It's never too early to start plotting your next fantasy football championship. NFL Nation answers the biggest fantasy questions -- provided by ESPN fantasy football analyst Mike Clay -- across the league.
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AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Is it fair to say Devin Singletary will enter 2020 as Buffalo's feature running back?
Not quite. Singletary was a godsend for the Bills in 2019 (775 yards, 5.1 yards per carry), but coach Sean McDermott has said he prefers a multiple-back offense. Singletary should see the majority of Buffalo's carries next season but expect someone -- whether it's a free agent or a rookie -- to share the load with him. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Miami Dolphins
Should we be concerned about tight end Mike Gesicki's prospects with wide-receiver-friendly Chan Gailey running the offense?
Gesicki shouldn't disappear in Gailey's offense, but his production may have a ceiling. Gesicki will continue to be used in a "big slot" role rather than as a traditional tight end, which should help his chances to stay on the field when the offense goes to three- or four-receiver sets. Scott Chandler's 2011-12 seasons could serve as an example of Gesicki's potential tight end production. Chandler had 81 catches for 960 yards and 12 touchdowns over two seasons (29 games, 22 starts) as the Bills' No. 1 tight end when Gailey was the coach. -- Cameron Wolfe
Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler break down the AFC North teams that most need to make moves in the offseason.
New England Patriots
Whom among second-year players Damien Harris, N'Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers can we count on to play a consistent role in 2020?
Harry is the best bet among this group based on what else is currently around him at the position. Plus, he was a first-round pick, which further provides a path for him to prove what he can do. Meanwhile, Harris is an intriguing second-year player who potentially falls into the same category as Shane Vereen (2011) and James White (2014) as players who hardly played as rookies before emerging with significant roles. The biggest obstacle for him is that Sony Michel is ahead of him on the depth chart. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
How much confidence should we have in tight end Chris Herndon's prospects for 2020 and beyond?
A lot. Coming off a bad-luck year that limited him to only one game (suspension, pulled hamstring and broken rib), Herndon should be able to build on his promising 2018 performance (39 catches, 502 yards, four TDs). QB Sam Darnold has a comfort level with Herndon, who provides a physical presence on intermediate routes. The only concern is whether TE Ryan Griffin, who re-upped after a solid year, will steal some of his production. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Do you expect high-end production from wide receiver Marquise Brown on a more consistent basis in his second season?
QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens certainly do. Brown hadn't fully recovered from offseason foot surgery last year but showed flashes, tying a rookie franchise record with seven touchdowns. Where the Ravens expect a healthier Brown to make an impact is deep downfield. Brown made only six catches on passes that traveled at least 20 yards in the air, which was tied for 34th in the NFL. With defenses stacking the box to stop Baltimore's run game, Brown will have opportunities for big plays. "This year, he's going to be dangerous," Jackson said of Brown. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
Considering how he flashed this past season, will wide receiver John Ross finally enjoy a breakout in 2020?
As always, it all depends on his health. He avoided soft-tissue injuries in 2019, which is a good sign for the former first-round pick. If he can stay healthy and gain confidence early in the season, he could be primed for a big 2020 in the final year of his rookie deal. -- Ben Baby
Marcus Spears and Desmond Howard explain why they like the idea of the NFL adding one more team from each conference to the playoff format.
Cleveland Browns
How worried should we be about tight end David Njoku's prospects after he fell so far out of favor in 2019?
Very worried. It was hard to see Njoku staying in Cleveland under the previous regime. And even though coach Freddie Kitchens and GM John Dorsey are gone, Njoku has a long way to go to prove he's a No. 1 tight end. For his own sake -- and for fantasy purposes -- a change of scenery via a trade might be for the best. -- Jake Trotter
Pittsburgh Steelers
Do you believe wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster can return to his 2018 form with Ben Roethlisberger back under center?
Smith-Schuster's resurgence isn't just dependent on Roethlisberger. In the six quarters Roethlisberger played, Smith-Schuster was targeted 11 times with eight catches for 105 yards. He didn't score his first touchdown until Mason Rudolph became the starter against San Francisco. To be his most productive, Smith-Schuster needs other reliable offensive weapons around him. -- Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
How concerned should we be about Will Fuller's durability issues?
Very concerned. Fuller has never played a full regular season and again had issues with soft-tissue injuries. After the Texans' playoff loss to the Chiefs, Fuller said he needs to figure out how to stay on the field. "I just need to find someone that's good at what they do so they can help me out, figure out my body and everything I can do from the inside out," Fuller said. Houston's offense is no doubt better when Fuller is on the field, but it's difficult to rely on him given his injury history. -- Sarah Barshop
Indianapolis Colts
Do you expect a breakout season from Parris Campbell in his second season?
That depends on Campbell's body. The speedy Campbell is the type of receiver coach Frank Reich likes in his offense because he's capable of lining him up on the outside, in the slot and in motion on jet sweeps. And the Colts desperately need to find another wideout to pair with veteran T.Y. Hilton. The issue with Campbell is that he couldn't stay healthy during his rookie season in 2019. He played in only seven games thanks to an assortment of injuries, which played a part in him having only 18 receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars
Do you believe wide receiver DJ Chark is the real deal and will repeat his breakout season in 2020?
Yes, because the reason he had his success in 2019 was that he figured out how hard he needed to work and the proper way to prepare each week. That was something he admitted he didn't take as seriously as a rookie in 2018. Chark still needs to work on getting separation and figuring out how to be consistently productive when teams are rolling coverages his way, but some of that comes with experience. As long as he stays healthy, he should be able to be around 1,000 yards and eight to 10 touchdowns. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
How concerned should we be about running back Derrick Henry holding up next season after a 400-touch 2019 campaign?
Not concerned. Henry is in superb shape and has shown no sign of slowing down. In fact, he got more productive as the season went on and his carries increased. What's lost in all of the carries is that Henry, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March, rarely takes big hits. It's safe to say that he will continue to be a volume back and rack up yards. -- Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
How big of a leap do you expect from tight end Noah Fant in his second season?
Fant's long-term development hinges on adding some diversity to his route tree. As a rookie, he didn't always create separation on routes that required short-area quickness -- where he created space on the defender with a clean move at the top of a route. He consistently made his impact on routes when he could simply open up and run as soon as he came out of his stance. To make that jump into the 60-, 75-catch area, he will have to work to be more effective in short-to-intermediate routes. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
Will wide receiver Mecole Hardman emerge as an every-down player in 2020?
Much depends on whether the Chiefs retain Sammy Watkins. In that sense, the Chiefs' decision on Watkins is a reflection on Hardman. If they feel Hardman is ready to be a regular, it's much easier for them to move on from Watkins. -- Adam Teicher
Las Vegas Raiders
Will Josh Jacobs play a larger role in the passing game in 2020?
And then some. Look, coach Jon Gruden talked a lot during Jacobs' breakthrough rookie season about how complete a player the running back is, saying, "He's the perfect centerpiece for our offense." But Jacobs caught just 20 passes for 166 yards -- fellow tailback Jalen Richard had nearly twice as much production (36 for 323) -- so that's an aspect of Jacobs' game that has to be addressed. Nearly half of Jacobs' receptions (nine) came in his last five games, so he was becoming a bigger part of the Raiders' passing game. But his missing three of the last four with a shoulder injury sapped that momentum. -- Paul Gutierrez
Los Angeles Chargers
If Melvin Gordon doesn't return, will the Chargers commit to Austin Ekeler as their feature back?
The Chargers already have committed to Ekeler, just not in the traditional sense in how we've grown to identify a feature back. Ekeler is considered a playmaker, and will be used just as much in the passing game as the running game. Among running backs last season, Ekeler finished tops in the NFL in receiving TDs (eight) and second in receptions (92). Chargers coach Anthony Lynn wants Ekeler to get 15 to 20 touches a game, and he should continue to be used in a similar capacity in 2020. -- Eric D. Williams
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Do you expect any major offensive changes with Jason Garrett out but offensive coordinator Kellen Moore back?
Nothing drastic. Coach Mike McCarthy said he would implement his system into what the Cowboys have been doing for years because he thinks that will be best for Dak Prescott's development. Moore will be the playcaller, but McCarthy will be involved in the process more than Garrett, especially on game day. The language of the offense will be the same, but McCarthy will make his additions that should help Prescott even if his numbers don't dramatically improve over the 4,902 yards and 30 touchdown passes he had in 2019. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
Do you believe Darius Slayton will emerge as the team's No. 1 wide receiver during the offseason?
That's quite the jump. Slayton certainly looks like an up-and-coming player but will have to compete for targets with veterans Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard. It's hard to imagine he's a true No. 1 in his second year working alongside the offensive talent on the Giants' roster. And while Slayton's overall production is likely to increase, his touchdown rate seems almost unsustainable. He produced a touchdown on one of every six catches in 2019. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
How worried should we be about wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside after he produced so little with so many snaps as a rookie?
I wouldn't write him off yet. His ability flashed brightly at times last spring. The fact that he didn't show significant development over the course of the season is a bit of a head-scratcher and falls partly on the coaching staff. Arcega-Whiteside still has a chance to be a good player, but with the Eagles determined to add talent to the receiver position this offseason, he'll have to break through to show he deserves to be part of the rotation. -- Tim McManus
Washington Redskins
Have you seen enough from Dwayne Haskins to believe he's the long-term answer at quarterback?
No, and neither have the Redskins. We've seen enough to say that he deserves a much longer look. It took Haskins a long time to realize the sort of work he must put in to become a quality NFL quarterback; when he did, his production was far greater. He became better at helping with protections and knowing where to go with the ball. Members of the organization were excited by his strong finish, but as one person said: "It was only two games." Haskins must learn a new playbook and terminology so the work he put in over the last few weeks of the season must be evident -- or the answer to this question next year will be "no." -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Will Chicago address running back this offseason, or will David Montgomery remain the feature back?
Running back doesn't appear to be a major priority in the offseason. The Bears are still high on Montgomery, who carried the ball 242 times for 889 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. Coach Matt Nagy likely wants to get Montgomery more involved on offense, not replace him. Besides Montgomery, the Bears have to carve out a role for Tarik Cohen in the backfield. Cohen, who's entering the final year on his original rookie deal, didn't make much of an impact in 2019, but the Bears still believe in him. -- Jeff Dickerson
Detroit Lions
Do you expect a big second-year leap from tight end T.J. Hockenson after a fairly quiet rookie campaign?
Yes, considering the position Hockenson plays and that he missed four games with injury -- something that stunted his statistics. If his numbers -- 32 catches, 367 yards, two touchdowns -- were extrapolated over a 16-game season, his receiving yards (490) would have been top-40 among rookie tight ends all time, and his receptions would have matched George Kittle's as a rookie (43). In other words -- yeah, there's reason to believe Hockenson could have a much better Year 2. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers
Do you believe the Packers' 2020 starting tight end is currently on the roster?
Yes, Jace Sternberger. The third-round pick from last season finally got healthy and involved in the offense late last season, even catching a touchdown pass in the NFC title game. Said GM Brian Gutekunst: "I think [Sternberger] can be one of those guys as he develops where he can play from a lot of different places and be a matchup problem. I'm excited for him. Excited for him to gain some confidence toward the end of the season that will hopefully be a little bit of a push going into next year." Gutekunst has to move on from Jimmy Graham, and even if he brings back Marcedes Lewis or drafts another tight end, Sternberger should get the first shot. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
Will tight end Irv Smith Jr. play an expanded role in the passing game in 2020?
Definitely. We know how much Gary Kubiak's offenses are reliant upon strong play from its tight ends. Smith exceeded expectations in his rookie season and stepped into a bigger role in the passing game when it was required (36 catches, 311 yards and 2 touchdowns), especially when Adam Thielen went down with injury for two months and forced the Vikings to divvy up his target share. Smith was drafted to eventually replace 10-year veteran Kyle Rudolph and presents the Vikings a number of different options for where to play him to capitalize on various mismatches. -- Courtney Cronin
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Do you expect Devonta Freeman to remain the Falcons' feature back?
A case can be made that Freeman has earned that right as a dual-threat back who is a tireless worker and well-respected in the locker room. But the outlook is bleak based on the team's tight salary-cap situation. If the Falcons can save $3.5 million in cap space by parting ways with Freeman, that might be the route they take so they can address another need such as pass-rush help. Critics point to Freeman's health issues, but he's capable of helping any team when healthy and getting proper blocking. If the Falcons let him go, the answer at running back probably is not currently on the roster. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers
Which offensive player will benefit most from the offseason coaching changes?
Third-round pick Will Grier. Coach Matt Rhule has proved to be a master of taking advantage of his quarterback's strengths at Temple and Baylor, running completely different styles of offense at each stop. That doesn't mean Grier will be the starting quarterback next season, but Rhule and his staff will figure out a way to get more out of him in case he's needed. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
Do you believe a third-year breakout is in the cards for wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith?
That's awfully hard to envision after he averaged less than two catches and 25 yards per game last year (including zeros in the playoff loss). And the opportunity was there. He was getting roughly 40 snaps per game when healthy -- more than veteran Ted Ginn Jr. Of course, it's possible that Smith could break out because the Saints have such a dire need at the position and might let Ginn go in free agency. But they'll try to upgrade the position this offseason. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What went wrong with tight end O.J. Howard, and if he's back on the roster, how confident can we be that he'll bounce back in 2020?
It's baffling what happened with Howard. He looked so solid in camp but he made some inexplicable mistakes last season. Based on conversations with him, it was a combination of a new role in a new offense, some early mistakes, the trade talk and a new staff trying to figure him out in a system not known to be tight-end-friendly. Proceed with caution. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
How much optimism should we have that wide receiver Andy Isabella will enjoy a breakout second season?
Medium to low -- that way if he blows up, it'll be a pleasant surprise, and if he doesn't, there's nothing lost. Isabella struggled to adapt to the NFL game last season as a rookie, being used mainly as a deep threat because of his blazing speed. And when he made plays, they were big plays -- he averaged 21 yards per catch. But when he was on the field, teams knew he would be used in a limited number of ways. To have a breakout season, Isabella needs to improve his separation ability. If he can do that, he'll become a threat in short-yardage situations. -- Josh Weinfuss
Los Angeles Rams
Which Tyler Higbee will we get in 2020: the rarely targeted blocker or the second-half pass-catching star?
Next season, expect to see Higbee continue as a pass-catching star. The Rams gave Higbee a four-year, $29 million extension before last season, committing to him through 2023. His emergence as a serious threat in the passing game in the final month of the 2019 season adds a dependable dimension to Rams coach Sean McVay's offense. -- Lindsey Thiry
San Francisco 49ers
Who do you believe will pace the 49ers' backfield in touches in 2020?
Just 16 touches separated the trio of Tevin Coleman (158), Raheem Mostert (151) and Matt Breida (142) last season, so it's a tough question. All three are likely to return in 2020, although Coleman has no remaining full guarantees on his deal until April 1. Mostert was the most effective last season, including the playoffs, but is still considered the Niners' best special-teamer. Breida continued to struggle with ankle issues and had some ball-security problems as well. Coleman's numbers tailed off in the middle of the season, but he is still the most accomplished of this group. Still, it's hard not to look at what Mostert did and believe that he should be the guy who gets the most opportunities, even if it doesn't mean he's in a workhorse type of role. -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
What are the chances that DK Metcalf will emerge as a superstar receiver in his second season?
He has the physical tools as well as the attitude -- not to mention the quarterback -- to become that. The way teammates and coaches describe Metcalf, he doesn't sound like someone who will get complacent thinking he's arrived after his 900-yard, seven-touchdown rookie season. The key will be staying as healthy as he did in 2019, when he didn't miss a regular-season or playoff game despite needing knee surgery 19 days before the opener. If Metcalf is going to top 1,000 yards as the second option behind Tyler Lockett in a run-heavy offense, he can't afford to miss much time. -- Brady Henderson