NFL training camp season is upon us, folks. Be prepared to be inundated with information, rumors, and hype. But fantasy managers need not be alarmed by the influx of information. Scott Pianowski has the one important thing to know about each team. Next up is the AFC North.
[NFC fantasy footnotes: South | East | North | West ]
[AFC fantasy footnotes: South | East | North | West (coming soon) ]
Cleveland Browns
David Njoku finally fulfilled his massive potential as a TE5 last year, but it’s concerning that this surge occurred primarily as journeyman Joe Flacco took over the starting spot at the end of the year. Njoku has yet to show significant chemistry with starter Deshaun Watson, and it’s been four years since Watson showed any flashes of superstar ability. Injuries, off-field issues and even a lengthy suspension have seemingly sapped Watson’s confidence and potential.
Njoku seems to go undiscovered regularly, but I don’t see Watson being able to deliver. It’s also a case of like the player in real life but being leery of his fantasy prospects. Unless draft rooms are willing to give Njoku a reasonable discount, he’ll be an unwilling fade for me in the heat of draft season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s easy to point the finger at running back Najee Harris. His fantasy rankings have dropped in each of the past two seasons, and Jalen Warren was the more explosive back last season. The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option, so he’ll be entering a lame-duck season.
But maybe some of these situations will make Harris a lot more fantasy value. Let’s not forget that Harris had more carries per game than Warren last season and twice as many touchdowns. The Steelers rebuilt their offensive line in the 2024 draft and brought in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, one of the NFL’s most run-loving play-callers. Harris is no longer a hot fantasy option, but there’s something to be said for the boring veteran jam.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have questions about their offensive line, and Derrick Henry turned 30 in January. If that’s enough to deter you from selecting Henry, that’s understandable. But the Ravens found ways to get Gus Edwards into the end zone 13 times last year, and Henry is clearly a better back than Edwards. Henry also regularly handled the eight-man box last year at Tennessee (about a third of the time). Baltimore’s offensive threats are diverse, which should deter these heavy defensive backs.
Henry is not a great pass-catcher, and Lamar Jackson doesn’t throw many passes to his Bucs, so Henry is undervalued in PPR-related formats. However, this is definitely a Super Bowl contender, and Baltimore will rely on Henry for short touchdowns and 4th quarter carries to hold onto leads. Henry’s Yahoo ADP is obviously higher than the global ADP, but I think it’s safe to consider Henry in the second round of the draft, preferably with a signature receiver at his side.
Cincinnati Bengals
When I think of Tee Higgins, the words “capped prospect” come to mind. Joe Burrow has 97 touchdown passes in his career, compared to Higgins’ 19. Ja’Marr Chase has eight more touchdowns than Higgins in one less season. Interestingly, Higgins, teamed with Jake Browning, performed better than Burrow last year.
Given that both Higgins and Burrow were plagued by injuries, it may be wise to ignore Higgins’ performance last year. Still, there’s no denying that Higgins was tied for 39th in 0.5 points per game PPR scoring, behind players like Adam Thielen and Kendrick Bourne. Higgins has never scored more than seven times in any season, has never been targeted more than 110 times, or reached 1,100 yards. Unless you’re deploying Higgins as a WR3, I’m not going to put him on the roster this summer.
