Chris Godwin Fantasy Outlook: Should you draft Buccaneers’ WR amid injury concerns in 2022?
Chris Godwin had one of his best seasons as a pro in 2021, catching 98 receptions (127 goals) for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns. The former Penn State star became one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets, which only increased with the departure of Antonio Brown. However, Godwin had ended his regular season abruptly with a cruciate ligament tear and an MCL sprain in his right knee. Godwin will look to bounce back in 2022 and once again be a playmaker in a loaded wide-receiver unit from Bucs.
Fantasy owners could be worried about Godwin’s knee injury along with new signings Russell Gage and Julio Jones heading into this season. We know that if Godwin is healthy, he will be one of the best WR2s in fantasy. Below we take a look at Godwin’s fantasy prospects and where he stands at ADP.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Chris Godwin Injury Update: How long will Buccaneers’ WR be out?
Godwin returned to training earlier this month after the Buccaneers opted not to list veteran Wideout on the PUP to begin training camp. Throughout the offseason, new head coach Todd Bowles made a point of not setting a specific timeline for when Godwin will play. However, the good news for the Bucs and Fantasy owners is that Godwin did a couple of days of 7v7 work last week. according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. At this point, it’s almost certain that Godwin will be ready for Week 1, and Draft Sharks’ exclusive Injury Predictor tool ranks him as “low injury risk” for this season.
When Godwin returns to the field, he will be Tampa Bay’s second-biggest wide receiver behind Mike Evans. The 26-year-old plays on a passing offense where everyone will see a healthy tally of goals throughout the season. Godwin can either line up on the outside in the slot and could have a noticeable impact on the season despite the additions of Gage and Jones. If Jones can stay healthy and Gage builds on what he did last season in Atlanta, the defense will have a tough decision figuring out who to defend.
STANDARD RANKINGS 2022:
QB’s | RB’s | WRs | TEs | D/STs | foosball | Top 200 | Superflex
Chris Godwin Fantasy Ranking and ADP
SN Fantasy ranked Godwin #31 in standard formats and #30 in PPR formats this season. When healthy and in a zone, Godwin is one of the better receivers in the league and a PPR monster with the number of goals he sees throughout the season.
Last season, the former Nittany Lions standout had five games for 100+ yards and six games for 10 or more goals. Godwin drew a 21.3 percent target percentage in 13 healthy games last year, which was 3.5 percent higher than Mike Evans, according to Draft Sharks. He also had eight games with double-digit fantasy points in standard leagues and 11 games with 10 or more fantasy points in PPR formats. His PPR production could drop this season due to injury but he still offers loads of value.
Meanwhile, FantasyPros has Godwin’s ADP at 56th overall and WR22, which makes sense given the nature of his injury. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Godwin outclassed some of the other wide receivers projected around him — Courtland Sutton (WR20), Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR21), Brandin Cooks (WR23) and Marquise Brown (WR24). ). All of these wide receivers are in favorable situations, and some are the best receiving options. However, no one has thrown Tom Brady, which makes a significant difference in fantasy football.
PPR RANKINGS 2022:
QB’s | RB’s | WRs | TEs | D/STs | foosball | Top 200 | Superflex
Chris Godwin’s 2022 fantasy outlook
If he’s healthy, we can expect Godwin to average at least seven goals per game. The Buccaneers will look to replace goals left by tight end Rob Gronkowski (89) and Antonio Brown (62). We should expect Jones and Gage to grab some of those looks and for Godwin to complement what he did last season. For the past three seasons, Godwin has averaged 110.7 goals per year. If he can get anywhere near that total, Buccaneers and Fantasy owners will be in good shape.
2022 FANTASY THRESHOLDS:
QB’s | RB’s | WRs | TEs | D/STs | One from each team
Aside from the stock we’re targeting, we should be aware that Godwin is a factor in the red, especially since Gronkowski is now retired. Last season, Godwin ranked fourth among wide receivers in red zone goals at 25. The three wideouts listed before Godwin were Davante Adams (27), Stefon Diggs (34), and Cooper Kupp (37). We sometimes forget what a gun Godwin was in the red last season.
RANKING 2022 & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QB’s | RB’s | WRs | TEs | D/STs
With Godwin evolving after his injury, we should be preparing for his return to the field soon. When he returns in September, Godwin will be just 10 months away from his ACL and MCL injuries. However, there won’t be many expectations that he’ll be the player we’ve seen in 2021 right away. As we noted earlier, the Buccaneers have Gage and Jones on receiver and will be looking to have Cameron Brate more on the tight end. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Godwin surpassed his ADP by the end of the regular season. If he’s still available in turn five or later, Godwin is worth accepting a flyer.