Four players to target in your 2022 best ball leagues

For football fans, it may be the summer doldrums, but that just means it’s the perfect time to start preparing for your fantasy football season. Preparing for your fantasy draft is especially important if you’re going to play in a best ball league.

If you don’t know, a best ball league is a system that takes the points for the best player at each position on your roster. You don’t have to set your lineup every week, which also means you don’t have to worry about having that random receiver come off the team’s bench and catch a touchdown.

With all of that to consider, almost every player could have value in a best ball draft. To make it a little less confusing or intimidating, here is a player at each position that you should target in your 2022 best ball leagues.

QB Mitch Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers

I didn’t say that each pick was going to be stud starters, did I? Trubisky will likely be the starting quarterback for the Steelers this season. He is competing with Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett for the starting job. Trubisky got the starting nod in the first preseason game and led a touchdown drive his first time out. No matter what you think of Trubisky over the length of the season, the playmakers on this team are so good that he is going to luck into top-12 quarterback finishes. Don’t bank on him being your starting quarterback weekly, but he is a solid option for a backup.

RB Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans

As much as we aren’t supposed to buy into training camp hype, Pierce is making it really difficult. Houston is in a rebuild and has Marlon Marck and Pierce leading their backfield. Reports have said that Mack is being outplayed by Pierce, and the latter put on a solid display in the first preseason game. You aren’t drafting many Texans players with much confidence, but Pierce is at least showing he has the tools and talent to have relevant fantasy weeks.

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are expected to take a step back because WR Tyreek Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins. Smith-Schuster is expected to help make up the gap in production. He is on a one-year, prove-it deal and will look to connect with QB Patrick Mahomes early and often. Smith-Schuster is a prime best ball candidate because you know he will have weeks where he pops off with Mahomes. Even if it isn’t every week, he is going to have big games that will win you your matchup in best ball.

TE Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys

I was in on Schultz last season when he was battling for the starting spot with Blake Jarwin. Schultz finished as the overall TE3 in half-PPR scoring, and Jarwin is a free agent. Humble brag. In all seriousness, Schultz is a reliable pass-catcher who should see a higher target share this season. Amari Cooper is gone, and CeeDee Lamb becomes the WR1 on the team. The Cowboys have Michael Gallup still banged up and a rookie in Jalen Tolbert to make up their primary receivers. Schultz could be in line for the second-most targets as the season starts, and if he starts strong, could remain the third option in this Dallas passing game.