Munaf Manji and Rod Villagomez talk NFC North and East fantasy football

The NFC North and NFC East positional battles are shaping 2024 fantasy football draft strategy with a mix of clarity and confusion. As Rod Villagomez and Munaf Manji break down both divisions, the key takeaway is knowing which stars are safe investments and which depth battles are draft traps .

In the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys’ running back room is a muddle. Javonte Williams has underwhelmed, Miles Sanders is fading, and rookie Phil Mafah flashes upside but remains a stash candidate. The safest play is to avoid this backfield altogether. Washington, by contrast, offers stability with Jayden Daniels and Austin Ekeler, who now owns the backfield after Brian Robinson Jr.’s trade. Debo Samuel joins Terry McLaurin to form a strong receiving duo. The New York Giants are plagued by quarterback chaos with Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jackson Dart all in play; only rookie Malik Nabers stands out as a reliable draft target. The Philadelphia Eagles remain an embarrassment of riches—Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Saquon Barkley are all fantasy football studs .

In the NFC North, the Chicago Bears spark debate at tight end. Cole Kmet is being overtaken by rookie Colston Loveland, who fits new coach Ben Johnson’s system. Detroit offers no real surprises—Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs are locked-in fantasy starters. Green Bay remains frustrating: Jaden Reed is technically the WR1, but tight end Tucker Kraft, with seven touchdowns and strong YAC production, is the most reliable late-round target. Minnesota is headlined by Justin Jefferson, but Jordan Addison’s suspension and injuries elsewhere leave T.J. Hockenson as a must-have. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is being drafted higher than Trevor Lawrence, a puzzling ADP that highlights both risk and hype .

From a fantasy football draft perspective, managers should avoid crowded backfields like Dallas and unstable quarterback situations like New York. Proven stars from Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, and Minnesota are priority picks. Emerging tight ends such as Loveland and Kraft are prime late-round sleepers. Monitoring waiver wires in September will be critical as depth battles settle.

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The 2024 fantasy football season won’t just be decided by first-rounders like Justin Jefferson or Saquon Barkley. League winners will come from reading these positional battles correctly, targeting volume, and jumping fast on waiver-wire value once the season begins.

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