Luke Sawhook
2 min read • July 16, 2022
Posted in
In fantasy football, it’s all about making the right draft picks. Here are a few players who should be off your draft boards at all costs and a few alternatives whose health is on the upswing coming into the 2022 NFL season.
Having a good SIC Score is extremely important to fantasy football success because being on the field matters.
Coming in at a SIC Score of 59, Thomas could provide value in the late rounds of fantasy drafts due to his proven track record of stardom in the NFL. However, his injuries leading into the 2022 NFL season makes his risk outweigh his reward at his current average draft position inside the top 30 WRs.
Juju Smith-Schuster is a much better alternative who’s being drafted around the same place, but has a much higher likelihood of being durable this season with a SIC Score of 96.
The next player we think that you should stay away from this season is Lions rookie WR Jameson Williams out of Alabama. While he undeniably has superstar potential over the course of his career, coming off an ACL injury will likely loom over his head throughout his rookie season.
The Lions will likely not rush him back, meaning he’ll likely miss a decent amount of time to start the year. On top of that, he has to jump into the peak of competition with WRs like Amon-Ra St. Brown. With a SIC score of 53, it’s not the year for Williams.
Next, let’s talk about J.K. Dobbins. The third year Ravens RB has a ton of potential opportunity coming into the 2022 NFL season. However, with a SIC score of 47, this isn’t the year for Dobbins. According to our team of Pro Football Docs, his LCL involvement complicates his ACL recovery.
Gus Edwards – also coming off an ACL tear – will be ahead of him healthwise, but just barely. He has a SIC score of 61 because the damage to his knee was contained to his ACL.
It’s undeniable that the Ravens backfield will have fantasy value this season, but Dobbins and Edwards could see a limited workload especially early in the year. That severely caps their upside for your fantasy team.
The Miami Dolphins backfield is a tantalizing prospect for fantasy football managers this season. However, if you’re looking to take an upside swing at them, stay away from Raheem Mostert. Entering the season with a SIC score of 43, his specific knee surgery is very concerning for a running back. Miami's crowded backfield situation doesn't help either, as it will limit his ability to get back into the rhythm. Chase Edmonds and Sony Michel are healtier options with much higher ceilings.
James Robinson has been one of the best yearly values in all of fantasy football over the past few seasons. However, this year isn’t the year for that. Robinson enters the 2022 NFL season with a SIC score of 72 after tearing his Achilles in late December. Achilles recoveries are notoriously tough for running backs and the 23 year old may not provide value until second half of season. There's also a slight chance he starts the year on PUP.
Travis Etienne provides slightly better value, but Lisfranc injuries are also tough to come back for a speedy back like Etienne. He carries a SIC Score of 81, until he can prove he's fully healthy. He was also drafted by the old regime.
Written by Luke Sawhook
