Biggest Fantasy Football Questions (And Answers) for 2019
USA Today Sports. Pictured: David Johnson, Julio Jones, Baker Mayfield
- Ian Hartitz is answering the biggest fantasy football questions ahead of the 2019 NFL season, from what to expect from David Johnson and more.
Fantasy football draft prep starts now.
Ian Hartitz has devoted his offseason to answering the biggest questions heading into the 2019 NFL season. What is Kyler Murray’s Year 1 ceiling? Are Ezekiel Elliott or Saquon Barkley worth the No. 1 pick in your draft? Can Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs both work as WR1s? Who are the league’s best (and worst) shadow cornerbacks?
Those are just four of the 128 questions Ian has mapped out. There are four for all 32 teams, covering longtime fantasy studs with question marks to young players with breakout potential and much more.
Every question Ian will be answering is teased below (and organized by division), but we’ll be updating this page with links to Ian’s analysis over the coming weeks, so be sure to check back as you research for your season.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
- Is Josh Allen the Premier Late-Round Fantasy QB?
- Will LeSean McCoy Be Next Fantasy RB Who Fades After Age 30?
- Is John Brown the Pass Catcher to Target in Buffalo?
- Should You Avoid Tre’Davious White in Fantasy?
Miami Dolphins
- Is Ryan Fitzpatrick Capable of Engineering A Fantasy-Friendly Offense?
- Do Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage Both Offer Value?
- Who Should You Target in This Sneaky-Fast Offense?
- Does Coverage or Pass Rush Matter More in Fantasy?
New England Patriots
- Are Tom Brady’s Days as a Great (Fantasy Football) QB Over?
- Where’s the Fantasy Value in this Ever-Evolving Backfield?
- Is Julian Edelman Poised for His Best Fantasy Season Yet?
- Is Stephon Gilmore the NFL’s Best Cornerback?
New York Jets
- Is Sam Darnold Poised for a Year 2 Fantasy Breakout?
- Will Le’Veon Bell Be A Top-Five Fantasy Performer?
- Who Will Lead the Jets in Targets?
- Who’s the Leader of This Sneaky Good Defense?
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
- Can Lamar Jackson Be a Dominant Fantasy QB with His Rushing Ability?
- Will Mark Ingram Receive a Three-Down Workload?
- Can Marquise Brown ‘Boom’ With Jackson Under Center?
- Where Does Earl Thomas Rank Among the NFL’s Most Valuable Safeties?
Cincinnati Bengals
- Can Andy Dalton Enable a Sneaky Explosive Bengals Offense?
- Are You Undervaluing Joe Mixon in Fantasy?
- Is the End Near for A.J. Green?
- Which Shadow Corners Should You Avoid in Fantasy?
Cleveland Browns
- Can Baker Mayfield Elevate Browns to Fantasy Stardom?
- Does Nick Chubb Deserve to be a First Round Fantasy Pick?
- Will Odell Beckham Jr. be Fantasy Football’s Top WR in 2019?
- Is Myles Garrett Poised to be a Superstar?
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Can Ben Roethlisberger Thrive Without Antonio Brown?
- Can You Expect James Conner to Thrive Again?
- Can JuJu Smith-Schuster Thrive without Antonio Brown?
- What’s the Secret to the Steelers’ Elite Run Defense?
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
- Can Deshaun Watson Continue to Thrive without an Offensive Line?
- Is Lamar Miller Fantasy’s Cheapest Three-Down Back?
- Is Will Fuller Fantasy’s Most Valuable No. 2 Wide Receiver?
- Is J.J. Watt Still a Top-5 Pass Rusher?
Indianapolis Colts
- How Good is the New Version of Andrew Luck in Fantasy?
- Will Marlon Mack Finally Get a 3-Down Role?
- Is T.Y. Hilton Fantasy’s Most Undervalued WR1?
- What NFL Defenses Run the Most Man Coverage?
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Is Nick Foles Capable of Bringing His Philly Magic to Jacksonville?
- Is Leonard Fournette Poised for a Bounce-Back Season?
- Is Dede Westbrook the Jaguars WR to Target in Fantasy?
- Is Jalen Ramsey the NFL’s Best Cornerback?
Tennessee Titans
- Can Marcus Mariota Take Advantage of New Weapons?
- Is Derrick Henry Finally Ready for Season-Long Excellence?
- Who Will Lead the Titans in Targets?
- Is Malcolm Butler Among Best CBs to Target in Fantasy?
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
- Should We Target Fantasy Defenses Facing Denver?
- Was Phillip Lindsay’s Rookie Fantasy Success a Fluke?
- Is Courtland Sutton Capable of Breaking Out in a Middling Broncos’ Offense?
- Is Chris Harris Jr. Still Among the NFL’s Best Slot Cornerbacks?
Kansas City Chiefs
- How Early is Too Early to Draft Patrick Mahomes in Fantasy?
- Does Damien Williams Own the Chiefs’ Backfield?
- How High Is Sammy Watkins’ Fantasy Ceiling?
- What Defenses Have the Biggest Home-Field Advantage?
Los Angeles Chargers
- Does Philip Rivers Still have a Ceiling in Fantasy?
- Is Melvin Gordon Locked in as a Top-5 Fantasy RB?
- Who Will Lead the Chargers in Touchdowns?
- Who are the NFL’s Best Pass-Rushing Tandems?
Oakland Raiders
- Can Derek Carr Make Jon Gruden Look Smart?
- Will Josh Jacobs Be Next First-Round RB to Ball out as a Rookie?
- Is Antonio Brown Fantasy’s Top WR in 2019?
- Is Lamarcus Joyner Capable of Patching Together this Terrible Defense?
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
- Is Dak Prescott Fantasy’s Most Undervalued QB?
- Is Ezekiel Elliott Worthy of Your No. 1 Overall Fantasy Football Pick?
- Is Amari Cooper Finally Ready to be a Fantasy Superstar?
- Who are the NFL’s Best Fantasy Defenses?
New York Giants
- Can Eli Manning’s Teammates Overcome More Subpar Play?
- Should Saquon Barkley Be the No. 1 Fantasy Football Pick?
- Can Golden Tate Thrive with Eli Manning Under Center?
- Are the Giants the Worst Defense in the NFL?
Philadelphia Eagles
- Can Carson Wentz Regain His MVP-Level Form?
- Will Miles Sanders Get a Three-Down Workload?
- Can DeSean Jackson Reinvigorate the Eagles Offense?
- What Secondaries Should We Target in Fantasy Football?
Washington Redskins
- Is Dwayne Haskins Capable of Fantasy Success as a Rookie?
- Can Derrius Guice Break Out in a Crowded Washington Backfield?
- Who Will Lead Washington in Targets?
- Should You Avoid Josh Norman in Fantasy?
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
- Is Mitch Trubisky Capable of Fantasy Stardom in Year 3?
- Who Are Fantasy Football’s Best Zero-RB Candidates?
- Can Allen Robinson Still Be a Fantasy Football WR1?
- Is Khalil Mack Scary Enough to Avoid in Fantasy?
Detroit Lions
- Where Does Matt Stafford Rank Among NFL’s Best Quarterbacks Indoors?
- Kerryon Johnson Still Have Fantasy Value in Lions’ Committee Backfield?
- Can Stafford Enable Multiple Fantasy-Relevant Receivers?
- Are Defenses that Play in Domes Ever Good in Fantasy?
Green Bay Packers
- Is Aaron Rodgers Still Capable of Being the NFL’s Best Quarterback?
- Will Aaron Jones Finally be Freed?
- Is Davante Adams the Best WR in Fantasy Football?
- Who are the NFL’s Run and Pass Funnel Defenses?
Minnesota Vikings
- Will Kirk Cousins Re-Emerge as a Valuable Fantasy QB?
- Is Dalvin Cook Positioned to Thrive in Year 3?
- Can Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs Both Finish as Top-10 Fantasy WRs?
- Should You Avoid Xavier Rhodes in Fantasy?
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
- How Close Is Matt Ryan to MVP-Level Form?
- Is Devonta Freeman An Undervalued Fantasy RB?
- Will Julio Jones Be Fantasy Football’s Top WR in 2019?
- Who are the Best NFL Defenses to Target with RBs?
Carolina Panthers
- Is Cam Newton Still a Top-10 Fantasy QB?
- Should Christian McCaffrey Be the No. 1 Fantasy Pick?
- Is DJ Moore Capable of Thriving as Cam Newton’s WR1?
- Where Does Luke Kuechly Rank Among the NFL’s Most Valuable Linebackers?
New Orleans Saints
- Is Drew Brees the Best Fantasy QB in History?
- Is Alvin Kamara Worth the First Pick in Fantasy Football Drafts?
- Where Does Michael Thomas Rank among Best Fantasy WRs?
- Should You Avoid Marshon Lattimore in Fantasy?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Is Jameis Winston Poised for a Breakout with Bruce Arians?
- Can Ronald Jones Earn a Featured Role?
- Are Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard Poised for Year 3 Fantasy Breakouts?
- Do Defenses Rebound with a New Head Coach?
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
- What Is Kyler Murray’s Fantasy Ceiling as a Rookie?
- Will David Johnson Return to Fantasy Greatness?
- Is Christian Kirk the Fantasy WR to Own in Arizona?
- Is Patrick Peterson the NFL’s Best CB?
Los Angeles Rams
- Does Jared Goff Have the League’s Most Severe Home/Away Splits?
- Is Todd Gurley Worth the Risk of a First-Round Fantasy Pick?
- Who is the Rams’ Most Valuable Receiver?
- Is Aaron Donald the NFL’s Most Valuable Defender?
San Francisco 49ers
- Is Jimmy Garoppolo Still Destined for Fantasy Greatness?
- Is Tevin Coleman the 49ers Running Back to Target?
- Where Does George Kittle Rank Among Top TEs?
- Can the 49ers Defense Get Good in a Hurry with Nick Bosa?
Seattle Seahawks
- Can Russell Wilson Continue to Overcome Seattle’s Run-Heavy Offense?
- Will the Seahawks Utilize Rashaad Penny in Year 2?
- How High Is Tyler Lockett’s Fantasy Ceiling as Seahawks No. 1 Receiver?
- Is Bobby Wagner Capable of Keeping the Seahawks Defense Elite?