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The 2020 NFL season has officially kicked off with the Kansas City Chiefs taking down the Houston Texans in game one by a final score of 34-20 on “Thursday Night Football.” Even fans who didn't root for either team were thrilled to see live football on television. Now, everyone is shifting their attention to NFL Sunday with quite a few big games on tap.
Looking ahead to the Week 1 schedule, there are quite a few great matchups to watch for teams in the AFC North. All four teams took steps in the right direction this offseason and the division is going to be very entertaining to watch in 2020.
As of right now, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are once again favored to take the division. However, the Cleveland Browns made some moves this offseason and should be a much better football team than they were last year. Both the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers are also going to be improved from where they were at this time last year.
Ben Roethlisberger is back on the field after missing most of last season due to a serious elbow injury. Cincinnati also went out and found their franchise quarterback by taking Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Baltimore did lose star safety Earl Thomas, who they were forced to release, but they are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. Cleveland has a new head coach and a new talented weapon at tight end in Austin Hooper.
All of that being said, this article is focusing on the quarterbacks in the AFC North entering Week 1. Without further delay, let's dive in and take a look at what fans and fantasy football players should be expecting from them in their respective matchups.
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
Mayfield is primed and ready to go for his redemption tour in 2020. After entering the 2019 season as a projected MVP candidate, Mayfield did nothing to back up the hype. He take a major step back and many believe Freddie Kitchens had a great deal to do with it.
Kitchens has since been fired and the Browns hired former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski to replace him. Stefanski is already focusing on putting Mayfield in the best position possible to succeed.
With weapons like Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Austin Hooper, the sky is the limit. Mayfield is going up against the Ravens this week, who have a talented defense despite losing Earl Thomas. Cleveland should be expecting to see their quarterback throw for around 300 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, although an interception should be projected into that fantasy football equation as well.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
In the same matchup, we are going to get our first look at the reigning MVP for the 2020 season. The Ravens have good weapons for Jackson in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Willie Snead IV, Miles Boykin, and Mark Andrews. Mark Ingram and JK Dobbins also give the Ravens a threat on the ground.
Jackson has been known for his impressive running skills as well. It seemed last season that every week there was a new highlight of the superstar quarterback juking a defender into oblivion. He won't run quite as much this season, but will still make an impact with his legs.
Coming up in Week 1, Jackson will put on another big performance. Jackson should throw for 275 to 325 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He will also pick up 60 yards and another score on the ground.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Next up, we get to talk about the NFL debut of the No. 1 overall pick. Joe Burrow is coming in and being viewed as the savior of the Bengals' franchise. For years, the Bengals have been looking for a true franchise quarterback, as Andy Dalton simply wasn't that guy for them.
Burrow will begin his career with an ideal situation for a young quarterback. A.J. Green is back, although no one truly knows what to expect from him. The Bengals also have other weapons in Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins.
Going up against the Chargers is a favorable matchup for the young quarterback as well. L.A doesn't have a great defense, which bodes well for the young quarterback. Burrow is a curious case heading into his debut for fantasy football owners, but he will end up with 280 yards and three touchdowns in his debut and will look like the franchise player that the Bengals are hoping they drafted.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Finally, the Steelers will take on the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football” in Ben Roethlisberger's return to the field. After missing most of last season due to a serious elbow injury, the veteran quarterback is hoping to pick up where he left off. Gone are the days of Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown forming a “Big Three” with Roethlisberger, but the Steelers still have weapons.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is primed for a major bounce-back season and the Steelers also have Diontae Johnson, James Washington, Chase Claypool, and Eric Ebron on the roster. James Conner is a legitimate threat on the ground that will take some pressure off of Roethlisberger.
Thankfully, the Giants do not have a very good secondary, which gives Roethlisberger a chance to come back with a bang. That is exactly what he will do the tune of 325 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, pretty good for his fantasy football return. Those numbers will give the Steelers a great chance to begin the 2020 season with a win as they look to get back into playoff contention in the AFC.
