Top 5 Fantasy Player Picks From Each Team: AFC North

trashman-editTop 5 Player Picks From Each Team: AFC North

If I was drafting today, These are the guys I prioritize, in order, from each AFC North team.


. . .

Baltimore Ravens

  1. Danny Woodhead – I would usually refrain from putting a running back at the top of a list for a team that has thrown the ball more than any other team over the past two seasons, but Woodhead is not your normal running back. He’s had two 75+ catch seasons in the last four years, making him a perfect option for the pass happy Ravens.
  2. Jeremy Maclin – Maclin is coming off his single worst season as a pro, in which he tallied 536 yards and 2 TDs, but he recently disclosed that he was playing with a torn groin for most of the season. Still only 29, Maclin should have enough left to dominate the middle on a team that just dropped Dennis Pitta and needs to replace all of Steve Smith and Kamar Aiken‘s targets from 2016.
  3. Mike Wallace – You would think that for such a deep threat, Wallace would be more exciting to have on your fantasy team. He’s kind of a snooze, but he’s technically Baltimore’s no.1 receiver, and as I’ve said, they throw a ton.
  4. Terrance West – There’s a real chance that West could lose his job once Kenneth Dixon returns, but he should have early down and goal line duties on lock for the time being and maybe longer. 
  5. Breshad Perriman – It would make sense to have Flacco in this spot, but for a QB who throws a ton, Joe doesn’t put up amazing stats. Perriman has been the stud of OTAs, and though Maclin’s addition may hurt, he finally has a chance to show us all what we’ve believed he was capable of as a high end rookie prospect – before he had a string of unfortunate events occur in his life.

Cincinnati Bengals

  1. A.J. Green – 2016 was the only season in Green’s career in which he didn’t top 1,000 yards or 5 TDs. It was also the only season in which he played 10 or fewer games. Having John Ross in the mix should actually open up things for a now healthy Green.
  2. Tyler Eifert – It may be another season of will he or won’t he play with Eifert, but there are few TEs who have the kind of double digit TD upside he possesses.
  3. Joe Mixon – Mixon may not take the starting job by week 1, like many are prognosticating, but he has a strong chance of taking passing down duties for the first couple of games while Bernard heals up, and he’s going to get opportunities whenever Hill falters, which the veteran is prone to do from time to time. 
  4. John Ross – The fastest forty ever deserves a draft spot. It would be even higher had Ross not elected to delay his shoulder surgery till after the Combine and also take time out of OTAs to graduate, of all things. Priorities man…
  5. Andy Dalton – Jeremy Hill actually ended up doing pretty well last year, but Mixon is going to complicate things for him. Things are much simpler for Dalton, who gets to work with perhaps his most talented group of pass catchers yet. 

Cleveland Browns

  1. Isaiah Crowell – There’s nothing groundbreaking about Crowell’s game, but he toed the 1,ooo mark last season while having the 9th best yards per carry(4.81). The QB situation in Cleveland is questionable at best, and the Browns are going to lean heavily on the run, making Crowell a prime breakout candidate. 
  2. Kenny Britt – Somehow, Britt is the safest and most consistent option in the Cleveland passing game right now, which is something I never imagined saying about Britt on any team two years ago. 
  3. Corey Coleman – Coleman can be the next DeSean Jackson if he can get and stay healthy, but his hamstrings might have other ideas though. I’m really rooting for this kid.
  4. David Njoku – On a team with shaky QB play, a capable tight end is worth his weight in gold. Njoku comes in as the instant replacement to Gary Barnidge, who was cut before they got off the phone with the rookie. 
  5. DeShone Kizer – Kizer is gaining leaps and bounds on his competition in Cleveland, which probably isn’t that great a feat, considering Cody Kessler and Brock Osweiler are who he’s up against. Don’t be surprised if Kizer starts the most games under center for the Browns in 2017.

Pittsburgh Steelers

  1. Antonio Brown – The best receiver in football, Brown is pushing 30, but he excels at all the other things that athleticism can’t make up for. He’ll be a top option until he leaves the game.
  2. Le’Veon Bell – Bell is looking for a new contract, but he’s only played one full season over his four years in the league. He may hold out, but he’s still too good for you not to draft early and often, even if he sits a game or two.
  3. Martavis Bryant– Bryant is back, and he’s in position to play 16 games this season – his previous record is 11. The sky is the limit with the kid, who has added 10 lbs of muscle to his frame – as if he wasn’t hard enough to cover already
  4. Ben Roethlisberger –  Big Ben has all of his toys now – there’s no way he was going to retire without taking a shot at a title with his full arsenal. Expect a 4,000 yard, 30 TD season.
  5. Jesse James – Pittsburgh tight ends have a long history of consistent, if not eye-popping, seasons with Big Ben. James will be no different. 

6 Comments

  1. I’m not touching Jesse James with a ten foot pole. Would rather own JuJu or just take James Conner at the end of the draft if I have to take another Steeler just in case Bell gets hurt.

  2. What’s are your thoughts on the Seth DeValve talk out of Cleveland?

    1. Haven’t seen it, I just Sunday got home from vacation where I didn’t keep up with the latest buzz at tall, but it sounds extremely cockamamie to me. I guess we’ll monitor it but you don’t take Njoku where they did for a JAG like Seth Devalve to be in play long-term. There are always guys like that who pop off during camp that never live up to the hype. Not saying this is the case with Devalve, but I have absolutely no interest at this time in even the deepest of dynasty benches. I will make a mental note to keep my ears open about him though,

  3. *What not What’s…

  4. What are ya’lls thoughts on Duke Johnson in a ppr format? He seems like the reverse of Ty Montgomery with upside of a 70+ catch season with all the check downs Osweenie and Kessler will be doing!!!!

    1. I think the talk of use of him as a slot WR is intriguing. He’ll be a player I adjust on the updated Cheat Sheet but I’m not head over heels for the guy.

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