Well, in 2010, the NFC North became one of the league’s strongest divisions, and the home of the Super Bowl Champion Packers. Similar to the NFC East, no one would want to be in the same room as a Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings fan when talking about this division. Generally speaking, the Packers have dominated the division for years. But, last season, the Bears did enough to earn the division title. This meant little, of course, as the Packers won the conference championship. The Lions appear to be emerging as a contender in the league itself, even though they still have much to prove. As for the Vikings, 2010 was sort of an anomaly given the fact that the team was so close to going to the Super Bowl just two seasons ago. While this year, it looks to be a three horse race, one never really knows with certainty which three horses will be in that race. Take for example those Bears. Last season, it was easier to imagine in the preseason that the team would finish second, third or even fourth in the division. Yet, the Bears finished first.
From a fantasy perspective, there is a possibility this could be an off year for this division’s quarterbacks and wide-receivers. From a strength of schedule standpoint, the entire division has drawn some of the most difficult match-ups in all of fantasy football, particularly at the quarterback and at the wide-receiver position. Yet, this division still boasts some of the best defenses in the league. Whatever team can get its offense going, should be a team whose defense is owned by fantasy owners in 2011.
As The Fantasy Greek has mentioned before, in the case of the 2011 previews, a player’s projected draft round (found below) is based on a twelve team league due to the fact that the fantasy draft pool of players shrinks faster in a twelve team league than in a ten team league. The previews also assume a fourteen round draft. A player’s projected draft round gives you, the fantasy owner, an idea of about when a player is appropriately drafted.
As you read through the previews by team, you will see each team’s averages on both offense and defense, where the team finished in the league, a positional overview with a suggestion of what round(s) in fantasy drafts each player should be drafted (if at all), strength of schedule by position, each team’s 2011 schedule, and each team’s “bottom line” for 2011. When fantasy owners draft, they must consider the block of players on the board to be drafted in any given round, as well as what round each player should be drafted in. This is important because no player should be drafted before it is time. Drafting a player too soon means you are passing up on a more valuable fantasy player than the one you are drafting. At the same time, when a player is still on the board after they should have been drafted, the player becomes a “value pick.” Hopefully, the preview helps in understanding this.
Enjoy! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact The Fantasy Greek.