While not as highly touted as classes in recent years, the 2022 rookie running back class could present fantasy managers with several chances to find productive players to fill their roster. As talent, situation, and opportunity shape the upcoming redraft season, the below fantasy football rookie RB rankings list the rookie backs you should keep an eye on heading into your 2022 drafts.
2022 redraft fantasy football rookie RB rankings
The 2022 rookie class of RBs is a step down from recent years. Sure, there is talent such as Breece Hall, but there doesn’t appear to be a Jonathan Taylor in this class. And there is most certainly not the depth at the top end which has spoiled fantasy managers in recent seasons.
With that said, there is most certainly value to be found even if we are not spending a second-round pick as in years past. Nail the right rookie RB in 2022 redrafts, and next thing you know, you drafted this year’s Elijah Mitchell or James Robinson. With training camps firing up across the country, these are the latest 2022 rookie RB rankings for fantasy football.
1) Breece Hall, New York Jets
A surprise to likely no one who has paid attention this offseason, especially since the NFL draft, Breece Hall is the No. 1 running back of this rookie class. The first RB selected at pick No. 36, Hall slides into the No. 1 role on the Jets offense and will likely carry 250+ touch upside. Hall was a dynamic running back at Iowa State who exudes versatility.
However, what makes Hall so fascinating is while he is the most talented running back of this rookie class, he now shares a backfield with one of the best rookies from last season in Michael Carter. Playing in 14 games, Carter touched the ball 183 times while recording 964 scrimmage yards with four touchdowns. He was one of the only backs to have success against Tampa Bay and, despite being in a committee, finished with four games inside the top-17 and three inside the top-13.
The addition of Hall will push Carter into more of a satellite-style role, combining the workloads of Tevin Coleman and Ty Johnson from last year. Yes, Carter will be on the field, but this is Hall’s backfield. On what should be an improved Jets offense, Hall carries top-20 RB upside and is the No. 1 ranked rookie RB for redraft fantasy leagues in 2022.
2) Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
As a rusher, Kenneth Walker II is as polished as anyone. Walker was No. 2 in the FBS in rushing yards (1,636) last year and No. 1 in yards after contact (1,169) and broken tackles (89). He would have been 19th in the nation in rushing only using his after-contact yardage. Additionally, Walker was No. 1 in the FBS in carries of 10+ yards (46) and 15+ yards (30).
Now in a Seattle offense under Pete Carrol that will want to run the ball more, it’s easy to see the upside in Walker amongst other rookie RB. However, while Walker is ranked second in our redraft fantasy football rookie RB rankings in 2022, his job is anything but secure.
Who is the RB1 for Seattle? Is it Walker, or is it Rashaad Penny? Healthy for the first time seemingly since 2018, Penny went on a tear at the end of the 2021 season, rushing for over 130 yards in four of the final five games, finishing as the RB1 in fantasy over this stretch (19.6 PPR/game). Early reports from camp suggest Penny is likely to lead the backfield. But for how long is anyone’s guess, as injuries have plagued his career.
More than likely, an injury or two will reset this backfield. Based on the track record of Penny, Walker could find himself in a 16+ touches-per-game role if Penny is unable to suit up. Unfortunately, those will be 16+ touches in a Drew Lock-led offense, not Russell Wilson. Walker III undoubtedly has the body of work which should give managers confidence, but there are several roadblocks in front of him if he wants to maintain his No. 2 spot in our rookie RB rankings for redraft in 2022.
3) James Cook, Buffalo Bills
James Cook is the wild card of this class of rookie RBs and how they will impact redraft in 2022. Cook is by far the best pass-catching RB of this class. Not only can he come out of the backfield, but time and time again, we saw Cook out wide, running a stop-and-go or a comeback to beat the corner or nickel who rotated during the pre-snap motion.
He is another weapon for Josh Allen to utilize, and it’s clear they want to involve RBs more in the passing game after signing Duke Johnson Jr. and attempting to sign J.D. McKissic in free agency. In 2021, the Bills targeted RBs just 98 times (15.4%), the eighth-lowest total in the NFL.
However, we run into an issue when we look at the depth chart. As of right now, Cook is not the lead back; that’s Devin Singletary. That wouldn’t be a concern in years past, but after the way he finished last year, there is a case to be made that Singletary should see the ball more the season.
Last season, we saw what could happen if the Bills used a singular RB in a workhorse role. Singletary went ballistic during their final four games. He rushed 80 times for 375 yards and four touchdowns and caught 14 passes (17 targets) for 110 yards, making him the RB2 behind only Rashaad Penny over this stretch (22.0 PPR/game to 19.7 PPR/game).
If you listen to training camp news, which I always advise to do with a grain of salt, Cook can do no wrong. He’s destroying linebackers out of the backfield, is instigating contact in blitz pick-up, and just moves differently on the field than Singletary or even Zack Moss. There is absolutely a path where Cook is this year’s McKissick or James White as a mid-to-high RB2 in PPR leagues. The Bills will be great, and I want as many pieces of this offense as possible. While I have my questions about Cook as a pure rusher, I am more than willing to take some shots on him in redraft in 2022.
4) Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
No, this has nothing to do with Leonard Fournette reportedly being overweight. It’s simply that I am high on Rachaad White and his skill set.
White rushed for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns on 183 carries (5.5 ypc) this past season. Adding to his résumé, he caught 43 of 48 targets for 456 yards and another score. His 16% target share was the second-highest in the 2022 class. Accounting for 1.97 yards per team play in his two seasons, White was one of the more impactful RBs in the Pac-12.
His second gear is fantastic and gives him home-run speed once in the open field (4.48 40-yard dash). White’s contact balance is the only major concern I have for him, but in the open space, plus with the help of coaches, this should improve.
Fournette is the RB1 for the Bucs in a re-loaded offense after swapping Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski for Kyle Rudolph and Julio Jones to play alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. White has the skills to not only garner reps from Fournette but take a bulk of the third-down and two-minute drills from Giovani Bernard. I prefer White in PPR formats, but he does have standalone RB4 value and comes in as the No. 4 RB in our 2022 redraft fantasy football rookie RB rankings.
2022 redraft fantasy football rookie RB rankings | 5-10
5) Isaiah Spiller, Los Angels Chargers
6) Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
7) Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
8) Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders
9) Tyrion Davis-Price, San Francisco 49ers
10) Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders