Cooper Kupp He is coming off an historic campaign. He set single-season records in 2021 with his 439.5 and 294.5 fantasy points (non-PPR) respectively. He set a new record by scoring 20-plus fantasy points (plus PPR) on 14 occasions. He also reached the 30-point plateau six times. Kupp had an enormous impact on the outcome of the Los Angeles RamsSuper Bowl Champion: 45 catches on 64 targets for 625 yard and seven touchdowns in four playoff matches.
It’s no surprise, then, that Kupp is fantasy football’s most beloved player. 1 wide receiver entering 2022. It makes sense because nothing has changed in his life.
Allow me to interrupt your first-round planning. I see both a realistic possibility that Kupp will not just fail to finish 2022’s fantasy’s W1, but also that he could be unable to You shouldn’t Be the first wide receiver to be selected.
Three wide fantasy football receivers are the big three
Kupp will be the top wide receiver in 2022. Justin Jefferson Ja’Marr Chase. Kupp’s achievements, as well as those of Jefferson and Chase, easily earned him a spot in this group. 4 (330.4), and No. 4 (330.4), and No. In pass-friendly offenses, the No. 1 target is the receiver.
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Tristan H. Cockcroft explains Justin Jefferson’s worth in fantasy drafts.
Jefferson is the only one who can unseat Kupp 2022. Through his first 33 NFL matches, Jefferson scored more points than any other wide receiver. Odell Beckham Jr. Randy Moss, since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. The second half of the last season saw Jefferson almost surpassing the top in fantasy points for PPR. Here’s an example of how Jefferson and Kupp did in fantasy during Weeks 10-18.
Kupp: 8 G, 204.1 FPTS (1st), 89 targets, 31.7% target share
Jefferson: 9 G. 99 targets, 34.4% target, 197.7FPTS (2nd), Jefferson: 9G.
Jefferson’s usage is enough to fuel a fantasy 400-point campaign. He also has the traits that make him one of most statistically high-end wide receivers. He was the second-ranked NFL player with 2,082 yards of air and the second with 16 end zone targets. These numbers highlight his abilities to be both a big play receiver and to pace the position in touchdowns.
Chase is coming off a season where he accumulated the second-most fantasy PPR fantasy points of any rookie wide receiver (304.6). His 17.9 point per game average was the sixth-highest among receivers who played at most 10 games. Joe Burrow was a remarkable quarterback and he showed incredible chemistry with him. He broke out in the final weeks of the year with a 55.6 PPR-point-point triumph in Week 17, and 25 catches on 35 targets, for 368 yards, in four playoff games.
Like Jefferson, Chase is big-play like Jefferson. His 9.0 yards per catch rate during the second half of the season was the third highest among qualified wide receivers. Chase’s 13 end zone targets were tied for fifth in the position. Although it may seem impossible to imagine Chase leaping to the top of wide receiver’s leaderboard, Jefferson’s impressive jump last year in his sophomore season shows that it is possible.
Kupp’s chances of repeat success
Kupp’s history of injuries is one of the strongest arguments against Kupp returning as fantasy’s Wr1. In 2018, he was limited to eight games due to a torn left anterior cruciate ligament. He also missed one regular season game in 2020 while on the COVID-19 roster and another in the playoffs because he had a knee problem. Kupp missed 14 games in total between the regular season, postseason and playoffs in his four first years in the NFL.
Kupp is a 29-year old with more experience than Chase and Jefferson. He has yet to miss an NFL football game.
Kupp could also be disadvantaged by simple regression to the mean. He was the 18th wide receiver to reach at least 22.5 fantasy points per game, and he played in at least 10 games last season. Ten of the 17 previous players saw their points totals drop by at least 80 in the next season. Terrell Owens (2000-01) and Jerry Rice (1994-95) were the only exceptions. Odell Beckham Jr. (2014-15), Antonio Brown 2014-16 Davante Adams In their follow-up seasons (2020-21), they managed a 300-point campaign — Adams only had an 17-game season.
These names suggest that Kupp may reach the 300 point plateau again in 2022. But, is 400 realistic? In the following year, the group’s per-game average declined by 5.0 fantasy points per match. This rate would make Kupp’s final 2022 total of 353.3. As it stands, we have projected him for a position best 310.8 points. This means that we expect significant regression.
The Rams also added talent to his team. Allen Robinson II A solid group of receivers already included Van Jefferson Closed end Tyler Higbee. Robinson may have disappointed in 2021. However, he has three seasons with 150+ targets and 250+ fantasy PPR points (2015 to 2019 and 2020) and QB Matthew Stafford Another veteran wideout. Robinson’s rebound could cause Kupp to lose some of his league-leading 292 targets (22 more than any other player in the league).
This means that no one of the three large wide receivers should ever be considered the “the” receiver. It is wrong Even as a first-rounder, you can still pick. But the catch is that all three are valid and high-floor selections. They have the best chance of any wide receiver in fantasy points to pace the position.
Kupp is my number one wide receiver. As most people, Kupp is my No. 1 wide receiver in 2022. His candidacy is supported best by the historic season that saw him play in one of the most pass-friendly league offenses. However, if Kupp goes the pick before I in the first round — and I am not excited at any of these running backs on board — I wouldn’t hesitate to vote for Jefferson or Chase.
Let’s face it, these receivers rank fifth, sixth, eighth, and eighth respectively. A part of me is almost tempted by his upside to pick Jefferson first out of this group.