Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals will struggle this year: OVERREACTION. We know the Bengals will be there in the AFC championship game. With Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase they will be hard to beat, and this team has big game experience.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys are legit after a definitive victory against the Giants: LEGIT. Did anybody see that Cowboys D? Dak Prescott didn’t play the greatest, but that was ok. He’ll get better along with that feisty Cowboys D.

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs will struggle after losing Eric Bieniemy: OVERREACTION. Yes Bieniemy was a very good offensive coordinator. But they Chiefs still have Mahomes, Kelce, Chris Jones and other key players. They will battle to play in the AFC championship game.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers won’t skip a beat with Aaron Rodgers gone. OVERREACTION. Jordan Love played a great game and they won, but don’t expect that the rest of the season. They will struggle and probably finish around .500.

Detroit Lions: The Lions are a serious contender in the NFC. LEGIT. When you have Dan Campbell at the helm and a stingy D with Aidan Hutchinson, your in good shape. Jared Goff looked poised leading the offense, and expect to see the same throughout the whole season.

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Studs

Tua Tagovailoa/Tyreek Hill – We knew the Dolphins and Chargers had the potential to be high scoring and that’s just what we got. This dynamic duo could not be stopped as Hill hauled in 11 receptions for 215 yards and totaled 39 FP in Half PPR. Tagovailoa had a league high 466 yards including 3 passing touchdowns for a total of 28.1 FP. If Tagovailoa can stay healthy this offense will hum all season long.

Dallas Cowboys D/ST – The Cowboys absolutely dismantled the New York Giants on Sunday night. If you started the Cowboys defense you are likely winning your matchup as they finished with 37 FP. The Giants offense never had a chance to get going as their o-line failed to protect Daniel Jones all night long. This could be a long season for Jones and the Giants if they don’t fix their protection issues.

Brandon Aiyuk – The San Francisco 49ers had another dominating performance this time in Pittsburgh. Aiyuk led the way with 8 receptions on 8 targets. He hauled in 2 receiving touchdowns and had 129 receiving yards on the day. Aiyuk very much looks to be the #1 WR for the 49ers as he had a 28.6% target share. If he can stay consistent and healthy he is in for a big year.

Aaron Jones – Jones was one of our recommended starts in our week 1 start ’em, sit ’em column. He finished as RB1 on the day before he left the game with an apparent hamstring issue. We will have to monitor the hamstring but Jones remains a must-start for the foreseeable future.

Duds

Drake London – We expected London to take the next step in his trajectory for year 2 but he was non-existent on Sunday. London finished with 0 catches on only one target. Don’t bail just yet on him but this opening game dud is not ideal.

Tee Higgins – The entire Bengals offense was stuck in the mud for much of the game vs. Cleveland on Sunday. Credit the Browns defense but these stats don’t look good. Somehow Higgins finished with 0 receptions despite having 8 targets. That is one crazy stat.

Antonio Gibson – Gibson had a day to forget for the Washington Commanders. There was a lot of hype surrounding how Gibson would be utilized in Eric Bieniemy’s offense this year. A costly fumble limited Gibson to just 4 touches on the day. Again don’t bail on Gibson just yet but I wouldn’t be starting him.

Monday Night Football Preview

We have a juicy matchup on tap when the Buffalo Bills visit the New York Jets tonight. For the Bills, you’re obviously starting Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Beyond that, I am not yet ready to start James Cook or Dalton Kincaid. The Jets defense is once again loaded and it will be tough sledding for the Bills offense.

On the Jets side of the ball, I am starting Garrett Wilson but sitting Aaron Rodgers. I need to see how this offensive line protects before starting Rodgers. Also, I am staying away from the Jets running backs until I see how they are utilized.

The post 2023-24 Week 1 Fantasy Football Recap appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Justin Herbert (vs. Mia) – Herbert has an enticing matchup this week against a Miami Dolphins team that will be without Jalen Ramsey. Herbert threw for 367 yards in week 14 last year against the Dolphins and posted a 76.5 completion percentage. Expect similar results for Herbert along with 2 passing touchdowns.

Sit ‘Em

Aaron Rodgers (vs. Buf) – Rodgers has a tough matchup in his opening game with the New York Jets. The Jets offensive line will be tested all game long and even without Von Miller the Bills will be able to generate pressure. Rodgers struggled last year at Buffalo when he threw for just 203 yards.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Aaron Jones (vs. Chi) – Jones is in for a big day when the Packers visit the Chicago Bears. Green Bay is dealing with injuries to their top 2 receivers (Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs) which means more targets for Jones. We don’t know what to expect yet from Jordan Love but the Packers will likely rely on the run game in this one.

Sit ’em

Najee Harris (vs. SF) – Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a tough opening matchup against the 49ers and their stout defense. San Francisco allowed only 3.4 YPC in 2022 and they just got Nick Bosa back in action. The Steelers will need to attack the 49ers defense through the air to have a chance in this one.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Jahan Dotson (vs. Ari) – Dotson is no longer under the radar after his impressive rookie season in Washington. The Commanders get a juicy matchup against a Cardinals defense that will struggle all season. Fellow receiver Terry McLaurin looks to be ready to play but he may not be 100% yet.

Sit ‘Em

DeAndre Hopkins (vs. NO) – We don’t know yet what to expect from Hopkins in this Titans offense. I plan to wait and see how he’s utilized before I put him in the starting lineup. The Saints will have a better-than-average defense this year and will be tough at home.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Evan Engram (vs. IND) – It could be a long day for the Indianapolis Colts when Jacksonville comes to town. The Colts will need to play keep away to have any chance in this one. Expect Engram to have a big day against the Colts who struggled at times to stop tight ends in 2022.

Sit ‘Em

Kyle Pitts (vs. Car) – After a disastrous 2022 it’s hard to put your trust in Pitts. The Panthers finished in the top 10 in points allowed to tight ends last year. That along with the fact we don’t know what to expect from Desmond Ridder has me sitting Pitts this week.

Start of the Week

Jamaal Williams (vs. Ten) – Williams is a must-start for week 1. With Alvin Kamara sidelined due to suspension Williams will get the majority of the workload against the Titans. I don’t expect to see that many touches from rookie Kendre Miller until he gets up to speed. Don’t forget, Williams led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns last year.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 1 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Good

Sauce Gardner was a generational talent coming out of the University of Cincinnati. He was a can’t-miss prospect who showed traits to be a lock-down corner in the NFL. The question wasn’t if Gardner would be an elite-level cornerback it was when. Most draft evaluators agreed that it would take Gardner a couple of years to get to that level. It took less than a year to realize that Gardner is one of the best cornerbacks in the league already. The former 4th overall pick was named Defensive Rookie of the Year along with making it to the All-Pro team. It’s one of the more impressive rookie seasons we have seen at that position.

Gardner and fellow cornerback D.J. Reed have quickly become one of the best corner duos in the NFL. The Jets defense in general was one of the best in the league in 2022. They were tied for the league lead in allowed yards per attempt last season. This defense will once again be the strength of this team as it looks to cement itself as one of the greats.

The Bad

When you bring in a superstar quarterback like Aaron Rodgers your number one goal should be to protect him. Rodgers will be 40 in December and doesn’t have the escapability he used to. I think we can all agree on this point which is why it’s perplexing that the Jets didn’t invest more in this offensive line. As it currently stands this o-line has major question marks, especially at the tackle position. Mekhi Becton will start at RT after missing all of last season and Duane Brown is an aging LT. It’s not a great setup and when Rodgers agreed to take a pay cut I thought they would use the money to sure up the OL.

The Prediction

This Jets team will be entertaining at the very least. If you watched Hard Knocks you can see how big an impact Aaron Rodgers has already had on this franchise. The problem is the offensive line will cause issues all season and Rodgers could quickly lose his patience. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

2023 Record: (8-9 3rd in the Division)

The post New York Jets Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks-RB) | ADP-39 | RB-17

Kenneth Walker was one of the draft day steals in 2022 as he finished with 189 fantasy points (Half-PPR). Walker stepped in for the injured Rashaad Penny and never looked back. He was the clear lead back in Seattle and one of the reasons why the Seahawks finished in the top 10 of total points scored at 407. Despite all that, the Seahawks couldn’t resist taking Zach Charbonnet in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL Draft. This is alarming, to say the least if you’re looking at targeting Walker this season.

Charbonnet is more of receiving back who will undoubtedly be on the field for passing situations. My fear is his usage will continue to increase as the season progresses thus taking away more opportunities from Walker. As of now, Walker is still the week 1 starter but there is cause for concern. For me, it’s not worth the risk to draft Walker as we don’t know yet how this backfield will shake out in 2023.

Kyle Pitts (Falcons-TE) | ADP-70 | TE-7

Big things were expected from Kyle Pitts in his second season with the Falcons. Pitts was coming off one of the best rookie seasons we have seen at the tight end position. To say his sophomore season was disappointing is an understatement. Pitts was never able to replicate his rookie season success and only surpassed 10+ fantasy points in Half-PPR 2 times. His season was cut short as he missed the last 6 games with an MCL injury.

Pitts is now looking for redemption heading into next season but are we in for another disappointment? I believe we are. You can’t deny Pitts has the physical traits to be a dominant tight end but there are other factors to consider. Pitts will most likely be catching passes from Desmond Ridder for the foreseeable future. Ridder and the Falcons offense will be run-heavy with the addition of rookie Bijan Robinson. I don’t expect to see a dynamic offense for Atlanta and Pitts is not worth the risk, even at his current ADP.

Dalvin Cook (Vikings-RB) | ADP-67 | RB-30

It took a while but Dalvin Cook finally found a new home. Cook signed a 1-year deal to join Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on August 14th. Cook has been a top-tier fantasy running back since 2019 and finished last season as RB8. While this seems like a great setup for Cook, I do have some concerns going forward.

The Jets offense will look different with Rodgers now under center. You can expect to see the short-passing game we have become accustomed to seeing from Rodgers in Green Bay. This system is all about timing and getting the ball quickly in the playmakers hands. How does this relate to Cook? Well now that Breece Hall looks to be coming back to full health, I believe he is the better fit for this offense. Picture Hall in an Aaron Jones type of role in this system. Cook should still be the main goal-line back but I am worried about his usage.

The post 3 Fantasy Football Bust Candidates for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Good

When the Packers drafted AJ Dillon many thought it would lead to the end of Aaron Jones‘s time in Green Bay. Despite the emergence of Dillon, Jones has continued to be the focal point of the Packers backfield. He finished the 2022 season with 1,516 scrimmage yards and 7 total touchdowns. Jones and Dillon have formed a formidable thunder and lightning duo with Jones getting the majority of the touches. Look for Jones to continue that and be relied on more than ever this upcoming season. If you’re a fantasy football player Jones is worth targeting in your drafts.

A big topic this past season was the inability of Aaron Rodgers to gel with his young wide receivers. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs were drafted by the Packers to help replace the loss of Davante Adams. The rookie duo showed some promise but were never able to produce consistently. I expect both will take a big leap in year 2 and give the Packers extra weapons in the passing game. Love will need all the help he can get as the Packers new starter.

The Bad

The Packers had a choice to make this offseason. They could draft a quarterback, bring in a veteran or stick with Jordan Love. In the end, they chose to stick with Love and I fear that may come back to haunt them. Usually, with young quarterbacks you get a sense in the first couple of years if they can play. This has not been the case with Love. We haven’t heard much or even seen much from him to tell us he is ready to lead this franchise. At the very least the Packers should’ve brought in another veteran quarterback to help mentor Love but they decided not to. If Love is not the answer it will be a long season in Green Bay.

The Prediction

As I stated earlier I really like the talent the Packers have going forward. They also have the benefit of a fairly easy schedule in 2023. Looking ahead, this team will only go as far as Jordan Love will take them and I don’t think he will be the answer for Green Bay.

2023 Record: 7-10 (4th in the Division)

The post Green Bay Packers Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Good

All aboard the Justin Fields hype train. It’s hard to ignore the hype around the future of Fields after last season. Fields carried the Bears offense for much of the year as he developed as an NFL quarterback. Fields wowed on several occasions with his legs, making highlight reel plays. 2023 is a big year for Fields and the Bears have shown they are all in on the former Buckeye when they decided to trade the #1 pick. They now have a true #1 wide receiver in D.J. Moore to finally give a boost to the Chicago passing game. There is a lot to like about Justin Fields’ game and if he can continue to develop as a passer the sky’s the limit.

The Bad

The Chicago Bears led the league in rushing yards last season thanks in large part to Fields. Still, you can’t discount David Montgomery and his 801 yards that helped balance the Bears offense. Montgomery is no longer with the Bears as he signed a 3-year deal with the rival Detroit Lions this past offseason. The Bears will now rely on Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman, who they recently brought in.

Herbert and Foreman are both solid running backs but neither of them has shown they can be the full-time starter. While it may not seem like a big deal due to Fields rushing ability it may come back to hurt them in the long run. Defenses will now start to take away Fields rushing ability and make him throw more from the pocket. This will make the play-action game that much more important and in order for it to work defenses will need to respect it. If I were the Bears I would be looking at bringing in one of the FA vets like Ezekiel Elliott before the season starts.

The Prediction

There is no doubt the Chicago Bears will improve upon last year’s 3-14 record. The problem is the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are also trending up and will keep the Bears from competing in the division. I predict Chicago will finish with 8 wins and will come close to a Wild Card berth. To me, the 2024-2025 season is the year the Bears will make the playoffs and make some noise.

2023 Record: 8-9 (3rd in the NFC North)

The post Chicago Bears Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Week 1 – Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

This game will have all eyes watching as the Bills visit the Rodgers led Jets. There has been a lot of hype this off-season about Rodgers coming to New York and his plethora of receivers. Look, it all looks good on paper but I need to see it to believe it. This is a good barometer of how the Jets will be this year against a very talented Bills team. I’m buying in all the Jets defense led by Sauce Gardner and that strong defensive line. In this game, I think the Bills know what to expect from the Jets and will be ready to play this one. I see both QB’s in this game and Allen will make some big time throws in crunch time. Sorry New York you take your first loss of the season in Week 1.

Prediction: Bills 28 Jets 23

Week 2 – Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals

He’s backkk!!! Yes a healthy Lamar Jackson with a lot to prove . The Bengals have been great the past few years, but I think they run into a roadblock in this game. I expect the Ravens to win 11 if not 12 games this year, as they have a lot to prove. They have good receivers now, and of course J.K. Dobbins. This is a put up or shut up year for John Harbaugh, who will need his team to make the playoffs and then some. I expect the Ravens to slow this game down and try and pound the ball down the Bengals defense. If they get into a track meet they will lose. The Ravens will do enough in this game to make a statement to the rest of the AFC North, that there the team to beat.

Prediction: Ravens 27 Bengals 21

Week 11 – Philadelphia Eagles vs Kansas City Chiefs

Everybody will be watching this game of course. Last year’s Super Bowl matchup which turned out to be a great game. Playing in Arrowhead is extremely hard and like I said above this won’t be the same Eagles team as last year. Expect this to be a victory for the Chiefs. Eagles will want to run the ball, as the Chiefs will want to sling the ball out quickly and let their speedsters make plays in space. Will be curious to see how the Chiefs offense will be ran this year without Eric Bieniemy.

Prediction: Chiefs 31 Eagles 24

Week 12 – Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles

Could this be a Super Bowl matchup? Will the Eagles have a let down this year after losing some key players and coaching? The Eagles had a great season last year but I don’t expect them to be as good as last year. In fact, they may not win the division. The Bills will be hungry this year and they should be running on all cylinders come Week 12. This game is in Philly which is always a tough place to play. I like the Bills in a close game as their defensive line will cause Jalen Hurts some problems.

Prediction: Bills 31 Eagles 28

Week 13 – San Francisco 49ers vs Philadelphia Eagles

Are these the two best teams in the NFC? Can they take down the Chiefs, Bengals, Bills or Ravens? What we do know is that both of these teams have a formidable defense and will run the ball down your throat. They win ugly but it is very effective. How will Brock Purdy do in Year 2? In this game the 49ers will commit some turnovers in that hostile Philadelphia crowd, and the Eagles will take advantage. Expect the Eagles to come out on top in a game which could determine who is the #1 seed and maybe who slides down to the 5th or 6th seed?

Prediction: Eagles 24 49ers 17

The post Biggest Matchups of the 2023 NFL Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce. Need I say more. To be successful in the NFL you have to have a talented and experienced QB and Coach. Continuity is so vital in success. As long as Mahomes and Reid are coach and QB expect the Chiefs to always be at the top or near the top of the NFL. One thing to look at is the loss of Eric Bieniemy and the impact that will have.

2. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow like fine wine has got better and better each year. His ability to play well in big games make the Bengals an easy choice for #2 in my power rankings.

3. Buffalo Bills – This was a tough one because I could had them at #2 or even #1. Josh Allen is a top tier QB with a solid core around him. Could this be the year they win it all? It very well could be especially if Buffalo has home field advantage.

4. Baltimore Ravens – Man, the Ravens on paper look really really good. They’ve added weapons and Lamar is back! If their defense plays well look for them to be in the AFC Championship or Super Bowl this year.

5. Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins have all the talent in the world. They have a track team on offense and a QB that has shown flashes of brilliance. The issue is the tough division their in and can they stay healthy. Even with that their still deserving of a #5 ranking.

6. Los Angeles Chargers – Justin Herbert has shown he belongs in the NFL and that he’s a force to be reckoned with. The Chargers have a solid defense and of course Austin Ekeler. I expect them to split with the Chiefs this year and probably be a Wild-Card team.

7. New York Jets – Aaron Rodgers is in the AFC, watch out AFC East!! I don’t love the Jets this year and I know they had a great year last year with a mediocre QB but I need to see it to believe it. Aaron Rodgers can still play at a high level I just don’t trust the “Jets” just yet. Even with that they deserve a top 10 ranking because of all their talent on both sides of the ball.

8. New England Patriots – This ranking seems about right there a team that won’t wow you maybe 9-8 or 8-9 but they do have Bill Belichick along with a decent defense. They play in a really tough division which is why I expect them around .500. Rumor has it Deandre Hopkins could be coming, and that would bump them up maybe a rank or two.

9. Tennessee Titans – Titans are always solid and especially when you have Derek Henry. Ryan Tannehill has shown he can sling the ball as well as manage the offense in an effective manner. With Vrabel at the helm, they will always have a tough defense.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jaguars could be higher than this, but this is a credit to how good the AFC is. I like this team just not better than the others.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers – What should we expect from Kenny Pickett this year? He played well at times last year but he needs to be more consistent. The Steelers will need another good year from Najee Harris and they need their receivers to show up too. Like the Patriots expect them to hover around .500 especially when they play in the AFC North where the Ravens and Bengals are.

12. Denver Broncos – Russell Wilson struggled last year mightily! I expect him to bounce back but still struggle at times. Let’s face it, he’s not the same QB he was in Seattle.

13. Las Vegas Raiders – No more Derek Carr. Jimmy G is in town with McDaniel’s as head coach. I expect them to hold their own but not make the playoffs.

14. Indianapolis Colts – Colts have a new coach in town and Gardner Minshew at QB. Look for them to hover around .500, don’t expect them to make the playoffs.

15. Cleveland Browns – Does Deshaun Watson bounce back this year? I believe the Browns will be better but still struggle among a pretty tough division.

16. Houston Texans – There’s a lot to be excited about in Houston. They have a new coach and drafted a bright young QB. Expect them to struggle this year but the future is looking good.

The post 2023 AFC Power Rankings appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The NFL has laid out these specific guidelines for teams to be exempt from the Hard Knocks show. If a team appeared on Hard Knocks in the last decade they are exempt. Also if a team has a first-year Head Coach or has reached the playoffs in the last two years they are also excluded. With those requirements in mind that leaves us with four candidates for Hard Knocks 2023. Let’s break down each team and what makes them compelling.

Chicago Bears

When you look at the Chicago Bears, they are probably the least compelling of the teams eligible. If they are chosen, all eyes will be on quarterback Justin Fields. The Bears also traded this year’s #1 pick to the Carolina Panthers. As part of the deal, they received D.J. Moore in return. Chicago has lacked a real true #1 receiver in recent years and they are hoping Moore can fill that role.

New York Jets

If you want to garner a large audience then the New York Jets are your answer. They have a head coach on the hot seat and just traded for Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers alone will have fans locked into the show as we want to see how well he adjusts to his new team. The Jets also have a young talented nucleus that could set them up for years of success. The key will be how well the new faces mesh together with the up-and-coming roster. One thing is for sure, if the Jets are chosen it will not lack drama.

Washington Commanders

Washington has had arguably the best offseason of any NFL team and it has nothing to do with on-the-field moves. They will soon have a new ownership group as Dan Snyder is weeks away from being gone. Could the NFL be waiting on the final approval before picking them? Possibly, as we are now in June and a team has yet to be chosen for the show. The Commanders certainly don’t lack drama and a new era in Washington would be compelling to watch.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints made quite the splash this offseason when they signed Derek Carr to a four-year deal. Carr has to have a new level of motivation given what happened with the Raiders. On paper the Saints have the potential to be an explosive offense with Carr, Michael Thomas coming back and of course Alvin Kamara. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Saints end up being the choice for Hard Knocks. They may not be as captivating as the other teams but should offer enough intriguing storylines to keep us watching.

The post Breaking Down the Candidates for Hard Knocks 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.