Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, November 29th at 1:00 PM ET
Location: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Betting Odds: CLE -6.5, 49 total via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield (Start, QB2)
Baker Mayfield‘s last two games have been abysmal. A combined 12.44 fantasy points are not what you want to see out of the former first-round pick, but keep in mind that both games featured terrible weather which largely impacted both the game script and results. Guess what? As of writing, the weather in Jacksonville looks like… a 50% chance of rain throughout the afternoon with negligible winds. Not exactly ideal, but much better than what the Browns have dealt with recently. The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-most passing yards on the season, so the matchup is ripe for Baker to go out there and sling it, but this is a run-first team and they are better when Baker is in game-manager mode. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Baker put up 25+ fantasy points, but it’s not something I would bank on. He’s a QB2 with upside this week.
Running Backs
Nick Chubb (Start, RB1), Kareem Hunt (Start, RB2)
Nick Chubb is back, and this is the week we will finally see 1st round draft pick Nick Chubb produce in spectacular fashion. Chubb has two 100 yard games in his two games since returning from IR, and against Jacksonville’s 24th ranked run defense there is no reason to believe he won’t post yet another. Yes, Kareem Hunt still lurks right behind him, but Chubb has out-produced him both in carries and yards from scrimmage. Chubb is RB1 in this offense, and Hunt will spell him from time to time while also getting some receiving work out of the backfield. They’re both worth starting, but Chubb has the higher ceiling. Start both guys with confidence.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jarvis Landry (Start, Flex), Rashard Higgins (Sit), KhaDarel Hodge (Sit), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Sit), Austin Hooper (Start, TE2)
I think I’m going to ride the Jarvis Landry train until it literally runs off the track and crashes into an inferno. Our own Ben Palmer likes his matchup this week, and Ben’s a smart guy so be sure to go read his article to see who else has a favorable matchup in Week 12. As for the rest of the receivers, none of them have really seen enough volume to be relied upon. Sure, the matchup is good but trying to pick which one will hit on any given week is a crapshoot. I’ll take my chances with Landry and if one of the others goes off? Oh well.
Austin Hooper has 13 targets in his last three games and finally has been seeing more work in this offense. Cleveland has allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to tight ends this season, so the matchup is solid. I’m hesitant to label him as a TE1, but with the current TE landscape, I wouldn’t be surprised if he lands in the top 10 this week. Start him if you don’t have better options and just hope he produces on his upside.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Quarterback
Mike Glennon (Sit)
The Jake Luton experiment is officially over (for now). Mike Glennon was named the starter for this one, and one has to assume he will continue as the starter for however much longer Gardner Minshew is out. It’s Glennon’s first start in three seasons, and that shouldn’t come as a shock as he’s been nothing more than a serviceable backup in his career. His career 60.9% completion rate is… okay, and his 36:20 TD-INT rate is better than I expected. Still, he’s thrown 31 passes in the last two years and the Browns have a knack for getting to the quarterback this season. Seriously, you can do better.
Running Backs
James Robinson (Start, RB2)
James Robinson has 172 out of 179 carries on the season. The only other RB to carry the football for Jacksonville this year is Chris Thompson, and he’s on IR. It’s pretty safe to say that as long as he’s healthy, Robinson will be getting a healthy workload and that has a ton of fantasy value. Cleveland has actually allowed the 6th fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs this season, and their 1,050 rushing yards allowed are 8th best in the league. The matchup isn’t as good as it seems, so temper expectations, but the volume will still be there for Robinson and he’s an RB2 as a result.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
DJ Chark Jr. (Start, Flex), Keelan Cole Sr. (Sit), Laviska Shenault Jr. (Sit), Chris Conley (Sit), Tyler Eifert (Sit)
The Browns are definitely more vulnerable through the air than they are on the ground, and since Jacksonville’s defense is so bad I have to imagine that Cleveland will be up by double digits early on in this one. That means Jacksonville will be throwing the ball more often than not, and I’ll take my chances with DJ Chark Jr. getting enough work to be Flex worthy. He’s yet another week removed from the ankle injury he sustained earlier in the season, and while he has been playing those injuries do tend to linger. Glennon is Glennon, but he’s at least an experienced QB and has a big arm that can get the ball downfield.
Keelan Cole Sr. has been getting more work recently, but it’s still not enough to be relied upon in fantasy. The same goes for Chris Conley. Meanwhile, Laviska Shenault Jr. returned to practice in a limited fashion on Wednesday, and if he plays on Sunday I would like him more than Cole and Conley but still not enough to warrant starting consideration in the vast majority of leagues.
-Ben Brown (@FelixTheDog23 on Twitter, iamatechnician on Reddit)