Tag: Fantasy Football

Panthers 2020 training camp: 20 Twitter accounts to follow this season

Panthers 2020 training camp: 20 Twitter accounts to follow this season.

The Carolina Panthers begin the next phase of training camp today, as the team will be permitted a walk-through practice with all 80 players, according to a report by Alaina Getzenberg at the Charlotte Observer. This means we’ll soon be getting real football-related training camp updates from beat reporters like her.

Since so much of this team and the media that covers it has changed this year, here’s a review of 20 Twitter accounts to follow, broken down by who they are and what they do.

Beat Reporters

First up, there’s the people who are on the ground every day doing classic sports journalism. Their access will be more limited this season due to the pandemic, but they are still the most-likely people on Twitter to break a real news story.

Alaina Getzenberg – Observer

Jonathan Alexander – Observer

Joe Person – The Athletic

Steve Reed – Associated Press

David Newton – ESPN

Panthers in-house media

Next, there’s the folks who are employed by the team and produce real-time reports and digital content both on Twitter and for the official website.

Bill Voth

Myles Simmons

Kristen Balboni

Will Bryan

Panthers analysts

Then, we have the Twitter members who provide the best analysis on the team, even if they’re not always physically on-site at games and practices.

John Ellis – One Panther Place

Billy Marshall – SB Nation

National reporters

For a bigger view of the league, here are some of the best reporters breaking national news around the NFL.

Adam Schefter – ESPN

Ian Rapoport – NFL Network

National analysts

Here are the top follows producing analysis on the whole league.

Steven Ruiz – FTW

Doug Farrar – Touchdown Wire

Mark Schofield – Touchdown Wire

Warren Sharp – Sharp Football

Jason Fitzgerald – Over the Cap

Fantasy Football

And finally, there’s the people who know what they’re talking about when it comes to fantasy football.

Evan Silva – Establish the Run

Matthew Berry – ESPN

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 fantasy football outlook

Draft the Steelers at your own risk this year in fantasy football.

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If you are a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, there is a high likelihood you play fantasy football. And if you are a fan you will try to find a way to squeeze a Steeler or two onto your roster. This season, the Steelers offense offers something of a mixed bag. Tons of skill players who can produce but very few defined roles so draft at your own risk.

What’s new

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is back, right? The hope is the healthy return of QB Ben Roethlisberger should mean the No. 4 offense from 2018 is back. Pittsburgh added multiple weapons on offense for Roethlisberger at all three levels of skill players. The Steelers drafted WR Chase Claypool and while he will spread out targets more, he does give the Steelers a strong red-zone option.

At running back, James Conner returns along with Benny Snell Jr. but don’t rule out rookie Anthony McFarland Jr. from stealing touches. Tight end got a nice boost with the addition of veteran Eric Ebron. He might be the best true receiving option the Steelers have had at tight end since the retirement of Heath Miller.

As far as the Steelers defense goes, they are an every-week start in fantasy and one of the best in the league. Not only do they hold teams in check in terms of yards and points, but few teams create as many splash plays. With names like LB T.J. Watt, LB Bud Dupree and S Minkah Fitzpatrick on the roster, you can count on plenty of sacks and interceptions to pad those point totals.

Camp battles

With so much depth on offense, there will be plenty of competition in camp, which will carry over all the way into the regular season. The Steelers have multiple backs who can rush for 100 yards in a game but it could come down to the matchup as to which player will break out in a given week. The same goes for a deep and diverse group of wide receivers who all bring different traits to the table.

All this means that while the Steelers offense should be far more efficient this season, a lack of true No. 1 at any skill position puts fantasy owners in limbo as to who to start each week.

Fantasy football best-ball drafts: 5 late-round gambles

Target these five players late in best-ball fantasy football drafts this upcoming week.

If you have yet to try them, fantasy football best-ball drafts are a blast. My preferred fantasy football league platforms for these drafts are RTSports.com and SportsHub’s “Best-Ball 10s” services. Neither company sponsored this article … I just like what they do in the space. Check ’em out, or look around the web to find competitors.

Five Fantasy Football Best-Ball Targets

Let’s dive right into my five favorite gambles for this upcoming week’s drafting action:

QB Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers: If there ever was a draft format built for Bridgewater … He’s a game manager who is capable of popping off once in a while. The Panthers essentially sport an entirely new defense, one that is woefully inexperienced. That translates to more passing than has been asked of him in prior stops. Carolina sports three very capable *veteran* receivers, plus the best pass-catching (and arguably overall) running back in the game today. An average draft position of 14:11 is awesome value for a backup to an elite, like Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes, and Teddy B. is an ideal No. 3 for teams drafting a duo of lesser starters.

RB Damien Harris, New England Patriots: The second-year Alabama standout should get a chance to showcase his skills in training camp as presumed starter Sony Michel is poised to miss time after foot surgery in May. Being this is the Patriots, we’ll never actually know the severity of the injury or Michel’s true prognosis, so we’re taking an educated guess here. After two respectable but mostly unspectacular seasons, Michel isn’t a lock as the incumbent starter if Harris lights it up in camp. Take full advantage of Harris’ 12th-round ADP before it is no longer a value.

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RB Darrynton Evans, Tennessee Titans: With an ADP of 14:06, the Appalachian State rookie sits directly behind Derrick Henry and is an obvious handcuff. Sneaky gamers will snatch him before Henry owners secure their insurance policy. Think of how the Titans operate offensively. Everything the team does revolves around Henry and the running game. While the passing share would uptick slightly, there’s no denying Evans would become a top-tier fantasy addition if King Henry is dethroned.

WR Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers: Aside from Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers’ receiving corps has a prominent role to be seized. Lazard showed a hint of chemistry with No. 12 in 2019, and the 6-foot-4 Lazard was good for a line of 35-477-3 on 52 targets, gaining much-needed experience after seeing action in exactly one game as a 2018 rookie. Lazard sees less competition with Devin Funchess opting out, and unless something goes south, 100 targets sent to the guy opposite Adams is not too much to expect.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: Days of 100-plus catches are behind the future Hall of Famer, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to be put out to the fantasy pasture. Fitz landed a serviceable 75 balls for 804 yards and four scores will seeing most of the defensive attention in Kyler Murray’s first season. In Year 2, DeAndre Hopkins will be the top target, and Murray should take a major step forward. Fitz may not be a sexy pick, but he offers useful value as WR63 in ADP.

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12 undervalued fantasy football targets for 2020

James White headlines this list of undervalued fantasy football targets for the 2020 NFL season.

Every year, there are players who end up outperforming their average draft position in fantasy football. Here are 12 players who are poised to provide great value in the mid to late rounds of your fantasy draft this summer.

(Current average draft position in parentheses.)

1. RB James White (RB41)

(Photo by Dave Clements)

There’s no guarantee that Cam Newton will start for the Patriots this season but it seems like a safe bet, which is good news for White. In 2018 — the last time Newton played (almost) a full season — Christian McCaffrey was targetted 124 times. Granted, White has never put up McCaffrey-level numbers, but he did catch 72 passes last year and 87 passes in 2018. White could be a PPR-gem as the 41st RB off the board.

2. WR Emmanuel Sanders (WR40)

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Last year, Sanders played with Joe Flacco and Jimmy Garoppolo and finished the year as WR30 in fantasy. Now Sanders will get to play with Drew Brees in New Orleans and many fantasy owners seem to be undervaluing him. When he played with Peyton Manning in Denver, Sanders averaged 1,269 receiving yards and 7.5 touchdowns per season. Sanders should provide great value as WR40 now that he’s playing with a top QB again.

3. QB Kirk Cousins (QB22) 

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

Cousins finished as QB15 last year but he’s being drafted as QB22 this offseason. Yes, the Vikings lost Stefon Diggs this offseason, but Minnesota also gained Justin Jefferson to pair with Adam Thielen. Cousins has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in four of the last five seasons and has thrown at least 25 touchdown passes every year since 2015. There’s no reason to believe his numbers will see a big decline in 2020.

4. TE Dawson Knox (TE30)    

(Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports)

Fantasy owners shouldn’t reach for Knox but he has good value as a TE2 and great value as a TE3. Knox won’t be the Bills’ top receiving threat this season but he was targetted 50 times as a rookie and that number should go up in 2020. NFL tight ends often make a big leap in Year 2 and Knox could end up being a late-round steal.

5. RB Chris Carson (RB18) 

(Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)

The arrival of Carlos Hyde in Seattle shouldn’t scare owners away from Carson, who finished as RB12 in 2019. Even after the Seahawks selected Rashaad Penny in the first round of the 2018 draft, Carson has had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. As long as he stays healthy, Carson appears poised to remain Seattle’s workhorse back.

6. WR Keenan Allen (WR20) 

(Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)

In PPR leagues, Allen ranked sixth among wide receivers in fantasy last year. His numbers will likely see a dip after the departure of Philip Rivers but Allen would still be a steal as the 20th WR off the board. Allen has averaged 101 catches for 1,262 yards and six touchdowns per year over the last three seasons. That kind of production deserves a higher average draft position — even with uncertainty at quarterback.

7. TE Greg Olsen (TE23) 

(Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)

During his final two seasons in Seattle (2016-2017), Jimmy Graham caught 16 touchdown passes. Last season, Jacob Hollister received the third-most targets (59) among Seahawks players and Will Dissly was thrown to 27 times in six games before going down with an injury. This year, Olsen might receive the bulk of Seattle’s tight end targets — including targets in the red zone. If he gains the trust of Russell Wilson, Olsen could end up being a big steal as a late-round pick.

8. RB Damien Harris (RB63)

(Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports)

Harris is a bit of a risky pick because the Patriots’ backfield is so hard to predict but he could easily outperform his RB63 ADP. After being selected by New England in the third round of last year’s draft, Harris appeared in just two games as a rookie. Sony Michel has struggled with various injuries and he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in 2019. If Michel gets banged up or underperforms this season, Harris could carve out a role in the Patriots’ offense. Consider him a late-round sleeper to draft and stash for later in the year.

9. TE Jace Sternberger (TE28) 

(Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

Sternberger, like Harris, is a risk because of his small sample size. Last year, Sternberger dressed for just six games and didn’t catch any passes. This year, his main competition for the Packers’ No. 1 tight end position will be 36-year-old Marcedes Lewis who totaled just 156 receiving yards and one touchdown last year. Sternberger will likely emerge as Green Bay’s top receiving tight end and he could prove to have decent value as a late-round TE2 (or a TE3 in deeper leagues).

10. QB Tyrod Taylor (QB32)

(Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)

In an offseason highlighted by reduced practice time and a shortened preseason, rookie QB Justin Herbert won’t be the favorite to start for the Chargers in Week 1. Taylor will be entering his second season in Los Angeles and his experience will likely give him an advantage in the Chargers’ QB competition. In 2017, the last year he was a full-time starter, Taylor finished as QB16. He will likely provide good value as a QB2 or QB3 in the first half of the 2020 season but owners should be aware that Herbert will be a mid-season threat to take over if Los Angeles is struggling to win.

11-12. WRs: Antonio Brown (WR71) and Josh Gordon (WR127) 

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports and Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)

These receivers are risky picks and owners shouldn’t reach for either of them. That said, Brown and Gordon might return to action by mid-season (after completing possible suspensions) and they could provide a late-season boost when owners are fighting to make the playoffs. You could wait to add them if/when they are signed, but selecting Brown or Gordon near the end of the draft would ensure another team doesn’t beat you to them on the waiver wire later this year.

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Fantasy football best-ball drafts: 5 late-round gambles

Target these five players late in best-ball fantasy football drafts this upcoming week.

Fantasy football best-ball drafts are a blast. My preferred league platforms for these drafts are RTSports.com and SportsHub’s “Best-Ball 10s” services. Neither company sponsored this article … I just like what they do in the space. Check ’em out, or look around the web to find competitors.

Let’s dive right into my five favorite gambles for this upcoming week’s drafting action:

QB Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers: If there ever was a draft format built for Bridgewater … He’s a game manager who is capable of popping off once in a while. The Panthers essentially sport an entirely new defense, one that is woefully inexperienced. That translates to more passing than has been asked of him in prior stops. Carolina sports three very capable *veteran* receivers, plus the best pass-catching (and arguably overall) running back in the game today. An average draft position of 14:11 is awesome value for a backup to an elite, like Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes, and Teddy B. is an ideal No. 3 for teams drafting a duo of lesser starters.

RB Damien Harris, New England Patriots: The second-year Alabama standout should get a chance to showcase his skills in training camp as presumed starter Sony Michel is poised to miss time after foot surgery in May. Being this is the Patriots, we’ll never actually know the severity of the injury or Michel’s true prognosis, so we’re taking an educated guess here. After two respectable but mostly unspectacular seasons, Michel isn’t a lock as the incumbent starter if Harris lights it up in camp. Take full advantage of Harris’ 12th-round ADP before it is no longer a value.

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RB Darrynton Evans, Tennessee Titans: With an ADP of 14:06, the Appalachian State rookie sits directly behind Derrick Henry and is an obvious handcuff. Sneaky gamers will snatch him before Henry owners secure their insurance policy. Think of how the Titans operate offensively. Everything the team does revolves around Henry and the running game. While the passing share would uptick slightly, there’s no denying Evans would become a top-tier fantasy addition if King Henry is dethroned.

WR Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers: Aside from Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers’ receiving corps has a prominent role to be seized. Lazard showed a hint of chemistry with No. 12 in 2019, and the 6-foot-4 Lazard was good for a line of 35-477-3 on 52 targets, gaining much-needed experience after seeing action in exactly one game as a 2018 rookie. Lazard sees less competition with Devin Funchess opting out, and unless something goes south, 100 targets sent to the guy opposite Adams is not too much to expect.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: Days of 100-plus catches are behind the future Hall of Famer, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to be put out to the fantasy pasture. Fitz landed a serviceable 75 balls for 804 yards and four scores will seeing most of the defensive attention in Kyler Murray’s first season. In Year 2, DeAndre Hopkins will be the top target, and Murray should take a major step forward. Fitz may not be a sexy pick, but he offers useful value as WR63 in ADP.

Fantasy Football: NFL reserve/COVID-19 list and opt-out tracker

Tracking the reserve-COVID-19 and opt-out lists for fantasy football leagues.

The NFL’s new reserve/COVID-19 list was created for players who have either tested positive or have been exposed to the virus and require quarantine.

In addition to this designation, the NFL players are permitted to opt out of the 2020 season amid the pandemic. It has affected fantasy football minimally in the early stages. The league set a deadline of seven days after the safety agreement was reached, leaving players until Wednesday, Aug. 5, to make their permanent decision for the upcoming year.

Update: As of end of business Wednesday, July 29, the revised CBA has not been ratified, which means players now will have until Aug. 5 to opt out of the 2020 NFL season. The deadline is extended seven days from the finalization of the agreement.

Being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list is temporary. During the regular season, the duration is three weeks. In training camp, players must pass three tests in five days to be permitted back into the team facilities. It’s unclear if the players will require a “ramp-up phase” of getting back into shape before putting on pads.

The opt-out designation, however, lasts the entire season. Per NFL rules, the league will not disclose whether players on the reserve list have tested positive or were exposed to infected persons, so fantasy football owners will be taking some sort of a guess as to assessing value of returning assets.

Fantasy football players on Reserve/COVID-19 list

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
  • Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
  • WR Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions
  • TE T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
  • Philadelphia Eagles OT Lane Johnson
  • Jacksonville Jaguars OT Jawaan Taylor

Players opting out of 2020 fantasy football season

  • Kansas City Chiefs RB Damien Williams
  • Green Bay Packers WR Devin Funchess
  • Philadelphia Eagles WR Marquise Goodwin
  • New England Patriots RB Brandon Bolden
  • New England Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower
  • New England Patriots SS Patrick Chung
  • Chicago Bears DT Eddie Goldman
  • Buffalo Bills DT Star Lotulelei
  • Minnesota Vikings DT Michael Pierce
  • New York Giants OT Nate Solder
  • Kansas City Chiefs OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
  • New England Patriots FB Danny Vitale
  • New England Patriots OT Marcus Cannon

 

What can fantasy footballers expect from Matthew Stafford in 2020?

Detroit’s veteran quarterback presents one of the top fantasy football values at his position.

The Detroit Lions have to be one of the most intriguing fantasy football offenses in the game today, and it all starts with their quarterback, Matthew Stafford. As witnessed last year when the wheels fell off after his back injury, this offense lives and dies by No. 9. Now healthy, he returns for his 12th season in Motown to command an offense sporting plenty of talent.

Personnel-wise, Detroit has a legit No. 1 receiver in Kenny Golladay, and a rock-solid second wideout in Marvin Jones. Veteran Danny Amendola is a cagey slot receiver, and second-year tight end T.J. Hockenson offers as much promise as any young target in the game. The offensive line is respectable, having improved in the offseason. On the other side of the ball, it remains a work-in-progress, and that bodes well for increased aerial volume.

Update: Hockenson and Golladay were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, July 29. At most, they will miss three weeks of practice, or three days of training camp in pads, due to the inclusion. However, in the event they actually have contracted the virus, it’s unclear how long they could miss. Monitor the situation as padded practices approach the week of Aug. 17.

Stafford also was placed on the list, and like his targets, it remains unclear if he contracted COVID-19 or was exposed to it. He held passing camps with his guys, and if they were exposed, it stands to reason so was Stafford. Missing time in training camp isn’t really much of a concern thanks to the continuity of the system and his weapons. For now, consider his value unchanged.

Through eight games last year, Stafford unexpectedly sat as one of the most prolific fantasy football quarterbacks. He averaged 25.9 fantasy points per outing, on pace for 4,998 yards, 38 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. The extrapolated stat line would have placed Stafford as the No. 3 quarterback finisher on the year, just three points behind No. 2.

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Stafford, 32, is in the prime of his career and could be forced into throwing more than Detroit prefers. Believe it or not, the Lions actually want to be a ground-based offense that relies on play-action passing after establishing the run. It may seem like shenanigans given how mostly feeble the backfield has been in the last, oh, 20 years. Kerryon Johnson returns from missing action in consecutive seasons due to injuries, and this year he’ll be paired with D’Andre Swift, a 2020 second-round choice, whose game is built on explosive plays.

It may be only a matter of time before Swift overtakes the third-year Johnson, yet gamers will want to exert some degree of patience for a rookie in this pandemic-stricken offseason. Luckily, running back is the easiest position to learn on offense.

A balance attack may mean fewer passing attempts for Stafford, which requires him to be more efficient, but we saw him stand out last year with only three games of more than 34 passing attempts in his eight starts. His final three games before the back fractures put him on the shelf: 34.2, 28.8 and 32.9 fantasy points, respectively. Not too shabby.

Fantasy football takeaway

Risky? Yep. Not only did Stafford miss eight games last year, he was hampered by a different back injury much of 2018, which resulted in his worst fantasy football output as a pro. He’s tough as nails, which sometimes gets the former Georgia star in trouble. Given the 2020 pandemic limiting offseason practices and eliminating the preseason, continuity is more important than ever.

In upcoming drafts, fantasy footballers can land him, on average, in Round 10, which slots him as the 13th quarterback chosen. As a fringe starter, the placement reflects the balance of his risk-reward makeup, and Stafford is one of those quarterbacks fantasy owners should eye after passing on the position early on. He’s a starter, but draft a quality No. 2 a few rounds later.

New Orleans Saints 2020 Fantasy Football Preview

The New Orleans Saints have a dazzling array of weapons on offense, which may give fantasy football owners confidence before training camp.

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The New Orleans Saints offense is always reliable for a high scoring output in fantasy football, especially in recent years with so many touches funneled towards pass-catchers like wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara. With veteran tight end Jared Cook entering his second year working with quarterback Drew Brees and free agent wideout Emmanuel Sanders added to the mix, the Saints are looking kind of scary on offense.

And that’s before you even get into the probable-upgrade of first-round draft choice Cesar Ruiz, who should add youth and athleticism to the offensive line after right guard Larry Warford’s departure. That’s great news for Kamara and No. 2 runner Latavius Murray.

This content appears in print in USA Today’s Sports Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Preview.

What’s new

The biggest addition of the offseason is Emmanuel Sanders, a Pro Bowler and experienced wideout with more hides on the wall than anyone the Saints have trotted out across from Michael Thomas since Brandin Cooks was in town. Sanders’ veteran savvy and playmaking ability should create opportunities for everyone around him while relieving the pressure on Thomas to catch a dozen passes or so each week. 

Additionally, there is hope for a big bounce back for Alvin Kamara, particularly as a runner. The Saints invested in their offensive line by drafting Cesar Ruiz out of Michigan in the first round, which should go a long way toward plugging holes in an already strong area of their offense. He should run into the end zone more than five times with better blocking up front.

Camp battles

Fantasy owners shouldn’t anticipate much movement at the top of the Saints depth chart, but there’s room for competition throughout the roster, particularly at wide receiver. 

Tre’Quan Smith is far from entrenched as the team’s third wideout, and the team has brought in nearly a dozen options to push him for his job. He could be playing elsewhere if he can’t be any more than an occasional red-zone threat. 

Newcomers could make an impact at tight end — if rookie draft pick Adam Trautman can push Josh Hill for passing-down snaps — and maybe at running back, should Ty Montgomery prove to be more than a curiosity backing up Kamara.

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Los Angeles Chargers 2020 Fantasy Football Preview

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out what’s new with the L.A. Chargers and what camp battles are expected to take place.

The Chargers begin a new journey in 2020 in a new stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood, CA.

Here’s a look at what’s new and what camp battles are expected to take place prior to the regular season kicking off.

This content appears in print in the Sports Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Preview.

What’s new?

The Chargers offense will have several new faces this season. With the Philip Rivers era over, Tyrod Taylor is slated to lead Los Angeles into the season, but not without competition. The Bolts selected Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick with hopes he can be groomed into a franchise quarterback. Regardless of who is under center, Chargers will look to deploy more of a run-heavy offense. Austin Ekeler will take on the lead role after Melvin Gordon joined the AFC West rival Denver Broncos. Other key acquisitions on the offensive side of the ball include Bryan Bulaga and Trai Turner, who were brought in to revamp a leaky line. On the defensive side, the Chargers brought in Chris Harris Jr., Linval Joseph and first-round pick Kenneth Murray with an eye on slowing down the high-powered Kansas City Chiefs offense.

Camp battles

While it may seem like there will be a battle for the starting quarterback spot between Taylor and Herbert in training camp, the team appears to be confident rolling with Taylor while Herbert develops. There are three other training camp battles to keep an eye on. After the departure of left tackle Russell Okung, the competition will be between Sam Tevi, Trey Pipkins, Storm Norton, Forrest Lamp and Trent Scott. The front-runners are Tevi and Pipkins. Will Los Angeles roll with Tevi’s experience in the starting role or Pipkins’ unlocked potential? Looking to complement Keenan Allen, Mike Williams as the third wide receiver will be Andre Patton, Jason Moore and rookies K.J. Hill and Joe Reed. Ekeler will be the lead back, and the backup competition is between Justin Jackson and fourth-round rookie Joshua Kelley. Jackson has shown to be productive when healthy. Kelley has the skill set and durability to be effective in that role.

Chicago Bears 2020 Fantasy Football Preview

Heading into 2020, the Bears return one of the NFL’s best defenses but face the same questions on offense from a season ago.

There’s not a lot of confidence surrounding the Chicago Bears heading into this season, which has a lot to do with the struggles of the offense last season. And heading into 2020, there’s still a lot of uncertainty of the offensive side of the ball at quarterback, offensive line and the question of the run game.

But there’s reason to be confident given Chicago’s dominant defense, which returns in full health and with a couple new playmakers to add to the mix. If the Bears could get adequate play on offense, they might be able to contend for a postseason berth in 2020.

This content appears in print in USA Today’s Sports Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Preview.

What’s new

The Bears traded for QB Nick Foles, who will battle Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job. They overhauled their tight ends room with the additions of Jimmy Graham and rookie Cole Kmet while also adding some speed to the receiving corps with the additions of Ted Ginn Jr. and fifth-round rookie Darnell Mooney. The Bears also brought in four-year starter Germain Ifedi, who figures to occupy the right guard spot vacated by Kyle Long. Chicago improved its defense with the addition of EDGE Robert Quinn, rookie CB Jaylon Johnson and SS Tashaun Gipson. Two-time Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson is moving back to free safety, where he was a ballhawk in his first two seasons.

Camp battles

For the first time since 2008, the Bears will have a quarterback competition. Given the shortened offseason, Trubisky figures to have an advantage. There will also be competition for the third running back spot as David Montgomery’s backup. Starting jobs are also up for grabs at cornerback and safety, where Johnson and Gipson appear to be the favorites to land those jobs. The Bears will once again have competition at kicker, where Eddy Pineiro will look to hold off Ramiz Ahmed.

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