X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Fantasy Outlook in a Sentence: AFC Conference

Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Antonio Losada covers all 16 teams from the AFC Conference and sums up their fantasy football outlook in a single sentence, covering the most notable QB, RB, WR, and TE.

I have been looking at data from the 2019 season since the Super Bowl finished. I have been looking at projections for the 2020 season for the past few weeks. I have been writing fantasy football columns from different perspectives for the upcoming year for quite some time now. Do you know one thing I haven't done? I haven't tried to condense my thoughts on the hopefully-to-come 2020 NFL season, team by team, in a single sentence. Now, that's challenging.

We are accustomed to talking about players rising and falling in the ADP leaderboards, about specific positions and their boom/bust candidates, about sleepers in different places, etc. But it feels like we never look at the bigger picture at once.

Up next, you'll find the list of 16 AFC teams and their outlook for the 2020 season in just a handful of words. With such small descriptions, it is possible that you have another view of things. I hope I can hit the nail on the head on the majority of lines, though!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: I might die on this hill alone, but I'm a Josh Allen stan these days and think his rushing is more than enough to compensate for any potential passing issues he might show, so I'm making him a fantasy-priority in my to-do draft lists; also, shoutout to Stefon Diggs for finally getting traded and landing in the best potential scenario he could, where he will become your league winner in 2020.

Miami Dolphins: After DeVante Parker finally made me look good after all of those years praising his talents, I'm drafting Parker in each and every draft this season and I encourage you to do too because if you don't then you shouldn't have any other Dolphin in your team. Ugh.

New England Patriots: You can fade every living Patriot other than James White early, take a super-late flier on Julian Edelman, and definitely wait for New England to luck into Trevor Lawrence come 2021 to make him your QB1 next season.

New York Jets: If you did any research for the 2019 season and took some notes on the Jets roster, you can use them again for 2020 only flipping Robby Anderson's name for Breshad Perriman's, which probably means skipping all Jets players with the exception of Jamison Crowder if you play in a 2xPPR league (is that even a thing?) and low-key potential starting TE Ryan Griffin (get him for free once the draft is over, though).

 

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: A lot of newbies will be fooled into overtrusting the Ravens this season after Lamar Jackson's MVP season (and you should draft him high, too) but no one else on Baltimore's roster except TE Mark Andrews should be considered a surefire fantasy option (perhaps Mark Ingram II, but I'm not fully confident of him breaking the 800-yard, five-TD marks).

Cincinnati Bengals: If you can't get any shares of Joe Mixon, then you can start forgetting about rostering any Bengal next season because they don't make much sense: Joe Burrow is a freshman, A.J. Green is a walking injury waiting to happen, and the Tyler Boyd/Auden Tate/John Ross III trio is a mess of targets and opportunities not worth the gamble.

Cleveland Browns: Love the backfield on your television, but hate it in fantasy leagues due to the potentially heavy split of duties; love or hate Odell Beckham Jr. but please maintain your position all year long; definitely love Jarvis Landry as the ultimate undervalued player to ever grace the NFL, and most of all bet on Austin Hooper exploding under crazy-QB Baker Mayfield.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Big Beard Ben Roethlisberger should be back and fit (for however long it lasts) after a season in which Pittsburgh featured two super-bad quarterbacks that brought JuJu Smith-Schuster and the rest of the squad's numbers down, so keep that in mind and bet on a potential rebound from JuJu and a good year from Eric Ebron while fading a crowded backfield that is expected to showcase a mostly-even split of opportunities between its parts.

 

AFC West

Denver Broncos: If you thought Cleveland's backfield can be impossible to predict let me introduce you to Denver's (Melvin Gordon III + Phillip Lindsay + Royce Freeman), which on the other hand presents a very nice one-two punch in terms of QB (Drew Lock, keep him in your late-round-picks list) and WR (Courtland Sutton, the go-to guy for now) with the potential of bringing another menace in rookie Jerry Jeudy (don't overpay, though, as he's still an incognito).

Kansas City Chiefs: Let's not lose any time here and say that whoever you roster from Kansas City is going to do you good; so go ahead and take Patrick Mahomes (watch out for--and avoid--a massive overpayment, though), Tyreek Hill/Travis Kelce (weekly goodies without fail), Mecole Hardman/Sammy Watkins (fun boom/bust plays with an explosive performance always at their reach), and rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire (definitely steal him if he starts to drop down the draft board).

Las Vegas Raiders: If you feel like gambling then make Marcus Mariota-Derek Carr your quarterback handcuff for the year, because no one has any idea who will be who for the Raiders in their new venue; don't trust Darren Waller too much, and if you are forced to pay for some Las Vegas player shares put them on Josh Jacobs' table.

Los Angeles Chargers: Call me ruthless but I can't love the Chargers with Justin Herbert and Tyrod Taylor (as much as I like his game) starting at quarterback, which makes the time to draft Keenan Allen a thing of the past and the time to draft Austin Ekeler (and Justin Jackson, believe it) the last and best thing in town.

 

AFC South

Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson will need to work his magic this season after Houston's moves, but he definitely will and therefore you can be pretty happy if you land him in your team; the problem comes with who will be helping him at the other end of his passes, and that is why you should totally fade the rest of the Texans skill-position players.

Indianapolis Colts: Philip Rivers is a reliable, rock of a player that never misses games and always produces steady fantasy points, will (hopefully) have T.Y. Hilton available and running routes, and most of all will share the field with a three-headed monster of a backfield that will have me pretty excited on my couch but upset in my fantasy leagues (what I mean is: all of Nyheim Hines, Jonathan Taylor, and Marlon Mack will have chances and share opportunities, so you're better off all of them).

Jacksonville Jaguars: Gardner Minshew II Volume II sounds very good, and this is a season in which Jax is playing for nothing more than a top-five (or No. 1) pick in the next draft, so he should have no limits in place and go for the booming play snap in and snap out; plus Leonard Fournette will more than probably get as many rocks as he can handle on offense, which is more than enough to give him all your money.

Tennessee Titans: Ryan Tannehill's 2019 season was more than enough to make him your QB1 (don't overpay, though) this year, and looking at the Titans' depth chart at the position he should be the starter even if he implodes; plus it is not that Derrick Henry (your 1,500 all-purpose yards, 15+ TD rusher) and A.J. Brown (second-year man poised to bump up his usage in a barren offense with upside to have a 70/1,000/7 season) won't help.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Austin Cindric

Had Arguably Best Run of Season at Richmond
Ryan Blaney

Contended for First Richmond Win but Came Up Short
Alex Bowman

Finished Second but Lost Ground in Playoffs
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Sets Personal Laps Led Record at Richmond
Chris Buescher

Falls Out of Playoffs After Miserable Richmond Run
Coby White

Bulls Not Interested in Trading Coby White
Dereck Lively II

Expected to be Ready for Camp
Brian Robinson Jr.

Commanders "Shopping" Brian Robinson Jr.
John Metchie III

Houston Texans Trade John Metchie III to Eagles
Victor Scott II

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Listening to Trade Offers for Trey Hendrickson
Marcelo Mayer

to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Samuel Basallo

Called Up From Triple-A Norfolk
J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Josh Hader

Unlikely to Return During Regular Season
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Kyle Stowers

Out Saturday With Left-Side Tightness
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Ty Gibbs

is Mediocre at a Track Where his Grandfather's Team Won 19 Times
Ross Chastain

Despite Qualifying 33rd, Ross Chastain Not As Strong a DFS Option As Usual
Carson Hocevar

Will Carson Hocevar's Speed Overcome His Lack of Racecraft?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Not Enough Attrition at Richmond for Shane Van Gisbergen to Be Viable
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking for Another Solid Richmond Race
Jhoan Duran

Feels "100%"
Marcus Semien

Out on Saturday, Going for X-Rays on his Wrist
George Springer

Activated and Starting on Saturday
Dylan Beavers

Called Up by Orioles
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Jhoan Duran

Takes Comebacker Off Foot, X-Rays Negative
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Matt Chapman

Goes to Injured List
George Springer

Likely Returning on Saturday
Max Muncy

Lands on 10-Day Injured List
Joe Mixon

Not a Lock to be Ready For Week 1
Rashee Rice

Receives Clearance to Travel to Brazil for Week 1
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Jacob Misiorowski

Activated and Starting on Friday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Back From the Injured List
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Chase Burns

Hits 15-Day Injured List With Flexor Strain
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Travis Hunter

Dealing With Upper-Body Injury, Could be Held Out of Preseason Game
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Expected to Return Friday
Michael King

Heading to 15-Day Injured List
Quinshon Judkins

Won't Face Formal Charges
Sam LaPorta

To "Miss a Little Bit of Time"
Rashee Rice

Disciplinary Hearing Scheduled For Late September
Chris Godwin

Likely to Start the Season on PUP List?
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse
Ethan Thompson

Joins Heat for Training Camp
Los Angeles Clippers

Clippers Add Jason Preston for Training Camp
Stefon Diggs

Unsure About Availability for Week 1
Justin Jefferson

Won't Practice This Week, Will be Re-Evaluated Next Week
Akshay Bhatia

a High-Upside Play at BMW Championship
Robert MacIntyre

a Safe Play at BMW Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im a Risky Play at BMW Championship
Xander Schauffele

Chases Big Week at BMW Championship
Shane Lowry

Aims to Rebound at BMW Championship
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Build Momentum at BMW Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looking to Rebound at BMW Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Eyeing Another BMW Championship Victory
Neemias Queta

Wants to Raise His Free-Throw Attempts
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Stuggling to Trade Anfernee Simons
James Cook

Bills Agree on Four-Year Extension
Cole Anthony

Focuses on Winning with Bucks
NBA

Jesse Edwards Moves to Australia
Kessler Edwards

Joins Nuggets
Bradley Beal

Feeling Rejuvenated in Los Angeles
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Looking "Incredible"
PIT

Chad Ruhwedel Retires From NHL
MIN

Jack Johnson Signs Tryout Deal with Wild
Ryker Evans

Kraken Extend Ryker Evans with Two-Year Deal
Rondale Moore

Out for the Season With Knee Injury
Bud Cauley

Needs a Big Result in Maryland
Harris English

Confident for BMW Championship
Jason Day

Faces Uphill Battle at BMW Championship
Cameron Young

Hot at the Right Time
J.J. Spaun

Rolls in After Near Miss in Memphis
Brian Harman

is a Longer Shot Heading to Maryland
Corey Conners

Appears Safe This Week in Maryland
Daniel Berger

Must Play Better at BMW Championship
Miami Heat

Kai Jones Works Out for Heat
Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook Likely to Join Kings

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP