So, your fantasy football auction is right around the corner, and you’re wondering how you can snag Jonathan Taylor, the highest projected auction salary in Sleeper and other platforms, and still build a well-rounded team. Are you scared to even jump into the Jonathan Taylor bidding pool, thinking whoever drafts him can’t possibly build a complete roster around him that isn’t filled with $1 nobodies and backups?
Stop fretting as I break down how to score your top player and still build a team with upside. We’ll look at the fantasy football auction values for 2022, and players that won’t break the budget. I know that not every draft will have each player go right at the projected pricing, but I’m using it as the targeted price for this article. Now, let’s dive into the fantasy football budget players.
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Fantasy Football Auction Values 2022 – Players That Won’t Break The Budget
Splurging For Jonathan Taylor
Before we get into the fantasy football budget players, let’s set the scene. When considering a $200 budget to fill a 16-player roster, let’s say you want to draft Jonathan Taylor. The current fantasy football auction values for 2022 have Taylor projected at $72. For argument’s sake, we’re going to say it will take all of that to draft him.
You now have one of your running back positions filled and the consensus RB1. For the record, I prefer the value of Najee Harris, projected at $54, or Austin Ekeler, projected at $58. However, since Taylor has been the consensus 1.01 almost everywhere you look, we’re doing this roster based on him being the player you roster first. All 2021 stats are based on standard scoring.
Current Roster:
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor
Remaining Budget: $128
Quarterback: Securing A Budget Quarterback
When looking at the 2022 fantasy football auction values, quarterbacks aren’t weighed as importantly as top running backs and top receivers. This makes getting a quarterback easily as budget fantasy football players. Derek Carr finished 13th last year among fantasy quarterbacks, and that’s without Davante Adams.
His numbers should improve this year after 15.94 fantasy points a game in 2021. His current projected price is four dollars. Kirk Cousins is another budget player who puts up good numbers. He’s currently projected at one dollar. Cousins finished 11th in 2021, scoring 19.21 points per game. Draft them both and play the defensive matchups throughout the year.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
Bench: QB Kirk Cousins – $1
Remaining Budget: $123
Defense And Kicker
When you’re looking to get the best out of your fantasy football auction values, don’t spend over one dollar for a defense or kicker. The separation between the top performers at each of these positions and the tenth-ranked isn’t enough to invest more money.
If they’re suitable, you can pick your favorite team’s defense or kicker and not have to worry about a bidding war. All defenses are projected as one dollar, so I’m taking the Bills. I’d take my favorite team, the Bears, but I’m trying to build a winning line-up here. For a kicker, I’ll take Harrison Butker, who is projected at a dollar. Five kickers are projected over a dollar at this time.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench: QB Kirk Cousins – $1
Remaining Budget: $121
Remaining Players to Draft: 11
Wide Receivers: Let’s Find Our Top Wide Receivers
Nabbing a wide receiver with upside doesn’t have to be done with the lowest budget fantasy football players. You can spend a little more of your budget on this area. However, looking at the fantasy football auction values, you don’t have to blow the budget either. Michael Pittman is currently projected to go for $23.
Last year he finished as the 16th ranked wide receiver, and that was with Carson Wentz throwing to him. However, he should have a much higher ceiling with Matt Ryan throwing to him this year. Mike Williams finished as the ninth-ranked wide receiver last year, and there’s no indication he’ll take any steps back. His projected price is currently $18. This lands you two top-20 wide receivers.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
WR1 – Michael Pittman – $23
WR2 – Mike Williams – $18
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench:
QB – Kirk Cousins – $1
Remaining Budget: $80
Remaining Players to Draft: 9
Let’s Get A Tight End
When you get a player like Jonathan Taylor, the likelihood of getting one of the top tight ends is pretty slim. So, let’s take the top projected tight ends off the board. If you’re wondering the difference between the fifth-ranked tight end and the tenth-ranked tight end last year, the answer is ten points for the year or less than one point per game.
One of the players in the top ten last year, Dawson Knox, is only projected at $6 right now. He finished sixth last year, and I don’t foresee him or that offense taking any steps backward. I also don’t think OJ Howard takes away all that much from him, especially with Knox’s chemistry with Josh Allen.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
WR1 – Michael Pittman – $23
WR2 – Mike Williams – $18
TE1 – Dawson Knox – $6
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench:
QB – Kirk Cousins – $1
Remaining Budget: $74
Remaining Players to Draft: 8
Running Backs: Don’t Forget Another Running Back
You’re obviously going to need a couple more running backs, especially with it being such a tricky position. This is where the bulk of your remaining capital will go. But, with the fantasy football values of 2022 showing so many running backs as high-dollar targets, how are you going to budget for them? Most of the budget players at the running back position are backups, but not all. Elijah Mitchell only played 11 games last year.
However, if you take his per game average, he was on track to finish as a top-1o running back. I get it; the 49ers running backs are hard to trust. But at only a projected $18, Mitchell is worth the risk. Another player worth the risk is J.K. Dobbins at $13. The Ravens are a run-first team, and Dobbins will have lead-back duties as soon as he is healthy. You were likely willing to spend $13 on him last year prior to his injury, so why not do it this year?
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
RB2 – Elijah Mitchell – $18
WR1 – Michael Pittman – $23
WR2 – Mike Williams – $18
TE1 – Dawson Knox – $6
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench:
QB – Kirk Cousins – $1
RB – J.K. Dobbins – $13
Remaining Budget: $43
Remaining Players to Draft: 6
Flex and Depth: Budget Fantasy Football Players
Last year, Cordarrelle Patterson played running back, wide receiver, and tight end and finished as the 12th ranked running back. This year his projected fantasy football auction value is one dollar. That makes no sense to me, and even if he takes a slight step back, he’s worth a dollar.
Adam Thielen has double-digit touchdowns in the past two years, despite not playing a full season in either of them. He’s currently going for just $7, a complete steal, and a player that can stack with your quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
RB2 – Elijah Mitchell – $18
WR1 – Michael Pittman – $23
WR2 – Mike Williams – $18
TE1 – Dawson Knox – $6
Flex – WR Adam Thielen – $7
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench:
QB – Kirk Cousins – $1
RB – J.K. Dobbins – $13
RB – Cordarrelle Patterson – $1
Remaining Budget: $35
Remaining Players to Draft: 4
Rookie Mode: Make One More Splash
At this point, you’re looking at four players left to draft with $35. You could spread that out evenly among all four, but why not make one more splash? This move makes sense to Iowa State fans and dynasty fantasy football managers. Breece Hall’s last two seasons at Iowa State were incredible, where he rushed for a combined 3,044 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns.
Averaging 20.5 touchdowns a season isn’t anything to balk at. Whether that will transfer over to the NFL level is yet to be seen. However, he is a talented back who should step right into lead duties. He’s projected at $23 right now but is worth the stash. If the Jets’ offense can move the ball efficiently, he could easily be a top-20 back.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
RB2 – Elijah Mitchell – $18
WR1 – Michael Pittman – $23
WR2 – Mike Williams – $18
TE1 – Dawson Knox – $6
Flex – WR Adam Thielen – $7
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench:
QB – Kirk Cousins – $1
RB – J.K. Dobbins – $13
RB – Cordarrelle Patterson – $1
RB – Breece Hall – $23
Remaining Budget: $12
Remaining Players to Draft: 3
The Rest
The roster we’ve built has two quarterbacks, five running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, a defense, and a kicker. I like adding two more wide receivers and a backup tight end, though I could make an argument for three wide receivers and to play waivers at tight end during the bye week.
Why not take a risk on stashing Michael Thomas? His projected price is currently only one dollar. If he could return to even part of his dominant form from several years back, he’s worth the dollar. You can always use him as a player dropped for a free agent if not. Another player to consider is Amari Cooper. Whether Deshaun Watson serves a long suspension or not, Cooper is a talented player who finished as a top ten wide receiver just three years ago in 2019. That seems worth the $7 risk.
With four dollars left, why not see if Hunter Henry can have another good year with the Patriots. Last year he was the 8th ranked tight end, and there isn’t much showing he will lose out on workload.
Current Roster:
QB1 – Derek Carr – $4
RB1 – Jonathan Taylor – $72
RB2 – Elijah Mitchell – $18
WR1 – Michael Pittman – $23
WR2 – Mike Williams – $18
TE1 – Dawson Knox – $6
Flex – WR Adam Thielen – $7
D/ST – Bills – $1
K – Harrison Butker – $1
Bench:
QB – Kirk Cousins – $1
RB – J.K. Dobbins – $13
RB – Cordarrelle Patterson – $1
RB – Breece Hall – $23
WR – Michael Thomas – $1
WR – Amari Cooper – $7
TE – Hunter Henry – $1
Remaining Budget: $3
Remaining Players to Draft: 0
Was Jonathan Taylor Worth It?
Now that your team is built, all you can do is take each week as it comes and play the waiver wires. You’ll find yourself looking back, asking if Jonathan Taylor was worth it? This is an example of how tricky auction drafts can navigate. The team doesn’t look very strong on paper, but if you break down the numbers, it isn’t as bad as it looks. Based on 2021 stats and 2022 strength of schedule, in a standard league, the starting line-up is projected to score 1,777.59 points over sixteen weeks. The standard number to shoot for to win any given week is 110 points per week. This team’s projections average out to 111.1 points per week. The extra three dollars could bump a couple of these up or allow for pricing variance.
Back to the beginning of my article, I said I would rather take Najee Harris. Imagine the increased amount you could spend on an RB2 or even a WR1/WR2 position and how your team may look then. Consider these things when considering your fantasy football auction values in 2022. But, despite who you pick, there will always be budget fantasy football players you can target, and you can still build a well-rounded team.
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