Fantasy Football 2022: 4-Round Mock Draft, Top Keeper Players and Team Names

One of the great things about fantasy football is that there is a format for just about everyone. Casual NFL fans may dip their toes into the game with daily fantasy sports (DFS). Seasoned fantasy managers may opt for dynasty leagues that span literal decades.

Somewhere in the middle are keeper leagues. They do provide a long-term element while not demanding the all-in commitment of dynasty. They are different from basic season-long leagues but not so much so that newer players should feel intimidated.

The most obvious difference is that in keeper leagues, managers keep (obviously) players from year to year. However, there is more strategy involved than simply hanging on to your best players and redrafting the rest of your roster. Sometimes, it's more valuable to dive completely back into the player pool.

Below, we'll examine some of the top keeper options for the 2022 season. We'll also run down a simulated keeper draft and check out some keeper-themed team-named suggestions.

Mock draft and picks are based on points-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Four-Round Mock Draft

Getting Colts RB Jonathan Taylor with the 12th pick? That's what happens when you win a keeper league. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

WESTFIELD, INDIANA - AUGUST 11: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts on the field during training camp at Grand Park Sports Campus on August 11, 2022 in Westfield, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Round 1

1. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans*

2. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers *

3. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

4. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals*

5. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings*

6. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings*

7. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams*

8. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals*

9. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions*

10. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders*

11. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

12. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts*

Round 2

1. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs*

2. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

3. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills*

4. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints*

5. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers*

6. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers*

7. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns*

8. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills*

9. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*

10. Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

11. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

12. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Round 3

1. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

2. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

3. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

5. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

6. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

7. DJ Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers

8. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

9. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

10. Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams

11. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

12. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos

Round 4

1. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

2. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

3. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

5. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

6. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

8. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

9. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

10. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens

11. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

12. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

*keeper pick

Mock Analysis and 2022 Must-Keep Players

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase is worth a keeper selection. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 13: JaMarr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up prior to the NFL Super Bowl LVI football game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

In our mock, we simulated keeper selections for most but not all teams in the first two rounds. This is to help give newcomers an idea of how valuable keepers can be.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, for example, has an average draft position (ADP) of No. 1. There's no way he lasts until the 12th pick in a traditional draft. However, last year's champion in our simulated league had Taylor and decided to keep him.

To maximize the value of a keeper, managers should use their picks on players who might not otherwise be available at their draft slot. Sometimes, though, the value lies in redrafting. If the best player on your roster has an ADP of 20, you might want to roll the dice on the player pool.

The challenge, of course, is determining which players will be available outside of the keeper pool. Most leagues allow for one or two keepers (two in our simulated draft), so there's no guarantee that you'll get a first-round player by redrafting. This process is much easier if keepers are made public in your league.

In our mock, for example, Team 3 was aware that running backs Austin Ekeler and Christian McCaffrey would both be available, as did Team 11. Team 3 opted for Ekeler, who has an ADP of 3. This allowed Team 11 to snag McCaffrey, who has an ADP of 2.

At least one manager usually opts not to keep—or if new to the league, doesn't have the option. Therefore, it's important to determine which players are must-keeps under all scenarios. If you don't have one of these players, redrafting can be smart.

Bell-cow backs like Ekeler, McCaffrey, Taylor, Joe Mixon, Najee Harris, Dalvin Cook and Derrick Henry are at the top of the must-keep list. If healthy, they're going to see the workload required to provide a strong weekly floor.

McCaffrey is coming off of back-to-back injury-plagued seasons, but his upside is hard to overlook.

"If he's healthy for an entire season, he's a top-three running back, no question," NFL Media's Maurice Jones-Drew wrote.

Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp and Ja'Marr Chase are your 2022 must-keep receivers. They're going to see the target share needed to avoid busting in most weeks. Davante Adams is a borderline must-keep receiver, though with him in a new Las Vegas Raiders offense—and no longer with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers—there is some uncertainty.

Since receivers require both a high target share and consistency to shine weekly, the group of must-keep wideouts is smaller than the running back group.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is the lone must-keep player at his position. He's been an elite fantasy producer for years, and with Tyreek Hill no longer with the team, his target share should only grow in 2022.

2022 Keeper Rankings, Positional

Bills QB Josh Allen (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 26: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks on during the third quarter of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 26, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Quarterback

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

4. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

8. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

9. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

10. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Running Back

1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

3. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

4. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

5. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

6. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

8. D'Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

9. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

10. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Wide Receiver

1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

3. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

4. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders

5. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

6. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

7. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers

8. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

Tight End

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

3. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

4. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders

5. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

6. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions

7. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

8. Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys

9.. Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals

10. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

Keeper Team Names

Titans RB Derrick Henry (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 20: Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans walks off the field after a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Nissan Stadium on August 20, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Buccaneers 13-3. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Derrick of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Derrick Henry)

Hot Chubb Time Machine (Nick Chubb)

Burrow-ken Dreams (Joe Burrow)

McCaffrey-Peat (Christian McCaffrey)

What's Up, Mahomes? (Patrick Mahomes)

Najee Thing (Najee Harris)

Aaron on the Side of Caution (Aaron Rodgers)

Baby Got Dak (Dak Prescott)

Eking Ball (Austin Ekeler)

Jefferson Airplane (Justin Jefferson)

Kel's Bells (Travis Kelce)

Pitts' Creek (Kyle Pitts)

Jonathan Taylor Soldier Spy (Jonathan Taylor)

Let's Dalvin to the Problem (Dalvin Cook)

*Draft positioning from FantasyPros.