You want a competitive division with a ton of elite Best Ball options and even more WTF questions? Look no further than the AFC North. Aside from having a few of the best guys in the fantasy football game like Ja’Marr Chase and Lamar Jackson, there are also a number of situations that deserve only the most confused of shrugs (ahem, Deshaun Watson). So you have some big Best Ball questions for the AFC North, and hopefully our FREE Best Ball rankings for Underdog Fantasy can provide some answers.
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Biggest Best Ball Questions for EVERY TEAM In The AFC North
Click through here to read other biggest Best Ball questions we’ve answered:
Baltimore Ravens: Is the Jackson-Henry rushing tandem too OP?
The Ravens have already been one of the most run-heavy teams in football since Lamar Jackson took over, and adding Derrick Henry into the mix is probably only going to solidify that. Even if he is past his MVP-level prime, Henry is still a high-end back at age 30.
The things to keep an eye on are, A) Henry and Jackson both getting enough rushes to limit each other’s upside, especially around the goal line, and B) the strength of the run game restricting Jackson’s passing volume. These scenarios could come into play, but for now our projections like both of these guys to still get their own.
Jackson especially has popped as a value at his ADP all summer, as we have him as our QB1 and No. 32 overall player, while the public has him behind Josh Allen and is drafting him at 46.5. Henry, meanwhile, ranks closer to ADP but is still outpacing it slightly, coming in at RB7 and No. 28 overall against a 30 draft position.
So in essence, both project to be fine as Best Ball values in their ranges — at a minimum.
Cincinnati Bengals: Is Zack Moss a real RB1?
Our evaluations of Zack Moss this summer have fluctuated from unmissable value to perfectly lined up with ADP to decent value. Right now he is in that last stage, checking in as our No. 84 overall player compared to his 92.8 ADP.
Chase Brown’s role is probably the main limiting factor for Moss, but we have Brown a few spots behind ADP at the moment, so we’re fairly sure Moss will get a RB1 workload. He took advantage of Jonathan Taylor’s absence last year in Indianapolis with a few 100-yard games, showing that he could be productive when given the volume.
Will that hold up over a full season? Time will tell, but situationally there isn’t much standing in between Moss and true RB1 touches.
Cleveland Browns: Will we ever see good Deshaun Watson again?
Truth be told, no one can answer that with 100% certainty. Watson has only played six games in each of the last couple seasons, and the Browns were better with Joe Flacco as their quarterback last year. Well, Flacco is gone now, so barring injury, Watson has his first shot at a good Cleveland season.
Any positive regression as a rusher — or even decent passing numbers — will make Watson an exceptional value at his ADP of 159.7. We have Watson ranked nearly three full rounds higher at No. 124, by the way.
His offensive line is elite, and before joining the Browns, Watson rattled off three straight seasons of at least 3,800 yards passing and 400 yards rushing. That was four years ago, and maybe that guy is long gone. But at that ADP, we’re willing to take the chance.
Pittsburgh Steelers: What even is the Steelers passing game?
Let’s start with the Steelers quarterbacks: We hate the value on both of them:
- Russell Wilson: No. 242 Overall, ADP 205.7
- Justin Fields: Not in Top 250, ADP 212.0
Now, one could jump up once an official starter manifests himself, but until then, these guys are both punts.
And then there are the top pass catchers, most of whom also seem like mediocre value at best:
- George Pickens: No. 54 Overall, ADP 39.1
- Jaylen Warren: No. 92 Overall, ADP 88.9
- Pat Freiermuth: No. 140 Overall, ADP 132.8
- Roman Wilson: No. 159 Overall, ADP 174.2
Only Roman Wilson outpaces ADP in this group, and Pickens is suffering from the quarterback situation more than anyone else. His talent and the lack of any true threat to his target share lends credence to a massive number of looks this year, but we are also projecting an inefficient year for Pickens.
Overall, this is one of the least stackable teams in the AFC — at least until the Steelers stop puttering around and name Russell Hustle and Bustle the starting quarterback already.
