RADIO
We continue our preseason fantasy football sleeper series with a look at Cleveland Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
While the first few rounds of every draft are essentially a wash-rinse-repeat of the consensus top-36, we can always count on those middle and late rounds to cement our confidence in this year's sleepers. The definition of the fantasy football sleeper has changed over the years, with the emergence of the industry itself on social media. The common sleeper today isn't a player that is being 'slept on' by the community. They're more like a player in a great spot to outperform his average draft position based on a plethora of factors.
Let's see why Taylor could fit that bill in upcoming fantasy drafts.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
2018 Sleeper - Tyrod Taylor
When Tyrod Taylor was traded to the Browns for a third-round draft pick, he was probably both excited and unhappy. Excited because he went to a team with immense talent on the offensive side of the ball compared to what was left in Buffalo but unhappy because he knew the Browns would be drafting a quarterback number one in the upcoming draft. Either way, he is now in Cleveland and has a chance to be a starting-caliber quarterback for your fantasy team as long as he remains on the field.
Taylor is capable of running with his legs, dumping the ball off to the likes of David Njoku, Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson or passing the ball to newly-acquired Jarvis Landry or Josh Gordon, who in his first game back in three seasons beat the number one cornerback, as rated by Pro Football Focus, in Casey Heyward to the tune of four catches for 85 yards and one touchdown. The weapons are there for Taylor to have a season for the Browns not seen since they regained their franchise in 1999. If Dez Bryant signs with the Browns as rumored, he will be an added bonus to a wide receiving corps that could use quality depth after the trade of Corey Coleman.
With a solid offensive line and a running game to boot with the additions of Carlos Hyde through free agency and Nick Chubb in the draft, the Browns are an easy positive regression candidate, not just in their record, but with their offense. Last season, we saw the potential which we expected from Carlos Hyde when he was drafted out of Ohio State and with the other two backs there as well the running game of the Browns while not what you would want for fantasy purposes as it will be a true committee, will be a boon for helping bolster Tyrod Taylor’s stats. No longer can defenses just sit back knowing the Browns will not be able to rush the ball. This will cause open looks for all the receiving options and possible monster seasons from multiple players from Landry and Gordon to Njoku. With the big seasons from his receivers will come the big season from Taylor as well, since one cannot happen without the other.
Taylor does two things very well as a passer. He finds the tight end and he throws a great deep ball. It is not totally off the wall to look for those big seasons from the above-mentioned David Njoku and Josh Gordon should they both remain healthy and on the field. If this happens along with the other weapons we discussed, expect Taylor to easily throw for 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns. All of this from a quarterback whom you can get in the last rounds of your draft. Due to the Baker Mayfield effect, you most likely can even get him off the waiver wire after the draft as there is a common belief that Baker Mayfield will start Week 1. Obviously, Taylor is not a quarterback you can count on for 16 starts in 2018, but he could present value as a solid QB2 and a great best ball target.
