In fantasy football it is easy to let biases come into play when drafting. Almost everyone has a favorite team, or at minimum a favorite player. With that being said it is easy to reach for a player early to root them on every week. The key to winning in fantasy football is to draft players who give the most value in the round selected. Draft smart, take notes and try not to let bias get in the way of building a winning lineup. For Browns fans there is talent everywhere, but it is important to value these stars correctly. Here is the Cleveland Browns fantasy preview.
The Cleveland Browns have one of the most interesting offenses in football in terms of fantasy football. With so many terrific pass catchers it would be easy to draft Baker Mayfield to be a starter, but there are better picks out there. Even though he had a fantastic season in 2020, the quarterback was the 17th-ranked quarterback in half point PPR leagues last season. The fact is the Browns have weapons everywhere, but the run game reigns supreme. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are both top tier backs, so much so ironically, that neither can be considered to be locked in as first round picks. Both have value in later rounds. Out of the Browns offense the players that should be drafted in any fantasy football league based on fantasy football rankings include: Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr. Jarvis Landry, Hunt, Mayfield and Austin Hooper.
Horse Power in the Backfield
Since both of the Browns running backs are dominant, it is hard to say when they should be drafted. If one gets injured, the other will likely be a top 10 back. If both are healthy they could both end up just outside of the top 10 in terms of fantasy rank. Chubb is the only Browns player that should be considered in the first round based on his performance last year. Chubb missed four games last season and still finished 9th overall for running backs, which is very impressive. Hunt will play second fiddle this year and should be drafted no earlier than the fourth round. In deeper leagues D’Ernest Johnson, the third stringer, should also be rostered in case either Chubb or Hunt has to miss time. Johnson showed talent last year in the few games he had significant snaps.
Throwing it Deep
If the run game matches last year’s success, it will open up Mayfield to throw the ball effectively this season. With Beckham back in the lineup it is hard to say who will be the top producer on the offense. Landry and Beckham both have excellent hands and route running ability, and both should be open often. The best option for drafting these receivers in fantasy football is to not reach in early rounds for Beckham. Drafting Landry in a later round is a far better option. As for tight ends, Austin Hooper is a great player but is currently ranked as TE17 in standard scoring leagues according to The Game Haus’ Joe DiTullio. If anything he should be stashed in a bench spot in one of the last rounds.
There are two other shining prospects in the Browns receiving core. Rashard Higgins is back again in the orange and brown, signing another small one-year deal. Higgins has always had a great connection with Mayfield and should be a sleeper in deep leagues. Donovan Peoples-Jones is another name that has come up a lot after training camp. The sophomore receiver has been making a name for himself and could be a player to roll the dice with with a late pick.
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