Camp Notes, Volume Seven: Cleveland Browns

Curtis Patrick Posted On August 3, 2017

Dynasty fantasy football is our beloved stripped-down approximation of the NFL. We are the head coaches and general managers of our teams, choosing who stays or goes, and who plays or sits. NFL Training Camps are perhaps the best opportunity we have on the dynasty calendar to project how useful our assets will be in the coming season, particularly when it comes to managing the bottom third of our roster. The better you know the rosters of every NFL team, the more prepared you’ll be to execute the corresponding dynasty moves when camp news breaks. I’m mining all the beat reports, team websites, and post-practice press conferences to bring you a comprehensive overview of what’s going on this summer in all 32 training camps.

Cleveland Browns

Our seventh stop on the 2017 DLF Training Camp Tour is with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns won a single NFL game in 2016 but managed to remain relevant from a fantasy and dynasty football perspective. Head coach Hue Jackson was able to successfully install one of the league’s top running attacks, despite multiple injuries across the offensive line, a quarterback carousel, and his lead running back being a former undrafted free agent.

It’s been said that if you have two quarterbacks, then you have none. Well, the Browns have three. In a savvy management move, the Browns took on the undesirable contract of Brock Osweiler from Houston in exchange for a draft pick. 2016 third round draft pick, Cody Kessler is still in town. DeShone Kizer is the fresh meat from the second round of the 2017 draft. The team is said to be holding a truly open competition this summer, which makes it difficult to project the starter at this point. The smart bet is that the Browns will again attempt to be a run-first offense to the degree game situation allows.

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Browns rookies have been in camp since July 23 and veterans arrived on July 26.

As alluded to earlier, the quarterback competition is one to watch. The thought is that the team will need to see if Kessler or Kizer is the future this season, as they hold several first round picks in the 2018 draft. I expect both to play at least a handful of games this season, and both should be owned in all dynasty leagues on speculation. Osweiler is most likely a trade chip at this point. As of release, Kessler has been taking the majority of the first-team reps, although there have been multiple reports that Hue Jackson is enamored with Kizer and that the gap between the two is closing. The team has installed a read-option package for Kizer in the red zone, which has already generated a touchdown in camp. Osweiler is working exclusively with the second team.

Isaiah Crowell is the favorite to lead the team in carries again this season in addition to handling some backfield receiving duties. Crowell actually out-targeted Duke Johnson over the second half of 2016. Speaking of Johnson, the team is using him as a slot receiver in addition to his change of pace and third down roles. This could make Johnson a stronger flex play in fantasy this season and potentially an attractive add at his currently depressed dynasty value.

Kenny Britt has been scoring touchdowns throughout camp and looks to be headed for strong red zone production this season, if the team can move the ball that far down the field. Corey Coleman is slotted in as the number two receiving option but has had a relatively quiet camp to date. His ceiling is still unknown at the NFL level, but if he is able to leverage his strengths he could become one of the more dynamic playmakers in the league. The Browns are certainly counting on him to take a step this season. Coleman was a consensus top three pick in dynasty rookie drafts last season and has managed to maintain most of his value despite not showing much yet. Josh Gordon is currently suspended from the league, but remains a player of dynasty interest despite being several years removed from showing anything positive on the field.

David Njoku has had an inconsistent camp, but that is to be expected from a 20-year-old rookie. He has flashed plenty of big play ability, including a great snag on this deep jump ball between two defenders:

Oh my, @David_Njoku80! pic.twitter.com/MqmQGEVQXr

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 2, 2017

Njoku will need to address the drops that have plagued him in camp if he wants to usurp Seth DeValve as the primary starter in single tight end sets. Devalve is a 2016 fourth round pick who the team reportedly sees having a big role in 2017. He may be on your league waiver wire, but probably shouldn’t be.

Possible Cuts (among dynasty relevant players): None

Projected ADP Risers

Players Who Will Rise 1 or more rounds in startup ADP by the end of the 2017 Season: Kenny Britt, David Njoku

Projected ADP Fallers

Players Who Will Fall 1 or more rounds in startup ADP by the end of the 2017 Season: Josh Gordon

Waiver Wire Watch List (players with ADP >240): Seth Devalve