The AFC North is going to be a dog fight for a division title again. Realistically, any one of these 4 teams could come out on top in this division. This division has plenty of fantasy stars to look out for, so lets check them out.
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Baltimore Ravens
Mark Andrews (89) and Lamar Jackson (8).
I’m going to pick the Ravens to win the division based on a strong defense, good head coach, and a dynamic QB, who is the reigning MVP. The Ravens will have their work cut out for them in this division though, and will need to stay healthy to get through the gauntlet of divisional foes. Let take a look at Baltimore’s fantasy stars.
QB Lamar Jackson’s 2023 MVP season numbers were not nearly as impressive as they were his previous MVP season of 2019 when he rushed for 1,206 yards and 7 TDs (a solid season for a running back), and passed for 3,127 yards and 36 TDs. But they were still good enough to win the MVP and finish 4th overall in total fantasy points for the season.
Jackson has become a smarter NFL QB over the years, instead of relying so heavy on pure athleticism. In 2023, he passed for a career high of 3,678 yards. He’s learning to go through his progressions instead of just taking off running when the 1st option is covered.
I believe Jackson will only continue to get better as a QB, which will keep him in the top 5 in fantasy among QBs, as long as he can stay healthy throughout the season.
A good run game can be a QB’s best friend, so the Ravens went out and got 4X all pro RB Derrick Henry, this past off season. The Ravens have been a run heavy team in the past, so Henry should fit in just fine. Henry’s best days may be behind him, but a move to Baltimore might be just what he needs to re-surge himself, going into his 9th NFL season. I see Henry continuing to be a top 10 fantasy RB, possibly even a top 5.
TE Mark Andrews is Jackson’s safety blanket. He’s a big reliable target, a huge part of the Raven’s offense, and should be on your top 5 fantasy TEs list, if not higher.
WR Zay Flowers will be going into his sophomore season in 2024, and will likely be Baltimore’s #1 receiver. He was ranked around 30th in fantasy points per game and total fantasy points his rookie season. From what I saw from Flowers in 2023, I believe his fantasy numbers will improve in 2024. He’s worth a draft pick, but probably not until the 5th or 6th round.
Cincinnati Bengals
L-R WR Ja’Marr Chase, QB Joe Burrow, & WR Tee Higgins.
Unlike Baltimore, Cincinnati will look to air the ball out, with their own all pro QB in Joe Burrow. Burrow’s play is a bit contrary to Jackson’s, as he is more of a traditional pocket passer.
Burrow was riddled with injury in 2023, therefor having a down season. But in 2021 & 2022, Burrow threw for over 4,400 yards and 34 TDs and had a QB rating of over 100 in each season. I see Burrow having a season in 2024 closer to that of ’21 & ’22.
Although he’s arguably a top 3 QB in the NFL, Burrow struggles to crack the top 5 in fantasy. The QBs that are considered “running QBs” are the ones who usually score the highest in fantasy. Burrow is good enough, however, that he is capable of being a top 5 fantasy QB with his passing yards and TDs alone. He’s a little risky for me, to take too early, so if he’s still available in the 7th round or so, I’m interested.
Part of the reason Burrow is able to throw for so many yards and TDs is due to his duo of elite receivers on either side in Tee Higgins, and all pro Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase and Burrow won a national championship together in college at LSU in 2019, so they’ve got the whole chemistry thing going on. Chase is the clear WR1 on the team, and loses a little fantasy value to Higgins targets. Chase is a late 1st round or 2nd round pick. Higgins meanwhile, is a later round pick, like the 7th or 8th.
The Bengals traded their all pro RB, Joe Mixon, and will look to RB Zack Moss to fill the void. Moss has yet to crack 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his 4 years in the NFL, and I’m having a hard time believing he can handle the workload of an every down back. Although Moss is said to be the Bengals lead back, I’m not interested in drafting him until at least the 9th round.
Cleveland Browns
WR Amari Cooper (2) and QB Deshaun Watson (4) clapping hands.
Cleveland is a tough team to predict, but so is this entire division. Any one of these teams could end up winning the division, including Cleveland. But the Browns seem to have the most unknowns.
In 2020, QB Deshaun Watson was on top of the world, a top 5 QB in both the NFL and in fantasy. Then he had some off the field issues, and he hasn’t been the same since. Due to Watson’s legal issues, he and the front office couldn’t come to a contract agreement, and Watson sat out the entire 2021 season, leading to an eventual trade.
In 2022, Watson had to serve a suspension because of said legal issues, and missed the first 11 games of the season. In 2023, Watson only played in basically 5 games, due to injury. So we really don’t know what we’re getting in 2024.
While the Browns are claiming he is back in good form, I don’t think I’ll take a flier on Watson, unless he happens to still be available late in the draft.
I think very highly of Cleveland’s RB Nick Chubb. It was very unfortunate to see Chubb’s knee injury in 2023. Chubb underwent two surgeries to repair his medial capsule, meniscus, mcl and acl. The surgeries were said to be successful, and Chubb has been working on recovering ever since. The only prognosis I can find on his return, is that the Browns are optimistic that he will play at some point in 2024. Chubb was one of the NFL’s best RBs, but due to the unknown of when he may play again, I have to pass on him until later rounds of the draft.
It looks like the Browns will use Jerome Ford, along with a number of other RBs as a committee, which is what you want to avoid as a fantasy owner.
The Browns strengthened their receiving core with the addition of WR Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy is a solid #2 receiver, but hasn’t proved to be much of a fantasy option yet. I do think he’s in a better situation now, then he was in Denver, though.
TE David Njoku had a career year in 2023, and if he can keep the same kind of production going in 2024, he’ll be a top 5 or 6 fantasy TE.
Pittsburgh Steelers
WR George Pickens (14) sharing a celebratory moment with RB Najee Harris (22).
If you told me the Steelers will win 10 games in 2024, I wouldn’t try to argue. I still think they will finish last in the division. Pittsburgh will be well coached, and play good defense. You can almost be sure of that. But they won’t be in many high scoring shoot outs, which is what a fantasy owner is hoping for.
The Steelers decided to give QB Russell Wilson a shot, after the failed experiment with Wilson over in Denver. Wilson may help Pittsburgh win some football games, but I’ll be looking to another QB to fill a starting roster spot on my fantasy team.
RB Najee Harris can be a top 20 fantasy RB, but his numbers have been at a steady decline since his rookie season of 2021. Meanwhile fellow RB Jaylen Warren has been on the rise since his 2022 rookie season, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them split carries somewhere around 50/50, which is not good for fantasy value, for either.
WR George Pickens may be a player to highly benefit over a new QB in town. Pickens was a top 25 fantasy WR in 2023, and may see those numbers increase with the addition of Wilson.
Thanks for checking out my article on the AFC North division fantasy potential stars. I’ll be moving on to the South divisions next. Hope you’ll get a chance to check those out as well. As always, I’d love to hear what you think of my analysis, for better or for worse. Feel free to leave comments below!
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Great analysis on the AFC North’s fantasy football potential for 2024! The division is packed with talent, and I appreciate your breakdown of each team’s key players and their fantasy prospects. I agree that Lamar Jackson’s continued improvement as a passer, combined with the addition of Derrick Henry, makes the Ravens a strong contender. It’s also interesting to see how the Bengals might shift their offense with the departure of Joe Mixon and the addition of Zack Moss. Your insights into Cleveland’s uncertainties and Pittsburgh’s challenges are spot on, highlighting how unpredictable this division can be.
I have lived in Indianapolis since 1989, so you would think I would be a Colts fan. But I’ve been a Chiefs fan for over 50 years, so of course, I’ve been excited these last few year!
For someone new to fantasy football like me, what are some key strategies or tips you would recommend for building a competitive team? What is the best way to get started to learn to play?
– Scott
Hey Scott!
Thanks for checking out my article and the thoughtful response. Glad you seemed to enjoy it.
It’s certainly nice to be a Chiefs fan right now, and probably for the foreseeable future! As a Raiders fan it’s not as fun to see the Chiefs doing so well, but one still has to appreciate what the Chiefs have accomplished!
I have tons of key strategies for someone newer to fantasy football, but I’ll condense it into a few really important keys. You can always check out an article on draft strategies I wrote a while back.
If you know anyone with a league, it’s always fun to compete against family and friends. If not, no worries, there are plenty of sites with free leagues available.
When you enter a league, make sure you know how the scoring works. For example, some leagues are called PPR (points per reception). So a receiver who catches a lot of passes becomes more valuable.
Also know the format. Traditionally it’s 1 quarter back, 2 running backs, 2 wide receivers, 1 tight end 1 flex player (your choice of a running back, wide receiver or tight end), 1 kicker and a team defense. Some leagues choose to change it up a little bit.
A league with a lot of teams if typically for more experienced fantasy owners. 10 or less is good for beginners.
I personally need a list of players in front of me. The easiest way for me to do that is to go buy a fantasy magazine which will list their top players in each position and overall. I use that list and make my own ranking of players.
If you have any questions specifically, let me know and I’d be happy to help you out. It can be very time consuming to research all these players, but that’s what I love to do!