top-five upside for dynasty and would be worth acquiring now before he tears up the 2022 NFL calendar.
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers
It’s just a matter of time before Trey Lance is given the keys to this sports car of an offense. Right? The only reason Lance is a value is the 49ers have yet to externally commit to him as the starting QB despite selling the farm to move up in last year’s draft to acquire him.
I can understand last season where Jimmy Garoppolo was the best option for a team vying for a chance to play in the Super Bowl. They nearly did it too. But Lance has all the talent required to take this offense to a new level and brings a skill set Kyle Shanahan has yet to have in a QB.
Lance has a cannon for an arm, ridiculous rushing upside, and is in an offense filled to the brim with playmakers. Once given the green light, his dynasty stock will soar, making this a prime opportunity — and potentially the last one — to secure Lance on your dynasty team as a bargain.
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones is a phenomenal pass-catching back and has been a consistent RB1 for fantasy since becoming the Packers’ No. 1 running back on the depth chart. Following the trade of Davante Adams to Las Vegas, the prevailing belief is Jones will see more looks in the passing game as he has before in games where Adams was unavailable.
For Katz, this represents a perfect confluence of events that can allow Dillon to take over the bulk of the rushing opportunities. With Jones potentially on the move after 2023 due to an opt-out in his contract, the team could begin the shift this season.
Dillon already led Jones in red-zone rushing (39 to 34) but did not take over the role until the second half of last year. Add in four games of 4+ targets, and Dillon also carries some sneaky PPR upside which boosts his floor. As the potential three-down back for the Packers in 2023, Dillon is a buy-low option in dynasty ahead of his potential incoming breakout.
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
As Travis Etienne said it himself, he picked a good year to miss. His rookie year was lost before it was even started due to a Lisfrac injury in the preseason. All reports point to him being ready to go for the start of 2022. Jacksonville desperately needs Etienne and his big-play capabilities. Since 2020, the Jaguars have just 31 explosive plays of 20 yards or more (last in the NFL).
This is Etienne’s specialty. While at Clemson, he led the NCAA with 55 runs of 20+ yards during his four years (2017-2020). On those explosive plays, he scored 21 TDs and rushed for 2,053 yards, averaging 37.3 yards per carry. Etienne also had six receptions of 30 or more yards, giving him 61 explosive plays. Now in Year 2 and an RB-friendly offense under Doug Pederson, Etienne should be an RB2 this season with high PPR upside due to a heavy passing workload.
Allen Robinson, Los Angeles Rams
Dynasty managers hate old receivers. I agree with Katz on this one, as youth is in vogue now more than ever. And I get it. The likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, Tee Higgins, and Co. have reset the standard for rookie/young receivers. However, proven veterans who can win championships can be acquired for much cheaper. One example is Allen Robinson, who heads into the best opportunity of his career.
Paired with Cooper Kupp, the 29-year-old Robinson fills in the role vacated by Robert Woods following his trade to the Tennessee Titans. A premiere target on his own, Robinson is finally free of Chicago and a disastrous few years. Don’t think the volume is there for results?
In his nine games alongside Kupp, Woods averaged 7.7 targets, five receptions, 61.8 yards, 0.56 TDs, and 15.9 PPR points a game. That’s a 17-game pace of 130 targets, 85 receptions, 1,050 yards, 10 TDs, and 270 PPR points, which would have been good enough for WR9 ahead of Mike Evans. If he sees a similar volume, Robinson can be a dynasty gold mine for 2022 and even for the next few seasons. If you are trying to win now, take a swing on Robinson as a dynasty buy-low option and bet on the upside.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
I am all-in on Courtland Sutton for 2022. For me, the debate is closer between Tim Partick and Jerry Jeudy than it is between Jeudy and Sutton. That’s not a knock on Jeudy. I am just high on Patrick, who the Broncos gave a three-year extension.
In 2019, Sutton had a breakout year with 72 catches for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. Now, over a full year removed from a 2020 torn ACL, Sutton is Russell Wilson’s new version of DK Metcalf. I think we are all aware of how fruitful of a role this is for fantasy points.
Last year, only 51% of Sutton’s air yards (1,509) were converted into actual yards (776). Paired with one of the best deep-ball passers in the NFL in Russell Wilson and an offense under new head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Sutton has the chance to crack the top 12 in scoring. I am buying low on Sutton in every dynasty league I can before his 2022 campaign takes off.
