This series of articles will examine the fantasy impact of the offseason moves, both via free agency and through the NFL Draft.
Baltimore Ravens
The bar was sky high a year ago as the Ravens were coming off the Super Bowl victory. However, the 2013 season was a hot mess on both sides of the ball. Can Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense play well enough to help the re-tooled defense? The pressure is on Flacco to lead his team back to Super Bowl contention. A strong Draft this year helped re-load talent on offense and defense.
Quarterback: Many are wanting to see how Flacco plays this season after such a disappointing 2013 campaign. This is optimism with the new offense and weapons. Backing up Flacco will be Tyrod Taylor once again. He is very athletic, but still learning how to be an effective NFL quarterback.
Running Back: After he serves the two-game suspension, Ray Rice should be the focal point of the offense once again. Hopefully for dynasty owners, he will be used more in the passing game. Rice has lost weight this offseason and should be quicker and more explosive than he exhibited last year. Bernard Pierce is a quality reserve, but it is still up in the air whether he has the talent to one day become a NFL starter. While Rice misses the first two contests, Pierce will see his role increase. There are many who feel that he – and not Rice – has the best skill set for Gary Kubiak's blocking scheme. Plus, it was Pierce who received the short yardage carry last Thursday night in the preseason opener. Lorenzo Taliaferro was drafted in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft and could work his way into a committee role with a strong training camp. Also, keep an eye on Justin Forsett who will play the change-of-pace role, especially until Rice returns. Baltimore has a deep backfield and will look to run the ball to keep the pressure off Flacco.
Wide Receiver: Last year, the offense struggled after the loss of Anquan Boldin. Once again, Torrey Smith will be relied upon heavily to carry the passing game. Smith possesses top-notch speed and will see a large amount of pass targets. The Ravens did bring in veteran Steve Smith from Carolina. Even though he could be at the end of his career, Smith can still be a valuable weapon, just without the play-making ability he used to possess. Marlon Brown looks to have the third receiver spot sewn up. Brown played admirably as a rookie last year when thrust into the starting gig opposite Torrey Smith. Jacoby Jones and Deonte Thompson return in limited roles. Two players to watch in preseason are Michael Campanaro and LaQuan Williams.
Tight End: Dennis Pitta is back healthy and poised for a big season. Kubiak loves using the tight end position in the passing offense. He brought Owen Daniels with him from Houston and Daniels will serve as the TE2 now that Ed Dickson has departed.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh has begun rebuilding on both sides of the ball. The team mortgaged the future (salary cap) in order to prolong the successful Super Bowl runs, but it is now time to build for the long-term. The Steelers have a chance for a deep playoff run if the defense can get back to the level of play from the middle 2000s.
Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger is back under center and seems to be underappreciated by fantasy owners and football fans alike. He is still an upper echelon NFL quarterback and should be able to continue his offensive success, especially if the offensive line can improve. Roethlisberger was able to get things going late in the year. He was able to get on the same page as coordinator Todd Haley and the offense seemed to gel. Bruce Gradkowski is back to his role holding the clipboard for the durable passer. Gradkowski is an underrated reserve. He played admirably in Oakland early in his career and gives the Steelers hope for continuity if Roethlisberger were to miss games again. Roethlisberger does hold the ball a long time, and takes many hits, so this is not out of the question that the veteran reserve plays some this season. Landry Jones is the third quarterback. Jones is a young quarterback for the team to develop, something Pittsburgh has not done in several years. However, he is light years away from a viable option.
Running Back: The Steelers selected LeVeon Bell last year in the NFL Draft after letting Rashad Mendenhall depart to Arizona, following Bruce Arians. Bell is a bigger back who runs with finesse more than power. He has lost weight this offseason and could showcase better moves in the hole. Bell will rely on the offensive line to open holes. His upside will depend on use in the passing game. This is one area the young player excels. LeGarrette Blount was signed from New England to offer Pittsburgh a punisher in the run game. The Bell/Blount combo could be a strong one. Blount looked very good down the stretch in 2013. Speedy Dri Archer was drafted to provide a boost to the return game and special plays. He is too small to be a regular contributor. But, this is one offense which needed to improve the speed on the field, especially with the loss of fast wide receivers in consecutive seasons.
Wide Receiver: Antonio Brown had a breakout season a year ago. Roethlisberger looked to him to be the “go to” receiver. He returns looking to establish himself as one of the game's top pass catchers. After Mike Wallace left in free agency in 2013, Emmanuel Sanders departed this offseason. Sanders is now in Denver and will add speed to that offense. The receiver expected to take his place is Markus Wheaton, who has the speed and ability to make an impact in year one as a starter. Martavis Bryant was drafted to groom behind Wheaton. The Steelers have drafted well recently at the receiver position so there should be confidence in Wheaton and Bryant. Justin Brown was selected late in the 2013 draft, but offers little upside as a slot receiver. Yet, he has already passed newly signed Lance Moore on the depth chart. Moore was sent packing from New Orleans and Pittsburgh gave an opportunity. In fantasy leagues, especially dynasty, with strong seasons Antonio Brown could become a perennial Top 10 receiver while Wheaton and Bryant look to emerge into consistent producers.
Tight End: Veteran Heath Miller is back and finally healthy. Miller is one of Roethlisberger's favorite targets so he has a shot to be a surprise finisher in the Top 10 at the position. Matt Spaeth, rookie Rob Blanchflower, and David Paulson are behind the starter on the depth chart. Keep an eye on the rookie in preseason.
Cincinnati Bengals
There are high expectations for Marvin Lewis' team once again. The upstart Bengals have competitive talent at most positions, but will rely on Andy Dalton and a strong defense in order to contend for the division title. One key to the team's success will be how the Bengals handle the loss of both coordinators, Zimmer and Gruden, to head coaching jobs.
Quarterback: Andy Dalton returns to lead the Cincinnati offense after getting paid just a few days ago. He was not compensated as an elite player. Rather, Dalton's contract represents a middle class valuation of his services. He is a solid-yet-unspectacular field general. Jason Campbell returns to back up Dalton. He was freakishly hurt Thursday evening so monitor his health. Cincinnati did draft A.J. McCarron to potentially be developed for the quarterback of the future. McCarron is not healthy and likely will not play much in preseason.
Running Back: The running back position should be a committee for touches, just like last season when BenJarvus Green-Ellis split touches with then-rookie Giovani Bernard. Bernard looks the part but is mired in the committee. This time it is not Green-Ellie he is sharing time with, but rookie Jeremy Hill. Bernard offers a play-making threat to the running game while Hill will be the power back. It is conceivable that Green-Ellis is cut in training camp. If so, he could land in a quality situation with so many teams needing ball carriers. Cedric Peerman and Rex Burkhead offer depth and little else.
Wide Receiver: A.J. Green should lead the team in receiving once again. His potential is unlimited and Green is on pace for a Hall of Fame career. Cincinnati has added young depth to the receiving corps in the last few years. Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu are talented and could play an increased role as defenses focus on stopping the superstar Green. Each has the potential to be a long-term starter. Also, keep an eye on Cobi Hamilton, Brandon Tate, and Ryan Whalen for the remaining roster spots. Hamilton is an intriguing prospect if he can develop and gain consistency. He was raw coming out of Arkansas, but has the physical skill set to threaten for a starting job in the future. There has been some recent buzz about him coming out of camp.
Tight End: This should be the year that Tyler Eifert overtakes Jermaine Gresham in the passing game. Gresham will still be used as a blocker. Eifert is the superior receiver and could become a premier player at the position. Cincinnati could utilize more two-tight end sets,taking advantage of what each tight end does best: Gresham blocking and Eifert receiving.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns made changes in the front office and the coaching staff once again this offseason. This much change cannot be good for building an elite organization. The Browns are likely a year or two away from competing for the division. The team has drafted well and has a good young nucleus.
Quarterback: Brandon Weeden was unceremoniously kicked to the curb. Cleveland then proceeded to draft Johnny Manziel in the first round of May's NFL Draft. He will “compete” with veteran Bryan Hoyer in a sham of a competition for the starting job. It is the rookie's to lose. Even though he lacks the size and other characteristics of star quarterbacks, Manziel has the leadership qualities and charisma to be a star on – and off – the field.
Running Back: Manziel, above, was selected with the pick the Browns received when trading Trent Richardson to the Colts. Cleveland has built a solid running back group this offseason. In free agency, Ben Tate was signed. While far from a star, Tate is a solid player at the position. He does have a long injury history and has been far from durable throughout his career. Next, the team used a Top 100 pick in the draft to select Terrance West. West is a player. He racked up big yardage at Towson and could make a huge splash in the NFL. In addition, troubled Isaiah Crowell signed after going undrafted. He bounced around colleges due to off the field issues. Crowell is talented as well. The rookies are expected to push Tate for carries. Dion Lewis is buried on the roster and could be released or traded. Lewis showed good vision and quickness when in Philadelphia. Edwin Baker is still with the team, but has little chance of being a viable fantasy option while in Cleveland.
Wide Receiver: Josh Gordon has been suspended and is awaiting word on his appeal. What a sad development for one of the game's best players. For those not remembering, he finished as the NFL's leading receiver even after missing the first two games to suspension a year ago. Shifty Andrew Hawkins was signed to add a spark to the receiving corps, especially if Gordon misses most or all of the season. The team also signed Miles Austin from Dallas. Even though he battled injuries (predominantly hamstring injuries) the past year, Austin still can play. The loss of Gordon has sent the team scrambling for alternatives, yet there are none. Youngster Charles Johnson could emerge with a strong training camp. He has all of the physical tools to be a NFL starter, and just needs polish … lots of polish. Nate Burleson was signed from Detroit, but has little left in the tank and could get released in training camp.
Tight End: Last year, Jordan Cameron burst onto the fantasy football scene with Chudzinski running the show. The head coach has a reputation for utilizing the tight end position. With Chudzinski's departure, how will Cameron respond? There should be little concern as the loss of Gordon will force Manziel (or Hoyer) to rely on the young tight end even more. Gary Barnidge came to Cleveland with Chudzinski and has found a home as Cameron's backup.
The division should be a dog fight with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati competing for the title. Since the NFL is a quarterback league, the edge has to go to the Steelers. This will be a hard-fought division all year long with few lopsided contests. Even Cleveland has the talent to beat one of the other three teams any given week.
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