X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

NFC North Risers/Fallers - 2018 Season Review

Throughout the course of any fantasy football season, it's inevitable that we're going to be surprised by the performances of certain players, both good and bad. Many highly-drafted players will fall short of expectations, while plenty of late-round fliers and waiver wire acquisitions will show up to save the day. It's important to take note of these developments throughout the year and to file them away for next season.

Players, teams and the league evolves each season. Staying ahead of why the change has happened and what that means for the future means you are more likely to be able to find that late-round gem or avoid that early-round bust.

For that reason, we will examine the biggest risers and fallers from each NFL division. Today, we look at the NFC North. When you're done, check out our breakdowns of the NFC West, NFC East, and AFC East.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Chicago Bears

Riser - Tarik Cohen, RB

Cohen was one player who really was able to get a grasp of the offense that Matt Nagy wanted to run in Chicago. Cohen has always been the pass-catching running back, but this season he was able to really stamp that authority by notching 71 receptions.

Cohen's 71 catches were only bettered by five running backs (Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Ezekiel Elliott, and James White). The Bears used Jordan Howard as their primary runner, but given the effectiveness of Cohen on the field going into 2019, it wouldn't be a surprise if he was able to increase the 99 carries that he had in the 2018 season.

Cohen was drafted in the middle rounds last season but with an improved offensive showing, he could move into the 4th-5th rounds this draft season.

Faller - Trey Burton, TE

Burton flashed during his time for the Philadelphia Eagles when Zach Ertz wasn't able to take the field. When Nagy was given his chance at being the head coach in Chicago, the first big signing he made was at tight end with Trey Burton.

There was talk about Burton even helping quarterback Mitch Trubisky understand the offense. However, that hype and faith didn't really translate to the field. Burton finished the season with 54 receptions, 569 yards, and six touchdowns.

However, that doesn't show the way that Burton's season went. Burton was able to have some games that would have won owners their weekly matchup, but those were sparse with only six top-12 performances all season. Depending on the form and availability of other tight ends, Burton may see his ADP fall come draft season.

 

Minnesota Vikings

Riser - Adam Thielen & Stefon Diggs, WR

I chose both Thielen and Diggs as risers because they were able to show that they can co-exist in the offense together. Both receivers finished the season with similar stat lines, both able to get over 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns apiece. 

Looking at their fantasy points by week, Thielen did have some struggles towards the end of the season. But it is clear to see that Thielen was more consistent of the two, owing to his more role as the slot receiver on the offense, allowing more receptions.

While Thielen may be drafted ahead of Diggs, ultimately the Vikings offense is effective and should have room for both receivers.

Faller - Dalvin Cook, RB

This fall is mainly due to the inability to stay on the field. Cook missed the majority of last season through injury but was able to show enough that fantasy owners trusted him to be an effective running back this season. Cook ended up playing 11 games, but one was a 20-yard rushing performance against the Rams and countless others were disappointing given expectations.

Cook is going to entice owners who will believe in his ability when he is on the field, but with a soft tissue injury this season to combine with an injury to his ligaments last season, there could be better options for fantasy owners looking to avoid risk in the early rounds.

 

Green Bay Packers

Riser - Aaron Jones, RB

Aaron Jones was the clearest choice as a riser for the Packers. The backfield looked like a mess at the start of the season with Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery (before the trade to the Ravens) as well as Jones starting the season with a suspension.

However, Jones came back from his suspension and ended up stealing the backfield away from his rivals. He finished the season with 728 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, combined with 26 receptions, 206 yards and one touchdown through the air.

Ultimately Jones is (at this extremely early juncture) considered to be a talent worthy of being taken in drafts within the first three rounds. Given where he was drafted at the start of the last season that is a significant step forward in draft stock.

Fallers -  Aaron Rodgers, QB

Rodgers is an elite quarterback, but last season he didn't look quite right and that was evident in his fantasy performances. The real issue that affected Rodgers was that he just wasn't able to get the ball into the end zone. Rodgers was only able to finish with 25 passing touchdowns, which is far below the levels that he has historically been able to achieve.

Part of that could be that the offense seemed to be changing personnel week to week, as well as the lackluster play-calling compared to the high octane offenses in Kansas City and Los Angeles.

Rodgers is in a good position to bounce back next season, with the aforementioned Aaron Jones on the ground, and the elite Davante Adams as a primary receiver. Combine that with the expected improvement in offense and the undoubted talent that Rodgers has and this should be a one-season blip.

 

Detroit Lions

Riser - Kenny Golladay, WR

Golladay started the season as one of three serviceable receivers in Detroit along with downfield threat Marvin Jones and PPR monster Golden Tate. Tate finished his season on a different team, and Golladay seized the opportunity with both hands.

Golladay ended up being the leading receiver for Detroit, finishing the season with 70 receptions for 1,063 yards and five touchdowns.

Golladay is now the primary threat on an offense that has always needed to pass the ball. While the Lions struggled with consistent quarterback play this season, the number of opportunities for Golladay to be involved means that he should be considered as a fringe WR1/ WR2.

Faller - Matthew Stafford, QB

Stafford was previously the prime example of why to wait at quarterback on draft day. The Lions were a team that needed to put up a lot of points to win games and they struggled to move the ball on the ground- perfect streaming material.

This season though, that wasn't the case. Stafford struggled in the offense, especially once Tate left town. The Lions weren't overly competitive and couldn't put long drives together to give their defense any respite.

The Lions offense is going to get a new OC, so Stafford may bounce back with a different voice in his ear. But until that is seen, fantasy owners should look elsewhere for their late-round quarterback.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Isaiah Stewart35 mins ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson55 mins ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio1 hour ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis1 hour ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell2 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu2 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens3 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Tyus Jones3 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Deni Avdija3 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez3 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby3 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma3 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic3 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain3 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly3 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen3 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio3 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Rudy Gobert3 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson3 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle3 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Jerami Grant4 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Lauri Markkanen4 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Alex Caruso4 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Kristaps Porzingis4 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown4 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum4 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen4 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs4 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR5 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom5 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle5 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev5 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf5 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints5 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison5 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
DJ LeMahieu6 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Opening Day
Buffalo Bills6 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
José Urquidy7 hours ago

Jose Urquidy Has Forearm Strain, Will Begin On Injured List
Justin Verlander7 hours ago

Expected To Face Hitters "In The Next Day Or Two"
Corey Seager7 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice Monday
Aaron Judge7 hours ago

Likely To Play In Four Of Final Six Spring Games
Garrett Crochet7 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Nolan Schanuel7 hours ago

Scratched With Back Tightness
Dallas Cowboys7 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
DJ LeMahieu8 hours ago

Still Pretty Sore
Aaron Judge8 hours ago

To Return On Wednesday
Jhoan Duran9 hours ago

To Begin Season On Injured List
Bryan Battle9 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa9 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux9 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu9 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert9 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Shohei Ohtani10 hours ago

Cleared To Begin Throwing Program
Bryan Barberena10 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Kyle Manzardo10 hours ago

Sent To Minor-League Camp
Jackson Merrill10 hours ago

Wins Center Field Job
Kenley Jansen10 hours ago

Scratched With Lower-Back Tightness
Byron Buxton10 hours ago

Scratched With Back Tightness
Denny Hamlin11 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison11 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott11 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov12 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli12 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond12 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala12 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat12 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski13 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich13 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren13 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson13 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott13 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley13 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs13 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek18 hours ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher18 hours ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman21 hours ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell21 hours ago

Ran Well, But His Teammates Were All Better
Martin Truex Jr23 hours ago

. Matches Career-Best Finish At Bristol
Ryan Blaney23 hours ago

Fades to 16th at Bristol After Handling Struggles
Russell1 day ago

Wilson Still Considered The Starter
William Byron2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Bristol
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Starts 19th At Bristol After Damage In Practice
Justin Haley2 days ago

Scores A Starting Position Of 32nd For Bristol
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Should Compete For The Win At Bristol
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

History Indicates Brad Keselowski Being A Favorable Bristol Play
Joey Logano2 days ago

Should Be Rostered With Caution At Bristol
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is Tyler Reddick Worth Rostering At Bristol This Week?
Martin Truex Jr2 days ago

. Could Work As A Tournament Play At Bristol
Alexander Nylander2 days ago

Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win
Sebastian Aho2 days ago

Leads Hurricanes To Victory In Toronto
Owen Tippett2 days ago

Delivers Three Assists In High-Scoring Loss
Steven Stamkos2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Four-Point Performance
Nick Schmaltz2 days ago

Records Three Assists In Win Over New Jersey
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Racks Up Five Points In Saturday's Win
Brady Tkachuk2 days ago

Sinks Islanders With Third Hat Trick
Pannie Kianzad2 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Macy Chiasson2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Isaac Dulgarian2 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Overcomes Early Adversity At UFC Vegas 88
Tai Tuivasa2 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss
Marcin Tybura2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission
Justin Fields2 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL2 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar2 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise2 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup2 days ago

Panthers Bringing In Michael Gallup For A Visit
Mike Williams3 days ago

Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit
New York Jets3 days ago

Jets Expected To Sign Tyron Smith
AJ Dillon3 days ago

Officially Re-Signs With Packers
Van Jefferson3 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers3 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo3 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert3 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux3 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers3 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys3 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett3 days ago

Steelers Sending Kenny Pickett To Eagles
Pannie Kianzad5 days ago

Looking For Redemption At UFC Vegas 88
Macy Chiasson5 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Vegas 88
Isaac Dulgarian5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 88
Christiaan Bezuidenhout5 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole5 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman5 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns5 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day5 days ago

Facing Iron Hiccup Heading To The Players
Tom Hoge6 days ago

Brings Strong Form And History To Sawgrass
Min Woo Lee6 days ago

Ready For Second Trip To Sawgrass
Will Zalatoris6 days ago

Working Toward A Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2024)

The legal tampering period for NFL free agency begins on March 11 at noon EST, so news of signings will be flying in all week. Veterans like Russell Wilson and Jonnu Smith were released before their contracts expired, meaning they got a head start on free agency and have already reached agreements with new organizations.... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Coach Knows Ball: Rome Odunze NFL Draft Film Breakdown of Washington WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Winners and Losers of 2024 NFL Free Agency (Teams)

Well, strap in, folks, because the first week of 2024 NFL Free Agency was a rollercoaster ride. Some teams made power moves while others seemingly snoozed at the switch. The Houston Texans, for instance, came out swinging, pulling off some of the savviest deals that could very well tilt the scales in their favor this... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Next Gen Stats Review: 2023 Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

A while back, we covered the Next Gen Stats for running backs, including rushing yards over expected and the percentage of plays with eight or more defenders in the box. Check out the running back review of the Next Gen Stats, as it adds a layer to player analysis. We love the advanced stats for... Read More


Keenan Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Keenan Allen Traded To Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Star wide receiver Keenan Allen has been one of the more underrated players in the NFL over the past few years. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, playing for the franchise since their days in San Diego. However, the team reportedly asked Allen to take a pay... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Marquise Brown Signs With Chiefs: Fantasy Football Impact

Veteran wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Brown hopes to follow JuJu Smith-Schuster’s footprints by playing on a one-year deal with the Chiefs and earning a multi-year big-money contract the following offseason. The former Oklahoma star spent the first three years of his career with the... Read More


Justin Jefferson - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

Will The Vikings Trade Justin Jefferson? 2024 NFL Outlook

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the top players in the NFL. The superstar was part of an impressive 2020 NFL Draft class. Yet, he was the fifth wide receiver off the board. Jefferson has been a superstar since his rookie year, making three consecutive Pro Bowl teams and All-Pro rosters to... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Free Agency Fits For Marquise Brown – 2024 Free Agent Outlook

Free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown is one of the more explosive players in the NFL. The veteran wide receiver ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at his Pro Day coming out of Oklahoma. He was a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2019 NFL Draft. Brown has spent most of his career as... Read More


Nico Collins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings For 2024 Best Ball Leagues (Tiers 4-9)

We have now entered the process of free agency, which is providing pathways for some wide receivers to seize significant roles in their new landing spots. The player movement that has ensued will also decrease the stock of other receivers whose roles will decrease within their reshaped depth charts. Participation in the best ball draft... Read More


Cade Otton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2024 Best Ball Tight End Sleepers

Top tight ends such as Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce are bound to put up quality fantasy football numbers weekly, but most tight ends are unpredictable. The top tier of tight ends are reliable for fantasy football purposes, but most tight ends are boom-or-bust type of players. Even though it is hard to hit on... Read More


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

D'Andre Swift Signs With Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Newly signed Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift has been one of the most promising, but also underperforming running backs across the NFL and the fantasy landscape in recent years. After three injury-riddled seasons in Detroit where he showed flashes of greatness but didn't quite live up to the hype, Swift was traded to the... Read More


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Top 50 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings After the 2024 NFL Combine

With the NFL Combine in our rearview mirror, now is a logical time to put out an up-to-date rankings for this year’s NFL Draft. Below, you will find my top-50 players who have declared for this NFL Draft. Below those ranks, you will also find several fantasy-relevant notes I have on this class, and on... Read More


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Calvin Ridley Signs With Titans: Fantasy Football Impact

The Tennessee Titans made a huge move once NFL free agency officially opened. They signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract with $50 million fully guaranteed. Ridley was the top receiver on the open market. The Titans swooped in out of left field and signed him to give second-year quarterback Will... Read More