Same Faces, New Places 2022

The 2022 NFL season is finally here with the rookie combine and franchise tag window already passed, free agency ongoing, and trades being solidified seemingly every day. We will help you keep track of all player movement throughout the offseason and especially during free agency. Updated 4/4/22

DeVante Parker, WR

Once we saw Tyreek Hill traded to Miami, we knew that Parker was certainly going to be traded. Even before Hill went to the Fins, Parker was already on the trade block. Now he is headed to the Pats, where he will likely be the WR1 for Mac Jones and their offense. This is a great fit for Parker as his fantasy value only goes up in New England. He would have been the third or fourth in line for targets in Miami, but now he should be the clear WR1 for his new team. This for sure hurts the values of Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne, but this is a player the Pats needed. They have not had a WR like Parker who can win a contested ball in traffic since the departure of Julian Edelman, and this is something their offense has missed during that stretch. If only the Pats could get out of the horrible Nelson Agholor contract, then they could sign another veteran WR to work alongside Parker.

Old Team: Miami Dolphins
New Team: New England Patriots
Contract: Traded

Marlon Mack, RB

Now to be clear, we do not love the Texans as a whole since they are in full rebuild, but this is one of the best spots Mack could have gone. After going for 1,000 rushing yards in 2019, he missed almost all of 2020 with the Achilles injury, and once he got back from that horrid injury, he was hardly even used since Indy had Jonathan Taylor. He found himself as a healthy scratch for several straight weeks to end the season, so we really haven’t seen how that Achilles is going to hod up under more volume. All that being said, with Houston, he should be the lead back off the bat, as long as they don’t bring a rookie RB in via the draft. This is a great prove it deal for Mack, as he could showcase that he still has something left in the tank and has made it all the way back from the injury. He could be a decent flex play in 2022 as long as the Texans RB landscape remains the same as it is now.

Old Team: Indianapolis Colts
New Team: Houston Texans
Contract: 1 Yr, TBD

Ronald Jones, RB

Ronny Jones will not be returning to the Bucs, after being more or less a bust in his first four years in the league. He showed flashes of promise but never put it all together on a consistent basis. Now he will head to KC to compete with CEH for reps. As much as some think this is a good thing for CEH, logic being that they did not bring in a guy like Melvin Gordon or resign Darrell Williams/Jerick McKinnon, Jones is still a running back who will steal *at minimum* a portion of the early down work. As much as we like CEH, we have seen him play the last 2 years, and though he has been good at times, he has also been riddled with injuries and underperfomance. It’s a cheap deal, so even if Jones does not work out, it’s not the worst thing to happen to KC. Jones could be a nice sleeper, similar to his new teammate MVS in 2022.

Old Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Contract: 1 Yr, $1.5 Million

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR

When Tyreek Hill was traded to Miami, MVS went in for a visit to Kansas City. We knew there was a strong chance they would eventually sign him, and that is exactly what they did. He goes from a former MVP in Aaron Rodgers to another former MVP in Patrick Mahomes. This is a great landing spot for MVS as he should fill the Tyreek Hill role right away. We are not saying MVS will be as productive as Hill was by any means, but this is a bump for his fantasy stock in 2022. The contract length and amount says it all; the team really wants him and will use him. TSF is not a big fan of MVS if you have listened to our podcasts, but he could be a great sleeper heading into 2022.

Old Team: Green Bay Packers
New Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Contract: 3 Yrs, $30 Million

Tyreek Hill, WR

Peace out KC! We thought the moving of Davante Adams, Russell Wilson, and Deshaun Watson would be enough for one offseason, but let’s just add another top tier NFL player to the discussion. Out of left field, the Chiefs let Tyreek seek a trade and he was dealt to the Dolphins. This all happened within what seemed like 5 minutes on Wednesday (3/23) and we were all shocked. We never would have thought Hill would play anywhere without Pat Mahomes, but this is the NFL these days. Miami went out and got Tua yet another weapon, and so far they have had a hell of an offseason. If Tua cannot succeed with what he has now, there is no more excuse that can be made to defend him.

Old Team: Kansas City Chiefs
New Team: Miami Dolphins
Contract: Traded and Extended (4 Yrs, $120 million, $72 million+ guaranteed)

Hayden Hurst, TE

Hayden Hurst will be joining the Bengals and filling the void left by the departure of CJ Uzomah. This was a player I wrote about in my Dynasty Players to Pick Up Now article at the end of last season, and now he finds himself landing in a good spot. The point of the article was to grab players who were upcoming free agents who could change teams and have greater value in 2022. Hurst fits that exactly. He should see an uptick in targets, as opposed to his 2021 season in Atlanta Where he played behind Kyle Pitts. The Bengals are not known for passing to the TE much, but we saw them do so towards the end of last season and in the playoffs to Uzomah. Hurst is more of a TE2 for now, but worth taking a flier on in dynasty,

Old Team: Atlanta Falcons
New Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Contract: 1 Yr, $3.5 Million

Robert Woods, WR

We all loved the A-Rob signing by the Rams this offseason, but we knew that would mean either Woods or OBJ, or even both, would be on the way out of LA. Sadly, Woods was sent to the Titans to make room for A-Rob. The Titans get a hell of a WR in Woods after trying out the Julio Jones Experiment last season, which failed pretty miserably. Lining up opposite AJ Brown is great for Tannehill, and Woods moves up in your fantasy rankings after being moved. Woods owners were worried after Robinson signed with the Rams, but worry no more.

Old Team: Los Angeles Rams
New Team: Tennessee Titans
Contract: Traded

Jamison Crowder, WR

You always love to see someone get away from the Jets and that’s exactly what Crowder did. He will head to Buffalo on a one-year deal and is looking to replace the Cole Beasley role after he was released. We have seen what Crowder can do when healthy and with an offense that’s clicking, but it is a small sample size since he is seemingly always hurt or has third-string QBs throwing to him. This is massive for the Bills and Josh Allen, as they get another security blanket on offense in the sure-handed veteran. For fantasy, we will have to see how it plays out, because this is a crowded offense and thus there may not be as many targets as we would like for Crowder off the bat. At the very least, he will have to earn his targets in this unit early on.

Old Team: New York Jets
New Team: Buffalo Bills
Contract: 1 Yr, $4 Million

Marcus Mariota, QB

Right after the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts, rumors started flying around as to who would be the next QB for the Falcons. It did not last long as the Falcons signed Mariota almost instantly. Mariota has backed up Carr in Las Vegas for the last couple seasons and will finally get another shot at a starting role. This is a guy who flashed in his rookie year, but was not able to keep his job when the Titans brought Tannehill in years ago. At this point, there are not many weapons for Mariota besides Pitts and Patterson, but I am sure ATL will add some WR depth in this rookie draft.

Old Team: Las Vegas Raiders
New Team: Atlanta Falcons
Contract: 2 Yrs, $18.75 Million

Matt Ryan, QB

The QBs continue to shuffle around the NFL and Matty Ice will now be headed to Indy. I never thought I would see Ryan playing for any other team, but I must say, I am happy he was traded. He still is a hell of a talent and I would have hated to see him waste his last few years on a rebuilding team. The Colts on paper are already a great team with one of the best RBs in JT and a young WR group. The Carson Wentz Experience was short lived (and did not work) and I believe Ryan is a massive upgrade from anything they’ve had at QB since Luck retired.

Old Team: Atlanta Falcons
New Team: Indianapolis Colts
Contract: Traded

Gerald Everett, TE

Everett lands in a great spot in LA since the Seahawks are looking like they are in rebuild mode. This move is not great for dynasty owners of Parham or McKitty, who thought that one or both would take a big step up in 2022, but nonetheless it’s a great signing for the team. Everett should have some good weeks, but he is nothing more than a streamer in this crowded TE group. With the Chargers resigning Williams and still having Keenan Allen, Everett will be deep down the pecking order for targets in 2022.

Old Team: Seattle Seahawks
New Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Contract: 2 Yrs, $12 Million

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

You can say what you want about JuJu, but this is a fantastic signing for the Chiefs. JuJu had a massive season his sophomore year, but has not come close to it since then. That being said, I believe this is the best spot for him to succeed and he is betting on himself with the cheap 1 year deal he took from KC. With Tyreek leaving town, JuJu’s upside climbs even higher. MVS is coming to town as well, and Mecole Hardman is still there alongside Travis Kelce, but JuJu is now the WR1 in this offense. Big upside coming for JuJu this season, let’s see if he can capitalize and rediscover his elite sophomore season form.

Old Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
New Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Contract: 1 Yr, $3.25 Million

Austin Hooper, TE

Hooper was released by the Browns after having 2 dud seasons with them after signing a big contract. The Titans picked him up right away, as they were in the market for a TE. With only a 1 year, cheap deal, it is great for the Titans since we have seen what Hooper could do in the past with the Falcons. The fit in Cleveland never made sense for him and he should benefit from a fresh start. I would not think he is a TE1 going into the 2022 season, but it is an upgrade for Hooper for sure. Tennessee is still a run-heavy offense, but he could be a sneaky weekly flier next year, as we’ve seen Jonnu Smith have a lot of success there, as well as Anthony Firkser and Geoff Swaim to a lesser degree.

Old Team: Cleveland Browns
New Team: Tennessee Titans
Contract: 1 Yr, $6 Million

Deshaun Watson, QB

We thought the trade of Davante Adams would be the biggest news of the weekend, but we were left shocked again when we saw Watson traded to the Browns. The biggest surprise was that Watson said no to the Browns and then at the last minute he had a change of heart. Say what you want about Watson and what you think of the trade, but the NFL is better when Watson is playing, and that is exactly what we will get. Amari Cooper’s value skyrockets with this news and do not be surprised if the Browns add another WR after this move. His old teammate in Will Fuller is still out there.

Old Team: Houston Texans
New Team: Cleveland Browns
Contract: Traded (5 Yrs 230M, fully guaranteed)

Davante Adams, WR

One of the biggest moves of this crazy offseason was when Adams was traded from the Packers to the Raiders. This was shocking when the news hit because we figured once Rodgers came back that Adams would join him again. Welp, we were wrong! He will go to the Raiders and play with his college QB in Derek Carr. The Raiders have made some great moves this offseason and they knew they had to make another big splash to compete in the best division in football. It will be weird not to see Adams and Rodgers play together again, but Carr just got the weapon he has been looking for since coming into the league.

Old Team: Green Bay Packers
New Team: Las Vegas Raiders
Contract: Traded (5 Yrs 140M, 65M+ million)

Allen Robinson, WR

Oh how the rich get richer! The Super Bowl champs had a hell of an offense last year while winning it all, and now add one of the best WRs in free agency. I get Robinson had a bad season last year, but we can all chalk that up to poor coaching and worse play calling. We know he is still one of the best WRs in the NFL and he has been with bad QBs his entire career. He now gets a Super Bowl caliber QB in Stafford in 2022 and I cannot wait to see the bounce back season A-Rob has. Woods was released shortly after, but Robinson paired with Kupp should be a lot of fun to watch.

Old Team: Chicago Bears
New Team: Los Angeles Rams
Contract: 3 Yrs, $46.5 Million

Raheem Mostert, RB

After the Dolphins brought in Chase Edmonds we felt that they were not done adding RBs, as we know that Miles Gaskin is just not their guy. They end up signing Mostert for a cheap 1 year deal, which seems like a steal if he can stay healthy. We have seen what he can do in San Fran and he is one of the better backs in the league. The reason he is not paid as such is because he is always hurt. Mostert and Edmonds could be a nice one-two punch for Miami if they can both stay on the field. Miami has done very well so far this offseason, giving Tua the weapons he needs to succeed.

Old Team: San Francisco 49ers
New Team: Miami Dolphins
Contract: 1 Yr, $2 Million

Tyler Conklin, TE

The Jets seem to love signing TEs this season as they bring in Conklin to pair with C.J. Uzomah. We were not fans of Uzo going there at first, since the Jets have not produced a relevant fantasy TE in several years. Now pair him with Conklin, and it’s just bad news all around for fantasy. If it was just one of them there, I would be alright with it, but with both there, neither is really a fantasy option off the bat. We can look at this pair as a poor man’s Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith in New England. With both guys there, they are off redraft boards for the time being. And please, never forget that Chris Herndon was supposed to have a breakout year for approximately 700 straight years in NYJ. Just something to think about.

Old Team: Minnesota Vikings
New Team: New York Jets
Contract: 3 Yrs, $20.25 Million

O.J. Howard, TE

We have been waiting for the O.J. Howard breakout for years now and we just have not seen it. Whether it was injuries or the offense not being focused on the TE, Howard has been a bust since coming into the league. He will now get a fresh start with the Bills as they pair him with Dawson Knox. We can expect Knox to be the TE to own there, but if Knox ever goes down, Howard could get a massive bump. Howard is more of a receiving TE, but the Bills have a crowded receiving corps, so he may struggle to put up starting TE numbers in 2022. But with his athleticism and talent in a high powered offense, the upside is certainly there.

Old Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New Team: Buffalo Bills
Contract: 1 Yr, $3.5 Million

Brandon Bolden, RB

Josh McDaniels brings over an old friend to the Raiders in Brandon Bolden. You may have listened to our podcasts last season referencing ‘Brandon F*ckin’ Bolden’ (BFB) as he was a dart throw pick of ours most weeks. He is a guy you would not consider having on your roster, but also would never be surprised if he had a big game here and there. McDaniels steals a solid Patriot away to start building his own team in Las Vegas. Bolden still remains off fantasy radars, so do not let this move excite you fantasy wise.

Old Team: New England Patriots
New Team: Las Vegas Raiders
Contract: 2 Yrs, $5 Million

D’onta Foreman, RB

Foreman gets picked in Day 2 of free agency and will headed to Carolina to back up CMC. What a steal by the Panthers, only paying him $2 Million for his services. Shame on the Titans for not getting him back for that amount as he has shown us all that he is a viable starter if called upon in the NFL. The Panthers were in play for Watson, and maybe they thought signing his old teammate in Foreman would help recruit him, but it did not quite play out that way for CAR, who remain QB-less for the time being.

Old Team: Tennessee Titans
New Team: Carolina Panthers
Contract: 1 Yr, $2 Million

Tyrod Taylor, QB

Tyrod Taylor has seen it all and has had many ups and downs in his career, but he still finds a way to compete and get paid as one of the best “backups” in the NFL. From being tossed to the curb in Buffalo, to getting stabbed in the heart in Los Angeles, he does not quit. We have seen Daniel Jones play football the last few seasons, and I think we can all say that Tyrod has a legit shot to take the starting role there. It may not be Week 1, but if Jones can’t take a step up in Year 4, then do not be surprised if Tyrod gets the nod. It’s a new coaching staff, so no one is tied to Daniel Jones by any means.

Old Team: Houston Texans
New Team: New York Giants
Contract: 2 Yrs, $17 Million

Russell Gage, WR

What a great signing by the Bucs! This one surprised me because with Ridley suspended in Atlanta, I really thought Gage would be staying put with the team, but he is headed South to play with the GOAT. Gage played well last season and may be one of the more under-the-radar fantasy players we have seen the last 2 seasons. With Gage as the Bucs third WR there, it is wonderful for Tom Brady. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the offense, but we saw AB, Evans, and Godwin all produce last season. Not saying Gage is AB by any means, but he will demand targets weekly.

Old Team: Atlanta Falcons
New Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Contract: 3 Yrs, $30 Million

D.J. Chark, WR

With the Jags spending money on WRs in the first day the same way my mother-in-law spends money on the Facebook Marketplace, there was no way they could afford to keep Chark around. He will be headed to Detroit to play alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, & Quintez Cephus. This is a good fit for Detroit, but I am not sure it will carry over from a fantasy perspective. They have a young core there and we have to assume St. Brown will be the WR1, and that Hockenson will demand plenty of targets as well. This should be a fun WR group to watch, but I can’t count too much on them in fantasy, outside of St. Brown of course.

Old Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
New Team: Detroit Lions
Contract: 1 Yr, $12 Million

C.J. Uzomah, TE

This one hurts us as Uzo fans and dynasty owners. We would have loved to see him back with Joe Burrow, but he will be headed to the Jets to try and help out the young Wilson in his sophomore season. We have not seen the Jets produce a fantasy relevant TE in several years and we can already remember the Chris Herndon hype we fell for for years. I hope they find a way to use him to make him fantasy relevant, but I am not holding my breath. This is usually a team you want less of in fantasy.

Old Team: Cincinnati Bengals
New Team: New York Jets
Contract: 3 Yrs, $24 Million

Cedrick Wilson, WR

We believed Wilson would be returning to the Cowboys this year, especially with the departure of Amari Cooper, but Miami stole him away with a 3 year deal. Not a big name WR, but a guy who was able to put together strings of good games in a crowded Dallas offense last year. We are not sure how he will fit with the Dolphins, but with Will Fuller a free agent and the talks of them shopping DeVante Parker, they could have a solidified role for Wilson in 2022.

Old Team: Dallas Cowboys
New Team: Miami Dolphins
Contract: 3 Yrs, $22.8 Million

Teddy Bridgewater, QB

I really thought Teddy would find a way to get another starting job, at least for this season, but he has chosen the glorious path as a backup, mentor QB. Still the greatest job to have in the world and he will be backing up Tua in Miami. We know Tua has a history of injuries, so Teddy could always be counted on if/when Tua goes down. This is an upgrade for the Dolphins with their backup QB, as he has much more experience than former backup Brissett.

Old Team: Denver Broncos
New Team: Miami Dolphins
Contract: 1 Yr, $6.5 Million

Zay Jones, WR

After paying Kirk as a top 3 WR in the NFL, the Jags went ahead and gave Zay Jones a bigger contract than I would have thought. With a team who already has Shenault and Marvin Jones and already signed Kirk and Engram, I would think they would want to spend that money elsewhere, but I am not an NFL GM, so who knows. He had a fine season last year with the Raiders after almost being out of the league a few years back, so I am happy for him, but this move is confusing to me for the Jags.

Old Team: Las Vegas Raiders
New Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Contract: 3 Yrs, $30 Million

Evan Engram, TE

You like to see the Jags being aggressive off the bat, but some of the contracts they are giving these pass catchers are mind blowing. Engram’s deal, however, I am not mad about, since it’s only a one year, prove-it deal. This is a player many teams were eyeing since he is more of a WR than a TE, so getting a guy like this for only $10 Million is worth it. Engram was supposed to be one of the best TEs in the league by now, but has yet to prove it while being on the Giants his first 4 years. We will see if it was on him or if it was on the Giants. Time will tell.

Old Team: New York Giants
New Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Contract: 1 Yr, $10 Million

Christian Kirk, WR

The first big WR is off the board as Kirk will make his way to Jacksonville to play with Trevor Lawrence. Kirk got paid with a large 4 year deal worth $84 Million. I did not pencil in Kirk getting a large deal in this market, but good for him. With other WRs either getting the tag or resigning already, it makes sense for the Jags to jump at the opportunity to get Kirk. This will only serve to help Lawrence going forward, as he gets a deep threat WR who is always lethal once he gets the ball in his hands. This likely means DJ Chark will be out in Jacksonville.

Old Team: Arizona Cardinals
New Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Contract: 4 Yrs, $84 Million

Mitch Trubisky, QB

The first QB is off the board. We were dead wrong on this as we had the Steelers landing Watson, but Trubisky will be their starting QB going forward. With the way Big Ben played the last few seasons, this should not be a downgrade to the WRs or RBs in Pittsburgh. Good for Mitch as he took a pay cut last year to sit behind Josh Allen and now gets another shot at a starting role to revive his career. This is a solid fit for the QB, but the Steelers need to bulk up their offensive line to be able to protect their QB.

Old Team: Buffalo Bills
New Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Contract: 2 Yrs, $24 Million

Chase Edmonds, RB

Free agency is upon us and we already have an RB changing teams. With the Cards keeping Conner, Chase has agreed to a deal with the Dolphins. This is a great fit and great for Tua since he finally gets that receiving back he has needed for the last 2 seasons. Do not expect Chase to be a bell cow by any means, but he should take over a strong 3rd down/receiving role right away. This is a cheaper deal for a free agent RB and I believe this is a steal for Miami. Miami could still draft a rookie RB, but Chase should have a safe role in 2022.

Old Team: Arizona Cardinals
New Team: Miami Dolphins
Contract: 2 Yrs, $12.6 Million

Amari Cooper, WR

Free agency hasn’t even happened yet and we have already seen a lot of player movement. The newest one is Amari Cooper traded from the Cowboys to the Browns. We all knew Cooper was on the move and Dallas wanted to move on from him due to salary cap issues, but this is not the team we wanted to see him go to. The Browns acquired him for little to nothing, but Cooper’s fantasy value as of now takes a big hit with Baker under center instead of Dak. Great trade for Browns, but not great for Cooper’s fantasy value.

*UPDATE* – Cooper’s value soars through the roof as Deshaun Watson lands in Cleveland. Also, Baker is on the way out now, or the Browns will be paying 77M for QBs alone in 2022.

Old Team: Dallas Cowboys
New Team: Cleveland Browns
Contract: Traded

Carson Wentz, QB

On the move again! For the second straight offseason, Wentz has been traded; this time, from the Colts to the Commanders (still weird to say). We all loved the Wentz move to Indy last year, but it didn’t end up working out and they decided to part ways. Say what you want about Wentz, but this is an upgrade at the QB position that WAS has been lacking for some time. A new team could be good for Wentz to start fresh once again. We will see how the Colts now address the QB position.

Old Team: Indianapolis Colts
New Team: Washington Commanders
Contract: Traded

Russell Wilson, QB

With the biggest move so far this offseason, Wilson is headed to Denver. In the move, Denver is sending back Drew Lock, Noah Fant, and multiple picks, including two 1sts for the QB. With Aaron Rodgers staying in Green Bay, the Broncos jumped at the chance to acquire another QB instead. This is a massive bump to the entire offense that has been a QB away for years to compete at the highest level. I hope you bought shares of Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy in dynasty leagues before the trade.

Old Team: Seattle Seahawks
New Team: Denver Broncos
Contract: Traded

Drew Lock, QB

With Russell Wilson being traded to the Broncos, it made sense for the Broncos to send Lock to Seattle as part of the trade. Lock had some potential when he first came into the league, but he was never able to put it all together and even lost his starting job to Teddy Bridgewater to start the 2021 season. Maybe a fresh start is good for Lock, but who knows if he will even be the starter at the end of the day. At this point, it is a big blow for DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and the offense as a whole.

Old Team: Denver Broncos
New Team: Seattle Seahawks
Contract: Traded

Noah Fant, TE

When the news broke that Russell Wilson was being traded to the Broncos, Fant owners and fans were jumping out of their seats, since he is finally playing with a legit QB!…Then the trade details came out showing that Fant was being shipped to Seattle as part of the deal. What a massive blow and a “what could have been” mindset we all had. He has been fine with bad QB play in his young career, so maybe this move isn’t as bad as we think, but it would have been fun to see what he could have done with Wilson.

Old Team: Denver Broncos
New Team: Seattle Seahawks
Contract: Traded