This article is part of our College Football Fantasy Five series.
Even though there are no official college football games being played, it doesn't mean that we can't start preparing for the 2021 fantasy college football season.
In honor of the 2021 NFL Draft this week, here are my top five prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft with some college fantasy context. There's no secret here, you want these guys on your upcoming fantasy rosters.
5.) Jahan Dotson Will Turn Some Heads at Penn State
Dotson is a playmaker that few people are talking about at the moment. He had a breakout season in 2021 with 52 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns on 89 targets as well as that sweet punt return touchdown shown above. I potentially would have had Georgia's George Pickens in this spot before his torn ACL, yet Dotson becomes my second-ranked receiver prospect for 2022. QB Sean Clifford should be talented enough to take advantage of Dotson's unique skill set in the Big Ten this season which could pay dividends for your fantasy team. Dotson quietly had five 100-yard receiving games and four contests with double-digit targets. I foresee him having a monster year which will only help him for the NFL.
4.) Spencer Rattler Will Explode for Oklahoma
Some experts will likely have Rattler as their top quarterback prospect, but I still think he has some maturing to do as a leader. He did show some progress in that department last season as Oklahoma surged late in the year while Rattler threw for 10 touchdowns and just one interception in their final four games. The redshirt sophomore will have all the talent in the world playing alongside him, so I expect a big year for Rattler and the Sooners. If you can't get the QB in fantasy drafts, go ahead and snag WR Marvin Mims, WR Jadon Haselwood, or newly acquired WR Mike Woods (from Arkansas).
3.) Isaiah Spiller & Jalen Wydermyer Will Have Scouts Aplenty at Texas A&M
Despite the recent devaluation of the running back position in NFL circles, I think Spiller is versatile enough to warrant a first-round consideration because he's so much more than just a simple running back. In his two years with the Aggies, he's shown plenty of work as a pass-catcher and is elusive enough to be exactly what a team is looking for in the current pro-game. In two years, Spiller has 49 catches for 396 yards on 65 targets.
The massively-framed Wydermyer should be the top-ranked tight end if he's able to successfully return to the field from a surgically repaired finger this off-season. With a new quarterback taking over for Jimbo Fisher's squad at Texas A&M in 2021, I can see Wydermyer being the easy and dependable target. Both of these Aggies will be on my wish list for 2021 college fantasy teams.
2.) Justyn Ross Could Boost His Draft Stock Substantially This Year at Clemson
Hopefully, spectators have not forgotten about Ross who missed the 2020 season after being diagnosed with a congenital fusion in his spine that required surgery. If not for that career-threatening injury, Ross could have been one of the top wide receiver prospects in the loaded 2021 class. College football fans should rejoice as there's a good chance that Ross and QB D.J. Uiagalelei team up for an epic 2021 season as Clemson is expected to be an offensive force once again. If Ross comes back without any hiccups, there's no doubt NFL teams will come calling. It wasn't that long ago when Ross torched Notre Dame and Alabama in the Playoff for a combined 301 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets.
1.) Quarterbacks Are All the Hype and Sam Howell is For Real at North Carolina
Since we're expecting numerous quarterbacks to dominate the first few picks of the 2021 NFL Draft, it's only fitting to plant my flag with who I think will be the top 2022 draft pick. Howell's freshman season in 2019 was fantastic with 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns through the air. His only minor weakness was the 61.4 percent completion percentage which drastically improved in 2020 at 68.1 percent. He also showed that he can find the end-zone with his legs with five touchdowns versus just a single rushing score the previous year. Howell's accuracy is a real weapon and I think he'll show his immense value to NFL teams by doing more with less talent around him in the 2021 season. Moreover, I'll have no issues latching on to this signal caller for fantasy purposes this upcoming year.