It has been a less than convincing start to Bryan Edwards’ NFL career, but a move to the Atlanta Falcons has the potential to change the story. With Edwards granted a fresh start in Atlanta, it also presents a new opportunity for him to find value in fantasy football. Let’s examine Edwards’ fantasy outlook in 2022 and whether his ADP presents a potential value in fantasy football drafts.
Bryan Edwards’ fantasy outlook for 2022
It has been a strange couple of seasons for Edwards since he was drafted 81st overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he saw just 15 targets, reeling in 11 receptions for 193 yards and a touchdown. That improved to 34 receptions, 571 receiving yards, and three touchdowns on 59 targets in 2021.
However, that still saw him fall short of significant fantasy relevance. But with a fresh start now in Atlanta, there appears to be a chance for Edwards to have some more fantasy value in 2022 with the Falcons.
How the Falcons’ depth chart impacts Bryan Edwards’ fantasy projection for the season
Moving to Atlanta from Las Vegas is significant for Edwards. With the Raiders, he was set to be behind Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller, and Davante Adams. At best, Edwards would have been the fourth receiving option on that team. However, the story in Atlanta is very different.
The top of the Falcons’ pass-catching depth chart includes tight end Kyle Pitts, rookie receiver Drake London, and veteran options Olamide Zaccheaus, Auden Tate, Damiere Byrd, and Geronimo Allison. Edwards is very much in contention to be the third option of that group, and he could even push London for targets.
Of course, it would be a mistake to forget about the role Cordarrelle Patterson will play in the receiving game. While listed at RB on the depth chart, Patterson is an effective pass catcher and will line up at receiver during the season. Yet, even if he sees an increase on the 69 targets from 2021, there should still be plenty to go around.
The departures of Tajae Sharpe, Russell Gage, Mike Davis, and Hayden Hurst have vacated 220 targets. Calvin Ridley’s suspension has vacated a further 52. That leaves plenty of targets for Pitts, London, Patterson, and Edwards to share. If he performs well in camp, opportunities should not be a limiting factor for Edwards.
Edwards’ ADP for 2022
Edwards’ current ADP is outside the top 300 in both non-PPR and PPR. For all intents and purposes, Edwards is a free investment for redraft in 2022. His start to life in the NFL has been less than convincing, but there is an opportunity for him to be a third-year breakout in his new home.
Despite the Falcons being a middle-of-the-road team in pace of play, they still threw the ball 573 times last season. That’s a lot of targets to go around, and as we saw with the depth chart, plenty of those are up for grabs. The Falcons are expected to be trailing plenty this season, hopefully leading to more opportunities to throw the ball this year.
An increase in passing attempts is not a lock, but even if it remains flat from 2021, they should stay around the league average in terms of their pace of play and pass attempts. Atlanta may not be the sexiest option, but there is plenty to be intrigued by.
As a late-round selection in any format, Edwards has the potential to provide huge upside. His role on the depth chart should become fairly clear early in the season. With the level of investment required to draft him, if Edwards is beaten out for a starting role, he is easily replaceable on your roster for a similar level of talent to what you could have drafted. However, finding him on waivers heading into Week 1 could be a tougher proposition if he locks down a starting role.