2026 Fantasy Football: AFC North Division Breakdown

As the fantasy football season nears, it’s time to preview the NFL divisions in terms of fantasy. In this article, we take a look back and ahead at each team in the AFC North, while also highlighting the fantasy-relevant players you need to know for the 2026 season.

We are diving into the AFC North Division that offers plenty of fantasy talent, potential breakout players, and some interesting situations to monitor heading into the season.

AFC North 2026 Divisional Breakdown

Baltimore Ravens

Looking Back at 2025

The 2025 Ravens continued to identify as a run-first offense under the aging Derrick Henry. They had to lean on the run as Lamar Jackson dealt with injuries throughout the season, while also having career lows in his rushing output. It wasn’t the same elite Ravens offense we saw in 2024 that made them so great. We still saw elite output from Henry and a breakout season from Zay Flowers. It was clear at times that the Ravens offense had become outdated and predictable last season.

Looking Forward to 2026

After 17 seasons as head coach, John Harbaugh is out, and in comes a younger, defensive-minded coach in Jesse Minter to help turn this team around. The best thing Minter did was bring in a young offensive-minded OC in Declan Doyle from the Ben Johnson coaching tree. Doyle should help ignite the Ravens offense and move them away from the old-school, run-first approach they have had for over a decade. The Ravens also brought in a ton of new offensive weapons through the draft, including Ja’Kobi Lane in the third round and Elijah Sarratt in the fourth. The hope is that a fully healthy Lamar Jackson can bounce back as they try to take some of the pressure off the forever-elite Derrick Henry and the run game. Ravens have a shot to regain the AFC North Division if Jackson stays healthy.

Fantasy Relevant Players

Lamar Jackson, QB

The overall QB2 in terms of ADP should be in line for a bounce-back season in 2026. Despite being another year older, Jackson should be able to return closer to his 2024 form, where we saw an uptick in his passing numbers with 4,172 passing yards while maintaining a strong rushing output with 915 yards. He should be one of the top quarterbacks drafted this year and likely a set-it-and-forget-it type of player in your starting lineup for 2026.

Derrick Henry, RB

Everyone continues to wonder when the downhill for Derrick Henry is going to begin as he starts his age-32 season in the league. The last time Henry had back-to-back 300-carry seasons, the following season resulted in him missing nine games, despite still putting up elite per-game numbers. Henry is once again coming off back-to-back 300-carry seasons, including 307 carries for 1,595 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2025. With the lack of talent behind Henry, the Ravens should continue to pound the rock with him as their starting running back. He should be locked in as a top-15 running back pick in drafts despite some age concerns heading into 2026. As long as he can stay on the field, he should be able to put up another 1,000-yard and 10-touchdown season with minimal receiving output for your starting lineup.

Zay Flowers, WR

The Ravens’ star receiver is coming off a career season, which led to a four-year, $140 million contract extension during the 2026 offseason. It may seem encouraging that Flowers was able to have a career season despite Jackson missing games last season. Flowers seems to be getting drafted closer to his ceiling rather than as a value in drafts right now. He has been a low-touchdown scorer, so he’ll need to continue seeing a high reception total and maintain his strong YPR in order to produce at a WR2 level. We also have to wonder if some of the new additions at receiver and a potential bounce-back season from Mark Andrews could hurt his overall value in 2026.

Mark Andrews, TE

Mark Andrews is running out of chances to get back to being the top-tier TE1 we saw earlier in his career. Over the last three years, Andrews has not played at the same level of production we saw back in 2022. There is some hope with OC Declan Doyle coming from the Ben Johnson coaching tree, which has had success using the tight end position. We also know that Isaiah Likely is gone, so Andrews should continue to see plenty of opportunities, especially in the red zone. Unlike prior years, Andrews is a value in drafts if you choose to wait on the tight end position.

Fantasy Football Question Marks

Ja’Kobi Lane, WR

Rookie receiver Ja’Kobi Lane is someone who could be an end-of-the-draft type of selection for fantasy football. He has been lighting it up during training camp and has some unique skill sets for the receiver position, especially with his 6-foot-4 frame. The issue is that Jackson has rarely been able to sustain multiple receivers with strong fantasy production in the same season. Lane is someone you grab late and see over the first few weeks if he has a major role in the Ravens offense. If not, he could be an early cut candidate for a waiver-wire pickup.

Justice Hill, RB

This one is a long stretch, but backup Justice Hill offered some PPR value two years ago, finishing as the RB37. If we see an uptick in passing from the Ravens in 2026, Hill would likely have the third-down role in the offense, as Henry doesn’t handle that role as much. Hill is someone to watch over the first few weeks to see if his passing-game role is consistent or not. If it is, he could offer some sneaky PPR value in deeper leagues.

Fantasy long shots

Rasheen Ali, Adam Randall, Elijah Sarratt, Matthew Hibner, Rashod Bateman, and Devontez Walker
The Ravens haven’t been an offense that offers much depth for fantasy teams over the years. While that could change this year, I wouldn’t expect much from these players. Rasheen Ali and Adam Randall are more handcuffs to Derrick Henry and Justice Hill in case of an injury. Randall is an interesting player, but he is better for dynasty than 2026. Elijah Sarratt and Devontez Walker could see an increase in playing time depending on what happens with Rashod Bateman. At tight end, Durham Smythe is more known for his blocking skills than his pass-catching. Rookie Matthew Hibner could earn some playing time after making noise throughout camp and the preseason. He would be someone to watch if something happens to Mark Andrews.

Cincinnati Bengals

Looking Back at 2025

The 2025 Bengals did not have the season they expected, as things started falling apart quickly when Joe Burrow got hurt in Week 2 and ended up missing nine games. Despite his absence, the offense managed to stay afloat, especially when Joe Flacco took over as the starter. The big three skill players- Chase Brown, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins- all went on to have solid fantasy seasons and were cornerstone starters for fantasy lineups in 2025. A majority of their high-scoring upside came when Burrow was under center, so having him healthy and on the field is a must for this Bengals offense in fantasy.

Looking Forward to 2026

In 2026 for the Bengals, the mission is clear: stay healthy, and things should go a long way for both the team and fantasy lineups. The Bengals didn’t change much on offense but did bolster their defense while keeping their offensive core of Joe Burrow, Chase Brown, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins together. A healthy Burrow will go a long way toward making this offense elite all season long, especially with many of their fantasy-relevant players going within the top 60 picks of drafts right now. The Bengals will likely compete with the Ravens for the AFC North Division.

Fantasy Relevant Players

Joe Burrow, QB

For the Bengals quarterbacks, as I mentioned, it’s all about availability on the field. Burrow has played six seasons and has missed significant time in three of those years, including nine games last season. When he does play a full season, he has shown the ability to finish as a top fantasy quarterback. Burrow is going in the upper-middle rounds of drafts, so if you don’t want to take an elite option early, he still offers that elite upside a few rounds later than a Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.

Chase Brown, RB

There should be a lot of noise around Chase Brown in 2026. Brown has continued to improve in fantasy, seeing career highs in rushing yards, receptions, receiving yards, and targets last season. One thing to point out is how much better Brown was with Joe Burrow on the field, averaging 17.4 Half-PPR fantasy points in those games. That is key to his success in 2026—a healthy Burrow can make Brown elite, but he is also a back who offers a safe floor because of his passing-game involvement. There isn’t much competition behind Brown to take away enough work where he shouldn’t be featured as a workhorse back in 2026. Brown should end up being a top-24 pick in drafts this year.

Ja’Marr Chase, WR
There isn’t much to say about arguably the top receiver in fantasy football right now. Ja’Marr Chase has shown that he can produce with any quarterback, which is exactly what you want from an elite receiver, especially with Joe Burrow’s health concerns. He is going to be a top-four pick in most drafts and has a strong chance to finish as the WR1 if Burrow can play an entire season.

Tee Higgins, WR

Tee Higgins offers a strong FLEX option in fantasy football. He does come with some injury concerns, as he has played a full season only twice in his six-year career. Higgins was consistent, averaging 12.1 Half-PPR points per game last season. He has also become a reliable red-zone target, posting double-digit touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. Higgins remains a great, but not elite, type of fantasy player. I’d prefer him as a FLEX for your team rather than your WR2, but he is likely to go within the top 60 picks of drafts.

Fantasy Football Question Marks

Mike Gesicki, TE

Mike Gesicki may come up in bye-week replacement conversations throughout the season if he can see a steady target share. In 2024 with a healthy Joe Burrow, Gesicki finished as a top-20 tight end. The Bengals seem to like rotating their tight ends, with Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, and hopefully a healthy Erick All Jr. all potentially seeing playing time in 2026. That crowded room makes Gesicki tough to trust consistently, but he could still offer some streaming value during the season.

Samaje Perine, RB
The veteran running back comes in as the backup to Chase Brown but likely won’t have much standalone value as he has offered in previous years. Outside of one big game last season, Samaje Perine was mostly just a backup player. That being said, we’ve seen Perine give us low-end RB2 numbers when called upon in the past. For 2026, though, he is more of a handcuff who would need something to happen to Brown to have consistent fantasy value.

Fantasy long shots

Joe Flacco, Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Youmg,  Erik All Jr.

Mentioning Joe Flacco because he could offer some fantasy value as a starting quarterback if something were to happen to Joe Burrow, but we won’t wish that upon him. Andrei Iosivas and Colbie Young are likely the WR3 and WR4 on the team, but either would probably need an injury ahead of them to see consistent boom-or-bust FLEX value in this offense. Erick All Jr. has also gotten some buzz this offseason after multiple injury-plagued seasons and finally returned to the field this preseason. He could realistically get a chance to play, but that tight end rotation in Cincinnati makes it tough to get consistent fantasy production out of anyone.

Cleveland Browns

Looking Back at 2025

The 2025 Browns were a hot mess last season, starting three different quarterbacks throughout the year and bringing plenty of attention with Shedeur Sanders eventually taking over. Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Joe Flacco all started at least four games, which made it difficult for the offense to find any consistency. Quinshon Judkins also dealt with some off-the-field issues that forced him to miss time, but the run game was decent at best once he got on the field. The pass catchers were terrible, as not a single player finished with over 800 receiving yards. The lone bright spot had to be rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who led the team with 731 receiving yards. It was a very young offense with plenty of rookies getting opportunities as starters throughout the season.

Looking Forward to 2026

While the Browns finally made a change to their coaching staff, we can’t say it was for the better under Todd Monken, a first-time NFL head coach. Now there is a lot of attention on the quarterback position, with Deshaun Watson officially getting the Week 1 starting job over Shedeur Sanders. That could be a headache all season, especially if Watson struggles and people continue to wonder when Sanders will get his chance. Despite the poor quarterback room, the Browns managed to add two young, highly talented receivers in KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to rework the receiving room alongside Jerry Jeudy. This dysfunctional offense is still likely going to be bad in 2026, but maybe it can be a little better than what we saw in 2025. The Browns have not shot in winning the AFC North Division in 2026.

Fantasy Relevant Players

Quinshon Judkins, RB

Quinshon Judkins is looking to develop in his second season in the league behind PFF’s 31st-ranked offensive line entering 2026. The running scheme under Todd Monken should give him some potential to be a decent RB2/RB3 this season. I’d expect him to see the bulk of the ground work and red-zone opportunities in the offense, while the receiving work will likely be split with Dylan Sampson, who has shown promise in the passing game. Judkins will be a product of opportunity rather than being in a good offense. He isn’t a running back worth reaching on in drafts, but if he falls, I’d take the workload over potential upside when targeting running backs in those middle rounds.

Harold Fannin, TE

Second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. does offer some concerns for 2026. The target share is what scares me, as Fannin led the Browns with 107 targets as a rookie. The Browns brought in more talent with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, two highly drafted receivers who should be much stronger competition for targets than what Fannin dealt with last season. Fannin at his current price tag may not be worth taking in drafts with the new pass-catching competition and continued questions at quarterback. Hopefully, he can still give you weekly TE1 numbers, but there is more uncertainty surrounding his role and target share in 2026.

Fantasy Football Question Marks

Jerry Jeudy, WR

The Browns’ WR1 should be veteran Jerry Jeudy, but for how long will be determined. Coming off a struggling season where there wasn’t much competition for targets isn’t a good sign for him in 2026. I’m not expecting much from the veteran receiver outside of being a weekly off-the-bench option for your lineups. The offense could allow the slot receiver to function well, but Jeudy is likely to play outside more with the new additions. Jeudy has also been a low-touchdown producer throughout his career, so unless he can maintain a massive target share, he likely won’t make it onto many fantasy managers’ rosters for the entire season. He may do better with Deshaun Watson rather than Shedeur Sanders.

KC Concepcion, WR

First-round pick KC Concepcion is probably the receiver with the most upside for fantasy football due to his quickness and speed. He will likely play plenty out of the slot, which should offer him strong target potential in this offense. Concepcion is going the highest among the Browns receivers as an upside option in the middle rounds of drafts. He should offer bye-week replacement value in an offense that will likely struggle throughout the season. He is also someone to watch in the second half of the year once he gets his footing in the league.

Denzel Boston, WR

Fantasy long shots

Deshaun Watson/Shuedar Sanders, QB

The Browns quarterback room is a long shot to offer much usable fantasy value in 2026. Deshaun Watson is going to get the Week 1 start, but it wouldn’t be surprising if poor performance eventually forces the Browns to make a change. Cleveland has officially named Watson the starter over Shedeur Sanders, although Todd Monken has indicated the decision is based on who gives them the best chance to win.

That would leave Sanders as the likely next man up at some point this season. I’m not overly excited about Sanders either after an inconsistent rookie season. He will likely have a few spike weeks if he gets the starting job, but for the most part, I’d view him as a QB3 in fantasy.

Dylan Sampson, RB

Dylan Sampson has the potential to offer some value in PPR leagues, but he was a bit disappointing once Quinshon Judkins got back up to full speed. I wouldn’t be surprised if his name shows up on the waiver wire at some point during the season. He is still someone to monitor because his receiving ability could give him value if his role increases.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Looking Back at 2025

The division-leading Steelers played a mediocre offense led by Aaron Rodgers, who controlled the field with short passes. Their rushing attack was decent but never a major threat on the ground between Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. Rodgers made the offense work by dumping the ball off to his running backs and taking shots downfield with DK Metcalf. Outside of the running backs, it was tough to predict when to start anyone else for fantasy throughout the season.

Looking Forward to 2026

Fantasy Relevant Players

Michael Pittman Jr. WR

New addition Michael Pittman Jr. should fit well in the Steelers offense in 2026. He’ll likely get chances to play in the slot after playing 31% of his snaps there last season. That short-area role should fit well with Aaron Rodgers’ dink-and-dunk playing style, as Rodgers had a career-low 6.6-yard average depth of target last season. Pittman could easily challenge to lead the Steelers in receptions and receiving yards while offering sleeper potential for fantasy lineups. He is someone I’d be comfortable taking as one of my first receivers off the bench who can offer FLEX value throughout the season.

Jaylen Warren, RB

Jaylen Warren should start the season as the RB1 for the Steelers, but whether or not he continues to lead the team in carries is another story with Rico Dowdle in the backfield. The Steelers have already made it clear that both backs will be involved, so Warren may not have the same rushing workload he saw last season. Despite that concern, Warren should continue to have a role in the passing game with Aaron Rodgers. There are 85 running back targets left behind by Kenneth Gainwell, giving Warren an opportunity to see a higher target share after catching 40 passes last season. Warren should offer solid value as a high-end RB3 in this Steelers offense.

DK Metcalf, WR

DK Metcalf doesn’t feel like a great player that many will want to draft in fantasy leagues. He doesn’t offer the elite upside that he used to, coming off just 850 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. He will have a few spike weeks, but he’ll need some touchdown upside in order to be a strong FLEX option in fantasy. Perhaps his talent can help open things up downfield for the times Aaron Rodgers chooses to send it deep. Metcalf feels more like a boom-or-bust FLEX option than a receiver I’d want to rely on every week.

Rico Dowdle, RB

New addition Rico Dowdle comes in as the new 1B in the Steelers’ rushing attack. Dowdle has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with two different teams. Whether he can beat out Jaylen Warren for the lead job will be something to monitor, especially with the two splitting first-team reps during training camp. Dowdle is going to be drafted more like the backup, but he has the talent and proven production to eventually lead the ground game for the Steelers in 2026.

Fantasy Football Question Marks

Aaron Rodgers, QB

The 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is entering what he says will be his final season in the NFL. Rodgers was a middle-of-the-pack fantasy quarterback last year, with only three games over 21 fantasy points. The offense has greatly improved with more weapons around him, and he is reunited with his former head coach Mike McCarthy. I don’t expect Rodgers to be a top-tier fantasy quarterback again, but he should end up being a better option for the Steelers than for your fantasy team.

Pat Friermuth, TE

Pat Freiermuth comes into 2026 with some serious questions about whether or not he can regain the upside he offered earlier in his career. The departure of Jonnu Smith should give Freiermuth more opportunities after the two tied with 54 targets last season. Freiermuth has been inconsistent over the last few seasons, and his touchdowns have helped keep him in the TE2 conversation. With the Steelers adding more overall talent to the offense, it’s tough to expect a major jump in production. He’ll likely be more of a bye-week replacement tight end during the season.

Fantasy long shots

Darnell Washington, Germie Bernad, Roman Wilson.
Darnell Washington signed a surprisingly big extension in the offseason, but he does come with elite blocking ability. He could see a few more targets with Jonnu Smith gone but is likely not bench-worthy unless he lands the TE1 starting job. Germie Bernard and Roman Wilson are battling for the WR3 role in the Steelers offense, as both have been talked up during training camp. Both will likely flip-flop at some point during the season but are not worth rostering for fantasy.