28. Eli Manning, Giants
Everything involving Manning and the Giants this season hinges on the offensive line. If that group holds up well, Manning can still throw the ball around and be a surprising fantasy option, at least as a backup. The problem is that if the offensive line struggles, there’s nothing Manning can do.
The receiver position is also a question mark for the G-Men after trading Odell Beckham Jr. It doesn’t help that Golden Tate will miss the early part of the season and Corey Coleman got hurt. That being said, Sterling Shepard, tight end Evan Engram, and eventually Tate are capable. Saquon Barkley should also help Manning rack up some yards on short passes.
Top Target: Sterling Shepard
Secondary Target: Golden Tate
27. Nick Foles, Jaguars
Foles has never started more than 11 games in a season, so it’ll be interesting to see what he can do over the course of a full season. Obviously, he’s capable of putting up big numbers, but can he do it week after week? That’s why he’s merely a fantasy backup at this point.
It’s equally important to note that Foles is working with a young group of receivers. Marqise Lee is still working his way back from injury, while the trio of Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook, and DJ Chark all have two years or less of experience under their belt. There’s some potential there but no guarantees.
Top Target: Dede Westbrook
Secondary Target: Marqise Lee
26. Andy Dalton, Bengals
Let’s be honest, the injury to A.J. Green takes away any hope of Dalton being a starter in any fantasy league. Green won’t miss the entire season, but Dalton and the Bengals aren’t doing much damage in the air without him on the field.
If the Cincinnati offense is at full strength, Dalton could be a viable backup. The Green-Tyler Boyd tandem can be dangerous, especially if tight end Tyler Eifert can finally stay healthy and be a viable no. 3 option. However, it’s tough to get too excited about Dalton as a fantasy quarterback until we know Green is back at full strength.
Top Target: A.J. Green
Secondary Target: Tyler Boyd
25. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Jackson is intriguing because he’ll score some rushing touchdowns and rack up plenty of yards on the ground. But defenses will do a better job of containing that part of his game than they did a year ago. Ultimately, he’ll have to throw the ball if he wants to score points in real life and in the fantasy realm.
Baltimore’s receiving corps is also a huge question mark heading into 2019. Veterans Willie Snead, Seth Roberts, and Michael Floyd are uninspiring options. The Ravens will be relying on youngsters like Marquise Brown to make an immediate impact. Also, the Baltimore offense will be focused on running the ball with Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards, which makes it hard to imagine Jackson being a consistent fantasy player week-to-week.
Top Target: Willie Snead
Secondary Target: Marquise Brown