Owner Robert Kraft set the expectation in March when he said, "More than anything, it bothers me that we haven't been able to win a playoff game in the last three years." Each analyst named a sleeper and a bust for each of the major offensive positions, as well as one breakout candidate. Jan 26, 2022 Free agency and the draft are now on the minds of every NFL team except the Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams the final four vying for the Lombardi Trophy. Other times its a veteran who has the potential to see a larger role or is one injury away from becoming a high-volume starter. Etienne has RB1 upside right now, but he's going in flex range. -- Terrell, Fantasy breakout candidate: Chris Olave, WR, Temper expectations for all of the Saints' pass-catchers since Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Olave and Jarvis Landry will have to share the pie. -- DiRocco, Fantasy breakout candidate: Travis Etienne Jr., RB, He has elite acceleration and an uncanny ability to spin and slip through a variety of tackles. Projecting the futures of Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook and other Vikings veterans. It's a position group the Falcons can feel really good about. Marcas Grant and Michael F. Florio are back for a Super Bowl edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast! Davis is a must-have player in 2022 fantasy drafts.Fantasy breakout potential: Carolina PanthersTerrace Marshall, WR - The second-rounder failed to carve out a consistent role in . Here are a . I expect the O-line to be healthier and the defense to be slightly better with the talent added to the secondary. -- Wagoner, Fantasy breakout candidate: Trey Lance, QB, Lance is expected to thrive in Kyle Shanahan's fantasy-friendly offense. window.PLAYERCARDS_CONFIG={affiliateCode:"fpros_cards"}; Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com If Jones' injury lingers throughout the season, the Dolphins' pass defense could become a major issue. Cohn: Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton " Andrei Iosivas (scouting report) will be a breakout prospect.Iosivas has impressive straight-line speed, and I expect him to run the 40 in the 4.3s or low 4.4s. -- Rothstein. Rashod Batemans runway is clear, and hes ready for takeoff. Marcas Grant and Michael F. Florio are back for a special new edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast from the Fantasy Lounge! . "A very minor procedure. Fantasy managers who drafted these players last season know very well how . Bold prediction for 2022: Miami will trade tight end Mike Gesicki before the November deadline. Kmet saw a total of just 12 red zone targets last year, with only six end zone targets. Hurst is out to show he can be a quality starter in the league and could be a key player for a Bengals team looking to field one of the best offenses in the NFL. Eric Moody: Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts The Niners won't ask Trey Lance to be the focal point of a team with championship aspirations. The season will be a success if the Bucs win the Super Bowl and only if they win the Super Bowl. McCaffrey hopes a change in preparation he received, in part, from Marshall Faulk will keep him healthy and help him return to the level he was in 2019, when he had 1,000 yards rushing and receiving. He has had a strong start to his career and is coming off a 1,000-yard season. In fact, he has 24 TD catches over the past two seasons and is fully healthy heading into 2022. 3. Look for Penny and Walker to lead a rushing attack that posts over 2,500 yards. Daniel Dopp: AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers When looking for a breakout player, I'm mindful of several key factors: the player's skill set and the chance for it to improve from one year to the next, the role he may play and the offense that he plays in. -- Thiry, Fantasy breakout candidate: Gerald Everett, TE, He didn't boom in his 2021 reunion with Seahawks OC Shane Waldron as much as many had hoped, though he did pull off a career effort (48 receptions, 478 yards, four touchdowns). ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN -- Adam Teicher, Player on hot seat: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Edwards-Helaire hasn't been a bust, and he is in no danger of losing his job right now, but he hasn't had the expected impact of a first-round draft pick. 10. Brady is still Brady, and there is no counting him out, even if he is facing more difficult opposing quarterbacks than last season. But he hasn't done enough in Pete Carroll's view to overtake former Wilson backup Geno Smith, who will start Week 1. Wilson starts the season with a knee injury, and the team begins its schedule with four straight games against AFC North opponents. -- Anita Marks. The Rams had turnover at two positions on the offensive line this offseason, including left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who retired after the Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory. Per Matt Harmons Reception Perception work, Batemans success rate was in the 85th percentile against zone coverage and the 81st percentile versus press. -- Newton, Fantasy breakout candidate: Robbie Anderson, WR, In 2020, Anderson's first season with Rhule and the Panthers, he caught 95 passes and topped 1,000 yards receiving. Top Breakout Candidates on Each NFL Team (2022 Fantasy Football) by FantasyPros Staff | @FantasyPros Jun 13, 2022 Breakouts. Fantasy football rookie rankings 2022: Breece Hall headlines top-40 dynasty rookies Rachaad White, running back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers White should be the RB to work in unison with Leonard. Most important discovery at camp: Saquon Barkley is back. Edmonds should not only get his share of work on the ground, but he should also be heavily involved in the passing game. Love the talent, hate the price. London is a big-bodied receiver who can win 50/50 balls and be utilized in the red/end zone. Melendez didn't exactly set the world on fire as a rookie last season, slashing .217/.313/.393 with 18 home runs, 21 doubles and 62 RBIs in 129 games. The season will be a success if the Steelers can both run the ball and stop the run. Only the 17th-highest-paid tight end in the NFL, Waller is a game-breaker when healthy but missed six games last season because of back and knee issues, and coach Josh McDaniels would not commit to Waller playing in the season opener. -- Erin Dolan. The Patriots are going through a major transition in offensive philosophy after the departure of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The veteran has the pass-catching ability and target frame to produce as receiving option for multiple other teams. If it's Pitts, then yes. While Prescott is fine, will his offensive line be fine? I still have low expectations for this team as their biggest upgrade is head coach Doug Pederson. Miles Sanders will surprise folks in 2022 during a contract year and break out. He can be a disruptive force for a Jets defense that will feature some young talent this season. He will immediately join Lamar Jackson and Hurts as the best rushing QBs. -- Mike Triplett, Their star power makes them thin, and the injury factor has me leaning Under But there's a lot to love about this team, so I wouldn't be shocked if they rack up a lot of wins, either. Olave's talent and position with the Saints, who desperately need help at wide receiver, certainly justify selection at his ADP. Sometimes its a rookie in a good landing spot. -- Sarah Barshop. Describe the QB situation in three words: HOF to meh. Bold prediction for 2022: Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich will be one of the top head-coaching candidates at the end of the season. Football is won in the trenches, and the Eagles' offensive and defensive lines are among the best in the league. Liz Loza: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers He'll be a fairly polarizing player heading into 2022, and Moore could be a big reason for Wilson's future success in the NFL. Marcas Grant and Michael F. Florio are back for another edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast! -- Cronin, Fantasy breakout candidate: Justin Fields, QB, Fields has an opportunity to produce lower-end QB1 numbers in a new offensive system that will cater to his dual-threat traits. The Ravens traded away Marquise Brown in the offseason, leaving Bateman as their clear No. -- Bowen, Because of the presence of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, there aren't many targets for other players in Miami's offense, but Ezukanma, a fourth-round pick in April, has a real shot at becoming the Dolphins' No. -- Bowen. Marcas Grant and Michael F. Florio are back for a post-Super Bowl edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast! Over the last six games of the 2021 season, he averaged 19.5 fantasy points for a Seahawks team that relies heavily on the running game. Chicago hasn't put Fields in position to succeed yet, but if he can prove he is the right player to build around, the Bears will take a step toward solving their chronic quarterback issues. Now he will have Tyreek Hill, who I believe is the most influential non-QB offensive player, along with Jaylen Waddle. Pierce has breakout upside on volume alone, but seeing him run well paired with the rave reviews he's receiving from training camp, and there is a lot to like here. -- Mike Triplett, The Fins' defense will struggle without Brian Flores. -- Louis-Jacques, Fantasy breakout candidate: Chase Edmonds, RB, "Breakout" might be a little strong, but Edmonds is my "bang for your buck" choice since he is currently being drafted outside the top 32 RBs in ESPN leagues. Dont forget that the Bills wideout averaged 19.8 fantasy PPR points per game in his last six games as a full-time player. It's an answer we won't know for at least two months, if not the whole season. Those players are all great, but the middle to later rounds is when everyone is really searching for a player that can greatly exceed expectations. He played well enough to hold off veteran Bradley Roby all season even though the Saints sent the Texans a third-round and conditional sixth-round pick for Roby last September. -- Cronin, The Bears' top draft pick is in line to start at nickel corner in Week 1. Which WR has the best shot of having a breakout year in 2022 and why? Field Yates: Aaron Rodgers. Gordon provides clarity at a position that has been rife with uncertainty. Liz Loza: Nico Collins, Houston Texans It's a big part of why Patrick Mahomes led the NFL in passing yards that came after the catch last season. Mike Clay: Drake London, Atlanta Falcons They ranked top-8 in that category the three seasons prior. Jackson's estimated return is two to four weeks, which means he could miss back-to-back division games against the Raiders and Chiefs to open the season. Most important discovery at camp: WR Curtis Samuel's health. Oweh is primed to become the first Ravens defender to record double-digit sacks since Terrell Suggs in 2017. Gainwell could be open underneath a lot as teams try to keep up with the Eagles' top weapons. It gets easier this season, and he will be playing behind an improved offensive line and with a solid backfield. Daniel Dopp: Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears 2022 breakout players. -- Getzenberg, Fantasy breakout candidate: WR Gabe Davis, With more anticipated volume in one of the league's top offenses, Davis has serious breakout potential as a No. Even if he misses time, on a per-game basis, he is very likely to outlive his draft cost. Over the last five weeks of the season, Rashaad Penny led all running backs in rushing yards (671), rushing yards over expectation (272), touchdowns (six), rushes of 10-plus yards (16), yards after contact (486) and rushes reaching 15-plus mph (17). -- Eric Moody, This is not a strong team. A dual-threat player with home run ability, Pollard will emerge in the Dallas offense. Eric Karabell: Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings 2022 NFL draft by round. With Samuel, Kittle and Aiyuk among the 49ers' receiving playmakers, the dual-threat quarterback will add a vertical element to the 49ers' offense. Bold prediction for 2022: The Eagles will win the NFC East. -- Bowen. The former Wolverine averaged six looks per contest from Weeks 14 through 18, managing two efforts above 65 yards and a score over that span. Kmet had a strange 2021, as he had 93 targets and 19 red zone targets but no touchdowns. Eric Moody: Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars Kyle Soppe: Darren Waller Joe Kaiser: Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars -- Getzenberg. It is true that a table set with fine offensive cutlery has led to fantasy disappointments before, but Russell Wilson has just too much of the ideal pedigree that provides a chemistry to power this offense. -- Laine, Fantasy breakout candidate: Cameron Brate, TE, The retirement of Gronkowski and O.J. Breakout: A player (rookies included) who will rise up with career-best numbers in 2022 and make a huge impact. Describe the QB situation in three words: Hurts trending upward. The Rams have a tough road schedule in 2022, but the expectation in the building is certainly to be back hoisting that trophy in February 2023. There's no question Gordon is on the back nine of his career, but six straight seasons with at least eight rushing scores is rare air. If the offensive line can correct the array of mistakes on display in the preseason and give Najee Harris room to run -- along with protecting the quarterback -- the Steelers will do enough offensively to support a stacked defense. Hutchinson's playing style, paired with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn's scheme, puts the rookie in a position to create pocket disruption and the ability to win one-on-ones. He backed it up with a strong showing in Week 3 of the preseason, playing over 80 percent of the snaps on the opening drive while rushing six times for 37 yards and a touchdown.