NFC NORTH Fantasy Football Review

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  • By Robert Szolosi

    NFC NORTH

    What went right?

    Taking you behind the curtain here at SportsEthos to begin talking about the NFC North this season because the Detroit Lions were perhaps the most bizarre, wild, and yet remarkable team to talk about in fantasy football because it was the most simple analysis imaginable, start everybody. Just look at the numbers. The Lions Made NFL history this season as the first team ever, with two running backs and two wide receivers all topping a thousand yards in a single season. On top of that, they finished with remarkable end-of-season fantasy ranks.  1st in the running back position, 3rd in wide  receivers, and 7th at the quarterback position. The quarterback position is also notable in the case that Jared Goff didn’t necessarily have the greatest fantasy season. As inconsistency was a huge concern, particularly in weeks 6-10, he only averaged 12.8 fantasy points. Regardless of that early season inconsistency, we kept saying to start him without question because of the incredible talent around him.  The most fascinating story about the Lions, however, was that we finally got to see how a two-headed monster running back duo could actually be beneficial for fantasy rather than a hindrance, as both Gibbs and Montgomery were super effective options for fantasy managers this season. Around the rest of the division, it was really successful as three teams made it into the playoffs this year, led by fantasy star Justin Jefferson, who found an unbelievable rapport with Sam Darnold as Jefferson finished second in total fantasy points behind Ja’Marr Chase with 317.8 and Darnold finished 9th in total points for quarterbacks. The running backs in new places were also fun as both Josh Jacobs (averaged 16.7) and Aaron Jones (averaged 13.1) both put together nice seasons for fantasy managers. 

    What went wrong?

    It’s essential to understand with the Chicago Bears the eye test is perhaps more important than the statistics themselves because this team, on paper, going into the offseason made a lot of really significant playoff-worthy moves. The receiving core was massively overhauled, bringing in rookie Rome Odunze and veteran Keenan Allen alongside D’Andre Swift, who had a really underrated fantasy season. Even with a weak 11.6   fantasy point average, he was great at key points this season, particularly with a 29.5 fantasy performance in Week 4 against the Rams. With all that being said, the overall CHI poor fantasy season falls 100% on the shoulders of former HC Matt Eberflus. As an NFL head coach, you are in control of every aspect of your team. He lost control quickly following a heartbreaking Hail Mary loss to the Commanders in Week 8. It felt very evident in that moment and the weeks following that the locker room was incredibly frustrated with Eberflus and his game planning, practice sessions, and in-game situational awareness. This is the perfect example of how a real-life bad NFL head coaching job can lead directly to inconsistent and downright poor results in fantasy.  While most felt Thomas Brown did help the team right the ship somewhat, it doesn’t change the fact that this team did not win a game from Week 8 to Week 17. Caleb Williams was the most sacked quarterback in the NFL this year, with 68 sacks, which led to poor decisions under pressure and him being indecisive in the pocket. Even with a middle of the pack 16th ranked wide receiver group in fantasy, it also is worth noting that Cole Kmet Was supposed to be the first read for Williams in these under-pressure situations but overall, the tight end group ranked 28th in fantasy this year. Elsewhere across the division, the receivers were kind of a mess for the Green Bay Packers as we were expecting someone to emerge as WR1, but that didn’t end up happening as Jayden Reed ended up being inconsistent down the stretch of the season and finished with an average of 10.3 fantasy points and Justin Jefferson’s running mate Jordan Addison was just simply way too inconsistent as he only finished with a slightly better 12..5 FPPG.

     Positional fantasy rankings for last seasoN

    Position Team Rank Explanation
    QB DET 1 This offense did, in fact, finish the year number one in the league in total points per game at (33.1), average scoring margin (+11.6), red zone scoring attempts (4.3), and so many more we can’t list in a small explanation. The reality with Jared Goff was it was never about his weekly fantasy statistics. It was the immense efficiency of this offense that made him a must-start every week. 
    QB MIN 2 Kevin O’Connell needs to be considered a quarterback wizard moving forward in the NFL to unlock every single piece of potential in Sam Darnold Arsenal while he’s just hitting his prime. It is simply unbelievable. He was a clear QB1 for the majority of the Year, unexpectedly finishing the season with a 19.4 Fantasy point average and an impressive 21.2 to 32.1 completion-to-attempt average. 
    QB GB 3 It’s worth noting that Jordan Love was simply not the same since week one in Brazil against the Eagles, suffering a pretty frustrating MCL sprain that seemed to bother him throughout the entire year. It’s not to say that he didn’t have great moments, particularly in his Week 4  return against Minnesota. Still, he simply was rife with inconsistency, as love looked uncomfortable in the pocket for most of the season. It’s worth considering this season as sort of a wash for him, and expect them to get back to normal levels next season. 
    QB CHI 4 We mentioned the sack numbers in the what went wrong section for Caleb Williams. Ultimately, that set the tone for the entire year. He simply wasn’t effective, primarily due to his coaching staff, namely Matt Eberflus, not putting him in the best position to succeed. Thanksgiving afternoon against the Lions is a perfect example, as the end of the game was simply a travesty of a head coach not protecting his quarterback. Thomas Brown getting the head coaching role definitely helped  Williams as he found his zip on the ball, particularly in a rematch against Detroit in week 16 as he finished with 22.76 fantasy points. 

     

    Position Team Rank Explanation
    RB DET  1 After what we mentioned in the what went right section, there is no surprise that the number one team for fantasy at the running back position was the Detroit Lions.  Sonic and Knuckles, as they like to be called, were simply unstoppable for fantasy managers. On the surface, Gibbs and Montgomery’s snap share of 56% to 34% Should have concerned fantasy managers, but in reality, it was the best thing possible. Jahmyr Gibbs finished The season with an average of 20.7 fantasy points, while David Montgomery was also super effective, finishing with 14.8. 
    RB GB 2 Josh Jacobs was really frustrated with his contract situation in Las Vegas but found community and a newfound gear in Green Bay under the tutelage of head coach Matt Lafleur; he flourished, finishing the season with an average of 16.7 fantasy points. Emmanuel Wilson also found success in the RB2 role and proved himself to be a key handcuff option, scoring an impressive 16.5 fantasy point game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.
    RB MIN 3 Another running back who found a new home this year and found success in purple instead of green was Aaron Jones. He finished the year with an excellent snap share of 63 % and a solid 13.1 fantasy point average. Moving forward to next season, he could bump up into an interesting RB1 option late in drafts. We are certainly excited about him going in the next season. 
    RB CHI 4 On the surface, it looked pretty inconsistent for D’ Andre Swift, who only finished the season with an average of 11.6 fantasy points. It’s worth noting that he felt very comfortable with exciting shiftiness and explosiveness that we haven’t seen since his first contract with the Detroit Lions. That explosiveness is why we kept looking at him as a low-end RB2 or Flex option for most of the season. We expect him to find more opportunities for success in Ben Johnson’s versatile offense next season, which also goes for his running mate, Roschon  Johnson, who should have more opportunities in the passing game. 

     

    Position Team Rank Explanation
    WR DET 1 We didn’t get to the receiving core as much as we probably would have liked to in the what went right section. Still, the receiving core is perhaps the most valuable part of why this offense was so effective this year—starting with Amon-Ra St.Brown, who played an absolutely remarkable 88% of snaps this season with An average of 15.9 fantasy points. His presence scared defenses so much that it led to Jameson Williams finally finding his footing in the NFL this year. He also played 78% of the snaps for 12.6  average fantasy points, even considering a two-game suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy. 
    WR MIN 2 While so much of the focus of the number four best wide receivers core in fantasy will rightfully so go to Justin Jefferson and his connection with Sam Darnold, it’s worth understanding that the rest of the receivers weren’t as consistent as we might have hoped, particularly Jordan Addison, who had wild and untrustworthy inconsistencies as from Week 7 to Week 11, he only averaged 9.98 fantasy points. That said, as long as Sam Darnold stays put at the quarterback position this off-season, the inconsistencies will become less and less apparent in 2025.
    WR GB 3 Finishing third on this list is actually a massive disappointment for this Green Bay receiving core, even considering the young and confusing makeup of this part of Green Bay’s roster. Jayden Reed gave us some excitement with an excellent average of 17.7 Fantasy points through the first 6 weeks of the season. However, that falloff was hard, especially as fantasy managers still trusted him in the playoffs, as he had a horrible zero-point performance against Detroit in Week 14.  The rest of this core was simply a touchdown-dependent one and not much else. 
    WR CHI 4 All the hype going into Chicago this year was this impressive receiving core. All that hype fell down the drain quickly as DJ Moore,  Keenan Allen, and  Rome Odunze absolutely dominated snap counts 94%  for Moore, 75% for Allen, and 84% for Odunze, But they only combined for a fantasy point average of 9.6. Across the board, it was super disappointing as we wait to see what Keenan Allen’s free agent market looks like. The most crucial thing is that a significant reason why Ben Johnson took the Bears job was this exciting receiving core growing into 2025. 

     

     

    Position Team Rank Explanation
    TE DET 1 Across the board, tight ends were pretty terrible across the fantasy landscape, but none is more disappointing than the NFC North beginning with the Detroit Lions. While it’s absolutely fair to say Sam LaPorta was more of a decoy than anything else for the Detroit Lions, it’s still massively frustrating for fantasy managers who targeted him early in drafts due to the yearly lack of depth at the position. It’s fair to expect something slightly better next year, but we will have to see how free agency changes the landscape this off-season for this Detroit offense as a whole with new offensive coordinator John Morton.
    TE MIN 2 It’s actually somewhat impressive to see Minnesota being ranked as the 13th-best tight-end group in fantasy this season, primarily due to missing Most of the season due to a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered on Christmas 2024. Josh Oliver and  Johnny Mundt took up the mantle in the first half of the season, but we’re simply non-factors in fantasy.  Hockenson also had to take a lot of the year to regain strength.  Hockenson should have a great 2025 and shouldn’t be ignored as a sleeper going into drafts next season.  
    TE GB 3 While Tucker Kraft certainly had his moments, Including an impressive back-to-back performance early in the season as he scored 17.3 fantasy points in Week 4 and 24.8 fantasy points in Week 5.  that led to him getting a lot of consideration throughout the year in our waiver wire articles. Unfortunately, that was more due to the lack of depth than an expectation of consistency.  Tucker Kraft as a safety net next year in the middle round of drafts is something to consider 
    TE CHI 4 Even with the exciting wide receivers in Chicago, we were still hoping for big things for Cole Kmet. He certainly was the most perplexing part of this offense, as considering the 68 sacks given up by the Bears this season, you would expect Kmet to at least be stable as a safety valve for Caleb Williams. Unfortunately, that was false hope, as even with an 88% snap share, he only averaged a paltry 5.7 fantasy points. Nobody in the fantasy community should give up on him, though, as his talent is certainly there. Here’s hoping Ben Johnson can unlock him and finally put him in the ranks of the top of the tight end position. 

     

    Looking Into the Crystal Ball 

    Overall, this division was very fun for fantasy managers this year, while there were some complicated pieces. The excitement of the Lions and a fun group of running backs in the North provided entertainment all year, even with new offensive coordinator John Morton joining the Lions this past week with the departure of Ben Johnson to division rival Chicago Bears.  Morton was instrumental in helping the Broncos offense find themselves in a playoff spot. It’s unreasonable to expect a historic season from the lines next year. However, something near the top of the league is still a reasonable expectation, which makes this Lions offense, across the board, a fun stock share to consider in fantasy drafts next season. The Packers find themselves another year older after being the youngest offense in the NFL last season (24.96 years old), but we expect steady Improvement from Jayden Reed and the rest of the young depth present. For the Minnesota Vikings, we cannot really make a definitive statement other than Justin Jefferson because we are waiting for the future of Sam Darnold. Even with Kevin O’Connell being a true quarterback whisperer, if he finds himself handing the keys to JJ McCarthy, rookie ups and downs will undoubtedly be a considerable part of the experience. It’s best for fantasy managers if Darnold returns as the starter in Minneapolis, but only time will tell. The Chicago Bears finally deserve some excitement after bringing in Ben Johnson from Detroit. The consensus from the Lions players and the rest of the coaching staff was that he was a gigantic part of their offensive renaissance this season.  Johnson is certainly very excited about the tools he gets to play with in this new offense that the Bears are building, notably Caleb Williams. As long as Williams is a stable fantasy QB2, the rest of this offense could be fun for fantasy managers. Lastly, the tight end position is still a massive concern going into next season. It might be worth taking late-round flyers on certain guys or just avoiding this division altogether for this specific position in 2025 fantasy drafts next season.

    February 11, 2025, 10:39 am