Last season in PPR formats, Cooper Kupp was in a league of his own, scoring a total of 439.5 fantasy points. It's tough to imagine him not being No. 1 in any 2022 WR rankings, standard or PPR, but back-to-back top finishes are rare in the fantasy football world. So, if Kupp isn't the best fantasy wide receiver, who is? Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase are among the top-tier WRs who have strong cases to the first WR selected on draft day, but figuring out who should be at the top of your cheat sheet will require a little more analysis.
Last year, Davante Adams (344.4 points) and Deebo Samuel (339 points) were behind Kupp in the PPR rankings. Despite finishing second and third overall, both Adams and Samuel are omitted from our top tier in 2022. Both are still legit WR1s, but with Adams moving to Las Vegas (and away from Aaron Rodgers) and Samuel a constant injury risk and reluctant runner now, we bumped them down to the second tier.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet
Jefferson and Chase take their spots in our preseason rankings. Coincidentally, they ended last season as the Nos. 4 and 5 PPR WRs, respectively. According to FantasyPros ADP, Kupp, Jefferson, and Chase are the three receivers coming off the board in the first round of most PPR and standard drafts.
Below, we'll dive into the cases for each to be first wide receiver selected and ultimately come to a verdict on who you should draft in the first round. If you're interested in more help while drafting, check out RotoBaller's premium "Who To Draft?" tool, which they've made available to SN Fantasy readers for free. Use discount code "SPORTING" to become a RotoBaller subscriber and get access to all their award-winning, game-changing tools, stats, and analysis.
2022 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex
Cooper Kupp vs. Justin Jefferson vs. Ja’Marr Chase: Who's the best fantasy WR?
Cooper Kupp
Prior to his dominant 2021, Kupp’s best season came in ‘19 when he posted 94 catches for 1,162 yards and 10 scores. The Super Bowl LVI MVP almost doubled that output in his first season running routes for Matthew Stafford, hauling in 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 TDs. Kupp was also consistent week-to-week, posting 11 100-plus yard outputs in the regular season and finishing with an average of 25.9 fantasy points per week in PPR formats. Kupp led all WRs in myriad stat categories, namely TDs (16), red-zone targets (38), yards per route run (3.33), yards after catch (855), target share (31.7 percent), and receptions (145).
Given how efficient and explosive Kupp was, it will be tough for him to replicate his ‘21 season this year, but he’s still going to command a high target share and will continue to be a mismatch in the red zone. He lost offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, but Sean McVay is still the mastermind of that offense anyway. Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr. are also gone, opening the door for Allen Robinson to step in. Robinson will likely soak up the vacated targets from Woods and OBJ, leaving a similar amount on the table for Kupp barring a big Van Jefferson breakout. Really, the only way Kupp sees a significantly reduced workload (other than injury) is if Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, and Kyren Williams form a potent three-headed monster in the backfield, causing L.A. to run more. That's a real possibility with Akers healthy, but Kupp is still going to get a ton of targets. You can’t go wrong with selecting him in the first round of standard or PPR drafts.
2022 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex
Justin Jefferson
Jefferson built on a strong rookie season in 2020 with a more complete sophomore campaign. After racking up 1,400 yards and seven TDs on 88 receptions as a rookie, J Jettas caught 108 passes for 1,616 yards and 10 scores in ‘21. Jefferson is a big-play machine, as he led the league in air yards (1,996) and deep targets (34) while ranking third among WRs in EPA added (89.7). We still don’t really know what Jefferson’s ceiling is, as he’s just 23 and will now be running routes within a new offensive scheme. Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and head coach Kevin O'Connell will surely be more creative than Minnesota's old regime.
Jefferson had the third-highest target share (29.9 percent) last year, but there’s a good deal of talent in the Vikings’ offense that could limit his production in ‘22. He wasn’t nearly as dominant in the red zone or after the catch as Kupp was, and with Dalvin Cook back healthy and Adam Thielen worthy of opportunity in the red zone, Jefferson will have ample competition. TE Irv Smith Jr. is also back in the fold after missing all of last season with a meniscus injury, and his reinsertion into the offense could affect Jefferson in the red zone. Regardless, no one will fault you for selecting Jefferson in the middle-to-late first round, especially after he said he's aiming to have the first 2,000-yard receiving season in NFL history.
2022 FANTASY SLEEPERS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | One from each team
Ja’Marr Chase
Chase exploded onto the scene in his rookie season and was a large part of Cincinnati’s return to the Super Bowl. He meshed perfectly with Joe Burrow, logging 1,455 receiving yards and 13 TDs on 81 receptions. Despite seeing the 23rd-highest target share (23.7 percent), Chase was the most efficient WR in terms of EPA added (+109.4), making the most out of his opportunities. Chase was also right up there with Deebo Samuel in yards per reception (18.0) while racking up the fifth-most yards after catch (550).
Even with just one full season under his belt, he’s a safe pick with a high floor. Similar to Jefferson, the competition within Cincinnati’s group of pass catchers seemingly limits Chase’s chances for a Kupp-esque season, but you can’t deny Chase’s efficiency and explosiveness. Cincinnati's offensive situation is almost exactly the same as last year, but an improved offensive line could give Burrow more time to set up deep shots to Chase. He'll need more big plays to finish as the overall WR1 given his relatively mediocre target share.
2022 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall
Verdict
Even with regression looming for Kupp, he’s still the undisputed top WR heading into this season. His elite run-after-catch skills coupled with his red-zone efficiency separate him from the pack. After Kupp, the Jefferson versus Chase debate gets interesting. Given Chase’s efficiency and lower target share, he may actually have a slight advantage entering this season. Even with Cincinnati possessing a deep and talented offensive group, it's fair to expect an increased target share for Chase in his second season, leading to more catches and yards. Chase also posted more yards after the catch than Jefferson in 2021, adding to his appeal in standard formats.
Without seeing a high number of red-zone targets, Chase’s ability to score TDs from outside the red zone showcases his elite playmaking ability. Despite seeing just 12 red-zone targets (35th in NFL), Chase scored the 13 TDs (fourth). That could be a red flag, as he's unlikely to match that kind of efficiency, but Jefferson’s red-zone prowess could also see a drop this season, making Chase the better value pick with his slightly lower ADP.
Despite our nit-pickiness, all three of these WRs are poised for dominant fantasy seasons and are worthy of first-round selections in both standard and PPR formats. Kupp is still the overall preseason WR1, while Jefferson and Chase make for an interesting debate on the second overall WR selected in fantasy drafts.
2022 RANKINGS TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
Fantasy WR Rankings 2022: More No. 1 WR contenders
Raiders' Davante Adams and Bills' Stefon Diggs
Adams and Diggs are two WRs in our second tier with top-tier upside. Adams was a top-tier WR last season, but the uncertainty surrounding his insertion into the Raiders' offense slightly downgrades his fantasy value in 2022. It’s unlikely Adams ends the season with the second-highest target share like he did last year, as Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow will command a high dosage of looks.
Diggs has more upside entering the season, as he logged the second-most air yards (1,828) last year, trailing only Jefferson, and red-zone targets (34), trailing only Kupp. Diggs didn’t have a great TD output (10 TDs) given the number of red-zone targets that came his way, but with that type of volume, it’s likely he posts more scores this season. Gabriel Davis and Dawson Knox are ascending and Josh Allen always remains a threat to vulture TDs in the red zone, but Buffalo’s elite offense has enough TDs to go around.