Unless you are obsessed with fantasy football enough to be in dynasty leagues, your seasons are most likely over at this point, to which I say: Congrats! (Or sorry.) With another fun, heartbreaking and confusing season in the rearview, lets take a look at the players who made their marks on this season, for better or for worse.
Fantasy Football MVP Nominees
Patrick Mahomes
Jalen Hurts
Austin Ekeler
Travis Kelce
Justin Jefferson
Winner: Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
This honestly wasn't that much of a debate for me, just given the sheer value of how important Kelce was in the TE spot. Players like Ekeler and Jefferson scored more points to be sure, but the difference between them and the RB2/WR2 were 16 points and 27 points respectively. Kelce finished with a whopping 100 points higher than TE2 T.J. Hockenson, all while averaging 18.6 PPG in the most barren position in fantasy. Draft value is also important here too; Kelce was a projected mid 2nd round pick in most PPR drafts, compared to Jefferson and Ekeler going in the first. The QBs were fantastic as well, but in terms of pure importance, having Kelce was the true difference maker.
Fantasy Football Rookie of the Year
Nominees
Breece Hall
Kenneth Walker Jr.
Garrett Wilson
Chris Olave
Drake London
Winner: Kenneth Walker Jr., RB, Seattle Seahawks
Kenneth Walker was just waiting on his moment. Following the season ending injury to Rashaad Penny, everyone who followed college football knew Walker was about to take over, and take over he did. He was electric with the ball in his hands and was instrumental in the Seahawks shocking run into the playoffs. In fantasy he finished as the RB19 despite not having a focal role in the early going, and had four top-7 finishes amongst RBs. I would be remiss to note that this award was Breece Hall's to lose; here's to hoping he comes back healthy and continues to dominate like he did in the early season.
Fantasy Playoffs MVP Nominees
Mike Evans
Jerrick McKinnon
Patrick Mahomes
Christian McCaffrey
George Kittle
Winner: Jerrick McKinnon, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Just as everyone expected. From Weeks 15-17 McKinnon was a heat seeking missile for the end zone, and in PPR took over to be one of the top end RBs and a must-start player. It's not even a guarantee that he has this kind of role again next year, but for now we just have to revel in the fact that we got carried to the championship by a backup RB. Every other nominee also had some outstanding scoring, but putting up this kind of performance off the waiver wire is seldom heard of.
Waiver Wire Add of the Year
Nominees
Jamaal Williams
Justin Fields
Jerrick McKinnon
Christian Watson
Trevor Lawrence
Winner: Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
I am a massive believer in waiting on a QB in fantasy drafts, as it allows for you to stock up other parts of your team. Naturally, I got laughed at for starting Kirk Cousins while my league mates reveled in their Hurts/Mahomes/Allen tier of QB play. However, when I picked up Fields off the wire for a matchup with the Lions, I suddenly entered that QB tier, which is where Fields stayed during an impossible run in the midseason. With one of the greatest rushing seasons from a QB since Vick, Fields showed an aptitude for the ground game, especially considering he had no pass catching options. A very honorable mention for Jamaal Williams, the goal line legend who ended up being a top 15 RB at seasons end.
Draft Value of the Year
Nominees
DeVonta Smith
Tony Pollard
Josh Jacobs
Jalen Hurts
Tyler Allgeier
Winner: Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
The only option here, really. Contract year is a hell of a drug, and Jacobs showed out en route to a RB3 overall finish. He was the focal point of this offense, and while that might change depending on his next team, for now he has shown he can do it all. I lost so many close matchups to this man. Honorable mention to Tony Pollard, who looks to take over the Cowboys backfield with Zeke slowly fading.
The "I Should've Sold High" Award
Nominees
Antonio Gibson
Amari Cooper
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
James Robinson
Darrell Henderson
Winner: James Robinson, RB, New York Jets
The common phrase is that leagues are won through the waiver wire, but a good "sell high" can go wonders towards a championship. All five nominees started off incredibly strong, but due to injuries (CEH) or players returning from injury (Gibson), they slowly faded. However, nobody had a fall from grace quite like Robinson. A must start RB in the early season, his role diminished with the return of Travis Etienne, a situation everyone could've predicted but nobody wanted to admit. Next thing you know he is traded to the Jets, where he racks up a grand total of 17 PPR points over the last 10 weeks combined. Ouch.
Bust of the Year
Nominees
Kyle Pitts
Jonathan Taylor
Elijah Moore
Allen Robinson
Russell Wilson
Winner: Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos
Easily the hardest award to give out. Pitts was invisible on a team that refused to throw him the ball, and when it was thrown it was from Marcus Mariota. Ditto for Elijah Moore and the Flacco/Wilson/White nightmare, and Matt Staffords r̶a̶c̶i̶s̶m̶ connection with Higbee and Skowornek. Taylor is my runner up just due to expectations that come from 1.01, but he falls into the same realm as all these other players; horrible teammates around them. Russell Wilson WAS the horrible teammate. Surrounded with weapons all season, he and the Broncos managed to do absolutely nothing all year, resulting in a bottom 5 finish in the league and the infamous "passing touchdowns vs bathrooms" counter. When you factor in expectations, weapons and past success, it becomes evident that Wilson was the worst fantasy football player to have for 2022.
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