Top Best Ball Picks for Underdog Fantasy Football – Round by Round 2022 NFL

I am sitting on a nice round number of 50 NFL best ball drafts completed on Underdog. I’ve done 28 BBM3 entries and 22 Puppies. This doesn’t even include the 100+ I logged in the pre-draft contests.

I’ve got enough of a sample size to start looking at my exposures and determine what players I’m going to take a stand on. There’s been much Twitter debate on the subject, but I am of the opinion that you have to take stands. I am going to be significantly overweight the field on a core group of players that I feel strongly about. I am especially willing to take stands on the WRs I like best relative to their ADP. They get hurt less often than running backs and even when they do, you’ve drafted usually drafted at least 8 or 9. Thus, a WR is less likely to sink your whole roster. My goal is to build well correlated rosters, have most of my core players hit, giving me a bunch of shots to run hot in the playoffs.

These are my favorite picks by round, some of the players on which I’ve taken the biggest stand. We’ll do rounds 1 through 9 here and comeback to reveal the rounds 10 through 18 next week.

1- Ja’Marr Chase

As a 21-year-old in the NFL, after taking a year off from football due to the Covid shortened NCAA season, he went for 1455 yards and 13 touchdowns. There isn’t a lot more that needs to be said. He’s attached to an elite quarterback, with whom he has great chemistry. The prize pools are so top heavy in best ball tournaments. If you are not looking at the week 17 matchup as at least a tie breaker, you are doing it wrong. Chase and the Bengals face off against Buffalo in a game that will likely have at least a 55 point total.

The one downside to prioritizing Chase, is that as result you are going to wind up having very little Justin Jefferson. I slightly prefer Chase, but think it’s very close. I will look to add some Jefferson shares in my upcoming drafts because I definitely don’t want to fade him.

 

2- D’Andre Swift

This is “best shape of his life” season. Beat writers are breathlessly noting who looks like they spent the offseason in the gym. I’m letting myself fall for this trap a bit as mini-camp pictures of an absolutely swole looking Swift make their way around Twitter.

We’ve seen Swift display explosive upside. He can break big plays and win in the passing game. He was in the process of breaking out in 2021 before a week 12 injury caused him to miss 4 fantasy crucial games.

I look for Swift finally realize his considerable potential during his age 23 season, in an improving Detroit offense.

 

3- Saquon Barkley

Actions speak louder than words. The actions (or lack there of) of the Giants’ front office shows that they are confident in Barkley’s ability to carry the load in 2022. They invested no real free agent or draft capital in a backup plan. The two main names on the depth chart behind Saquon are Matt Brieda and Gary Brightwell.

The one time fantasy star is still only 25-years-old. With a fortified line and Brian Daboll designing the offense, I’m willing bet on a return to form for Saquon in a contract year.

 

4- Jerry Jeudy and Cortland Sutton

The top two Bronco wide receivers have a nearly identical best ball ADP (41.5 and 41.6). I don’t claim to have a great feel for which one Russ will prefer. As a volume drafter I am just getting shares of both. Wilson has shown the ability with Metcalf and Lockett to support two high end fantasy WRs at same time.

Jeudy and Sutton have had their production in Denver crippled by treacherously bad QB play. I don’t believe the Broncos gave up all that draft capital and shelled out the massive contract not to let Russ cook. I want all the exposure to the week 17 Denver/KC matchup and the receivers in round 4 is a good place to get it.

5- Gabe Davis

Davis feels like one of the most divisive players in the industry. There is a camp that doesn’t believe the volume will be there and that he’s being over-drafted due to his 4 TD playoff game against the Chiefs.

Conversely, there are those who think that performance was just a coming out party for the 23-year-old and a major breakout is coming. Count me in the later group. In an interview with our old friend Alan Seslowsky, Joe Dolan invoked the names Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice while describing his review of Davis’ tape.

@ChessLiam, who took down BBM2 and the million dollar top prize last year, sent this tweet pointing out that Davis has an almost identical physical profile to Tee Higgins and Mike Williams. All three project be the WR2 in elite offenses, yet Davis goes at 2 round discount.

We’ve already talked about the week 17 showdown with the Bengals. I want exposure to the Buffalo offense. With Josh Allen and Steph Diggs priced up, 5th round Gabe Davis is my favorite place to get it.

 

6- Rashod Bateman

Every sharp scout or draft analyst seemed to love the pick of Bateman by Baltimore. His rookie year was slowed by injuries, first his own, and finally Lamar’s.

The Ravens must have seen enough to remain confident in Bateman because they traded away Hollywood Brown and didn’t add any wide receiver of significance to the room.

Bateman is being handed the number one receiver role in what should be a high scoring offense. He feels like the type of WR that we will be drafting in the 3rd round next season. I am happy to stock up this year in the 6th.

 

7- AJ Dillion

After a rookie season in which he barely got on the field, Dillion tallied over 1100 total yards with 7 touchdowns in 2021. Even if he only repeated those numbers he’d probably be worthy of a 7th round pick for any best ball format.

I believe the Packers will be more run heavy in their approach with Davonte Adams now enjoying life in Las Vegas. I expect Aaron Jones to be featured more in the passing game and Dillion to see an uptick in carries. I would not be shocked if the former Boston College runner posts double digit touchdowns in 2022 and greatly exceeded his 7th round price tag in half point PPR scoring.

 

8- Tony Pollard

The number two man in Dallas is electric with the ball in his hands. Everyone can see it. His carries make Zeke Elliott look plodding by comparison.

The problem is Old Jerry paid Zeke a shit ton of money and he’s going to continue to get run out there first. Even as Zeke’s caddy last year Pollard had over 1000 total yards. All he needs to do is run a little better on TD variance (he managed only 2 last season) to provide value as an 8th round pick.

Unlike other 8th round picks, he has a path to being an absolute league winner if Zeke happens to go down. To be fair, Elliott has been mostly healthy throughout his career but, if he were to suffer a serious injury in camp, Pollard would instantly being going in the top 2 rounds of every draft.

Tony Pollard offers a decent floor at his draft position, with an outside chance to absolutely smash.

 

9- Chase Claypool

Chase Claypool should not be going 66 picks (or 6 rounds) after his teammate Dionte Johnson. The corpse of Big Ben lacked the arm strength and mobility in the pocket to push the ball down the field. Thus, he just checked down constantly to Johnson on underneath routes. Rookie first round pick Kenny Pickett does not share late career Ben’s physical limitations.

There should be an opportunity to reestablish Claypool as an important part of the game plan. I’m taking 9th round Chase Claypool as a bet on talent with a player coming off a down year for reasons that were beyond his control.

There is no better time to start drafting on Underdog with the $5 Puppy and $25 BBM3 tournaments in full swing. Get a first time deposit match of up $100 with our code DFSARMY.

I’ll see you back here next week to break down my favorite picks in each round of the back half of the draft.