X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

AFC North: Strength of Schedule Analysis & Players to Target or Avoid

We’ve previously published an article series analyzing and grading all the NFL defenses, division by division. Now we’re going to look at the strength of schedules of each NFL team, division by division, to help you identify players with the best matchups vs. the league’s weakest defenses.

Today we provide AFC North strength of schedule analysis. For each team, we will identify players that we like and don’t like. You will see four categories: players to target, players to avoid, players to buy and players to sell. Let’s get to it.

Editor’s Note: Be sure to read more about fantasy football strength of schedule (SOS) analysis, broken down by division and team, to prepare for your drafts and dominate your leagues. 

 

AFC North – Strength of Schedule Breakdown

AFC North Opponents in 2015: AFC North, NFC West, AFC West

 

Baltimore Ravens – Players to Target and Avoid

The Ravens defense was surprisingly strong in 2014, and could improve even more in the coming year if CJ Mosley can take another step forward. The offense should also see some improvement with the additions of Brashad Perriman at WR and Marc Trestman at OC, which could bode well for Joe Flacco and company. Justin Forsett, who broke out in a big way last season, also stands to benefit from Trestman’s pass happy scheme.

As for the Ravens schedule, an early season stretch in which the purple and black face the Broncos, Bengals and Steelers could prove troublesome right out of the gate. Things calm down after that, but a Week 14 match-up against the Seahawks and a tilt against the Chiefs a week after makes for a foreboding fantasy playoff schedule.

Players to Reach For

Forsett emerged as a solid option at RB last season, and could be even better this year. For a reason why, look no further than Matt Forte. The Bears RB caught more than 100 passes in 2014, and Forsett is an equally adept pass catching back. That equates to plenty of catches and plenty of balls in space for Forsett. He could be a PPR monster.

Players to Avoid

Whoever mans the TE position for Baltimore may be avoided. The Ravens face a plethora of difficult passing defenses this season and have much better options on the outside.

Players to Look to Buy Low

The Ravens don’t offer many players that appear to be buy-low candidates at first glance. Perriman’s physical tools make him the best option, though. The raw yet talented wide-out may struggle early on, yet could become a beast as he grows more acclimated to the NFL.

Players to Look to Sell High

Father time is—and always will be—undefeated. If Steve Smith Sr. has a strong first couple of weeks, and he very well could, selling high may be a good idea as his production is likely to dip as the year drags on.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers – Players to Target and Avoid

A strong passing offense in 2014 should be back in 2015 and a rebuilding defense on the other side of the ball could mean plenty of points to be had from Steelers offensive players this season. Antonio Brown and Laveon Bell remain top options at their respective positions, and Ben Roethlisberger should continue to provide great value at the QB position. If the Steelers schedule, which contains a slew of strong opposing offenses, lives up to how it looks on paper—that could all be an understatement.

The Steelers open up the NFL season against the Patriots, then embark on a relatively smooth first month and a half before facing the Cardinals, Chiefs and Bengals in that order near mid-season. Week 14 and Week 15 match-ups against the Broncos and Bengals, two of the NFL’s best pass defenses a year ago, may prove a bit eerie for fantasy owners, however.

Players to Reach For

Despite his suspension and place on the depth chart, Martavis Bryant is more than worth reaching for in later rounds. A unique talent on a team that will be throwing the ball, Bryant looked great in the pre-season and could provide huge playmaking ability in 2015.

Players to Avoid

From a fantasy perspective, the only real hole on this Steelers team is the defense. A lackluster pass rush and a middle-of-the-pack secondary make them a position to avoid.

Players to Look to Buy Low

If Roethlisberger stumbles in any way over the first few weeks, try to grab him. He’s got better weapons surrounding him this season than he has in a while, and he’ll need to use them too.

Players to Look to Sell High

If Markus Wheaton breaks out in the absence of Bryant over the first few weeks of the season, the young wide-out could be an excellent sell high.

 

Cleveland Browns – Players to Target and Avoid

The Browns were much improved in 2014 from a real life perspective, but lacked any true fantasy studs on offense. That same fact remains true today. Dwayne Bowe, one of the team’s biggest off-season acquisitions, may not even make the 53-man roster, and a committee at RB could very well kill whatever remaining fantasy appeal the Browns offense has. In fact, only two Browns players are owned in more than 25% of ESPN leagues—yes, only a quarter—and they’re both RBs.

As for the schedule, an opening stretch against the Jets, Titans and Raiders could actually see Cleveland off to a good start in 2015, and may inflate Josh McCown and company’s statistics in the early going too. Things get a little tougher from there, though, and Week 15 and Week 16 match-ups against the Seahawks and Chiefs are as ugly as it gets.

Players to Reach For

There’s barely even a player worth drafting on the Browns, much less one worth reaching for. Duke Johnson, owned in about two-thirds of leagues, is the only name that comes to mind. He could provide some solid value if either Isaiah Crowell or Terrance West get hurt.

Players to Avoid

Everyone on offense not named Duke or Isaiah.

Players to Look to Buy Low

If either of the Cleveland RBs falter early on, they could ride the pine for a long time after. Don’t buy low on anyone.

Players to Look to Sell High

Crowell could actually prove a valuable trade chip if he gets off to a strong start. Johnson should push for carries as the season wears on and injury is always a concern.

 

Cincinnati Bengals – Players to Target and Avoid

The Bengals’ offense played most of last season with its number one weapon either on the sideline or less than full health. With AJ Green now back and healthy in 2015, Andy Dalton and the rest of the offense should be in the top half of the league in terms of production, and if Jeremy Hill can build on last season’s breakout rookie campaign, this could be a dangerous unit in Cincy.

Unlike most of their divisional rivals, the Bengals get their toughest match-ups out of the way early on in the season. That paves the way for Week 14 and Week 15 tilts against the 49ers and Steelers, neither of which boast particularly intimidating defenses.

Players to Reach For

AJ Green is going among the top receivers, but may not be going high enough. He lead all WRs in yards per route run last season, and could push for top-overall WR honors in 2015.

Players to Avoid

Mohamed Sanu was solid last season, but the return of Marvin Jones will likely cut his targets and production in half. He’s a late round flier if anything.

Players to Look to Buy Low

It’s doubtful Hill struggles early on given Week 1 and Week 2 match-ups against the Raiders and Chargers, but if he does, don’t hesitate to buy low. It’s well within reason to expect a top-10 finish from the young back this season.

Players to Look to Sell High

Andy Dalton is an average QB year in and year out, but he does have a few great games here and there and could take advantage of those weak first couple of match-ups. If he does, try using him to move up a tier at QB.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Dustin Wolf2 hours ago

Snaps Skid On Thursday
Wyatt Johnston2 hours ago

Scores In Sixth-Straight Game
Linus Ullmark2 hours ago

Stops 31 Shots In Victory
Nick Suzuki2 hours ago

Has Goal, Assist On Thursday
Leon Draisaitl2 hours ago

Can Not Finish Thursday's Contest
John Gibson3 hours ago

Exits Early On Thursday
Geraldo Perdomo3 hours ago

Hits Grand Slam On Thursday
Tony Gonsolin3 hours ago

Picks Up Strikeout In Rehab Game
Zach Neto3 hours ago

Homers In Rehab Game
Kristian Campbell3 hours ago

Homers On Thursday
Joel Payamps3 hours ago

Picks Up Save On Thursday
Nestor Cortes3 hours ago

Jr. Picks Up Win Over Reds
Trent Grisham3 hours ago

Homers In Win On Thursday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.3 hours ago

Homers On Thursday
Luke Weaver3 hours ago

Picks Up Save On Thursday
Aaron Judge3 hours ago

Homers Again
Dalton Rushing8 hours ago

Wears The Platinum Sombrero On Thursday
Shohei Ohtani9 hours ago

Still Without Timeline To Face Live Hitters
Jordan Lawlar9 hours ago

Collects Three Hits, Three RBI On Thursday
Carlos Carrasco9 hours ago

Strikes Out Five, Picks Up Win
Merrill Kelly9 hours ago

Gets Lit Up By Yankees
Luis F. Castillo9 hours ago

Expected To Start Friday
Owen Caissie9 hours ago

Triples In Three-Hit Game At Triple-A
Weston Wilson10 hours ago

Set To Face Live Pitching
Ranger Suárez10 hours ago

Ranger Suarez Could Throw Live Batting Practice This Week
Brady House10 hours ago

Belts Home Run No. 1 On Thursday
Nick Lodolo10 hours ago

Delivers Quality Start
Nikola Jokić11 hours ago

Nikola Jokic Expected To Play On Friday
Jonathan Kuminga12 hours ago

Back On Thursday Night
Miles Boykin13 hours ago

Heading To Chicago
Jalen Wilson14 hours ago

Sidelined On Thursday
Baker Mayfield14 hours ago

Tampa Bay Restructures Baker Mayfield's Deal
Case Keenum14 hours ago

Chicago Signs Case Keenum To One-Year Deal
Kyshawn George14 hours ago

Unavailable For Thursday
Richaun Holmes14 hours ago

Out Versus Magic
Khris Middleton14 hours ago

Out Again Thursday Versus Magic
D'Angelo Russell15 hours ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Noah Clowney15 hours ago

Done For Rest Of The Season
Jordan Poole15 hours ago

Unavailable For Thursday
Scottie Barnes15 hours ago

Available On Thursday
Jonathan Drouin15 hours ago

Martin Necas, Jonathan Drouin Unavailable Thursday
Tyrese Maxey15 hours ago

Expected To Miss Rest Of Season
Alexandar Georgiev15 hours ago

Nursing An Upper-Body Injury
Henry Thrun15 hours ago

Returns From Nine-Game Absence Thursday
Olli Määttä15 hours ago

Olli Maatta Returns To Utah Lineup Thursday
Dylan Guenther16 hours ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Anthony Duclair16 hours ago

Takes Leave Of Absence
Alex Pietrangelo16 hours ago

On Track To Return Thursday
Brady Tkachuk16 hours ago

Out On Thursday
Trey McBride16 hours ago

Cardinals Making Trey McBride The Highest-Paid Tight End In NFL History
Geno Smith17 hours ago

Raiders, Geno Smith Agree To Two-Year Extension
18 hours ago

Tyler Shough Could Be Day 2 Pick In NFL Draft
Dallas Cowboys18 hours ago

Shemar Stewart Meeting With Cowboys Staff
New York Giants19 hours ago

Travis Hunter The Likely Pick For Giants?
Dallas Cowboys19 hours ago

DeMarvion Overshown Aiming For Comeback Player Of The Year Award
Washington Commanders19 hours ago

Commanders Sign T.J. Maguranyanga
Kansas City Chiefs20 hours ago

Mike Edwards Reunites With Chiefs
New Orleans Saints20 hours ago

Saints Could Take A Quarterback Early In The Draft
Joe Milton III23 hours ago

Traded To Cowboys
Anfernee Simons24 hours ago

Could Be Absent Again Thursday
Scoot Henderson24 hours ago

Misses Third Consecutive Game Thursday
Scottie Barnes24 hours ago

Iffy For Thursday
Immanuel Quickley24 hours ago

Takes Thursday Off
Jakob Poeltl24 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Damian Lillard1 day ago

May Return To Action Sooner Than Expected
Giannis Antetokounmpo1 day ago

Likely To Suit Up Thursday
LeBron James1 day ago

Probable Thursday
Jared McCann1 day ago

Tallies Three Helpers On Wednesday
Jackson Blake1 day ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Tallies Three Points In Overtime Victory
Andrei Svechnikov1 day ago

Exits Early On Wednesday
Jake McCabe1 day ago

Suffers Injury On Wednesday
Jonathan Drouin1 day ago

Exits Wednesday's Contest
Los Angeles Chargers1 day ago

Chargers Sign Tight End Jordan Petaia
1 day ago

Matthew Golden Making Pre-Draft Visit To Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals1 day ago

Trey Hendrickson Not Looking For Short-Term Deal
Tutu Atwell1 day ago

Rams Plan To Give Tutu Atwell A Bigger Role In 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers1 day ago

Bucs Restructure Antoine Winfield's Deal To Free Up Cap Space
Jrue Holiday2 days ago

Won't Play Against Miami
New York Jets2 days ago

Xavier Newman-Johnson Re-Signs With New York
Al Horford2 days ago

Sidelined Versus Heat
Evgeni Malkin2 days ago

Joins Penguins For Road Trip
2 days ago

Kyle McCord Rising Up Draft Boards?
2 days ago

Ashton Jeanty To Raiders Continues To Gain Steam
Cameron Young2 days ago

A Player To Avoid At Valero Texas Open
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

In Search Of Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim2 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At Valero Texas Open
Tom Hoge2 days ago

Looking To Build Off Strong Performance At The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick2 days ago

Looking For Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Corey Conners3 days ago

Continues Strong Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Patrick Cantlay3 days ago

Eyeing Victory At Valero Texas Open
Gary Woodland3 days ago

Showing Great Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Akshay Bhatia3 days ago

Aiming For Repeat At Valero Texas Open
Alejandro Tosti3 days ago

A Volatile Choice At TPC San Antonio
Jordan Spieth3 days ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp3 days ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim3 days ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood3 days ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau3 days ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole3 days ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Sam Stevens3 days ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA3 days ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Denny McCarthy4 days ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman4 days ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ryan Preece4 days ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
NASCAR4 days ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno4 days ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg4 days ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall4 days ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
CJ Vergara4 days ago

Gets Submitted
Édgar Cháirez4 days ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Vince Morales4 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.4 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
Saimon Oliveira4 days ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez4 days ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Kevin Borjas4 days ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Ronaldo Rodríguez4 days ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron4 days ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano4 days ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe4 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones4 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry5 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano5 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece5 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Best Bets: Week 2 Picks

Well, the opening week is always full of curveballs, and 2025 was no exception. We actually saw the Birmingham Stallions lose a game, looking bad in the process. Overall, I went 3-3-1 on spreads and over/unders last week, so a bit inconvenient that neither parlay worked out. It is a short season, so the pressure […]


Isaiah Bond - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Sleepers: 5 Undervalued Draft Targets

We all know at this point who the top names are heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. Ashton Jeanty will be the dynasty rookie RB1. Tetairoa McMillan will be the rookie WR1. But fantasy leagues aren't won just by getting a top-2 or three rookie pick and grabbing the best guys. Rookie drafts are also […]


Ja'Marr Chase fantasy football rankings NFL DFS lineup picks

Two-Round Start-Up Dynasty Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single Quarterback

The players you select in the early rounds of dynasty fantasy football start-up drafts have a massive impact on the chances of your team winning for many seasons after the first one. So it's crucial to nail these picks, and there are a few ways you can do that. Obviously, no one's being selected in […]


Tetairoa McMillan - College Football DFS Lineup Picks, NCAA CFB, NFL Draft Prospect

2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single-QB

Thankfully, fans and fantasy football players only have to wait a few more weeks for the 2025 NFL Draft. That means dynasty fantasy rookie mock drafts are right around the corner. While dynasty fantasy outlooks for the NFL Draft prospects will change between today and the end of April, it’s time for another dynasty rookie […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Outlooks For Wide Receivers On New Teams: Davante Adams, DK Metcalf, Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp, Christian Kirk, and more

The 2025 NFL offseason has been full of breaking news alerts. Last year, all the action was at the running back position, with Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs changing teams. However, all the action has been at the wide receiver position this offseason. Some big-name wide receivers remained with their current teams. Tee […]


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Running Back Preview: Targets & Sleepers For 2025 Drafts

While the NFL is in the middle of its offseason, the fantasy football world never takes a break. Much in the fantasy world will change between now and the start of the regular season. Yet, let’s take an early look at the running back position for 2025 fantasy football drafts. Below are three early-round studs, […]


Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Fantasy Football Outlooks For QBs On New Teams: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, more

The NFL quarterback carousel gets to spin every offseason, and plenty of QBs have already found new homes ahead of the 2025 NFL season. For fantasy football, a player's surrounding team is extremely important, so it's worth looking into each of their outlooks with their new squads. There are still a few unsigned QBs, but […]


Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Superflex/Two-QB

The 2025 NFL Draft is still less than 30 days away. Therefore, dynasty fantasy rookie mock drafts are nearly here. Much will change between now and the NFL Draft. However, it’s time for another dynasty rookie mock draft. This rookie mock draft is a two-round, 12-team, and two-quarterbacks. For a deeper dive into dynasty strategy, […]


Deshaun Watson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Offseason Team Needs: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

The AFC North, comprised of the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers, sent two teams to the playoffs in 2024 and had one on the cusp of a playoff berth. The Ravens have the best roster of the four teams by a long shot. The Steelers have a solid defensive group, and […]


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 2: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2025)

Week 2 of the UFL season is just around the corner. This week will feature one game on Friday, one game on Saturday, and two on Sunday. Birmingham and Michigan will play at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, followed by Memphis-D.C. on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Sunday's game pits the 1-0 Renegades against the […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Draft Sleepers

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings: Overvalued, Undervalued Players (2025)

Dynasty fantasy football rankings constantly shift, especially as we inch closer to the new season and fantasy drafts. Dynasty managers know the importance of finding those underrated players who could be steals in drafts or trades. They also know some players are overhyped due to unsustainable trends or past production. I'll break down two overvalued […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Best Fantasy Football Moves During 2025 NFL Free Agency

It has been a wild offseason so far in the NFL. Plenty of players have switched teams in free agency, and some stars were even traded. Deebo Samuel Sr. was dealt to the Washington Commanders, Geno Smith was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, and DK Metcalf has a new home with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Three Aging Fantasy Football Players To Sell In Dynasty Leagues

It's hard to always know when to sell off your aging fantasy football players. Often, it's also difficult to accept that it's better to move on from a player when he's coming off a productive season and still has a lot left in the tank. But I believe it's better to be a year early […]