Dynasty fantasy football is a year-round affair. A sharp manager will be thinking about all aspects of the dynasty season at all times. Managers who are keen enough to look ahead will be the ones that can grab themselves an edge. A large portion of the dynasty off-season will be spent discussing incoming rookies and the related topic, the NFL draft. It is easy for us to fall in love with the next workhorse running back or prototypical alpha wide receiver, but a manager that is in tune with the entire draft class as a whole will find themselves ahead of the game. Whether it is the next road-paving interior offensive lineman or genetic freak edge rusher, we can find ourselves at quite the advantage in April by building an entire picture of how the 2022 class will play out. Those that prepare ahead will not be often surprised at the outcomes.
The draft order used in this article reflects the order before the Super Bowl. Credit to the mock draft simulation goes to The Draft Network. Team needs are also generated from this site. Compensatory picks have not been assigned and will not be included in this exercise.
2021 Season Recap
The season ended for the 2021 Buffalo Bills with an overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs. That would have been an accomplishment just three years ago. Not so much for this new look Buffalo squad. Back-to-back playoff losses to the Chiefs will leave this team hungry and eager for the 2022 season to kick off. But first, we must address the offseason.
The Bills enter this draft with nine picks and most of a complete playoff roster intact. Cap space will be a little tight this offseason, and retaining pending free agents may be challenging. Most of the departing talent will leave holes along the defensive line. That and the need for improvements on the offensive front will lead to a heavy big man draft for the Bills. Thankfully this class is pretty deep along both lines. How will the Buffalo Bills improve this roster in the 2022 NFL draft? Read on to find out!
1.25 – Trevor Penning, OT Northern Iowa
The Buffalo Bills are very fortunate that such a great prospect falls to them at the end of the first round. Trevor Penning is a 6’7″ and 321-pound tackle from the University of Northern Iowa. Penning started all three years in college and only gave up eight quarterback hits during that time. He is a tremendous athlete who has all of the traits that a team would look for in an elite offensive lineman prospect.
Penning would fill an immediate spot on the right side of this offensive line. 2021 third-round pick Spencer Brown is not cutting it at the right tackle spot. Ironically enough, both Penning and Brown played together at Northern Iowa. They spent the 2019 season together as a left tackle/right tackle combo. Perhaps with Penning being brought on board, Brown’s role could be found as a guard. He has never played the position, but he may be a quick learner given an offseason. With Penning and Pro-Bowler Dion Dawkins as bookends, this line may be able to take the next step forward.
2.57 – Sean Rhyan, IOL UCLA
The overhaul of the offensive line continues in Buffalo on day two of the draft. The Bills selected Rhyan from UCLA at the back end of the second round. He was a three-year starter for the Bruins who played primarily at the left tackle position. Rhyan measures in at 6’5″ and 318 pounds. The one knock on his profile would be his length. Therefore he may project better as a guard at the next level. This would be a perfect fit for the Buffalo Bills. He could slide in next to Dion Dawkins as a day one starter at Left Guard.
3.89 – Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
With their first pick in the third round, the Buffalo Bills selected Chad Muma. Muma is a linebacker who measures 6’3″ and 242 pounds out of Wyoming. As a linebacker, Muma excels in run defense and will find an immediate role in sub-packages for run stops. He will eventually become an every-down starter with a bit of polish in the NFL. Muma was the on-the-field leader for the Cowboys throughout the 2021 season and may subsequently use those leadership skills to become the “green-dot” of this Bills defense. With the proper coaching, Muma may be the steal of Day Two.
4.126 – Alec Lindstrom, IOL Boston College
Play for the interior offensive line has been an area of great weakness for Buffalo in the 2022 season. Lindstrom has the potential to win a Day One starting job in training camp this summer, given how the 2022 starters have performed. Lindstrom was a three-year starter at center for Boston College and could battle for a starting role in training camp this summer. The hope is that he will eventually be an upgrade once he gets accustomed to the league.
5.166 – Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
In the fifth round, the Bills gamble on a player coming off of some injury concerns. Ross is a 6’3″ 205-pound redshirt senior from the University of Clemson. The main concern with Ross’s profile is the surgeries that he has already had in his young career. In 2020 he had surgery on his back to repair a congenital fusion and is currently undergoing foot surgery that will cause him to miss the rest of his 2021 season. All reports indicate that he will be ready to go for the Combine and the rest of the NFL draft process.
Ross broke out as an 18-year-old freshman recording a thousand yards that season. He capped that season off with six receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the national championship semi-final against Notre Dame. He followed that performance with six receptions for 153 yards and one touchdown in the National Championship game against Alabama. If Ross can recover and become the player we have seen, he will be a real difference-maker for the Buffalo Bills. Cap space is tight this offseason, and Ross could give the Bills some flexibility when making roster decisions this summer.
6.184 – Tyler Allgeier, RB BYU
The Buffalo Bills can bring in some depth for the running back position at the beginning of the sixth round. Allgeier is a 5’11” and 220-pound Junior out of BYU. He was a starter for the past two seasons and broke a thousand yards each season. Allgeier has all the size needed to be a feature back at the NFL level and has shown some ability in the passing game. He best projects an offense running a zone scheme, which fortunately the Bills utilized quite extensively last season. That may change with the departure of Daboll, but considering new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey worked under Daboll, I would not predict that to happen.
Devin Singletary is slated to hit free agency after the 2022 season. Zach Moss is the other main running back on the team and is under contract through the 2023 season. Now would be an excellent time to add more depth to the room. This pick can give Buffalo a little leeway in future contract negotiations. If Allgeier were to break out, even give the Bills the ability to move on from Singletary and/or Moss.
6.202 – Tyrone Truesdell, IDL Florida
The Buffalo Bills selected interior defensive lineman Tyrone Truesdell with the second pick in the sixth round. Truesdell measures in at 6’2″ and 330 pounds. He can provide a much-needed piece in the center of the defensive line. He takes up a lot of space inside and can overpower undersized linemen with a dominant bull rush. A weakness would be an offensive lineman with great length and leverage ability. A large body that can take up space in the run game can’t ask for more in the sixth round.
7.227 – Merlin Robertson, LB Arizona State
To begin the final round of the draft, the Buffalo Bills selected linebacker Merlin Robertson from Arizona State University. The former Sundevil measures in at 6;3″ and 240 pounds. He is an excellent athlete who struggles to make some key football plays. He projects well as a rotational depth piece at the linebacker position. Where this pick will pay off is on special teams. Merlin’s athleticism will make him a special team ace for this Bills squad.
7.242 – Brock Purdy, QB Iowa State
With the final pick of the 2022 NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills selected quarterback Brock Purdy of Iowa State. With the potential departure of Mitch Trubisky this offseason, the Bills will need a backup quarterback. Purdy will not serve this role immediately. Look for Buffalo to sign a veteran back up in the offseason. However, given a year to learn, Purdy may fill that role in the future. For the cost of a seventh-rounder, it is well worth the risk.
Purdy took over the starting role midway through his freshman season and hasn’t looked back since. He had a very nice college career in the Big 12, putting up respectable numbers. He doesn’t have the arm to project as a starter at the professional level. Purdy has enough between the ears and athletically to be a fine backup quarterback. He is capable enough to run a modified game plan on game day, which may be all that is asked of him.
You can read more about Brock Purdy in his rookie profile.
Fantasy Impact & Analysis
There are not many holes on this Buffalo Bills roster. They are already fully ready to make a run at next year’s Super Bowl. However, thanks to this draft, they can fill out some depth and improve the offensive line. It is hard to ignore that the offensive line was the draft’s focus, with hopefully at least two Week One starters emerging from this draft. Other depth pieces at areas of need were also grabbed along the way.
Wall In The North
Even post-draft, there will be a lot of work to be done on this offensive line. Many of these draft picks were taken despite an entranced starter at that position along the line. The Bills will have to spend the rest of the offseason figuring out what players will fit into the right spot. As some may say, this is a great problem to have—an embarrassment of riches. The Bills’ new offensive line coach Aaron Kromer has a lot of work in front of him this summer.
Fantasy Points!
Now for the topic that many of you are reading this article for, fantasy points and who will score them. Ross and Allgeier are the two names of relevance from this draft class. Ross was performing at an elite level before college injuries. If he can heal to his former self, he can easily find a role in this Buffalo offense. Isaiah McKenzie and Emmanuel Sanders are both slated for free agency this summer. Based on current cap issues, it is not likely that they will return. The team can also move on from Cole Beasley this summer to save about $6 million. Ross could potentially see himself starting in four receiver sets as early as week one, 2022.
Allgeier will start his career as potentially the third running back on this depth chart. Dynasty managers will grab him as a stash at the end of rookie drafts. He has the profile to fit in perfectly with this Buffalo system and could find himself in a starting role as early as year two. Grab him in the fourth and hold him on your taxi squad. The investment could pay off down the road.
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I hope you enjoyed this seven-round mock draft. For more content like this, be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @DanT_NFL. DMs are always open for any questions, comments, or craft beer recommendations!
