Fantasy football impact: A recap of the team-by-team previews
Over the summer, we previewed the key fantasy players and questions about each team across the league. Here it is, all in one place.
Michael Heiman
Over the course of the summer, I've worked up fantasy previews for all 32 teams. That ended Thursday, with my Browns preview.
I included a chart tracking my progress at the bottom of many of the pieces, but here today is a quick look at all of it, featuring my one big question about each team:
After being the best team to miss the playoffs a year ago, can the Cardinals make the leap to overcome their super-tough division?
The Falcons are the only team since expansion to drop off by more than seven wins from one year to the next and keep their quarterback. Can health and some offensive line moves help them bounce back?
The Ravens' dropoffs weren't as drastic as those in Atlanta and Houston, but they were still big. Can a healthy Dennis Pitta and new signee Steve Smith help them rebound?
The Bills have finished last in the AFC East for six straight years; no team in any division in any of the major sports can say the same. Can they climb in 2014?
The Panthers are famously entering the season with a ragtag group of receivers, but is it really that much worse than last year’s? Is it worse at all?
The Jay Cutler+Josh McCown tandem was great a year ago. Can Cutler stay healthy and repeat that performance?
Andy Dalton’s strong 2013 fantasy performance looks awfully fluky, but could he offer that sort of performance again, or will he shrink back to the pack?
Cleveland Browns
The best and worst possible outcomes for individual Browns fantasy players are as far from one another as they are for any team; will things go in a good direction or bad?
Considering the drama that always surrounds the team, the fact that the Cowboys have been really consistent in fantasy in recent years is crazy. Can it continue?
We basically know what to expect out of Peyton Manning and the Denver passing game, but can Manning develop another top-producing running back in Montee Ball?
Has the addition of Golden Tate given Calvin Johnson the running mate he's needed his entire career?
The Packers’ “disaster” season featured a winning record, a division title and a playoff appearance; the good teams are really good, and that’s the Packers. Can they continue?
The points in Houston just vanished last year. Can a new quarterback and a healthy running back help them return?
With the possible exception of Andrew Luck, there really aren't any sure things in Indianapolis. Who will boom and who will bust?
After several years of a buncha nothin’ out of the offensive side of the team’s draft classes, Jacksonville took four skill players in this year’s draft, including presumptive future quarterback Blake Bortles. Will things start looking up?
Jamaal Charles is a super-stud; we know that. But he had to carry the entire Chiefs offense on his back last year. Can they develop someone to help him?
Oh, that offensive line. It’s the part of the team you don’t want attracting attention, and that’s all it did last year in Miami. Have the Dolphins been able to fix the problems?
Someday, Adrian Peterson won't be an elite running back anymore. It has to happen. The only question is when that comes. Will it be 2014?
After their worst collective fantasy season in a long time, can the Patriots get healthy and together and bounce back to stud level this season?
Despite nominally having a lot of weapons each season, the Saints really haven’t branched out from Jimmy Graham-Marques Colston-running back. Will one of the next group of wide receivers pop?
The Giants were inexplicably awful last season. After a fair amount of roster turnover, can they get their strengths back?
There wasn’t a less impressive fantasy team than the Jets last year, but they added a big-name quarterback, running back and wide receiver in the offseason. Will the production follow?
Everything about the Raiders' performance in fantasy last year was forgettable. Can the holdovers and new arrivals Maurice Jones-Drew, Matt Schaub and James Jones turn that around?
If you say you know what any one of the Eagles’ skill players will offer this year, you’re lying. They might all be great, but there’s not a single sure thing there, is there?
The Steelers let a lot of their touchdowns go in free agency this offseason. Can the remaining players and new additions make up the difference?
The Chargers made the playoffs, but were still a clear third-place team. Can they take strides to climb above the two teams ahead of them?
The 49ers have steadily improved their defense in recent years, without much in the way of matching gains on offense. Can that side catch up this season?
The Seahawks improved several years in a row, culminating in last season’s Super Bowl title. Did they peak last year, or is there room for more?
Until Zac Stacy popped late in the season, there just weren’t many intriguing storylines out of St. Louis last year. Will it be a more interesting team this season?
Tampa Bay has swung back and forth from successful to unsuccessful for several years running. Can the Bucs keep that going and have a strong 2014?
No team lost more fantasy scoring from last season than Tennessee, and all the Titans really added was draftee Bishop Sankey. Can they make up the lost points?
Washington
Washington was a true stars-and-scrubs team last season, and was very top-heavy in its fantasy scoring. Will more players develop to help out?
