Heading into his rookie campaign, many fans had concerns about Ja'Marr Chase. The amount of drops he had in the 2021 preseason set off some alarms for those watching. To say Chase proved those doubts wrong in his first season with the Cincinnati Bengals would be an understatement.
To the delight of Bengals fans and his fantasy football owners, Chase only put up the best rookie season of any receiver in NFL history. The former LSU wideout broke the record for most receiving yards in a single game, season and postseason. He also notched 13 receiving touchdowns as the cherry on top.
Expectations for the star wideout are sky-high heading into the 2022 season, especially among fantasy players. Chase's average draft position is 11.81 on NFL.com, and many fantasy players are counting on him to produce again. So, let's take a look at Chase's fantasy football outlook for the 2022 season.
Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)
Ja'Marr Chase 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
For starters, Ja'Marr Chase has the best quality a player can have for fantasy: availability. He played in every game in his rookie season, including four postseason contests. He also only missed one game in his final college season in 2019, so he has the durability to last the whole season.
Chase is even entering the season with an extra chip on his shoulder. Despite his outstanding rookie campaign, he wants to make sure that the concerns from his first preseason don't show up again.
“I keep myself motivated. Have the guys around me push me,” Chase said in a press conference. “No one really knows what I'm capable of but me. It's all about surprising people.”
His age is obviously of no concern, as he just turned 22 in March. He also clearly fits well with the Bengals' game-plan under head coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. In short, Chase has all the makings of a top-five fantasy wide receiver.
There are some concerns about his fantasy outlook, however. The first is that Cincinnati has one of the most stacked receiver rooms in the league. Tee Higgins, who usually lines up opposite Ja'Marr Chase, could be a top receiver on many teams. The third-year receiver out of Clemson is very consistent, posting back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns. Tyler Boyd, who had 828 yards and five touchdowns last season, is another great option.
Having such a talented wide receiver room is great for the Bengals, but not so great for Chase's fantasy owners. The three are competing for the same passes, so one getting hot could be bad news for the others. If Chase finds himself in a slump, Higgins and Boyd could easily surpass him in targets and receptions.
While Chase himself doesn't have injury concerns, his quarterback does. Joe Burrow had such a remarkable sophomore season that it's easy to forget that he suffered a major knee injury the year before. He also battled injuries throughout last season, including a dislocated finger in December and an MCL sprain in the Super Bowl.
Burrow is undeniably one of the best quarterbacks in the league today. If he suffers an injury, then the entire Bengals offense will look dramatically different. Chase's stats will take a big hit if he has another quarterback throwing to him.
However, these drawbacks are all hypothetical. Ja'Marr Chase showed he can be an elite fantasy receiver as a rookie and he will only continue to grow as a player. He's definitely worth a high selection in any fantasy draft.
Follow Us
Subscribe