Innholdsfortegnelse for Fantasy Football 2020 i Athlon Sports Football Bundle

Every year in these pages, we include a feature outlining the off season comings and goings (this year’s it’s on page 28, and it’s titled “Familiar Faces, New Places”). In 2020, it’s tempting to set aside a whole magazine for that purpose. We won’t be able to tell the players without a scorecard (or an Athlon Fantasy Football magazine) after an off season of seismic disruptions to the sport’s very foundation. Change has been the theme, both in fantasy football and in the real thing. We’re all anticipating the spectacle of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski in Bucs red and pewter and wondering if Philip Rivers will give us Peyton Manning flashbacks in Colts blue. Cam Newton was shown the door in Carolina, making way for new arrival Teddy Bridgewater.…

Last offseason, the entire NFL slept on Lamar Jackson’s upside. They simply looked at what had taken place on the field in 2018 — that Jackson had run a lot and had been used as a gadget player before Joe Flacco was benched — and decided there was no passing upside. Jackson won the 2019 MVP award and, if you were lucky enough to draft him, likely put you into position to win your fantasy league. To this day, there are still people who hype up Jackson’s downsides. Ignore those people. Out in the desert, Kyler Murray had a ridiculous season for a rookie. There have been three rookie quarterbacks since 2000 to complete more than 64 percent of 400 or more passes: Dak Prescott, Teddy Bridgewater and Murray. And,…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What should we expect from Kyler Murray in his second season? At the very least, expect similar numbers, if not better, and for him to make some serious mental strides, such as becoming wiser and quicker when it comes to avoiding sacks and getting rid of the ball. And don’t put it past him to make a quantum leap in the mold of Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, who each rose to league MVP status in their second season in the NFL. Giving Murray more weapons will only make him more dangerous to opposing defenses. Is this Kenyan Drake’s backfield, or will another RB be fantasy relevant this season? Yes, it’s Drake’s backfield, all right.…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Can Josh Allen finish as a top-10 fantasy QB again? When factoring the addition of WR Stefon Diggs and Allen’s proven effectiveness as a rushing threat, absolutely. Thanks to the Bills vastly upgrading Allen’s weapons (John Brown, Cole Beasley, Dawson Knox), along with playing four additional games, Allen made a significant jump as a passer from his rookie to sophomore seasons, throwing for 1,015 more yards and 10 more touchdowns. He’ll also enter his third season in coordinator Brian Daboll’s system, no small factor. And while Allen won’t have to run as much as he did his first two seasons when he gained 1,141 yards and scored 17 touchdowns on the ground, that is still…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What are your expectations for Joe Burrow in his rookie season? You’ll have to ride the rookie waves, but Burrow could ultimately deliver as a fantasy sleeper at the position. First off, he’s not your typical rookie and has spent the past two years playing against future NFL players in the SEC. Secondly, Burrow will be the leader of a Cincinnati passing attack that has plenty of weapons for him to utilize. And if you don’t think the Bengals are going to be very good in 2020, that means Burrow will be playing from behind and throwing more. Will Joe Mixon get more involved in the passing game? Any concern he will hold out? That’s…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Is this Melvin Gordon III’s backfield now, or it is a time share with Phillip Lindsay? Follow the guaranteed money of $13.5 million, and it’s clear Gordon will start. He also is a proven blocker in pass protection and has averaged 50 receptions over the past three seasons. As such, look for Gordon to get the bulk of the work with Lindsay complementing him with five to 10 touches a game. Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton — which wide receiver finishes with more fantasy points? Sutton blossomed into a Pro Bowler in his second season with improved route running. Quarterback Drew Lock trusts Sutton, which means he will finish with more fantasy points. Sutton should…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Without DeAndre Hopkins, is Deshaun Watson still a top-five fantasy QB? Absolutely! Besides throwing for 52 TDs the last two seasons (18 to Hopkins), he also ran for 12 and caught another one. The Texans have added a deep threat (Brandin Cooks), a veteran slot receiver (Randall Cobb) and a running back (David Johnson) who might be the best receiver in the league at his position. Is this David Johnson’s backfield now or will Duke Johnson see more carries? David Johnson is the starter as long as he’s healthy. Carlos Hyde had his best season with the Texans, and they expect Johnson will rebound. Duke Johnson will come off the bench behind David Johnson like…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Damien Williams — which running back finishes with more fantasy points this season? In PPR leagues, it’s Edwards-Helaire by a mile. Williams matched his career high in receptions (23) in 2018 before catching 30 passes last season with Kansas City, but he’s not going to be mistaken for Brian Westbrook anytime soon. Edwards-Helaire, who had 55 catches last season for LSU, draws favorable comparisons to the former Eagles great, who averaged more than 65 receptions per season during his heyday playing for Andy Reid. That production may be tough for a rookie to match, but anyone who remembers Westbrook’s career or Jamaal Charles’ first season with Reid will understand Edwards-Helaire’s potential value.…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How do you see the backfield touches being distributed? Is there a clear-cut No. 1 option? Cam Akers was drafted in the second round (the team’s first pick) to be Todd Gurley II’s replacement, and he’ll get the most touches if things play out as the Rams want. Darrell Henderson Jr. was drafted last year in the third round to be Gurley’s backup, and the 5'8" dual-threat back should get more action than he did in 2019 and serve as a change-of-pace option off the bench. Malcolm Brown will be a reliable third-stringer. After Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, is there another fantasy-relevant wide receiver on this roster? With Brandin Cooks traded away, Josh Reynolds…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Jarrett Stidham or Brian Hoyer — who starts more games in 2020? Stidham. All indications are the Patriots have made the decision that it’s his job to lose. The Patriots have invested in their offensive line and are particularly strong on the left side, where tackle Isaiah Wynn and guard Joe Thuney have Stidham’s blindside. New England has loaded up on targets who can get open quickly, adding an extra level of comfort for their new leader. Hoyer is the break-glass-in-case-of-emergency backup plan. Sony Michel or James White — which running back finishes with more fantasy points? White. His exceptional receiving skills make him more than just the third-down/change-of-pace back. He’s reliable with the ball…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What’s more likely to happen this season — Sam Darnold finishes as a top-15 fantasy quarterback or Le’Veon Bell finishes as a top-10 running back? Darnold. Jets head coach Adam Gase has already said he wants to lighten Bell’s workload this season. And that was before the Jets went out and signed Frank Gore to be their No. 2 back. Gase is a huge fan of Gore, so he’s going to be in the mix. And remember, it’s not like Bell had a super-heavy workload last season. Denzel Mims or Breshad Perriman — who finishes with more fantasy points in 2020? Perriman. Simply because he is more experienced. It’s going to take time for Mims…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Which 49ers running back is the one to target in fantasy drafts? Raheem Mostert. The journeyman was a man possessed after he assumed the lead-back role in December. In Mostert’s final eight games (including the playoffs), he rushed for 715 yards, averaged 6.1 yards per carry and scored 12 total touchdowns. That’s 1,430 yards and 24 TDs over a 16-game season. Tevin Coleman is still around to share the workload, but Mostert will have less competition for touches: The 49ers traded Matt Breida to the Dolphins in April. Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk — which 49ers wide receiver finishes with more fantasy points in 2020? Samuel. Not only does Samuel have a season of NFL…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Should Derrick Henry be a No. 1 overall pick candidate in fantasy drafts? Consensus top pick Christian McCaffrey will be working with a rookie NFL head coach, new QB and a roster that spent its entire draft on defense. McCaffrey will likely go No. 1, but Henry has a puncher’s shot at being the top-scoring fantasy back in 2020. Henry led the league in carries (303), rushing yards (1,540), rushing TDs (16), and rushing yards per game (102.7) in 15 games last season. He also scored on receptions of 75 and 23 yards. In three playoff games, Henry added 83 carries for 446 yards and two TDs. In 18 total games last year, the 6'3",…

Quarterbacks 1. Justin Fields Ohio State 2. Sam Ehlinger Texas 3. Sam Howell North Carolina 4. Spencer Rattler Oklahoma 5. Trevor Lawrence Clemson 6. Spencer Sanders Oklahoma State 7. D'Eriq King Miami (Fla.) 8. Brock Purdy Iowa State 9. Shane Buechele SMU 10. Asher O'Hara Middle Tennessee 11. Ian Book Notre Dame 12. Holton Ahlers East Carolina 13. K.J. Costello Mississippi State 14. Sam Hartman Wake Forest 15. Kedon Slovis USC 16. Myles Brennan LSU 17. Jayden Daniels Arizona State 18. Dustin Crum Kent State 19. Mac Jones Alabama 20. Dillon Gabriel UCF 21. Micale Cunningham Louisville 22. Kellen Mond Texas A&M 23. Jamie Newman Georgia 24. Clayton Tune Houston 25. Adrian Martinez Nebraska 26. Bo Nix Auburn 27. Chevan Cordeiro Hawaii 28. Logan Bonner Arkansas State 29. Chris Reynolds…

Christian McCaffrey, RB Carolina Panthers No need to overthink things here: McCaffrey is the slam-dunk No. 1 pick, especially in PPR leagues. McCaffrey outscored every other non-quarterback last season by well over 100 fantasy points (Athlon scoring), and the gap is even bigger between him and the No. 2 running back. Since there are fewer bell-cow backs than ever before, you can’t afford to wait until the end of the second round to grab your first running back, and McCaffrey is as complete a back as you can find. With Joe Brady directing the offense and a big upgrade at quarterback with Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina should have a stronger offense, and McCaffrey will be a major beneficiary. McCaffrey was held under 60 rushing yards six times last year, but that…

QUARTERBACKS 1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati • LSU A record-breaking offense at LSU convinced Cincinnati to draft Burrow No. 1 overall. Burrow had a ton of help at LSU — new Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady got a promotion off his work, several skill position players were drafted and the offensive line didn’t get the credit it deserved. Stick throws to the hashes will be a question mark early, but Burrow didn’t show much reason for concern at the college level. 2. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami • Alabama Tagovailoa’s hip injury caused him to drop a bit from presumed No. 1 overall pick at the start of last year’s season, but it ultimately didn’t make much difference in his draft position. Everything he proved in 2018 is still true: He’s a high-functioning…

Every season, as fantasy football analysts, it’s our job to come up with a bunch of bold predictions. Some of them hit, and some of them hit the bricks. What is often forgotten is the idea that we should learn lessons from our failures. It’s easy to just load up another team and run it back, hoping that everything works out, but a little harder to spend some time on things that went wrong and how we can have the foresight to pick them out earlier. Let’s learn some lessons from last year and apply them to this upcoming season. 1 Don’t trust wideouts on new teams “Freed from Eli Manning, 2019 is set to be Odell Beckham Jr.’s best season yet. Ignore the missed games in 2017 and 2018;…

EFP stands for Expected Fantasy Points, the total fantasy points projected by Athlon Sports for QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs, Ks, and D/ST units using a performance-based, PPR scoring system. The EFP is just an extra bonus for readers who enjoy the convenience of seeing a projected points total next to each player. BYE WEEKS WEEK 5 Detroit, Green Bay WEEK 6 Las Vegas, New England, New Orleans, Seattle WEEK 7 Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Minnesota, Tennessee WEEK 8 Arizona, Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Pittsburgh, Washington WEEK 9 Cincinnati, Cleveland L.A. Rams, Philadelphia WEEK 10 Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers WEEK 11 Buffalo, Chicago, Miami, N.Y. Giants, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco WEEK 13 Carolina, Tampa Bay ATHLON SCORING Offense 10 yards rushing = 1 point 10 yards receiving = 1 point 25 yards…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What kind of workload are you projecting for Todd Gurley II? Will another Falcons RB have any fantasy relevance in 2020? Gurley’s production in Atlanta will depend largely on the health of his knee, which has struggled with arthritic flare-ups and is believed to have led to his release from the Rams. If he’s at least somewhat his old self, he’ll be the main back in Atlanta’s run game, though load management seems to be the key. It’s imperative the team gets as much out of its depth as possible. Is Hayden Hurst a legitimate top-10 fantasy option at tight end? With Matt Ryan, anything is certainly possible. Hurst has never had the chance to…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How will Matt Rhule’s offense look with Teddy Bridgewater at the helm? Middle of the road. The Panthers have some offensive weapons, Christian McCaffrey will continue to be elite and new offensive coordinator Joe Brady (previously at LSU) will be fun. But Bridgewater wasn’t putting up big numbers in New Orleans with fantastic skill players and won’t do so here, either. On a good week, Bridgewater will throw for 225 yards and two touchdowns. The offense will be McCaffrey first and foremost, with a steady dose of clear No. 1 receiver DJ Moore and the hopeful emergence of one more reliable pass catcher. What’s more likely to happen with McCaffrey in 2020 — he goes…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What changes should we expect from the Browns offense under new head coach Kevin Stefanski? More tight ends in the game, more focus on the run game and a steady use of play-action passing to challenge defenses downfield. On paper, this offense is loaded. Baker Mayfield has proven pass catchers in Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. and Austin Hooper. Nick Chubb will challenge for the rushing title, and Kareem Hunt is his backup. If the Browns improve their discipline and Mayfield is efficient, the Browns will have plenty of scoring chances. How much improvement are you expecting from Mayfield this season? When Mayfield is good, he’s accurate and confident. He was rarely either of those…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How concerned should fantasy owners be about Matthew Stafford’s back? Before missing the final half of 2019 with non-displaced fractures in his upper back, Stafford had made 136 consecutive starts dating back to the start of 2011. But he played through a similar back issue toward the end of the 2018 season, and at 32, that naturally raises some questions. Only Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson have taken more sacks since 2011, and Stafford will be playing behind three new starters on the offensive line this fall. The Lions made signing an experienced backup a priority in free agency. Fantasy owners might want to as well. Kerryon Johnson or D’Andre Swift — who finishes with…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How will this offense look with Philip Rivers at quarterback? Colts head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Siriani know Rivers well from their days as Chargers assistants. Rivers thrived when working with them. A strong rushing game means the eight-time Pro Bowl passer won’t have to be Superman each week. Reich will call plays that utilize Rivers’ strengths — quick reads and getting rid of the ball fast. Rivers had 20 interceptions last season because he forced passes while not being well protected. The Colts have a solid offensive line that didn’t have a missed start last season and gave Andrew Luck the best protection of his career in 2018. Marlon Mack or…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How long of a leash does Derek Carr have this season? I think it will start out as a long leash, and I think he capitalizes on finally having a complete team around him to solidify himself as the unquestioned QB. The weapons are there. The system is in place. The play-caller is creative and aggressive. Carr is set up perfectly to succeed. He has been an accurate passer able to distribute the ball and steer clear of turnovers, so if he simply utilizes his weapons, he should be fine. But if there are obvious shortcomings, I think by midseason that leash gets microscopically short. Will Josh Jacobs see more work this season, or should…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Ryan Fitzpatrick or Tua Tagovailoa — which quarterback starts more games in 2020? Barring preseason catastrophe, it will be the veteran Fitzpatrick, who was remarkable in the second half of last season, leading Miami to victories and compiling a respectable passer rating (85 overall) in spite of a historically anemic running game. He was the leading rusher, at age 37! His intelligence and selflessness make him the ideal bridge and, other than fan desires, there’s no reason to rush Tagovailoa, especially with the Dolphins breaking in so many inexperienced offensive linemen at once. Don’t want to break him before he can break out. Matt Breida or Jordan Howard — which running back finishes with more…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS The carries were split fairly evenly last year between Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray. Should we expect more of the same? Kamara took 75 percent of the pair’s total carries in the first five weeks last year before an injury limited his effectiveness. I imagine New Orleans would dial that back a bit but still make Kamara a focal point of the offensive attack. In an ideal scenario, the Saints would probably wish for something along the lines of a 65-35 split between Kamara and Murray, with Kamara getting the lion’s share of the workload. Jared Cook or Emmanuel Sanders — which Saints pass catcher finishes with more fantasy points in 2020? Cook was a…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How many carries are you projecting for Miles Sanders this season? The Eagles parted ways with Jordan Howard and didn’t draft another running back, which means the versatile Sanders will be a three-down, main-man backfield option all season. If he stays healthy, Sanders should get about 250 carries this season. How do you see the pecking order among the wide receivers working out? Much of it depends on good health, which was elusive last year. DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery failed to finish the season. Newly acquired Marquise Goodwin missed 12 games over the last two years in San Francisco. If everybody can step onto the field, Jackson is the big yardage producer, Jeffery will…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Will Chris Carson get the bulk of the carries this season or will they be spread out more? As the starter, Carson will receive the bulk of the workload, no matter how much more the Seahawks want to use new arrival Carlos Hyde or speedier backup Rashaad Penny. For two seasons now, Carson has rushed the ball three times more per game than Penny — on the average, 18 carries to six. Both come off season-ending injuries from 2019, but Carson’s hip issue didn’t require surgery, while Penny’s torn ACL did. Penny won’t cut into his teammate’s workload, and Hyde lacks Carson’s abilities in the passing game. Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf — which Seahawks…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What will this offense look like under Ron Rivera and coordinator Scott Turner? While there is scant evidence as to what a Turner offense looks like (he has just four games as coordinator under his belt, all at the end of 2019 in Carolina), one thing that’s clear is that he values creativity and versatility in his schemes and concepts. Expect inventive deployments of backs J.D. McKissic, Antonio Gibson and perhaps Derrius Guice. Most of all, expect Turner to build an offense around QB Dwayne Haskins Jr., rather than trying to meld Haskins to his offense. What are your expectations for Haskins? Haskins seemed to get better with nearly every one of his seven starts…

Playing NFL Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is like going to an amusement park. It’s fun and can be a thrilling ride, but each DFS site is a different roller coaster, offering unique twists and turns as well as speeds and drops. Most people have their favorite. DFS is no different. And whether you are a first-time rider or an experienced veteran, there is a DFS site for you. One of the biggest differences between regular fantasy football and DFS is the period of play. Standard fantasy football is often referred to as “seasonal fantasy” because it starts with Week 1 and typically goes through Week 16 or 17 of the NFL season. With DFS, one week, a specific set of games (the 4 p.m. Sunday matchup, for example) or a…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS “Madden curse” notwithstanding, what are your expectations for reigning MVP Lamar Jackson this season? Even if he continues his rapid improvement as a passer, Jackson will be hard-pressed to improve on his TD-to-interception ratio of 36:6 last year. Coaches rave about Jackson’s field vision, and that certainly had a lot to do with the limited number of interceptions. If the Ravens extend the passing game this year, with the addition of new receivers, that interception number could go up. Jackson ran 176 times for 1,206 yards last year, both NFL records for a quarterback. He said this offseason that he expected to carry the ball less given the Ravens’ additional weapons at running back and…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Nick Foles or Mitchell Trubisky — which Bears quarterback will start more games in 2020? To find the answer, just follow the money. As everyone expected, the Bears declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option, while making a much stronger financial commitment to Foles. By almost all accounts, Trubisky regressed last year, although Foles didn’t exactly distinguish himself in Jacksonville. The feeling is that the Bears have seen enough of Trubisky to know that he’s not the guy. They’ve characterized the battle as “an open competition,” but unless Trubisky suddenly elevates his game to a height that he’s never before approached, the job will go to Foles. How many carries are you projecting for David Montgomery in his…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Is Ezekiel Elliott a lock for another 300 carries this season, or will another running back get involved more? The Cowboys love Tony Pollard and want to get him more involved, but Elliott is the bell cow. He has been since arriving as the fourth overall choice in 2016. Other than 2017, when Elliott served a six-game suspension, he has had 322, 304 and 301 carries, twice leading the league. There is no reason to believe he won’t get 300 carries again this season. Book it. Michael Gallup or CeeDee Lamb — which wide receiver finishes with more fantasy points this season? Gallup set career highs last season with 66 catches for 1,107 yards and…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Will Aaron Jones be a top-five fantasy RB again this season? Had this question been asked before the 2020 NFL Draft, the answer would have been an unequivocal, mandatory-exclamation-point “Yes!” Then the Packers used their second-round pick on bruising 247-pound running back AJ Dillon from Boston College, and suddenly head coach Matt LaFleur’s Year Two plans for the offense seem to be trending toward more running the ball — but with Jones, Dillon and Jamaal Williams sharing the load. Surely, Jones will want the ball plenty this year, having tied for the NFL lead in touchdowns last season (19) with Christian McCaffrey, but also as he enters a contract year hoping to improve his bargaining…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What are your expectations for Gardner Minshew II as the full-time starter? Minshew will put up similar statistics as he did his rookie year, but the Jaguars still won’t win more than six games because of the number of young players on the team. Minshew will do a better job reading defenses and cut down on his fumbles. The Jaguars have more offensive weapons than a year ago, but they did not significantly upgrade their offensive line. Will Leonard Fournette have a similar (341 touches) workload this season, or will another running back get more involved? Now that the decision has been made that the franchise is going forward with Fournette (although the team declined…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What are your expectations for Tyrod Taylor? Will we see Justin Herbert much this season? The Chargers keep saying Taylor is in the driver’s seat to start, so it’s his job to lose. They don’t plan on rushing Herbert’s development, and with a unique offseason, don’t expect Herbert to take the job from Taylor before Week 1. Expect Taylor to do what he did with the Buffalo Bills for three seasons. He’ll connect deep on a few passes and gain yards on the ground. So in fantasy terms, he’ll likely be a solid bye-week fill-in early on. Austin Ekeler’s 132 carries last season were a career high. What kind of workload are you anticipating for…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Will Dalvin Cook finish as a top-five fantasy running back again? If healthy, yes. No question. But that’s a big if. He has missed 19 games in his three NFL seasons. He was in the MVP discussion last year until shoulder injuries slowed him after an electric prime-time performance in the win at Dallas. There are no guarantees, but Cook being a top-five fantasy back is worth the gamble. How confident are you in Adam Thielen bouncing back this season? Thielen is coming off a hamstring injury that wrecked most of last season. He turns 30 in August. And he loses Stefon Diggs’ veteran presence to take attention away from him. But look for a…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS What are your expectations for Daniel Jones in his second season? Honestly, Jones had a pretty big year statistically for a rookie. He started only 12 games but was on pace for 4,000 yards and 30-plus touchdowns. His biggest issue was turnovers — both interceptions and fumbles. I’d expect those to go down fairly significantly in his second season. And while I expect him to be better and more consistent, I wouldn’t bet on an explosion of numbers. Getting 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns seems like a good expectation. I wouldn’t think he’d go higher, especially since the Giants are building themselves to revolve around Saquon Barkley, and new head coach Joe Judge has made…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS Can Ben Roethlisberger provide the same level of production he did before the injury? That’s a tough one to answer because we have such a small sample size of what Roethlisberger looked like without Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell at his disposal. It wasn’t like the good old days in those two games, but maybe the injury was more of the reason. The relative uncertainty about the Steelers’ offense — compared to previous years — is just as much of a reason to be cautious about Roethlisberger as his elbow and age are. Will the Steelers give most of the carries to James Conner, or is this more of a time share? Conner has missed…

FANTASY DEPTH CHART INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM AN NFL TEAM INSIDER FIELDS KEY FANTASY QUESTIONS How will this offense look with Tom Brady at the controls? Brady immediately elevates the players around him with his precision, competitiveness and attention to detail. He will operate head coach Bruce Arians’ offense, a “No risk it, no biscuit” vertical passing game which would seem an odd fit for Brady. But the Bucs don’t see any decline on Brady’s arm strength, and he has ample weapons in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard, to name a few. As Brady says, he will “throw it to the open receiver,” and that should be enough. His ability to protect the football and not hold onto the ball will decrease the 112 points the…

WEEK 1 Thursday, Sept. 10 Houston at Kansas City Sunday, Sept. 13 Seattle at Atlanta Cleveland at Baltimore N.Y. Jets at Buffalo Las Vegas at Carolina Chicago at Detroit Indianapolis at Jacksonville Green Bay at Minnesota Miami at New England Philadelphia at Washington L.A. Chargers at Cincinnati Tampa Bay at New Orleans Arizona at San Francisco Dallas at L.A. Rams Monday, Sept. 14 Pittsburgh at N.Y. Giants Tennessee at Denver WEEK 2 Thursday, Sept. 17 Cincinnati at Cleveland Sunday, Sept. 20 N.Y. Giants at Chicago Atlanta at Dallas Detroit at Green Bay Minnesota at Indianapolis Buffalo at Miami San Francisco at N.Y. Jets L.A. Rams at Philadelphia Denver at Pittsburgh Carolina at Tampa Bay Jacksonville at Tennessee Washington at Arizona Baltimore at Houston Kansas City at L.A. Chargers New England…