Chase Claypool Fantasy Football Outlook 2022 (Will Quarterback Change Lead to Bounce Back Year?)

It's safe to say Chase Claypool failed to live up to expectations in 2021. After finishing as the No. 23 wide receiver in PPR-scoring fantasy football leagues as a rookie, Claypool's drop from 11 touchdowns to 2 touchdowns caused him to check in as the No. 37 WR as a sophomore.

With that being the case, it's no surprise to see Claypool smack dab in the middle of WR4 range in fantasy football rankings this year. His average draft position (ADP) has him going as the 43rd wide receiver off the board and as a ninth-round selection.

Chase Claypool Fantasy Football Outlook

Chase Claypool is going to be a polarizing player in fantasy football drafts this fall. On one side, the Steelers addressed a shallow wide receiver room by using draft capital on George Pickens and Calvin Austin III this past April. Both players bring something special to the field and could cut into Claypool's target share. A target share that was originally expected to increase with JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington no longer around. However, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives here.

The Notre Dame product has racked up at least 850 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons despite playing with an aging Ben Roethlisberger the entire time. The quarterback change to Mitchell Trubisky should work wonders for Claypool. Big Ben was graded 31st out of 38 qualified players on throws 20 or more yards down the field in 2021. It truly limited Claypool's chances of making a big play. Meanwhile, 20 of Trubisky's 64 career touchdown passes have come from plays of 15 yards or longer. He can air it out when the opportunity presents itself.

A bounce back in the touchdown department should be coming, too. Claypool became one of only eight wide receivers since 1998 to score double-digit touchdowns as a rookie when he posted 11 in 2020. He may have only reached the end zone twice in 2021, but he still saw 16 red zone targets and 12 targets in the end zone itself. If Claypool can assert himself as the No. 2 target alongside Diontae Johnson, he has a legitimate shot to outperform his ADP.

Chase Claypool Projections

Projections from the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook expect Claypool to post underwhelming results this year when compared to the past two years. He's 44th to lead the NFL in receiving yards (+10000), which is well below where he finished the 2021 season at with 860 yards. Claypool's also 49th to lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns (+10000). That shouldn't come as a shock after he reached the end zone only twice last season. When taking Claypool's career averages into account (3.9 receptions per game, 14.3-yard average), another 850-yard season is definitely within reach. His fantasy production simply comes down to his touchdown total.

Is Chase Claypool a Good Fantasy Football Pick?

When it comes down to it, is Claypool someone to target in the middle rounds? For sure. The cost it takes to draft him pales in comparison to his ceiling. Claypool's the No. 38 wide receiver in The Duel's PPR fantasy football rankings and is a perfect option for those waiting longer to grab a WR3.

Claypool explained this offseason that he expects to line up all over the field to create mismatches. More time in the slot would be beneficial considering his catch rate (80%) and yards after catch per reception (6.2) at that position greatly outshine his marks when lined up on the outside (52%, 4.5 YAC). It's something to keep an eye on during preseason action.

If you've drafted Claypool this year, or you're a Steelers fans, make sure to check out the best Pittsburgh Steelers fantasy football team names for your squad.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.