Media by Associated Press – Carolina Panthers’ Christian Mccaffrey practices during the NFL football team’s training camp in Gibbs Stadium at Wofford College on Saturday, July 30, 2022, in Spartanburg, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
With the NFL preseason underway and teams preparing for the regular season, now is a great time to take a look at players in a position to struggle in 2022.
Some of these players are on new teams, and others had breakout 2021 seasons, but all of them are primed for a letdown in 2022. This is the case for both real NFL games and stats and in your fantasy team or DFS draft prep.
Christian McCaffrey
The easiest pick for a bounce-back season is Christian McCaffrey, a first-round pick in nearly every fantasy league and format. When healthy, the 26-year-old is one of the best players in the league and the most productive. He had consecutive 1000+ yard seasons in 2018 and 2019 with a combined 32 touchdowns.
However, he’s been limited to just ten games the last two seasons and eight total touchdowns. Carolina has Baker Mayfield this season with DJ Moore and Robby Anderson on the outside. If they can keep McCaffrey healthy, he should get well over 300 total touches on the season.
McCaffrey had 113 or more targets in the passing game in each of his first three NFL seasons and went over 1000 receiving yards in 2019. Target him high in PPR leagues, and keep the faith that he finally stays healthy in 2022.
Matt Ryan
Very little went right for Matt Ryan the last two seasons in Atlanta. He lost top-target Julio Jones one year and Calvin Ridley the next while the Falcons went 4-12 and 7-10. Ryan threw for 3,968 yards in 2021, his lowest tally since 2010, despite having an extra game.
Now Ryan has Atlanta in the rear-view mirror as he’s moved on to Indianapolis. With the Colts, he gets an every-down back in Jonathan Taylor, who had 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns last year. Ryan has weapons in Michael Pittman and Parris Campbell, long with tight-end Mo-Allie Cox and 2022 draftee Alec Pierce.
He also upgraded in offensive head coaches, and getting with Frank Reich could rejuvenate Ryan’s career. Look for him to have plenty of chances to make an impact in 2022, especially as a mid-to-late round fantasy draft pick.
Saquon Barkley & Kenny Golladay
Much like McCaffrey, the issue with Saquon Barkley is all about his health. The former first-round pick has been limited the last two seasons after rushing for 1,307 and 1,003 yards in his first two campaigns. Barkley appeared in 13 games last year but was never fully healthy, leading to 593 rushing yards and only two touchdowns.
His New York Giants teammate, Kenny Golladay, was also hampered by injuries in 2021. Golladay was limited to 37 catches for 521 yards in 2021, and he didn’t find the end zone in his first Giants season. The pressure will be on this season for the five-year veteran to replicate his success with the Lions when he had two straight 1000+ seasons and 21 total touchdowns.
The Giants seem to be in perpetual rebuilding, and quarterback Daniel Jones may be on his last chance. If he and the team are going to have success, they need both Barkley and Golladay to regain their 2019 forms and contribute to the offense.
Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson had two great seasons with the Chicago Bears in 2019 and 2020 before struggling through a miserable 2021 campaign. With mediocre quarterback play, plus injuries, Robinson was limited to 38 catches for 410 yards and one touchdown in 2021 while missing five games.
Now he’s on the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Instead of having rookie Justin Fields and journeymen quarterbacks like Andy Dalton and Nick Foles, Robinson will catch passes from future Hall of Famer Matt Stafford. Robert Woods and Odell Beckham are both gone, and the Rams expect Robinson and Van Jefferson to fill those spots alongside Cooper Kupp.
Expect Robinson to get plenty of targets, especially early. Teams will double-team Kupp, and last year Woods averaged 7.5 targets per game before his injury, and Beckham averaged 6.1 targets per game after being acquired mid-season. Stafford threw the ball 601 times last year and will likely throw just as much in 2022, giving Robinson a solid chance at a bounce-back season.
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