We are inching closer to the start of the 2022 NFL season, and with that, we're seeing an obvious increase in the number of fantasy drafts. That makes it more important than ever to examine your fantasy positional "tiers." Unlike my regular player rankings, which you can also find on Sports Illustrated, tiers group players of similar value together. So, if you miss out on a particular player, you can see alternatives on his tier.
Fantasy Tiers: QB | RB | WR | TE
Tier 1 – The Elite
Josh Allen, Bills
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Justin Herbert, Chargers
Allen, Herbert and Mahomes will likely be the first three quarterbacks off the board in most 2022 fantasy drafts. That will keep them off the radar for managers like me, who wait on the position until the middle to late rounds. Allen has been the best quarterback in fantasy football the last two seasons, and you can argue he has better weapons now. Herbert would be my pick to usurp Allen at the position, as the third-year stud has been breaking NFL records at a high rate. Mahomes takes a slight step backward in an offense that doesn't have Tyreek Hill, but he's still a top-three option.
Tier 2 – High QB1s
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Joe Burrow, Bengals
Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Jackson and Murray are barely on the outside looking in as it pertains to the elite tier. The Ravens quarterback lacked consistency for a time last season, but he still averaged 20 points per game. He's also a threat to rush for over 1,000 yards (again). Burrow was a star during the 2021 fantasy postseason, and the Bengals should once again be one of the league's top offenses. Hurts is coming off a top-10 season in the stat sheets, and now he'll have A.J. Brown to throw to in what figures to be an improved Eagles offense.
