Fantasy Football Player Notes

Amari Cooper's season-long stats were notable despite shifting quarterbacks, ranking 10th in yards (1,250) and second in 20-yard gains (42). His 41% air yards share also ranked 10th in the league. While he finished 17th in points/game (12.7) as the WR18 overall through 17 games, his performance with Deshaun Watson as QB offers promise. During these five games, he maintained a 23% target share, 42% air yards share, averaging nearly 100 receiving yards/game. His fantasy output was also strong, averaging 14.8 points per game (6th) and 15.7 expected points per game (15th). Even with Jerry Jeudy's addition, Cooper remains the WR1 for the Browns.

Chubb's 2023 season was cut short in Week 2 due to a gruesome injury. I don't want to say the deck is stacked against Chubb to be a meaningful contributor in 2024, but it won't be a cakewalk. Chubb will be entering his age-29 season, and while (with the pay cut) he'll be staying with the Browns, it's tough to count on him as anything more than a dart throw RB3 for 2024.

David Njoku was superb in in 2023, his seventh NFL season, establishing new single-season highs in receptions (81), receiving yards (882) and touchdowns (6). But Njoku was far more productive with Joe Flacco at quarterback than he was with Deshaun Watson and other QBs. In the six games he played with Flacco (including the playoffs), Njoku averaged 6.2 receptions and 80.5 receiving yards per game, and he had four TD catches. In 11 games with QBs other than Flacco, Njoku averaged 4.6 receptions and 44.7 receiving yards per game, and he had two TD catches. In the five full games Watson played, Njoku averaged 4.0 catches and 35.2 receiving yards a game, with one TD catch. Njoku is one of the most athletic tight ends in the league, and despite his ample NFL experience, he'll only be 28 when the new season begins. The question is whether Njoku can replicate the success he had with Flacco as his quarterback if the Browns, as expected, open the season with Watson as their starting QB.

Will we ever again see the early-career version of Deshaun Watson -- the one who was a top-five fantasy quarterback in each of his first three full seasons as an NFL starter? Watson has struggled to recapture the magic of his run with the Texans from 2018 to 2020. He was understandably rusty when he made his Browns debut late in the 2022 season after serving an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy. Watson wasn't significantly better in six 2023 starts for the Browns before a shoulder injury ended his season. In each of his two abbreviated seasons with Cleveland, Watson has averaged 15.1 fantasy points per game. He's completed 59.8% of his passes over the last two years and has averaged 6.5 yards per attempt. Watson turns 29 at the beginning of the 2024 season, and it's seeming less and less likely that he'll ever recapture the electrifying form he showed when he first burst onto the NFL scene. Approach with caution.

Jerome Ford could be the Brown's starting tailback again this season. Nick Chubb's health remains up in the air. While the early returns have been encouraging for his recovery, he isn't guaranteed to play in the early parts of the season or at all in 2024. Last season, in Weeks 3-17, when Ford was the starter, he averaged 14.9 touches and 66.6 total yards as the RB20 in fantasy. Ford played well, ranking 13th in missed tackles forced per attempt and 16th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). If he is the team's starter again this season, he should be considered an RB2 with upside. He could see even more work this season if he can hold off D'Onta Foreman on early downs and Nyheim Hines for the pass game work.

Jerry Jeudy secured 54 receptions for 758 receiving yards in the 2023 season with the Broncos. Despite his yardage production, Jeudy struggled to find the end zone, recording only two touchdowns throughout the year. His fantasy performance landed him as the WR50 overall, emphasizing the need for improved quarterback play in his first season with the Browns to elevate his fantasy value beyond the WR3 tier. Based on the contract Jeudy signed - 3-years and $52.5 million - it's his job to lose as the WR2 versus Elijah Moore.

Jamari Thrash's college career boasted impressive production, highlighted by his standout seasons at both Georgia State and Louisville. His ability to consistently produce at a high level, even after transferring to a higher level of competition, speaks to his maturity and readiness for the NFL. Thrash's agility and skill in gaining yards after the catch stand out as key strengths, evidenced by his rankings in YAC/reception and broken tackle rate. However, his vertical game and route consistency are areas that may need refinement at the next level. Joining the Browns in the fifth round offers him an opportunity to further develop under NFL coaching while competing for a role in their receiving corps.