X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Browns Ready to Break Out?

The Cleveland Browns are currently leading the AFC North division, but that doesn't mean everything is going well for the team, as fantasy owners will be able to tell you. The offseason was full of hype for the Browns, especially after the team traded for Odell Beckham Jr.

Certainly, the team is performing a lot better than in previous seasons - that's the reason they are top of the division. They've also scored some impressive victories on the road, none more so than last week's win over divisional rival Baltimore. However, the team has struggled to perform in front of their own fans and is yet to beat an opponent at home.

The opening game against the Tennessee Titans highlighted that the season might not be smooth sailing as it seemed in the offseason, but what does that mean for the fantasy value of their players?

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

Quarterback Play

Baker Mayfield is a talented quarterback but that doesn't always translate to fantasy value. Mayfield took the reigns of the offense in the early part of last season, replacing Tyrod Taylor in Week 3 last season. In that game he threw for 201 yards, leading the team to a comeback victory over the New York Jets, kick-starting Baker Mania. Mayfield finished the season with a number of plaudits, surpassing the rookie touchdown passing marks of both Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson. The signal-caller may have lost out on the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, but he had set the bar high and ended the seemingly endless search the Browns had for a franchise quarterback.

Mayfield this season doesn't look like the same player. After four weeks, he has thrown 1,147 yards, ranking seventh in the league but still feels like a disappointment. The difference is that he has only thrown four touchdowns this season, which is far below his rookie pace and below the expectations of the offense in general.

Looking at above Next Gen Stats charts (both from matchups against the New York Jets) shows a change in how Mayfield is throwing the ball; there are far more throws downfield and dump-offs this season compared to his rookie year. The downfield targets are the main driver for his increased yards total, but equally converting those downfield throws has been the concern. This season all of Mayfield's touchdowns have been thrown for 10 yards or less from the line of scrimmage. Last season 13 of his 24 touchdowns were beyond that mark, but the number of attempts downfield has increased. Clearly, with Mayfield's ability that should return to the mean his touchdown number rises.

Verdict: Dogging it. The Browns are entrusting Mayfield far more this season, but until the downfield attempts are converted into touchdowns there are question marks over his fantasy value at a competitive position.

 

Emergence Of Chubb

Part of the reason for the reduction of passing touchdowns for Mayfield has been the emergence of running back Nick Chubb. Chubb is a big-bodied back who can turn on the jets if he breaks a tackle or two. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Chubb was the second-fastest player this season on his 88-yard rushing touchdown- clearly no slouch! A running back breaking free of defenders and going deep downfield is one of the purest sights in football, and looking at Chubb's Next-Gen charts, it's something he has managed to do throughout his career.

Chubb may have started out his rookie season as a backup to Carlos Hyde, but once he was given the opportunity he took it with both hands with his running style and big-play ability. That led to the team choosing to move Hyde on mid-season, and entrusting Chubb to lead the backfield. This offseason the team picked up Kareem Hunt, leading to doubts that Chubb would be given the reigns for the season.

However, this season Chubb has been given all of the carries he could have wanted, second in the league behind only Christian McCaffrey. Chubb has taken his 78 carries for 398 yards and four touchdowns (although three of those came in last week's game). Currently, the Browns have entrusted Chubb to lead their backfield, and at this rate, it looks like Hunt won't be walking into a big role once he is able to be selected. The Browns are within touching distance more often in games than they were last year, allowing the Browns to utilize Chubb's skill set far more

Verdict: Dawg Pound! Chubb is currently the only show in town and looks to play Hunt into a backup role with each effective performance. The improvements that the team made on their roster has enabled them to be in a position to increase the carries that can be afforded to their running backs.

 

Distraction Of Beckham

Odell Beckham is one of the most talented wide receivers to have entered the league, but he does bring a lot of attention with his off-field antics. Beckham's temper was on full show during his time in New York, and we saw another glimpse of that against the Baltimore Ravens with a clash with Marlon Humphrey. What makes that bearable for teams though is the production on the field. However, Beckham seems to be struggling to have the same impact he did during his time with the Giants. Expectations were sky-high for Beckham once he was traded to the Browns, with Mayfield a clear quarterback upgrade on Eli Manning.

Opposition defenses are clearly scheming to limit his opportunity to do something with the ball in his hands. Something that is easily seen in his Next-Gen charts:

With the exception of his lone touchdown in Week 2, Beckham has been unable to break any long runs and has been immediately shut down upon catching the ball. However, so far this season Beckham has had tough cornerback matchups with the exception of that matchup against the New York Jets. Beckham is still running routes the same way as he always has, he is just attracting more attention than before, limiting his upside.

Verdict: Dawg Pound! Beckham may be making headlines for the wrong reason, but his talent should hold out and he should bounce back once he faces some easier man matchups. Beckham is still an elite player and his route running ability hasn't diminished.

 

Improvements On Defense

The Browns added decided to go all in this season and added multiple defensive pieces. The team added Sheldon Richardson in free agency, picked up Olivier Vernon in a trade as well as adding cornerback Greedy Williams in the draft.

Those additions to a unit that already the talents of Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward stacks a lot of talent on defense. While that hasn't truly translated that to the field, the Browns have been able to limit the opportunities that have been given to their opposition (with the exception of the opening matchup against the Tennessee Titans) giving up an average of just 16 points per game.

Verdict: Dawg Pound! The additions in defensive personal have allowed the Browns to keep opposing teams in check and enabled the team to pound the clock with its effective running game.

 

Conclusion

The Browns have a lot of new additions on their roster, making multiple headlines in the offseason with the moves they made. Those changes will take time to embed within the offensive and defensive schemes.

The team has shown some signs of improvement after a statement victory over the Ravens. But the schedule isn't too kind to the team with some tricky matchups against the San Fransisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks before their bye week in Week 7.

If you are able to buy-low on any of the offensive pieces (which is unlikely with Chubb) I would consider making a move and awaiting the team to truly get rolling.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cedric Tillman1 hour ago

Suffers Head Injury On Thursday Night
Wendell Carter Jr.2 hours ago

Out Against Lakers
Anthony Davis3 hours ago

Available Versus Magic On Thursday
Rui Hachimura3 hours ago

Unavailable Thursday
Carlos Ulberg3 hours ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir3 hours ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes3 hours ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
MMA3 hours ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo3 hours ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan3 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Yves Missi4 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
CJ McCollum4 hours ago

Not Likely To Play Friday
Alexander Mattison4 hours ago

Zamir White Miss Practice Again
Brandon Ingram4 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani5 hours ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge5 hours ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Ja'Kobe Walter5 hours ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo5 hours ago

Available Thursday
Mike Conley5 hours ago

Will Not Play Thursday
Jordan Clarkson5 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Ausar Thompson5 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Zach Collins5 hours ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Domantas Sabonis5 hours ago

Gets Through Full Practice
Chris Paul5 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Brock Purdy5 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Malik Monk6 hours ago

Making Progress
George Kittle6 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Tre Mann6 hours ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Miles Bridges6 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Vince Williams Jr.6 hours ago

Out At Least A Month
Scottie Barnes6 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Alex Ovechkin6 hours ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Paul George6 hours ago

Out At Least Two Games
Aaron Gordon6 hours ago

Availability In Question For Friday
Zach Hyman6 hours ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson6 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Yaroslav Askarov6 hours ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Jalen Hurts6 hours ago

Practices In Full On Thursday
Mikael Granlund7 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Alexandar Georgiev7 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
TB7 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Will Miss Thursday's Game
Frederik Andersen7 hours ago

To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jake Ferguson7 hours ago

Still Not Practicing
Sam LaPorta7 hours ago

Looking Good For A Week 12 Return
Sam Darnold7 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation, On Track To Play
Isiah Pacheco7 hours ago

Remains Limited On Thursday
D'Andre Swift8 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited Participant On Thursday
CeeDee Lamb8 hours ago

Sidelined During Thursday's Practice
Ladd McConkey8 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Thursday
Mike Evans8 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Thursday
DeVonta Smith9 hours ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger10 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks10 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb10 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
10 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers11 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans12 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson13 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson13 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist14 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies14 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund14 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine14 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Chris Sale1 day ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal1 day ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat1 day ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy1 day ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Josh Jacobs1 day ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Connor Ingram1 day ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
Alex Tuch1 day ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Jordan Eberle1 day ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Ludvig Aberg1 day ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 day ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy4 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop5 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig5 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal5 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic5 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones5 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 12 Include Bo Nix, De'Von Achane, Quentin Johnston, Calvin Ridley, more

It seems as though fantasy managers were either incredibly disappointed or incredibly excited in Week 11. The output was modest for most players. However, if you had a monopoly on a select few players such as Cooper Kupp, Taysom Hill, or the Detroit Lions, you likely won your week. With the fantasy playoffs roughly three weeks […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game Including Thursday Night Football

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicks off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, as six teams will […]


TJ Watt - IDP, Pittsburgh Steelers, DST, Defense, Fantasy Football Def

Week 12 Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings: Steelers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Eagles D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Texans D/ST, Broncos D/ST

Fantasy football defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so many fantasy managers opt to stream a different defense each week. If you're in that boat, use our Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings for 2024 to find the top available option. There are just three weeks of the fantasy football regular season left, so it's never […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]