Without WR Josh Gordon on the field, QB Josh McCown (consensus 36th ranked QB) doesn’t stand much of a chance. In an effort to shore up its weak receiving corps, the Browns acquired two of the least promising, still-technically-in-their-prime, former 1,000+ yard WRs: Dwayne Bowe (#74 WR ADP) and Brian Hartline (consensus #94 WR). Like I said, McCown doesn’t stand a chance.
That’s not to say any of these three guys (or even Gordon, for that matter, if somehow he’s reinstated) couldn’t occasionally help fantasy teams. But I’m not touching any of them, even at their bargain-basement prices. The only way I’d change my mind is if Bowe proves to be a 10+ targets-per-game guy with circa-2010 upside. I’m not holding my breath.
Taylor Gabriel (consensus #101 WR) is undervalued coming off a 37-629-1 rookie season. However, he’s entering 2015 as the Browns’ #4 receiver. That’s like saying lime ice cream is my 400th favorite dessert: yeah, I’ll eat it if nothing else is available, but I sure hope I don’t have to. Andrew Hawkins (consensus #98 WR) got the short end of the stick this offseason; he’s got almost no shot of building on last year’s 824-yard performance that placed him in a tie for 50th among WRs. He’s not reaching this plateau in 2015.
Where Cleveland should hold fantasy owners’ interest is in the backfield. The question is, who’s worth rostering? OC John DeFilippo recently said he’s going with “the hot hand" approach at running back. Rookie Duke Johnson (#55 RB ADP) would be a steal if somehow he leapfrogs Isaiah Crowell (#32 RB ADP) and Terrance West (#50 RB ADP). That’s a tall order, though not impossible.
Crowell is the biggest risk of these three because expectations are highest. He won’t be a top 40 RB. He looked great most of 2014 and then seemed to run out of gas, compiling only 161 rushing yards on 58 carries (2.8 YPC) in his last five games. He needs to get off to a fast start to hold off the competition. West actually outgained Crowell on the ground, but netted 0.2 fewer yards per carry (only 3.9 on the season).
Johnson offers the best value of any Cleveland RB. I’d gladly take him in the 11th round and let Crowell and West pass by in the 6th and 10th rounds, respectively. If I’m wrong, I burn an 11th rounder. But I expect he’ll finish the year at, at minimum, an RB4.
That’s not to say any of these three guys (or even Gordon, for that matter, if somehow he’s reinstated) couldn’t occasionally help fantasy teams. But I’m not touching any of them, even at their bargain-basement prices. The only way I’d change my mind is if Bowe proves to be a 10+ targets-per-game guy with circa-2010 upside. I’m not holding my breath.
Taylor Gabriel (consensus #101 WR) is undervalued coming off a 37-629-1 rookie season. However, he’s entering 2015 as the Browns’ #4 receiver. That’s like saying lime ice cream is my 400th favorite dessert: yeah, I’ll eat it if nothing else is available, but I sure hope I don’t have to. Andrew Hawkins (consensus #98 WR) got the short end of the stick this offseason; he’s got almost no shot of building on last year’s 824-yard performance that placed him in a tie for 50th among WRs. He’s not reaching this plateau in 2015.
Where Cleveland should hold fantasy owners’ interest is in the backfield. The question is, who’s worth rostering? OC John DeFilippo recently said he’s going with “the hot hand" approach at running back. Rookie Duke Johnson (#55 RB ADP) would be a steal if somehow he leapfrogs Isaiah Crowell (#32 RB ADP) and Terrance West (#50 RB ADP). That’s a tall order, though not impossible.
Crowell is the biggest risk of these three because expectations are highest. He won’t be a top 40 RB. He looked great most of 2014 and then seemed to run out of gas, compiling only 161 rushing yards on 58 carries (2.8 YPC) in his last five games. He needs to get off to a fast start to hold off the competition. West actually outgained Crowell on the ground, but netted 0.2 fewer yards per carry (only 3.9 on the season).
Johnson offers the best value of any Cleveland RB. I’d gladly take him in the 11th round and let Crowell and West pass by in the 6th and 10th rounds, respectively. If I’m wrong, I burn an 11th rounder. But I expect he’ll finish the year at, at minimum, an RB4.