We know that coaches try to create an environment for their players to succeed. We also know that coaches have tendencies and preferences for how they utilize their players. Yet, in the fantasy world, these tendencies tend to be unaccounted for, overlooked, or spoken about in terms of personal anecdotes that may or may not be true.
This article contains charts and information to give you a stronger understanding of the impact coaching can have on your fantasy players from the AFC West for the 2022-2023 season.
Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid (Head Coach)
Eric Bieniemy (Offensive Coordinator)
Notes
- Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is the team’s primary play-caller and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has only worked under him, so we will primarily talk about Reid’s tendencies in this section.
- Over the course of his career, Andy Reid has generally been below average in providing opportunities to his running back room as a whole…unless he’s incredibly efficient, even in a high-powered offense Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s upside will be more limited.
- Looking at his entire career, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has largely gotten mediocre fantasy production out of his wide receiver room as a whole…there’s a very real chance that only one of the Chiefs wide receivers is fantasy relevant in 2022 so pick your favorite of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Skyy Moore with Tyreek Hill gone.
- Andy Reid has gotten above-average fantasy production out of his tight end room as a whole…Travis Kelce should once again challenge for being the number one fantasy tight end in the league.
Los Angeles Chargers
Joe Lombardi (Offensive Coordinator)
Notes
- The Los Angeles Chargers have their plays called by offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. Lombardi is one of the most pass-happy offensive play-callers in the NFL which bodes well for quarterback Justin Herbert and the team’s passing attack.
- Looking at Lombardi’s running back room, historically he has been slightly below-average in featuring them on the ground but one of the best in the business in featuring his backs in the passing game…Austin Ekeler should once again be a strong RB1 as long as he’s healthy with this pass-catching workload.
- Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s wide receiver room has been fantastic over the course of his career as an offensive coordinator…it’s possible that both Mike Williams and Keenan Allen are top 10 fantasy wide receivers in this offense. In addition, Joshua Palmer may also be worth watching on the waiver wire (or a late-round pick in deeper leagues).
- Joe Lombardi’s tight end room has gotten more mediocre usage over the course of his career as an offensive coordinator…Gerald Everett is going to be just a streaming option in 2022.
Denver Broncos
Nathaniel Hackett (Head Coach)
Justin Outten (Offensive Coordinator)
Justin Outten Previous Coaching Jobs (Broncos OC)
Notes
- The Denver Broncos’ new head coach Nathaniel Hackett will serve as the team’s offensive play-caller in 2022.
- Hackett is THE best active coach in terms of providing opportunities (carries + targets) to his running back room…Javonte Williams has the potential to be a top-five fantasy back in this offense even if he shares a few carries with Melvin Gordon.
- Remember, Hackett was the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers offense that had Aaron Jones be a top 10 fantasy back even splitting some carries with Jamaal Williams in 2019 & 2020. This could easily be a similar situation with Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon.
- Nathaniel Hackett’s wide receiver room has gotten average usage but has been slightly above-average in production…Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy should both at least be in the FLEX conversation this year.
- In terms of the tight end room, Nathaniel Hackett doesn’t tend to utilize the position very much in the passing game…there are probably better uses of a late-round fantasy draft pick than taking Albert Okwuegbunam.
Las Vegas Raiders
Josh McDaniels (Head Coach)
Mick Lombardi (Offensive Coordinator)
Notes
- The Las Vegas Raiders have a new coaching staff in 2022, and their play-caller will be their new head coach Josh McDaniels.
- Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels features his running back room as a whole at one of the highest levels in the league and has generally gotten great fantasy production out of the group as a whole…if Josh Jacobs can capture a majority of the running back workload he has RB1 potential in this offense.
- Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has generally featured his wide receiver room at an above-average level and gotten above-average production from the position…Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow both seem like good bets this year.
- Josh McDaniels actually hasn’t utilized his tight end room as a whole as much in the passing game as most would expect over the course of his career…Darren Waller is a player he may make an exception for much as he did with Rob Gronkowski, but Waller’s upside might not be quite as high in this offense as it was in Jon Gruden/Greg Olson’s offense.
Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on Twitter)