The ESPN Fantasy Football crew is counting down the days until the season begins! This summer, we've looked at each NFL division with a focus on what is new, old and perhaps quite a bit in between!
Click below to check out your favorite division:
AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West
NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West
NFC West
Key fantasy offseason movement
• Two franchises made major quarterback moves, one young and one not so young. The Los Angeles Rams did not even wait for the Super Bowl, sending Jared Goff and multiple first-round picks to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford in late January. From a fantasy perspective, this may not seem like a big deal. Stafford averaged 16.3 PPR points per game a season ago, while Goff settled in at 16.0. Then again, Stafford now gets to play with a better team, which is why he ranks so much better than Goff in fantasy.
• The San Francisco 49ers also tired of their veteran signal-caller, but Jimmy Garoppolo remains on the squad, even as Trey Lance is the future. The 49ers traded several future first-round selections to move way up in the 2021 first round to draft the North Dakota State product, who dominated during the 2019 season, but played only one game last season. Lance rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns in his magical season, which ended with a FCS title, and most believe he will thrive in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Will he start right away?
• Two of the active leaders in receiving yards found new homes in the division, as longtime Cincinnati Bengals star A.J. Green signed on with the Arizona Cardinals, while the Rams added DeSean Jackson. In each case, it is easy to be skeptical either move will bear significant statistical fruit. Green, 32, missed the 2019 season with injuries, and averaged a mere 5 yards per target over 16 games last season, catching 47 passes. Jackson, 34, played in eight games for the Philadelphia Eagles over the past two seasons, catching 23 passes. These fellows seem like little threat to DeAndre Hopkins and Robert Woods/Cooper Kupp, and fantasy managers should look elsewhere for receiving depth.
Something to prove
• Running backs are another story in the NFC West, as the Rams lost pending star Cam Akers to a torn Achilles, leaving Darrell Henderson Jr. with a great opportunity to break out. Henderson, entering his third NFL season, has struggled to stay healthy but he played well early last season until injury and Akers got in the way. He could be a star. The Rams could turn to Xavier Jones or a number of other young players, or sign a veteran free agent such as former Rams great Todd Gurley. Anything is possible here.
• The Cardinals added former Pittsburgh Steelers starter James Conner to replace Kenyan Drake. Conner scored 13 touchdowns during the 2018 season ... and scored 13 in the two seasons since then. The physical Conner thrives on breaking tackles but, not surprisingly, he has also struggled to stay on the field. The Cardinals figure to employ some degree of a time-share between Conner and the smaller Chase Edmonds, who is a skilled receiver waiting for a chance at regular three-down duties. Fantasy managers seem eager to see what Edmonds can do with full-time work.
• While Lance's career will define whether the 49ers had a good or bad draft, they also invested in Ohio State running back Trey Sermon in the third round, creating a potential time-share with brittle veteran Raheem Mostert and newcomer Wayne Gallman, the former New York Giants runner. It is crowded, and Shanahan generally likes to share the duties among running backs. The speedy Mostert missed half of the 2020 season with knee issues, but he has averaged 5.4 yards per carry over the past two seasons, as well.
• The 49ers could also use some health with other offensive stars, as tight end George Kittle missed half of the 2020 campaign with knee and foot woes, and promising wide receiver Deebo Samuel scored one touchdown over seven games. The 49ers could be awesome on offense if their stars stay healthy. Kittle seems like someone always trying to prove himself.
Whose fantasy stock may fluctuate?
• And finally we get to the Seattle Seahawks, who were relatively quiet this offseason, mainly focused on pleasing franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. Perhaps replacing Brian Scottenheimer with Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator will add tempo to the offense and aid Wilson's playmakers. Wilson and wide receiver DK Metcalf are fantasy stars, but running back Chris Carson and receiver Tyler Lockett seem underrated in the fantasy world, and may move up in drafts in August.
• After finishing second to Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson among quarterbacks in rushing yards, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray intends to run less this season, and that surely would affect his fantasy value. Murray led the team with 11 rushing touchdowns, and was second to Drake with 819 rushing yards. If his rushing output is more on par with his rookie season -- when he had 40 fewer carries and seven fewer rushing TDs -- Murray may not be a top-five fantasy quarterback.