Buffalo Bills fans and fantasy owners alike are excited to see what the team is capable of in 2022. Having fallen just short of the Super Bowl the past two seasons, expectations are through the roof. That being said, can Bills standout wide receiver Stefon Diggs continue his high level of productivity over the last two years during the 2022 fantasy football season?
2022 Fantasy Football Outlook: Stefon Diggs
2021 Recap
During the 2021 season, Stefon Diggs caught 103 passes for 1,225 yards, with a career-high 10 touchdown receptions. This followed up a 2020 campaign that saw him snag 127 receptions and 1,535 yards while also catching eight touchdowns. 2021 signaled a slight reduction in his fantasy value as his target share decreased from 29 percent to 24 percent. Because of this, Diggs had only two games where he received 90 or more yards. This marks a significant drop-off from 2020 when he had 10 games of 90 or more receiving yards.
Much of this could be due to the increased attention that Diggs received after the 2020 season, as teams realized how devastating of a threat the Josh Allen-Diggs duo can be. The quarterback-receiver pair led an elite offense down the stretch of 2021. There was also the emergence of Gabriel Davis, who now is the number two receiver and could continue to steal focus, as well as targets, away from Diggs. Nevertheless, even with a slight decline in production, Diggs finished as a top 10 wideout in most fantasy football leagues.
2022 Outlook
While he may not produce the numbers that he did in 2020, Diggs will still be an elite wide receiver on any fantasy roster. He will bring to a team a player who received 25 end-zone targets in 2021 and should see at least that many in 2022. He remains a safe and secure option for Allen in the passing game, especially in the red zone. What is expected of Diggs in 2022 would be similar output to back-to-back seasons of at least 164 targets, 103 receptions, 1,225 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Do not let the fact that Diggs lost offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, to the New York Giants as an issue. In his place is new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who has been with the team since 2019. Since Dorsey was previously Buffalo’s quarterbacks coach, he is stepping into a position he is well qualified for. Having worked with Allen and Diggs for the past three years now, the Bills should not miss a beat in their offensive production.
While some worry that Gabriel Davis will take opportunities away from Diggs, the fact is that another threat will only help take some of the focus off him. This seemed to play out in the second half of last season when Diggs dominated thanks to Davis drawing more attention. Whether they focus on him or not, defenses will have a difficult time containing him and the dangerous Buffalo offense. Diggs is a top-five wide receiver candidate in fantasy, and easily a top-ten one for 2022.
Average Draft Position
Consensus early drafts have Diggs selected 14th overall. The highest he has gone has been as the ninth pick and the lowest as the 24th. Fantasy Pros has him selected 13th overall. In quarterback-heavy Superflex leagues, Diggs has an ADP of 28. Most of these drafts have had Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, Ja’Marr Chase, and Davante Adams consistently selected ahead of him, which seems to fit most rankings. Even those anticipating a decline due to age still have Diggs in the top 15, taken in rounds two to three. Overall, Stefon Diggs is being drafted in late first to early second round of fantasy football draft. After all, most fantasy football managers realize his value as a WR1.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
