2022 Fantasy Football Creeper Preview

by Michael Nazarek (UPDATED - 8/25/2022)

Editor's Note: Below you will find a portion of our Fantasy Football Creepers for 2022. If you'd like to read about all 21 creepers, please click HERE to order our 2022 Pre-Season Draft Guide.

TIGHT ENDS

 

T.J. Hockenson (Detroit) - OVERRATED. Don't get me wrong. Hockenson is very talented, but too often last year, he disappointed when it came to fantasy production in any one game in 2021. He only scored four times in the 12 games he played when healthy. He only topped 51 yards receiving in four games. Bottom Line: The Lions upgraded their wideout corps this offseason, and QB Jared Goff is still the same inconsistent QB starting for the team. I just do not get a good vibe here for Hockenson in 2022, especially since his ADP is solidly in round #6 for 12-team TE-required league drafts. That is simply too expensive for my taste! ADP: Round 6. Update 8/25: There is nothing wrong with Hockenson, but the issues remain, so he sticks to this list.

 

Mike Gesicki (Miami) - DEBUTS 8/25: The following says it all… The Miami Dolphins would not cut Gesicki, who’s playing on a fully guaranteed franchise tag this season, but a trade isn’t out of the question. In fact, the Dolphins have "brought up" Gesicki’s name to other teams, a league source said. That doesn’t mean anything will transpire, but Miami has been willing to engage in conversations. On top of that, Gesicki is set to make $10.931 million in 2022, and he played the entire first half of Saturday’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. This is not good at all, as he lands on my creeper list. ADP: Round 11.

 

Albert Okwuegbunam (Denver) - DEBUTS 8/25: Albert O. was set to start with TE Noah Fant now in Seattle. He has flashed in the past when Fant was out with an injury, and the Broncos expected him to flourish as a starter now that QB Russell Wilson is on the roster. That said, he has disappointed in camp, playing into the 4^th quarter of the last preseason game because he "needed the reps." Not good. As a result, rookie TE Greg Dulcich could supplant him as the new starter sooner than later. As a result, big Albert O. is removed from our sleepers list and debuts as a fantasy creeper. ADP: Round 14.

 

Tyler Higbee (Los Angeles Rams) - Looking at what Higbee did in his first season with QB Matthew Stafford at the helm in L.A., his numbers weren't bad… 61-560-5. That places him at #13 in PPR leagues in per game average in 2021. Of course, he is coming off a serious knee injury suffered in last season's NFC Championship Game. He is expected to be fine by the season's start for 2022, but Higbee topped double-digit fantasy PPR production in just six games last year. In addition, two of his five scores came in the meaningless week #18's game against the 49ers. Higbee also only topped 55 yards receiving in two games, meaning he simply doesn't have much upside. The only good news here is that you can wait until the middle rounds of your draft to take him if you want as a fantasy backup. ADP: Round 16-17. Update 8/25: There is nothing wrong with Higbee, but the issues remain, so he sticks to this list.

 

Evan Engram (Jacksonville) - So much talent, but so little production, especially in the scoring category. Engram caught nearly 50 passes in 2021, but scored only three times, and he only topped 44 yards receiving twice. After struggling to produce as a Giant, Engram signed with the Jaguars this offseason. He will be catching passes from QB Trevor Lawrence. I simply do not think he will do any better as a Jaguar than he did as a Giant, so I wouldn't even target him as my fantasy backup in the latter rounds of my draft. ADP: Round 14-15. Update 8/25: Engram has had a solid camp, but I still question his current abilities to make a real impact once the games begin. As such, he stays on this list.

 

The Deep-Creeper

 

O.J. Howard (Buffalo) - Howard's entire NFL career has been nothing but a big disappointment, and yet some keep selecting him at the end of their draft hoping his "potential" will finally pay off. This offseason, he signed with the Bills, a big powerhouse offensive team, but starting TE Dawson Knox has blossomed, so even if Howard plays well, his playing time is likely to be limited at best. Why waste a draft pick here? Bottom Line: Howard is my deep creeper because I do not think you can trust him at all to produce much of anything for the Bills in 2022, especially with early reports saying he looked like nothing special in OTAs. He may still have some raw talent, but if that doesn’t translate into consistent production after five seasons in the NFL, it’s unlikely it ever will. ADP: Round 21-25. Update 8/25: Odds are good that he either gets traded or released by final roster cuts. As such, he remains my deep creeper at TE for 2022.

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