Training Camp Update (8/27)
Training Camp Update (8/24)
Training Camp Update (8/8)
Where to begin? Yes, I know the original team preview begins with the same question, but remains apropos to the franchise.
Josh Gordon's appeal remains up in the air. We may not know for a few weeks, which could throw a wrench in some fantasy football draft strategies. I expect him to miss eight games. In the meantime, Miles Austin is listed as WR1 on the depth chart, but tight end Jordan Cameron remains the only receiver I trust in fantasy leagues.
Team Outlook: Where to begin? One playoff appearance since their return in 1999, no more than five wins in a season since 2007, a front office compared to a trio of slapstick comedians removed, a fifth head coach at the helm since 2008, and a laundry list of starting quarterbacks meme’d ad nauseam across the internet. It turns out, though, there’s always room for one more name.
Within a 24-hour window during NFL Draft weekend, the Browns’ fans experienced a roller coaster of emotions including an anticipated, albeit late, selection of one Johnny Manziel, Josh Gordon’s pending suspension, lack of acknowledgment and failing to address a wide receiver need rounds one through seven.
Despite all of these factors, by the end of Draft weekend, the Dawg Pound came down with another case of hope springs eternal in Cleveland … at least in the spring.
BYE Week: 4
AFC North Previews: Steelers | Ravens | Bengals | Browns | League
Quarterback: Brian Hoyer
What do we know? He played in three games for the Browns last season and threw more touchdowns (5) than interceptions (3), while completing less than 60 percent of his passes before ligaments in his knee tore during a Thursday night game against Buffalo.
Oh, and the mounting public pressure to start Manziel will crush his chances to start again in his hometown.
He will go undrafted in fantasy football drafts.
Running Back: Ben Tate
Tate was acquired via free agency to fill the hole left by, basically, Trent Richardson following the 2013 deal that sent the running back to the Colts. However, Tate broke his ankle in 2010 and missed his entire rookie season and hasn’t played in all 16 games over the past few seasons. Granted, he was second on the Texans’ depth chart behind Arian Foster, but with third-round draft pick Terrance West breathing down his neck, he’s not guaranteed for a full workload each week.
At the moment Tate projects out to 250 carries, over 1,000 rushing yards and an opportunity – in an assumed spread offense led by Manziel – to score eight-to-10 touchdowns as a ceiling.
Running Back: Dion Lewis
By drafting West in the third round, Lewis will be utilized among the deep RBBC, but isn’t in a prime position for opportunities that justify a fantasy football roster slot.
Wide Receiver: Miles Austin
With the assumption Josh Gordon misses more than half the season due to suspension and the Browns decision to cut Mr. Reliable, Greg Little, the probable starting wide receiving corps are all fresh faces in a new place.
Austin was arguably the best free agent receiver still available on the market. Although hamstring injuries have plagued him the last few seasons, when healthy the 6-foot-2 target on the right side of 30 years old can still produce within an offense. In fact, Austin averaged more than seven touchdowns per season (2009-2012) with the Cowboys. No Browns receiver finished with more than five touchdowns in a season during that same timeframe.
He’s missed 11 games the last three season, but when healthy could be worthy of a fantasy pick around rounds nine and 10. Austin won’t replace Josh Gordon (profound), but could be plugged into the WR3 slot on most rosters.
Wide Receiver: Andrew Hawkins
The Bengals were without Hawkins for half of the 2013 season due to injury. Two years ago, the slot receiver managed to find the zone four times with 51 receptions (10.5 YPC), but until we learn more about the Browns’ plans at quarterback, expect “Baby Hawk” to remain on fantasy waiver wires all of 2014.
Wide Receiver: Earl Bennett
Joins the new cast as a younger option to compete with currently injured Nate Burleson for WR2 targets. He was pushed out of Chicago following Alshon Jeffery’s expedited development as a superior compliment to Brandon Marshall. Bennett still managed to score a career-high four touchdowns via a career-low 243 receiving yards last season.
He goes undrafted in fantasy leagues.
Wide Receiver: Josh Gordon
Updated (7/29):
Tight End: Jordan Cameron
The loss of fantasy tight end-friendly offensive coordinator Norv Turner will impact Cameron’s stock – no question. However, his uptick in fantasy production last season was top heavy as in he scored six of his seven touchdowns in the first eight games of the 2013 season.
New Browns’ offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, should qualm some owners anxiety as we know his recent fascination with targeting tight ends in Washington. Before off-the-field issues and injuries bit him, Fred Davis was an emerging star for the Redskins. Before Shanahan left, the hope was Jordan Reed would carry that tight end torch.
Thinking late-middle rounds in 2014 fantasy football drafts.
Rookies: Johnny Manziel, Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell
If Manziel is named starting quarterback, he should be treated as QB2 in fantasy football drafts as there are easily 12-plus fantasy quarterback ahead of him on the league depth chart. The gray area with Johnny Football is thick.
Now, West is a different case. In the running-back-by-committee world we live in and the potential for one to form in Cleveland, West must be viewed as a low-end RB2 / FLEX as of late-May. He was a workhorse at Towson and most draft “experts” wax poetic at the great value the Browns received drafting him in the third round. The 5-foot-11, 223-pound West rushed for over 2,500 yards (6.1 YPR) with 41 touchdowns his final season at Towson.
Kicker: Billy Cundiff
Finished 27th in fantasy points scored among fellow kickers. Missed five field goals (80 percent accuracy), but connected on all 32 extra points.
Team Defense (DST)
Finished 14th in fantasy points scored among other fantasy DST’s in 2013. However, with Pettine’s defensive mentality and drafting arguably the top defensive back available, they could creep closer to top 10 DST scorers.
