Several factors go into building a winning fantasy football team. One of those factors is identifying which players will let your team down and bust. Another is knowing which players have league-winning upside, especially in the later rounds. To help you build an elite fantasy football roster, I will identify the most likely bust candidate and potential league winner for every NFL team.
Today, I give my fantasy football draft league-winner candidates from the AFC North teams – the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Fantasy Football Draft League Winners: AFC North
Potential League Winners
Isaiah Likely (BAL): ADP 179.3 | TE22
Handcuff running backs are ideal potential league-winner candidates. Anyone with Elijah Mitchell on their roster will have an RB1 if Christian McCaffrey misses time with an injury. While handcuffing tight ends is uncommon, Likely proved to be a league winner last year with Mark Andrews out of the lineup. He was the TE4, averaging 12.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game as the starter to end last season. Fantasy players shouldn’t draft Likely in standard-size redraft leagues. However, he’s an appealing late-round option in best ball drafts.
Jermaine Burton (CIN): ADP 149.7 | WR70
Burton was a popular dynasty rookie draft pick with Tee Higgins’ contract situation. While he signed the franchise tag and will play for the Bengals in 2024, Burton still has significant fantasy upside. The former Alabama receiver slipped in the NFL Draft because of off-the-field concerns. Yet, Burton is a talented player, ranking first in aDOT (20.2) among wide receivers in the draft class with at least 30 targets last year (per PFF). Higgins has dealt with injuries in his career. Burton could see over 100 targets as a rookie.
Deshaun Watson (CLE): ADP 162.2 | QB21
While fantasy players have forgotten about him, Watson was once one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. He averaged 20.7 or more fantasy points per game in each of his first four seasons. More importantly, the veteran averaged 17.7 fantasy points per game in the five contests he played at least half of the snaps last season. That average would have made him the QB13 on a points-per-game basis. Watson has his best receiving core since joining the Browns. Don’t be surprised if he has a career year.
Justin Fields (PIT): ADP 211.6 | QB32
Reportedly, Russell Wilson has the inside track on the starting role in Pittsburgh. However, fantasy players should take a shot on Fields, especially in superflex leagues. While the former Ohio State star isn’t a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, he is an elite fantasy quarterback because of his rushing abilities. Fields has averaged 7.7 fantasy points per game on the ground in his career. Meanwhile, Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense is perfect for rushing quarterbacks. Over the past two years, the Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks totaled 825 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.