Top 10 rookie wide receivers for 2022 fantasy football leagues

The 2022 fantasy football season is upon us. The regular season kicks off on Thursday, September 8 as the Buffalo Bills take on the Los Angeles Rams. The 2022 NFL Draft has come and gone, and we know where the rookie wide receivers will spend their first season in the NFL. Even though wide receivers were taken higher in the NFL Draft, you will notice that they don’t have as high of fantasy expectations this year. Here, we will preview the top-10 ranked wide receivers for the 2022 fantasy football season.

Top 10 fantasy football rookie wide receivers

*ADP based on half-PPR scoring

1. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons, WR40

London was the first wide receiver taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, selected with the eighth overall pick. He played at USC in college and dominated Pac-12 defenses. He enters the NFL with a surprising role in his rookie season. Since Calvin Ridley was suspended for the 2022 season for gambling while away from the team, London is expected to be the team’s WR1 this year. His ADP of WR40 may be too low for the rookie.

2. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints, WR44

Olave was one of two wide receivers taken out of Ohio State in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He joins a Saints wide receiving corps that has lacked a star with Michael Thomas sidelined the past two seasons with injuries. Thomas appears to be healthy, and veteran Jarvis Landry has returned to Louisiana for a fresh start. Olave could be going into the season as the third receiving option on the team, but injuries could see him improve as he builds rapport with Jameis Winston.

3. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets, WR48

Wilson is the latest young receiver taken by the Jets in their rebuild. Zach Wilson is banged up to start the year, so the receiver Wilson will likely have Joe Flacco throwing him to start the season. Even when Zach Wilson is back from injury, Garrett will be battling for targets with Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and Breece Hall in the offense.

4. Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans, WR49

One of the surprising moves of the 2022 NFL Draft saw the Titans trade away wide receiver AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. With the first round pick they got back, they drafted Burks. He joins Robert Wood and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as the starting wide receivers for Tennessee. Burks is said to be taking his time adapting to the NFL gameplay but should be able to still have a productive rookie season.

5. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers, WR54

Pickens was drafted in the second round of the draft out of Georgia. He is coming off a national championship at Georgia and looks to bring that momentum to the Steelers. They lost JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency, so Pittsburgh has a role for Pickens to fill. He impressed in the preseason from his physicality, which is going to get him on the field in a Mike Tomlin offense.

6. Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys, WR61

Tolbert is going to start the season in an important role. The third round pick out of South Alabama will be the WR2 for the Cowboys to begin the year. Amari Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns, and Michael Gallup is banged up to start the year. If he can develop rapport with Dak Prescott early, he could be in line for a big season.

7. Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders, WR62

Dotson was drafted as a weapon for Carson Wentz in the Commanders’ offense. He will play behind Terry McLaurin, but should still have an ample target share. Washington’s offense will likely experience a down year, but Dotson has a solid chance to outperform his ADP if he can hang on to the second-most targets in the offense.

8. Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs, WR63

Moore is an enigma. While he was drafted in the second round out of Western Michigan, he joins arguably the most high-octane offense in the NFL. When Patrick Mahomes is your quarterback, you are automatically elevated. The concern with Moore is that he heads into the season as the fourth wide receiver in the offense behind JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman. Add in the dominant force, Travis Kelce, and Moore has an uphill battle to see playing time.

9. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers, WR65

Doubs has been the belle of the ball in the preseason. Back-to-back MVP winner Aaron Rodgers saw his favorite target Davante Adams traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. This leaves him devoid of reliable targets giving the rookie Doubs as good a shot as anyone to step up and have a relevant season.

10. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions, WR67

Williams tore his ACL in January but is making strides to take the field this NFL season. He was drafted with the 12th overall pick this year which shows how much of an impact he can have when healthy. His ADP gets knocked because of the injury, but once he can come back, he could have upside.