Who is Taylor Gabriel?
Several weeks into the season, most players who have shown flashes of dynasty value have been acquired and depth charts have generally solidified. This leaves owners with few appealing options on the waiver wire for the long-term, much less this season. Cleveland wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, a player several readers have requested an article on, may fall into one or both of these categories.
Undrafted out of Abilene Christian University (ACU), Gabriel holds several school receiving records as he totaled 215 receptions for over 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was able to add muscle to his frame as the years passed, increasing his confidence against bigger and more physical competition. His coach, Ken Collums, spoke highly of his acceleration, deceleration and overall route-running abilities and he lined up all over the field.
At his Pro Day, the rookie’s most official results given that he did not attend the NFL Combine, Gabriel was recorded to run a 4.40 40-yard dash, which would have tied him for third among wide receivers in his class with Donte Moncrief and Paul Richardson. School records show that he was clocked at 4.29 outside of his Pro Day, though this result is far from official. He also recorded a 10’5” broad jump (tied for seventh with Robert Herron) and a 40” vertical jump (tied for second with Damian Copeland). The validity of Pro Day results will continue to be scrutinized, but these serve as a general benchmark for Gabriel’s strong drill results.
Still, it was not a surprise that the 5’8”, 167-pound receiver was not selected in the 2014 NFL Draft. A week later, when the Browns held tryouts for unsigned players, Gabriel was one of three dozen rookies in attendance as he chose Cleveland’s invite over those from several other interested teams. He did well enough to hang on with the Browns during the preseason, where he impressed management as he led the team in receiving and made the roster over the likes of Charles Johnson and Nate Burleson.
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What Ray Farmer, Mike Pettine and Kyle Shanahan saw in Gabriel (after his speed and stature) was likely a combination of the wide receiver’s strong hands, ability to change direction as his college coach often addressed and a versatility to play all over the field on offense and special teams. He has good timing to attack the football at its highest point, a skill necessary to counteract his height, and strong lateral agility. He’s good in the quick passing game as he can stop on a dime and evade defenders to rack up yards after the catch.
Gabriel’s size has always been the biggest detraction from his game, a “weakness” he has battled to dispel since high school through his strengths and physical play. However, it does cause him to struggle in jump-ball situations and decrease his yards-after-contact. Though he is considered to be Cleveland’s deep threat at receiver, he does not have the speed many consider necessary to consistently succeed in that role long-term.
The longterm assignment of roles in Cleveland’s passing game is a big question mark in general, from the timeframe for Johnny Manziel to take over at quarterback to Josh Gordon’s suspension to the futures of veterans including Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins. The presences of Travis Benjamin (who scored two touchdowns last week), Marlon Moore and Rodney Smith further cloud the picture of the Browns’ wide receiver corps.
Thus far in 2014, Gabriel is third on the team in targets and receptions, trailing only Austin and Hawkins in both categories. He is among the league leaders with 19.8 yards per catch as he has caught 11 passes for 218 yards, including four over 20 yards and the team’s longest bomb at 70 yards. Though only six games into the season, he has held the role as Cleveland’s “big play receiver” (if they have one). His fantasy value as a flex option has been inconsistent, however, with no touchdowns and only one to four receptions per game.
Although Gordon is projected to return to the team some time after week eleven, once his suspension and Cleveland’s bye week are history, could Gabriel retain fantasy relevance? The presence of Gordon will certainly shift targets away from his teammates, though Austin is closest to the superstar in terms of size (6’2” and 215 pounds to Gordon’s 6’3” and 225 pounds). Gabriel’s closest comparables on the team are Benjamin and Hawkins, who stands 5’7” and 180 pounds. Gabriel and Hawkins have similar skill sets even though they are currently being used differently, with Hawkins playing more in the slot, while Benjamin is averaging two targets per game and has been used primarily in the return game.
Unfortunately for Gabriel’s prospects for fantasy relevance, Cleveland’s offense is very focused on the run this year. 52.3% of their offensive plays involve handing the ball off to their deep group of running backs, the highest percentage in the NFL. When they do pass, he will soon be no better than the fourth receiving option. Gordon commanded nearly 25% of Cleveland’s targets last year, so splitting up 75% of the remaining targets would likely mean low fantasy ceilings for the rest of the Cleveland offense.
Along with Isaiah Crowell, Gabriel has represented good value as an undrafted free agent for Cleveland. However, in 2014 his fantasy relevance will be limited given the run-heavy offense that has spread the ball around and expects its superstar receiver back in November. Looking ahead to 2015, playmakers Austin and Jordan Cameron are currently unsigned beyond this season and Gordon remains unpredictable. Developing chemistry with Manziel in second team reps could prove beneficial to Gabriel’s longterm value, and the team has spoken very highly of him, but the young wide receiver simply needs to become a more consistent target to be owned in standard-sized dynasty leagues.
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