Big plays—if you’re into fantasy football, you want them. A lot of them. Whether you're in a traditional scoring system or get bonus points for longer gains and touchdowns, knowing the players who have found success (and, more importantly, will find success) is an important part of your draft research. That’s where I come in! I’ve pulled five players from each of the four major fantasy positions whose big pass play data from 2021 is the most interesting for this season. Some of it’s good, some of it not so good.
Read on to find out how this information can help you build a better 2022 fantasy team!
Note: Big pass plays from quarterbacks are defined as completions of 20-plus yards. Big plays from running backs, wide receivers and tight ends are a combination of plays of 10-plus rushing yards and 20-plus receiving yards. 2021 big plays listed in parenthesis.
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady, Buccaneers (75): I included Brady on this list because the man will be 45 years old! However, his extended age hasn't stopped him from throwing the ball downfield. Brady did have the smallest percentage of quarterback pressures (11.1) at the position (minimum 12 games), though, so the loss of C Ryan Jensen does hurt.
Derek Carr, Raiders (67): Carr ranked second behind Brady in big pass plays and total number of explosive passes (16-plus yards). Imagine what those totals might look like in 2022 with Davante Adams in the mix. He accounted for 19 big plays in Green Bay last season. Based on his current ADP, Carr could be a great late-round value in drafts.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings (60): Cousins, who ranked tied for fourth in big plays among all field generals, could turn into a great draft bargain. The Vikings will throw the ball a ton under new head coach Kevin O'Connell, and Cousins has one of the league’s best wideouts in Justin Jefferson at his disposal. Like Carr, he could be a draft bargain.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers (55): Rodgers finished tied for seventh in big plays in 2021, but, notably, almost 35% of them went to Adams. Allen Lazard, one of my top sleepers, ranked second with 10. That total should rise with Adams now in Vegas, but it’s tough to see a scenario where Rodgers remains in the top seven this season.
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (30): Tagovailoa tied for the third-fewest big pass plays a season ago among quarterbacks who played at least 12 games. That should change with Tyreek Hill, who had 18 such plays, now in the offense. If Tua doesn’t see a strong upward tick in this department, he and Hill could be statistically disappointing.
