Dad Moves: NFC NORTH
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Dad Moves: NFC NORTH
Divisional rankings, #skol nation, I apologize. I like the team. I find them frustrating
The hardest part of being a dad with multiple kids is keeping up with the different ages. The 16-year-old is entering adult situations. He will be driving soon (Lord help us all ). I've had to have some talks with him that make us both blush and unable to look each other in the eyes. I had to hand over my manscaped care package to him when it arrived (Ahem! Code Dudes20 for 20% off everyone. Shameless plug!) It's a challenging dynamic of respecting the young adult and seeing him as the little boy who thought he was Batman a few years ago. My 8-year-old twins, as Alfred put it, "Some men just want to see the world burn." They are great kids, but "insanity" pops into my head when someone says, twins. We had a birthday party for them at my house this past weekend.
The party's aftermath resembled the finale of the movie 2012. First, of course, we have "The biscuit," my toddler. Two years old, all the myths are true! However, this kid has a hiding spot that still needs to be discovered, containing my right air pod, my wife's credit card, my debit card, and countless gift cards. I have to adjust my game every year, at every age range, and with every unique personality. The same goes for fantasy football. The season may be over, but we can always do better. So let's take this off-season journey together. We will look at each division's team over the next few months, looking back on this season and the 2023 season. Granted, these will all be updated after the draft. But this is a new review of 2022 and a quick look ahead. Let's start with my personal favorite division, the NFC North.
I've been giving this team, especially Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings, a lot of grief. To #skol nation, I apologize. I like the team. I find them frustrating, as can be. You know the expression "if it quacks like a duck"? Well, apply that to Primetime Cousins. They have tons of talent but go into the 2023 season in salary cap trouble. They rank in the bottom 6 of the league. As far as fantasy goes, Irv Smith will enter free agency. He will produce somewhere else. I don't see Minnesota resigning Irv (I should have named a kid that) or Alexander Mattison. That's right, I believe I'll be singing Mattison" s name to the Alexander Hamilton tune, but he will be a starter for another team. Justin Jefferson will be back doing the griddy right into our fantasy hearts once again. He had 1,809 receiving yards and 8TDs. Granted, week 17 hurt a lot, but I blame Cousins. The best wideout in the league should have more than 5 looks. Side note, my kids love doing the griddy, then asking me to try it while laughing at all the rhythm I don't possess. T.J. Hockenson will be there, and Cousins loves him. There were some issues with Hock holding onto the ball long enough to be a catch. There are volume and end zone looks, which we want from a tight end. KJ Osborn will take a big step next season. Thielen is no more than a WR5, so Osborn will pick up a lot of that slack. I've always wanted to see what Osborn could do with more volume, and 2023 is the year we see it! Kirk will be what he is. He will give you studly weeks, then give you stinkers. He's a high-end streamer. I can feel the Skol people hating me for this.
The Chicago Bears are number 1 in the league for salary space. David Montgomery, Equanimeous St. Brown, Byron Pringle, and Dante Pettis are noteworthy free agents. The N'Keal Harry story is finally over. I would love to see Khalil Herbert in a starting role beside Justin Fields. I think they let Montgomery go, and it's Herbert's time. I want to see a healthy Mooney and an addition of an acquired JuJu stretch out the field for The Bears. I won't hype up Cole Kmet like I did last season, but I will label him serviceable for the 2023 season. Justin Fields is going to go fast and early in drafts. I will not be taking him. He's a smaller guy that rushes for every inch. Unfortunately, he's going to get banged up before week 7. I don't love his arm, and I don't see it taking a drastic step forward next season. The Bears were my departed Grandfather's team. I take no pleasure in saying they will remain at the bottom of the NFC pile next season. There are some fantasy options here, but only a few.
The Green Bay Packers, my head hurts just thinking about their future. They are 26th in salary space. Will we get Love? Will Rodgers be back? Will they draft a QB? I have no idea. Any thoughts I have are pure speculation. I know Christian Watson has a bright future either way. The QB will decide if he's a high-end WR2 or a low-end WR2/3. Lazard is a free agent. He totaled 628 yards that could be up for grabs. Cobb looks to be heading out to the pasture. AJ Dillon is my number 1 interest heading out of the 22 season and looking into the 23 season. Starting off as a droppable handcuff, then picked up 7 TDs and 770 yards at the back end of the season. We all know what Aaron Jones is, but Dillon is the future back of this cheesy empire. They come in third in this division regardless of who the QB is next season.
My…. I mean … The Detroit Lions! The big free agent is Jamaal Williams. They gotta sign him. He broke Barry Sander's TD record with all his glorious 1-yard TDs! He's the locker room spirit of this team. The big question has been, "How could they let go of Hock?" I pray it's to draft my Notre Dame boy Michael Mayer. Then we will have another TE1 for fantasy (I said what I said). St. Brown will keep chugging along after his 2022 campaign of 1,161 yards and 6 TDs. DJ Chark is a free agent, and no, I don't see them resigning him. They'll free up the targets for this year's Superman, Jameson Williams! The dude's speed is off the charts. He barely touched the ball this year because of his Achilles injury. What did his limited snaps amount to? Touchdowns! Goff can and will support both WRs. I'm predicting low-end QB1 numbers from Goff next season. His lack of rushing will always cap his upside. The lions finish as the top team in the North. Am I biased? Heck, yea, I am! Am I wrong? No, I am not!
I'll keep these divisional breakdowns going biweekly. I'll then be doing some NFL draft breakdowns. So follow me, The Fantasy Football Dad, and keep listening to The Fantasy Football Dudes Pod!