NFL training camps are open, and fantasy football draft season is upon us. FantasyPros analysts Derek Brown, Andrew Erickson, Pat Fitzmaurice and Mike Maher kick off a series of preseason roundtables by discussing the most interesting training camp battles, players coming back from major injuries, players who changed teams and more. And below we’ll list offenses that you should target and avoid in fantasy football.
- More Fantasy Football Advice
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
Fantasy Football Offenses to Target & Avoid
Is there a team whose offense you’re expecting to take a major step forward and become particularly fantasy-friendly this year? Is there a team whose players you’re avoiding in anticipation of a lifeless offense?
Pittsburgh Steelers | New England Patriots
Derek Brown: The Steelers have all the necessary ingredients for fantasy goodness this season. An emerging second-year quarterback (Kenny Pickett)? Check. A highlight-reel deep threat (George Pickens)? Yep. A route-running savant (Diontae Johnson)? Oh, yeah. A talented target-earning tight end (Pat Freiermuth)? You better believe it. This offense will be improved in 2023. The question is how much. I’m willing to invest heavily to find out.
The Patriots are a rolling dumpster fire. Outside of my belief in Rhamondre Stevenson‘s ability and my hopes of him emerging as one of the best all-around talents in the NFL in 2023, you can count me out on this offense. Juju Smith-Schuster is mid at this point of his career. Belief in DeVante Parker is a worrisome drug that people should have kicked long ago. Tyquan Thornton‘s hype is head-scratching, to say the least. Outside of Stevenson, I’m avoiding New England players like the plague.
Chicago Bears | Arizona Cardinals
Mike Maher: Let me preface this by saying I’m not the biggest Justin Fields fan. That said, he showed how valuable he can be in fantasy with how he finished last season. Whether something clicked with him or whether the Bears just decided to cut him loose and encourage him to run, the end result was a top-5 QB for fantasy once he started running all over the place. The Bears added Chase Claypool during the season and D.J. Moore this offseason in an attempt to give Fields more weapons, and it would be a disappointment if the Bears didn’t take a major step forward this season.
As for the Arizona Cardinals, I could not be more out. I don’t know if we see Kyler Murray this season. And if we do, he probably won’t be the same mobile Murray we’re used to. DeAndre Hopkins is gone. Marquise Brown is … fine? Unpopular opinion: Cardinals fans are going to miss Kliff Kingsbury when they see the offense Jonathan Gannon puts on the field this year.
Atlanta Falcons | Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Erickson: Desmond Ridder isn’t perfect, but Ridder creating a fantasy-friendly environment with top offensive weapons at his disposal is hardly asking for much. I’ll bet Atlanta takes a step forward in his second year with head coach Arthur Smith.
Rookie QBs are bad bets for offenses. Mobile QBs are bad bets for the offense. The Colts have a dynamic dual-threat rookie QB who I want to have in fantasy football, but it’s going to have to come at the expense of the Colts’ top fantasy contributors, as Anthony Richardson will go through growing pains.
Cleveland Browns | Las Vegas Raiders
Pat Fitzmaurice: I’m tempted to copycat Erickson by endorsing the Falcons, but I’m not close to being sold on Desmond Ridder as a functional NFL quarterback. Let’s go with the Browns. Deshaun Watson is going to be better this season, and the combination of an improved Watson and a top offensive line will set up Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper, David Njoku and Elijah Moore for strong seasons.
I’m staying away from the Raiders. That team seemed on the verge of a mutiny last season, and I don’t trust head coach Josh McDaniels to get things back on track. Josh Jacobs is holding out, and Davante Adams has expressed displeasure with the direction of the offense. I’m leaving Las Vegas.
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