Counting Down the Top 50 NFL Players 30-21: Tune In for the Ja’Marr Chase Encore
Neil Parker breaks down the Top 50 NFL Players before the start of the 2022 NFL season. You can see 50-41 here and 40-31 here.
NFL training camps are opening this week, so it’s a perfect opportunity to consider the top 50 players in the league.
There’s no exact science or statistic to rank players with the disparity in positional importance in mind.
Still, looking at the various betting markets available provides insight into who bookmarkers view as the most likely to win the AP Regular Season MVP Award, AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, and who will lead the NFL in passing, rushing, and receiving yards.
Here’s a look at the players ranked 30 through 21 with odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted Sportsbook Reviews by SBR.
Counting Down the Top 50 NFL Players, 30-21
30. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys and bookmakers are projecting a huge Year 3 from Lamb. The organization has handed the No. 1 wide receiver job to the Oklahoma product, and he’s also tied for the fourth shortest odds to lead the NFL in receiving yards at FanDuel.
Lamb should garner career-high targets, which should, in turn, lead to the best statistical showing of his career. If all goes right, this ranking could prove to be far too low in retrospect.
MVP Odds: +20000, Odds to Lead NFL in Receiving Yards: +1400
29. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
It can be difficult to fully quantify just how dominant Kittle is, and he’s also missed considerable time — he's played in just 22 games — the past two seasons. Still, he’s among the most valuable players in the league and often showcases it while playing through injuries.
Don’t expect him to statistically match many of his peers in these top-50 rankings, which limits his potential to challenge in the noted betting markets. Just don’t allow that reality to discount your perception of his value to the 49ers.
MVP Odds: +30000, Odds to Lead NFL in Receiving Yards: +10000
28. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Coming off a career-high 123 receptions, 1,553 receiving yards, and a fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, Adams will play his first season without four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Don’t fret, though. Adams will reunite with collegiate signal caller Derek Carr with the Raiders, and the dropoff in QB play might not be as drastic as many suggest.
MVP Odds: +15000, Odds to Lead NFL in Receiving Yards: +1400
27. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A model of consistency, Evans has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his eight seasons in the league and caught double-digit touchdowns the past two years with QB Tom Brady at the helm.
Evans is arguably the most underrated WR in the league, and he could be in for a huge statistical showing if fellow wideout Chris Godwin misses time to start the season after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee in Week 15 last year.
MVP Odds: +30000, Odds to Lead NFL in Receiving Yards: +2000
26. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Entering his fourth campaign, Murray won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2019 and has been named to the Pro Bowl the past two seasons. It isn’t all sunshine and roses in Arizona, though.
The franchise QB is seeking a contract extension, and No. 1 WR DeAndre Hopkins is suspended for the first six games of the season. It might be tougher for Murray to live up to expectations in 2022.
MVP Odds: +2000, Odds to Lead NFL in Passing Yards: +3000
25. T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
After tying the NFL single-season sack record and winning the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award last season, Watt officially cemented his position as a generational defender. He’s paced the league in sacks the past two seasons and has also racked up an impressive 22 forced fumbles and 150 QB hits through his first five years in the league.
MVP Odds: +30000, Defensive Player of the Year Odds: +800
https://twitter.com/NFLGameDay/status/1549437950370295809
24. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Despite missing time in each of the past three seasons, Cook has topped 1,000 rushing yards and scored 36 total touchdowns. It begs the question: what is his ceiling if he can suit up for all 17 games?
First-year head coach Kevin O’Connell should also be a boon to Cook’s production, especially if the Vikings are more creative in targeting him through the air. It’s also hard to envision Cook only scoring six times again in 2022 after totaling 30 touchdowns over the prior two seasons.
MVP Odds: +15000, Odds to Lead NFL in Rushing Yards: +1000
23. JaMarr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase scored four touchdowns through the first three weeks of the 2021 season and never looked back. He posted one of the best statistical showings by a rookie WR in NFL history, and continuing to click with collegiate QB Joe Burrow for the foreseeable future seems inevitable.
Bring on the encore.
MVP Odds: +15000, Odds to Lead NFL in Receiving Yards: +1200
22. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
A year removed from leading the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, Diggs recorded a career-high 10 touchdowns last season. He’s emerged as one of the most consistent pass-catchers in the league with four consecutive seasons north of 1,000 receiving yards, and also has the luxury of catching passes from MVP-candidate QB Josh Allen.
MVP Odds: +30000, Odds to Lead NFL in Receiving Yards: +1400
21. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
Limited to just 10 games over the past two seasons, McCaffrey needs to stay healthy to live up to this billing. The talent isn’t in question.
While he'll probably never have the opportunity to approach his league-leading 403 touches and 2,392 yards from scrimmage from his All-Pro 2019 showing again, posting excellent numbers with a more selected workload shouldn’t surprise. Barring injury, of course.
MVP Odds: +15000, Odds to Lead NFL in Rushing Yards: +4000
Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.
