2025 AFC NORTH DIVISIONAL PREVIEW

WELCOME TO THE FANTASY IN FRAMES’ 2025 AFC NORTH DIVISIONAL PREVIEW!

The AFC North is shaping up to be an interesting storyline during the 2025 fantasy football season. While there are some teams everyone is high on (Ravens and Bengals), the other two teams (Steelers and Browns) have middling fantasy hope for many managers. Still, there is always value to be found. And who knows, maybe Aaron Rodgers’ peyote-induced manifestations will give the Steelers hope to make the playoffs and coast to another .500 season. 

Now, before we start going position by position, let’s break down the ins and outs of each team from this past season!

***Also, stats & info from all of our divisional previews are sourced from the following outlets: PFF, Fantasy Points Data Suite, FantasyData, FTN, & NFL Next Gen Stats.***

Now that we’ve seen where these teams left off in 2024, let us preview where their players at different positions can either help or hurt your fantasy football teams in 2025!

Quarterback

Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson: (FIF Consensus Ranking: 2nd)

Did you know that Lamar Jackson is good at football? Because he is very good at football. He led all mobile quarterbacks in rushing yards and was in the top ten in all other metrics. In half-point PPR settings, he scored 442.4 fantasy points, the most of any quarterback for the 2024 season. Luckily for the Ravens, there wasn’t a lot of offensive turnover during the offseason. They added some offensive tackles to protect Jackson, as well as wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Even more weapons on the offense mean more opportunities for Jackson to ascend to the number one quarterback on the season once again. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow: (FIF Consensus Ranking: 5th)

Joe Burrow had a monster year in 2024. Despite his record-setting and breaking year, he won Comeback Player of the Year instead of the MVP. But boy, did he ever come back. After an injury-plagued 2023, Burrow was determined to play the whole season. He ended up with seven Top 3 finishes in fantasy during the season, which landed him as the QB2, right behind Lamar Jackson. He led the league in total yards at 4,918 and passing touchdowns with 43. He even broke his own Bengals record for most passing yards in a single season, which he set himself back in 2021.

The Bengals didn’t do a whole lot of offensive work aside from signing Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to new contracts, so expect Burrow to be back in top form if he continues to stay healthy.  

Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Rodgers: (FIF Consensus Ranking: 30th)

Another season of “will he, won’t he” finally ended when “Aarong” Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. His experimental seasons with the Jets didn’t take off as planned. At 41, Rodgers doesn’t have the rushing upside some of the other QBs have. He ended the 2024 season as the 15th-ranked QB in half PPR leagues. While he does bring a veteran presence to the Steelers, his best fantasy days are most likely behind him.

That being said, Rodgers will be working with some exciting offensive players acquired in the offseason: former Seattle receiver DK Metcalf and rookie running back Kaleb Johnson. As a QB option, though, Rodgers could offer streaming appeal in deeper leagues, but don’t trust him as your QB1. 

Cleveland Browns: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders: (FIF Consensus Ranking: 32nd++)

Now, I love drama and mess as much as the next girl. It gives good ammo for a gossip sesh with the girls at brunch. But this Cleveland Browns team is almost too much drama, even with mimosas in hand.

It’s August, and there is still no clear-cut QB1 from this mix. We’ve got Joe Flacco, who at 40 years old should not be your team’s best option at quarterback, yet sadly might be. Future journeyman Kenny Pickett could also be the potential starter, but a hamstring injury has limited his reps in training camp. And then there’s the rookies: Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Both have been getting reps with the 1s in camp, with Gabriel faring better than Sanders most days.

Overall, these middling QBs are going to be part of one of the worst offenses in football once again. Maybe bring a whole pitcher to brunch next time for this discussion.  

Best Value at QB

I have been a “draft the QB late” kind of gal, but in this instance, the reward is so high for a player like Burrow. He’s being drafted in the 4th round, but for a player who finished second to Lamar Jackson, and is a round and a half cheaper, it sounds appealing. Taking the chance on Burrow, though, means giving up players such as Rashee Rice or Kenneth Walker, but the payoff at the end will be worth it if Burrow stays healthy and has another monster, MVP-type season. 

Running Back

Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry (FIF Consensus Ranking: 5th)

In 2024, no one expected 30-year-old Derrick Henry to be as good as he was. While he had a great final year in Tennessee, he surpassed all expectations once he went to Baltimore. He ended the season as the third-ranked running back with a total of 328.9 points, just 10 points behind the top-ranked Jahmyr Gibbs. He ran for 1,921 yards and led all running backs with 16 rushing touchdowns. Rolling into 2025, another year older, it’s hard not to think, “Maybe he will lose a step.” But until we see that proven on the field, Derrick Henry is still a fantastic fantasy option, especially on a winning Ravens team. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Brown (FIF Consensus Ranking: 11th)

The Chase Brown we saw for the last half of 2024 is what fantasy managers hope to see moving into 2025. From week 9 on, he was the RB5 in fantasy, and to make Brown’s outlook even better, the team did not spend draft capital or offseason acquisitions on a running back. Despite not playing a full-time role until week 9, Brown still ended the season as the 12th-ranked RB, scoring 228 fantasy points. I’m riding the hype rave and claiming it’s Chase Brown season! And on a high-powered offense such as the Bengals, fantasy managers could see a top 10 season from him. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaylen Warren (FIF Consensus Ranking: 33rd), Kaleb Johnson (FIF Consensus Ranking: 29th)

The Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from Najee Harris this offseason, eyeing a change-up in the backfield with their new quarterback. They drafted rookie Kaleb Johnson in the third round to pair him with Jaylen Warren. While Warren has never been a workhorse since coming into the league, the Steelers drafted Johnson with the expectation of a committee for 2025.

Last year, the team used Warren more as a pass blocker and Harris as the true runner. The same could be said for Warren and Johnson this year. Both are getting first-team reps in camp, with Warren slightly edging out Johnson. Both RBs are lower-tiered, but there is value for both players, especially for those Zero-RB drafters looking for later-round goldmines.  

Cleveland Browns: Quinshon Judkins (FIF Consensus Ranking: 35th), Jerome Ford (FIF Consensus Ranking: 51st), Dylan Samson (FIF Consensus Ranking: 56th)

Remember the glasses of mimosas at brunch with the girls when discussing the Cleveland Browns QBs? For the running back, we will need that pitcher. The Browns let Nick Chubb go this offseason, where he potentially walks into a starting role over in Houston. Instead, the Browns drafted their would-be replacement, Quinshon Judkins, out of Ohio State in the second round. They also nabbed Dylan Samson in the fourth, and re-signed Jerome Ford to a one-year deal.

Thankfully, the Browns now have a large committee of running backs to help the team! Wrong. Judkins has been in some legal trouble, with the authorities and the NFL still investigating the situation. He has not signed his rookie deal, and therefore has not been at practice since the start of camp. Jerome Ford, the likely backup, was dealing with an undisclosed injury, but is now practicing in a limited capacity. Dylan Samson is the last healthy man standing. But with all of us drunk on mimosas at this point, I’m skipping the Browns’ running game altogether. There could be late-round value in Judkins if he doesn’t face any suspensions this season, but only time will tell.   

Best Value at RB

Jaylen Warren. Sure, the rookie might overtake the veteran at some point this season, but right now, with the talks at camp, Warren still has the job. With his elite pass-blocking skills, the Steelers will continue to use him in the run game until the rookie gets up to speed. Warren is currently going in the 8th round, right above Trevor Etienne and some lower-tier tight ends. He is a perfect play for those zero RB strategy builds. 

Wide Receiver

Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers (FIF Consensus Ranking: 26th)

The trio of wide receivers for the Baltimore Ravens are all projected outside of the top 25, despite quarterback Lamar Jackson projected at the number one overall. It’s only right to say that someone is going to get some of the receiving work. A year ago, there were only two standout receivers for the team in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, with Flowers finishing as the 23rd wide receiver in half-point PPR formats. The team has added Hopkins this year, although he will be lower on the pecking order of targets. If any receiver has any fantasy value, though, it would be Flowers, who is currently being drafted as the 26th wide receiver off the board. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase (FIF Consensus Ranking: 1st), Tee Higgins (FIF Consensus Ranking: 13th)

The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. Chase ended the season as the number one receiver with 339.5 points. Not only that, but he also led in total yards, total touchdowns, targets, and receptions. Just like his quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase had a monster season. Higgins was also a top 20 wide receiver, landing at 17th overall with 187.6 fantasy points. He missed a few games due to injury, but if he had stayed healthy, he would have been a top 10 receiver along with Chase. 2025 looks to be much of the same. If the Bengals can stay healthy, they can easily coast to a top fantasy offense this season. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: DK Metcalf (FIF Consensus Ranking: 22nd)

The Pittsburgh Steelers begin the 2025 season with a whole new supporting cast. Aaron Rodgers has come to town and will be slinging it over to former Seattle Seahawks, DK Metcalf. While his final season in Seattle wasn’t all he hoped it would be, Metcalf walks into the Steelers as the undisputed number one for the team.

Sure, there are a few other receivers who might make a splash, but with the way Arthur Smith runs his offense, it’s going to be Metcalf and a whole slew of tight ends. Smith ran 12 or 13 personnel in Atlanta on 50% of snaps in 2023. With the new tight end signing as well, look for more of that kind of offense now with the Steelers. 

Cleveland Browns: Jerry Jeudy (FIF Consensus Ranking: 38th)

Well, here we go again, forced to talk about the Browns. But honestly, something has to happen with this offense, right? So in comes Jerry Jeudy, who wasn’t as bad as people probably believed him to be a year ago. At least when Jameis Winston was throwing him the ball. After week nine, Jeudy finished in the top 25 in six games, giving him a fantasy finish as the 15th wide receiver for the year. Whoever it is throwing the ball, at least they have a receiver who could end up in the top 25 on any given week. 

Best Value at Wide Receiver

DK Metcalf. With a new team, new coordinator, and new quarterback, we could see a rejuvenated Metcalf this year. He’s currently being drafted at the beginning of the 5th around, close to guys like DJ Moore and James Connor. If you’re looking for a spark for potential big plays this season, Metcalf could deliver in 2025. 

Tight End

Baltimore Ravens: Mark Andrews (FIF Consensus Ranking: 6th)

2024 felt like a let-down year if you drafted Mark Andrews. While he played all 17 games a year ago, it felt like he disappeared during a lot of games and didn’t make much of a difference, fantasy-wise. He still ended the season as the 5th-ranked tight end thanks to his 11(!) touchdowns. Andrews has steadily declined in snap percentage and target share since starting in Baltimore in 2019, but he remains the top target in the redzone for quarterback Lamar Jackson.

While there is cause for concern for the aging veteran, who will turn 30 this year, he still has the redzone connection with Jackson, which makes him a very intriguing draft pick and a potential top-five fantasy finisher. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Gesicki (FIF Consensus Ranking: 25th)

Mike Gesicki is a very inconsistent tight end. His fantasy finishes were all over the place in 2024, ranging from first place in week 9 against the Raiders, down to 115th in week 4 in Carolina. He’s a volatile draft pick, even with Burrow consistently throwing the ball every game. Too bad he has two top 15 wide receivers to throw to instead of his tight end. Gesicki ended the season as the 14th-ranked tight end. While he has the potential to end higher than our FIF consensus ranking, his inconsistency is hard to trust when there are better options in earlier rounds of the draft. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Pat Freiermuth (FIF Consensus Ranking: 18th), Jonnu Smith (FIF Consensus Ranking: 10th)

Second-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is still in town, so of course, there are two tight ends to talk about. Maybe even three. Pat Freiermuth returns as the incumbent starter, but nothing is guaranteed in this offense. He ended the season as the tight end 10, but was very inconsistent with bad quarterback play for the majority of the year. His 17% target share would need to increase for him to have value, which will be difficult given the signing of Jonnu Smith. Smith comes in from Miami, where he finished as the 4th TE overall. Sure, he comes into a different situation, but Arthur Smith loves his tight ends.

We will need to see how the Steelers handle their new offense for a few games, but with Jonnu Smith being drafted in the 8th round and Freiermuth in the 14th or undrafted, one of these guys could essentially be the second receiving option for the team.

Cleveland Browns: David Njoku (FIF Consensus Ranking: 7th)

The seemingly one bright spot for this Cleveland Browns team! Finally! The only bad thing would be the carousel of quarterbacks who will be throwing to David Njoku. Njoku missed several games due to injury a year ago, but ended the season as the tight end 11 for the year. The Browns also drafted rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who will be waiting in the wings if Njoku can’t stay healthy this year. Still, he had seven top 10 finishes last year with his mixture of QBs and a lingering injury. If his health and good QB play hold up, he could have another top 10 season by the end of the year. 

Best Value at Tight End

Sure, we (or I) hate the offense, but Njoku going in the 9th round has some value for the tight end position, especially for non-TE premium leagues. He’s being drafted around Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk. If you didn’t want to give up a lot to get one of the top-tier tight ends in the early rounds, Njoku could be a great late-round grab.

Thanks for taking the time to read the FANTASY IN FRAMES’ 2025 AFC 2025 AFC NORTH DIVISIONAL PREVIEW! As fantasy drafts draw near, the AFC North should be high on every manager’s radar. With a mix of elite talent as well as a few breakout candidates, this division could be the difference between a playoff push and a waiver wire scramble.

You can follow me at @amerika108 on Twitter/X. Make sure to load up on the cocktails when drafting some of the higher-caliber teams, and take shots if you take a shot on a Browns player.

Cheers, and happy drafting! 

***For more 2025 Fantasy Football Divisional Previews, click here.***