Conference Preview: SEC All-Conference Teams, Fantasy Sleepers and Busts

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Published on August 10, 2022

The 2022 college football season is right around the corner and our staff is continuing its conference preview series with a look at the SEC. Unsurprisingly, the sheer talent in the conference has translated into massive fantasy intrigue as nine players from the conference rank inside the Top 10 at their respective positions overall. Below, you'll find all of RotoWire's preseason content from our 2022 College Fantasy Football Draft Kit along with the All-Conference SEC teams plus sleepers and busts for the upcoming season.

2022 College Fantasy Football Draft Kit

SEC All-Conference Fantasy Teams

First-Team All-SEC

QB: Bryce Young, Alabama (2)

RB: Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama (8)

RB: Tank Bigsby, Auburn (22)

WR: Kayshon Boutte, LSU (5)

WR: Cedric Tillman, Tennessee (4)

TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia (2)

Second-Team All-SEC

QB: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee (4)

RB: Devon Achane, Texas A&M (14)

RB: Jabari Small, Tennessee (24)

WR: Jermaine Burton, Alabama (14)

WR: Luther Burden, Missouri (34)

TE: Jaheim Bell, South Carolina (5)

Third-Team All-SEC

QB: Will Rogers, Mississippi State (6)

RB: Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky (25)

RB: Raheim Sanders, Arkansas (27)

WR: Tyler Harrell, Alabama (24)

WR: Jaylon Robinson, Mississippi (36)

TE: Jack Bech, LSU (6)

SEC Fantasy Sleepers

Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU

While Daniels may not technically count as a sleeper, he does have some competition at the quarterback position in the form of Myles Brennan. That being said, Daniels is a dual-threat option who was practically hand-selected by new coach Brian Kelly. Kelly reportedly convinced Brennan to stay, then picked up Daniels in the transfer portal thereafter. Daniels passed for 2,340 yards and 10 touchdowns last season at Arizona State while also rushing for 710 yards and six more scores on the ground. This versatility could put Daniels in the driver's seat despite the lack of time and practice with the program.

Nathaniel Peat, RB, Missouri

The Stanford transfer and Columbia native returns home and slots in as the starting running back for the Tigers. Travis Badie shouldered quite a load last season for Mizzou, leaving a gaping hole which Peat should at least partially be able to fill. Though Peat will not be the same receiver out of the backfield as Badie, Peat has averaged a stellar 5.7 yards per tote throughout his collegiate career, albeit in limited action. Still, with uncertainty at quarterback, the hometown hero Peat should see plenty of touches to take some pressure off whomever lines up under center for the Tigers.

MarShawn Lloyd, RB, South Carolina

Both Kevin Harris and ZaQuandre White have moved on to greener pastures, leaving Lloyd as the chief beneficiary. Regardless of whether Spencer Rattler succeeds or not (more on that below), his mere presence should provide a boost to the running game as more attention is paid to the passing attack of the Gamecocks. South Carolina managed a putrid 201.2 passing yards per game in 2021; only lowly Vanderbilt was worse. An improved passing game should translate to more open running lanes for Lloyd.

If you're buying the South Carolina hype, check out RotoWire's college football win totals odds page for the latest prices before the season gets underway.

Jadon Haselwood, WR, Arkansas

It may be now or never for Haselwood, the Oklahoma transfer who has thus far disappointed during his collegiate career. Perhaps a change of scenery will allow Haselwood to capture his potential. The top option for quarterback KJ Jefferson last season was Treylon Burks, who was a first-round pick in this past April's NFL Draft. Not only is Burks gone, but so are Tyson Morris and De'Vion Warren, the No. 2 and No. 4 receivers in terms of yardage through the air last season. The Razorbacks are looking to replace over 1,500 yards worth of production. The No. 1 ranked high school wideout in the 2019 class, Haselwood's talent largely did not translate to production during his time with the Sooners, though he did manage a three-touchdown performance against TCU last season. He should have ample opportunities along with a stable presence at quarterback.

Michael Trigg, TE, Mississippi

The USC transfer steps into a favorable spot in a high-powered Lane Kiffin offense with the Rebels. Trigg caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown last season, though his campaign was cut short due to knee issues. He is healthy now, though, and was a top 150 recruit coming out of high school. Replacing Matt Corral under center may prove challenging, but another USC transfer in the form of Jaxson Dart could be handed the keys to the Ole Miss offense. Both talent and opportunity make Trigg an intriguing tight end to watch.

SEC Fantasy Busts

Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina

Rattler comes to South Carolina amid much fanfare, though has a lot of work to do to repair his image as an elite quarterback. He struggled to consistently move the ball with the Sooner offense and also battled ball security issues, which ultimately led to his benching in favor of Caleb Williams. Rattler will also move from the defensively-challenged Big 12 to the SEC, so the step up in competition and defensive intensity may also be a concern. Lastly, if Rattler could not keep the job in a Lincoln Riley offense tailor-made for scoring and big passing stats, one has to question whether Rattler will be up to the task piloting an offense that ranked amongst the worst in the conference in 2021.

Zach Calzada, QB, Auburn

After effectively missing out on spring practice while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, it appeared that Calzada would be forced to play catchup with T.J. Finley, the incumbent for the starting quarterback job. However, Finley was far from a lock for the job, after a mediocre end to the 2022 campaign once he replaced the inconsistent Bo Nix. To make matters worse, Finley was just arrested for evading police following a traffic stop, and while the incident is considered minor, it nevertheless may affect which quarterback gets the starting nod. Calzada threw for 2,185 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, spending the majority of the campaign as the starter at Texas A&M. So why no love for Calzada then? Calzada poses almost no rushing threat and completed just 56.1 percent of his passes in 2021. Auburn is also fairly thin at wide receiver, and figures to rely heavily on Tank Bigsby and the running game to carry the offense. As a result, even if Calzada wins the starting job, it would be very surprising to see him put up even close to what could be considered gaudy numbers. Especially with a schedule that includes road games at both Georgia and Alabama.

Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia

Zamir White and James Cook are gone from last year's National Championship squad, so Milton and Kenny McIntosh will ultimately vie for carries. As can be expected in a Kirby Smart backfield, the two will likely split carries, at least to begin the season. Milton rushed 56 times for 264 yards and a touchdown last season as a sophomore. He averaged 4.7 yards per tote. McIntosh was far more productive than Milton as a receiver last season, so it remains possible that Milton is used more in early-down sets. However, Daijun Edwards and freshman Branson Robinson could also see some touches, making this backfield a jumbled mess and ultimately one where a committee takes shape. Everything went seemed to go swimmingly for Georgia last season; logic would dictate that things may not go quite so smoothly this time around, including with the running game.

Justin Shorter, WR, Florida

This bust designation has less to do with Shorter's talent and more to do with the uncertainty of Florida's passing attack in 2022. It will be interesting to see how the Florida passing game takes shape under Anthony Richardson, who split duties with the now departed Emory Jones last season. Richardson provided some big plays with both his arm as well as his legs as a freshman, though was not the most accurate passer, completing under 60 percent of his throws. Shorter is the leading returning receiver for the Gators following the transfer of Jacob Copeland to Maryland. Shorter tied with Copeland for the team lead with 41 receptions last season, though managed almost 100 fewer yards through the air, finishing the 2021 campaign with 550 receiving yards. Shorter also found the end zone three times as compared to four for Copeland. With Copeland out of the picture, Shorter should assume the No. 1 wide receiver role.

Tayvion Robinson, WR, Kentucky

Increased opportunity does not always mean automatic success. Robinson will certainly have his fair share of balls thrown his way from quarterback Will Levis now that Wan'Dale Robinson and Josh Ali have departed. The two Robinsons (no relation) have somewhat similar skill sets, and Kentucky seems to have embraced a more open offensive scheme. That being said, this is still the SEC, and the Wildcats could be missing Chris Rodriguez following his arrest and subsequent guilty plea to a DUI. The loss of arguably the top offensive weapon would put even more pressure on the passing game. Levis struggled against superior competition last season, and now he may have to work in new (and perhaps even inferior) skill position players. Tayvion is in a pressure-filled spot; though he is experienced at wideout having played three seasons at Virginia Tech, this SEC baptism may be a whole different story.