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AFC North Divisional Podcast Recap for 2026 (Fantasy Football)
Jul 8, 2026Colt WilliamsThe Fantasy Footballers
Getting things ready
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Player mentions
Harold Fannin
TE · CLE · #general
...syfootballers.com/fantasy/harold-fannin-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harold Fannin Jr : <span style="f...
Quinshon Judkins
RB · CLE · #general
...syfootballers.com/fantasy/quinshon-judkins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quinshon Judkins was trying to overcome a bad offense in 2025 and may see that same dil...
Shedeur Sanders
QB · CLE · #general
...asyfootballers.com/fantasy/shedeur-sanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shedeur Sanders was dead last in EPA per play (Pro Bowler btw). <span st...
Elijah Sarratt
WR · BAL · #general
...tasyfootballers.com/fantasy/elijah-sarratt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elijah Sarratt (Round 4), TE <a href="https://www.thefantasyfootballers.com/fantasy/m...
Germie Bernard
WR · PIT · #general
...tasyfootballers.com/fantasy/germie-bernard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germie Bernard (Round 2), QB <a href="https://www.thefantasyfootballers.com/fantasy/d...
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We start off the 2026 divisional breakdowns with the AFC North. The Ballers dive straight into all the off-season changes, from free agent signings to rookie additions to coaching changes. They take a look at last year’s production, forecast how they think each team will pan out, and share who they think will win the division in 2026. A reminder that we are up to three shows a week now – tune into The Fantasy Footballers Podcast on all of your devices! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube To take an even deeper dive into fantasy players in the AFC North, make sure to check out the full array of the UDK’s tools available to make your fantasy team a champion! Let’s Get Divisional – AFC North Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) Player Additions: WR Michael Pittman , RB Rico Dowdle Player Subtractions: RB Kenneth Gainwell , TE Jonnu Smith , WR Calvin Austin III Rookies: WR Germie Bernard (Round 2), QB Drew Allar (Round 3), WR Kaden Wetjen (Round 4) 2025 Offensive Ranks PPG YPG Pass Att Pass Yards Rush Att Rush Yards 17 26 17 22 28 26 In 2025, the Steelers won their division while having the 3rd most points for (PF) in their own division. The hot start of 4-1 was great, but they found themselves going .500 the rest of the way to another winning season. However, after 19 winning seasons, Mike Tomlin is gone, and Mike McCarthy is in. 42 year old Aaron Rodgers announced that 2026 will be his final season and he’s taking his final ride with a familiar face, reuniting with his old head coach, Mike McCarthy. Jason went back and watched the tape on Aaron Rodgers and concluded, “[Rodgers] looked like he had to check everything down. When I watched his clean pocket 20-plus air yard throws, it was really bad.” And I couldn’t agree more. Rodgers has had just ONE top-5 weekly finish since 2022. What does that mean for the pass catchers? Regardless if you think Michael Pittman Jr . is good or not, he’s one of five receivers with 110+ targets in each of the last five seasons. Andy, Mike, and Jason all have Michael Pittman leading the team in targets, but have DK Metcalf higher in their rankings, mainly due to touchdowns. In PPR leagues, Pittman may be a safer bet on a weekly basis. I believe the backfield is the most intriguing part of the roster. Kenneth Gainwell , who led the Steelers in receptions in 2025, is now a Buccaneer. It seems the backfield battle is between Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle . Dowdle isn’t the only player reuniting with Mike McCarthy. The last time the two of them were together was in 2024, when Dowdle had a breakout season. Consensus ADP has Warren as the first Steeler coming off the board in fantasy drafts right now. Warren profiles more as the pass catcher and security blanket for Rodgers, but his inefficiency around the goal line may have him giving up those valuable touches to Dowdle, who, despite a small sample size, was extremely effective. Coach McCarthy talks to the media about Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle: Watch More https://t.co/F81JDJDpdC pic.twitter.com/fU5Kl7pct2 — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 31, 2026 If you squint hard enough, you can see Pat Freiermuth soaking up some short area targets and having some value in the right matchups, but you’ll probably want to turn that squint into fully closing your eyes pretty quickly. Overall, it’s not pretty for the Steelers in 2026 (sorry Steelers fans), but there is value to be found on every team, and I personally like Jaylen Warren . 2026 Vegas Projected Win Total: 8.5 Balt…