Fantasy: Cutler, Patterson and other must-watch storylines from NFC North training camps

With NFL training camps underway, theScore's Justin Boone and David P. Woods take a look at the biggest fantasy questions facing each team over the next six weeks. 

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NFC NORTH

What kind of numbers could Jay Cutler produce in a 16-game season under Marc Trestman? 

On Wednesday, Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall told Michael Irvin that quarterback Jay Cutler would be named the league's MVP this season. 

Now, you might say that a player making a bold prediction regarding a teammate is exactly the kind of training camp story that is better off unreported, and normally you would be right. But this isn't Marshall's first time playing the role of a modern day Nostradamus. 

A year ago, Marshall spoke about the improvements he saw in teammate Alshon Jeffery and how a big season was on the horizon. Jeffery finished the 2013 campaign with 89 catches for 1,421 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Perhaps you are willing to bet against Marshall's ability to predict the future, but his claim may not be as outrageous as it initially sounds. 

The Bears' offense was much improved last season under head coach Marc Trestman, especially their passing game. Prior to his injury, Cutler was having one of the best starts to a season in his career, averaging 271.6 yards and two touchdowns per games over the first six weeks.   

Now entering his ninth campaign, Cutler is surrounded by talent. Marshall and Jeffery make up one of the best receiver tandems in the league and will be joined by an elite running back who excels in the passing game in Matt Forte, and a very reliable tight end in Martellus Bennett. Both Forte and Bennett are coming off career-highs in receptions, another sign of the potent passing game in Chicago. 

Cutler has never shown the kind of consistency that Peyton Manning exhibits over a 16-game schedule, but if he stays healthy we could definitely be talking about his best season yet. 

If you do believe in Cutler's MVP chances or Marshall's gift of foresight, the Bears quarterback is currently getting 20-to-1 odds to take home the award, behind the likes of Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Andrew Luck. 

Can Eddie Lacy improve on his stellar rookie season? 

It didn't take long for Eddie Lacy to establish himself as a first-round pick in fantasy drafts. 

After a rookie season in which he compiled 1,435 combined yards (1,178 rushing, 257 receiving) and 11 touchdowns, Lacy is going off the board sixth overall and as the fifth running back behind LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, and Matt Forte. 

It's tough to argue against any of those backs, let alone the game's best receiver Calvin Johnson, who is also being taken before Lacy. But running back is a volatile position and Lacy is in an offense that could be even more productive this season with a healthy Aaron Rodgers. 

Green Bay's offensive identity is based around its passing game, but Lacy has given the team the option to run a more balanced attack, which is exactly what the team was hoping for when it used a second-round pick on him in 2013. 

The 5-foot-11, 230-pound rusher has a punishing style, which leads some to wonder whether he can stay healthy over a full season. Lacy did miss one game and the majority of another early last year, but once he got back on the field in October he powered through the rest of the campaign. 

Like most young backs, Lacy still has plenty of room to grow and is doing just that, making strides as a pass protector and a receiver out of the backfield, according to head coach Mike McCarthy. 

If Lacy can maintain his level of play from a year ago, while adding more passing down work, we could be talking about him as an elite fantasy back by season's end.  

Is Cordarrelle Patterson the next breakout star at wide receiver?

Unlike Lacy, Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson didn't earn a starting job right out of the gate. Patterson saw limited targets early in the season and had to make a name for himself primarily as a return man, which he did with a pair of touchdowns he took end zone to end zone. 

The talent was evident, but the opportunity didn't come until later in the year, when he averaged seven targets per game over the final seven weeks. The yardage never materialized, but he flashed an ability to make game-breaking plays, reaching the end zone three times in the last month of the season. 

Patterson's 141-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Ravens gave fantasy owners a glimpse of what many hope to see in Year 2. 

Working in Patterson's favor is the addition of offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who turned Josh Gordon into a star last season in Cleveland. In the offseason, Turner designed several plays specifically for Patterson and has plans to move him around the formation. 

A foot injury kept the young receiver out of camp over the last few days, which is something you don't want to see, since fantasy owners need to do all the scouting they can before they decide to use a fourth-round pick on Patterson. 

The price tag for Patterson is a bit high for a player who has yet to prove he can be relied upon in an NFL offense. Rookie Teddy Bridgewater and veteran Matt Cassel are also battling for the starting quarterback position, something that will also have an effect on Patterson's play.  

If you are intrigued by Patterson's potential, Minnesota's offense is one to watch very closely over the next month.  

Will Lions rookie tight end Eric Ebron be fantasy-relevant this season? 

Let's begin by stating that rookie tight ends do not often excel as fantasy players. They also don't normally join one of the league's best passing offenses, with a coordinator coming from a team that featured an elite tight end. 

Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi joins the team after helping run a very successful offense in New Orleans, which took advantage of tight end Jimmy Graham's unique skills. 

Calvin Johnson will be the focal point of the Lions' passing attack, but Eric Ebron is expected to give Matthew Stafford yet another weapon, along with newly acquired receiver Golden Tate and a stable of pass-catching running backs led by Reggie Bush and Joique Bell. 

The early reports out of camp suggest Ebron may have a bit of an adjustment period to the pro game. The North Carolina product has reportedly dropped a ton of passes in the first week of practice, something that's less than ideal for a tight end drafted for his receiving skills. 

In fantasy, Ebron will be part of the group of tight ends with upside drafted in the later rounds. Zach Ertz, Ladarius Green, Martellus Bennett and Charles Clay are all being taken near Ebron between the 10th and 12th rounds in 12-team drafts. Unless Ebron distinguishes himself as training camp goes on, you should draft all of them over the rookie.