Fantasy Football: Five things to watch for this year

1. The Jets won’t make the playoffs but the Packers will - There is so much hype because of a new quarterback but I see many problems on the Jets. When you look at the strength of the schedule, they have the second-hardest while the Packers have the third easiest. The offensive line that is supposed to keep Aaron Rodgers upright and healthy is ranked number 23. The Packers O-Line is ranked number eight. This is Rodgers’ first year with a new team and Jordan Love has been in the same system now for a bit and should be comfortable taking over. I don't think this will be as easy for Rodgers as everyone seems to think. He may wish that he stayed back In Green Bay.

2. Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill both have a chance to break the all-time receiving record. In 2012 Calvin Johnson locked down the single-season receiving record with 1,964 yards. Last year Jefferson led the league with 1,809 yards and Hill was right behind him with 1,710. Hill has recently come out and said he will break the record. I am expecting to see a Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire-like chase for the record with both Jefferson and Hill going for it this year.

3) Patrick Mahomes – In 2013 Payton Manning set the single-season passing record with 5,477 yards. Last year Mahomes led the league with 5,250 yards. Can he squeeze out another 228 yards and break the record? I think he can.

4) Mark Andrews - Andrews will not end the season as a top-10 fantasy tight end. Right now he is ranked in most places as a TE2 right behind Travis Kelce. Last year, before his Week 10 bye, Andrews averaged 9.9 Fantasy points per week. After the bye, in games he played, his average was 5.4 points per game. I’m not sure, but this could be the start of a trend. To make matters even worse for Andrews the Ravens signed OBJ and drafted Zay Flowers with their first-round pick which will cut into his target opportunities even more, not to mention having to share opportunities with Isaiah Likely. To finish last year as TE5 and have more competition for catches, I can easily see him finishing outside the top 10.

5) Cooper Kupp - With a first-round draft pick you will get 5th-round production- Cooper Kupp is now 30 years old. Since 2017 he has topped 1,000 yards in only two of those years. Kupp is being drafted like he will have another 1,900-yard season as he did in 2021. His projection is to have 1,344 yards receiving. That is only 50 yards less than Ja’Marr Chase. Kupp will be playing on a team with the 28th-ranked offensive line, coming off an injury, and catching passes from a QB coming back from multiple injuries.