{"id":803292,"date":"2026-03-10T00:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T00:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/803292\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T00:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T00:15:26","slug":"fantasy-football-2026-afc-and-nfc-north-burning-questions-for-your-draft-planning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/803292\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantasy Football 2026: AFC and NFC North burning questions for your draft planning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Part III of my fantasy look-ahead for this coming season, in the form of what I see as the biggest question for each NFL squad from a fantasy standpoint.<\/p>\n

You can find the NFC East<\/a> and AFC East <\/a>columns by clicking the links. As I mentioned in those pieces, a record 10 NFL teams have new Head Coaches for the 2026 season, and 21 teams have new Offensive Coordinators, so multiple offenses could look a lot different this season. Free agency is starting, trades are happening, and we\u2019ve still got the draft next month. There will be many more changes to consider before fantasy draft season arrives. We\u2019ll deal with all of that as the offseason rolls on. For now, I\u2019m asking questions based on what we know today. Free agency and trades can be an absolute frenzy, so by the time this publishes, it might be outdated!<\/p>\n

This installment covers the NFC North and AFC North. Both divisions had surprising champions last season, and should be very competitive in 2026 (with the exception of the Browns, of course). The AFC North had the league\u2019s two longest-tenured head coaches, and both are gone, so the division might feel unfamiliar this season. The NFC North is once again loaded, with all four teams having legitimate playoff aspirations.<\/p>\n

From a fantasy standpoint, there\u2019s a lot to like from both divisions, including two players (Jahmyr Gibbs and Ja\u2019Marr Chase) who many will rank as their RB1 and WR1, plus a former overall WR1 (Justin Jefferson) who will try to erase the nightmare of 2024 from our collective memories.<\/p>\n

Teams are listed in order of finish from last season. All fantasy rankings are for Half-PPR scoring, on a fantasy points per game (FPPG) basis, with Week 18 excluded.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

How pricy is too pricy for these breakout candidates? Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

QUESTION: Has the hype train left the station?<\/p>\n

The worst-to-first Bears were among the NFL\u2019s best stories last season. They also were endlessly entertaining. From the record-breaking number of comebacks in the final two minutes, to Ben Johnson\u2019s shirtless and expletive-filled locker room speeches, to the final comeback against the Rams in the divisional round that ultimately fell short, Da Bears were must-see TV in 2025.<\/p>\n

From a fantasy standpoint, there was some inconsistency, but plenty of Chicago players were useful assets throughout the season. Expectations are now sky-high, and the biggest concern (too many mouths to feed) was eased with the announced trade of #1 WR D.J. Moore to the Bills. The prospects of Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland just went through the roof. Are those players (and Caleb Williams, who took a big step forward in his sophomore year) going to get too expensive, or is Ben Johnson simply going to turn this team into a fantasy juggernaut like he did with the 2022-2024 Lions? If that\u2019s the case, fantasy managers will want to get as much of the goodies as they can.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll see where Average Draft Position (ADP) settles, but if you want a main piece of this offense it\u2019s going to be expensive, and especially considering how little track record there is to support those prices. Will it be worth it?<\/p>\n

QUESTION: Where should Tucker Kraft be drafted in 2026?<\/p>\n

I debated asking this question for Christian Watson, who was just inside the Top-20 WRs from his return from injury in Week 8 through Week 17. But I\u2019ll go with Kraft, because he has the chance to be in the top tier of players at his position but is coming off a major injury.<\/p>\n

At the time Kraft tore his ACL in Week 9, he was just ahead of Trey McBride for the TE1 spot, at around 14 FPPG. He was coming into his own at age 24, the rapport with Jordan Love was zooming, and then it came to an abrupt halt. It\u2019s a cruel game sometimes. Kraft could be ready to play in Week 1, and with Romeo Doubs potentially leaving via free agency there could be less target competition. We\u2019ll know more in the preseason, but if he is good to go, Kraft should be among the first handful of tight ends drafted.<\/p>\n

\"Is<\/a><\/p>\n

Is the BIG Jamo breakout coming? Getty Images<\/p>\n

QUESTION: Is the big Jameson Williams breakout ever happening?<\/p>\n

The first four years of Williams\u2019s career have been interesting, to say the least. Injuries and a gambling suspension marred his first two seasons, but after he scored two TDs (one rushing, one receiving) in the 2024 NFC Championship game at San Francisco, he\u2019s been a regular on the lists of breakout candidates for the past two seasons. There have been moments, but the explosion hasn\u2019t happened and he\u2019s still the third or maybe even fourth option on his team. The good news is he\u2019s still only 24.<\/p>\n

Williams is a big-play threat (17.2 yards per reception in 2025, 17.3 in 2024), on a team with multiple big-play threats and that includes second year man Isaac TeSlaa, whose six TD catches were just one shy of Williams, on 49 fewer receptions. Williams did hit 100 targets and 1,000 yards in 2025, and his WR17 finish (11.1 FPPG) was his best so far. But he scored less than six fantasy points six different weeks, and continues to be a boom\/bust option. That will likely continue, which can be frustrating for fantasy managers, but if the booms are frequent and big enough, it\u2019s fine. Is a big breakout coming? If it doesn\u2019t, he\u2019ll probably again just be \u201cOK\u201d in terms of a value at ADP.<\/p>\n

QUESTION: What would a Kyler Murray signing mean for the Vikings\u2019 offense?<\/p>\n

Multiple reports are linking Murray to the Vikings, and if he ends up starting there, what will it mean for Kevin O\u2019Connell\u2019s offense? J.J. McCarthy hasn\u2019t developed into what Minnesota envisioned when they took him with the 10th pick in 2024, and the main pass-caching weapons all suffered from poor QB play in 2025. None felt that more than Justin Jefferson. JJ was easily the most disappointing first-round pick in fantasy last season, and perhaps no player sank more fantasy seasons. It\u2019s very hard to bench a complete stud like Jefferson when he isn\u2019t producing, which makes it even worse. I see some of you nodding along.<\/p>\n

Murray hasn\u2019t always been a floor raiser (Trey McBride scored more TDs in 12 starts with Jacoby Brissett last season than he did in three-plus seasons with Murray), but he\u2019s has never had a coach O\u2019Connell, or a skill group like Minnesota\u2019s. O\u2019Connell already resurrected the career of one former Top-3 pick in Sam Darnold. Why not another? Let\u2019s see if he signs there before we get too ahead of ourselves.<\/p>\n

\"A-Rod:<\/a><\/p>\n

A-Rod: One more encore? Getty Images<\/p>\n

Perhaps no NFL team currently raises more questions than the Steelers. For the first time in about two decades, Mike Tomlin is not their Head Coach. Mike McCarthy replaced him, and he\u2019s generally had pretty good offenses (but he\u2019s also had the luxury of two outstanding QBs in their primes). Who is the Steelers\u2019 QB? Is Aaron Rodgers coming back? Will they keep Kenneth Gainwell or will he walk? Who are the receivers going to be? Right now, they only have three under contract: D.K. Metcalf, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek, and those last two only have 79 career catches between them.<\/p>\n

Could the Steelers have some fantasy value in 2026? Sure. But for now, almost everything about this offense is wait and see. So let\u2019s stick a pin in them and wait.<\/p>\n

QUESTION: Should we expect a return to vintage Lamar?<\/p>\n

I\u2019d ask a question about Derrick Henry\u2019s age, but that dude is just \u201cbuilt diff\u201d, as they say, and I won\u2019t worry about him going off the age cliff until it happens.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s talk about Lamar. After an MVP year in 2023 and an even better season in 2024, he was neck-and-neck with Josh Allen for the QB1 spot. But he battled injuries throughout 2025 and fell off significantly, with his rushing in particular dipping a lot. After consecutive seasons with at least 800 rushing yards and four rushing TDs, he only had 349 yards and two TDs in 2025, in 13 games. Lamar turned 29 in January, and it\u2019s possible that his days of massive rushing totals are behind him. Is he worth a late second round pick in 2026? How far does he have to fall before you simply can\u2019t pass him up?<\/p>\n

\"Fantasy<\/a><\/p>\n

Fantasy gold, or frustration? Getty Images<\/p>\n

QUESTION: Can Joe Burrow stay healthy?<\/p>\n

The Bengals have opened the checkbook to give Burrow the receivers he wants, but some of the cost of that has been ongoing offensive line problems. Burrow suffered yet another serious injury in 2025, and while he did return to action at the end of the season, it was already too late. Burrow has now missed 22 starts in six seasons, and has suffered a major injury in half of those seasons. In a division with Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, and now Maxx Crosby, well, let\u2019s just say \u201cgood luck, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

As goes Burrow, so goes the team. Joe Flacco was an OK fill-in for a few games, but Jake Browning wasn\u2019t, and given the cost to draft Chase Brown, Ja\u2019Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins (plus Burrow himself), Burrow\u2019s health is about as important as any player in the league, for fantasy.<\/p>\n

QUESTION: Deshaun Watson? Really, Cleveland? Come on, really???<\/p>\n

The Browns are the only team in the NFL that has failed to score 300 points in each of the last two seasons, and after scoring the fewest points in the league in 2024, the only team they outscored in 2025 was the lowly Raiders. This is a bad offense.<\/p>\n

But as awful as it\u2019s been, there were a couple of very bright spots last season in rookies Harold Fannin, Jr. and Quinshon Judkins. Fannin, with 9.4 FPPG, actually outscored fellow rookies Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, and believe it or not, finished the season as the TE5, despite poor QB play. As for Judkins, he didn\u2019t have a contract until after the season started, but to the surprise of many he hit the ground running and was the RB16 from Week 2 (his first game) through Week 13, but then got banged up and fell off. He\u2019s a very good back and should dominate carries as long as he\u2019s healthy.<\/p>\n

If recent Browns\u2019 history is a judge, both Fannin and Judkins, plus anyone else who might be worth a flier, will be limited by the offense they\u2019re in, and especially by the play that the team gets at QB. Deshaun Watson\u2019s tenure in Cleveland has been atrocious, and he\u2019s coming off a pair of Achilles tendon tears. But there\u2019s still a lot of money tied up in him and if I had to guess, he\u2019ll be the opening day starter, ahead of Shedeur Sanders. How much can Fannin, Judkins, and the rest overcome what is almost certain to be bad quarterbacking? That\u2019s the question fantasy managers will have to ask themselves as they ponder clicking on any Browns.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it for the North divisions. Coming next: The Souths, so keep it here!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to Part III of my fantasy look-ahead for this coming season, in the form of what I…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":803293,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2026],"tags":[1999,7,1870],"class_list":{"0":"post-803292","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-fantasy-football","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-new-york-giants-analysis"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116202002431136792","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=803292"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803292\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/803293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=803292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=803292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=803292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}