Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 19th at 1:00 PM ET
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Betting Odds: -13 CLE, 48 total via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Writer: Marc Salazar (@oldsnake77 on Twitter and Reddit)
Houston Texans
Quarterback
Tyrod Taylor (Start, QB2)
Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor played well in Week 1, with a solid 9.7 aDOT while adding 40 yards on the ground. However Taylor played against an atrocious Jaguars defense, and his performance could be one of his better performances of the year. This week get gets an average fantasy pass defense in Cleveland, albeit one with a strong pass rush. We may have underestimated this Texans offense but we still don’t have enough data to trust Taylor in a lineup. He’s a sit this week but could pay off for managers later in the year as a bye-week starter.
Running Backs
Mark Ingram (Start, low-end Flex), Phillip Lindsay (Sit), David Johnson (Sit, Low-end Flex)
One of the more difficult situations to figure out after Week 1 is this Texans backfield. Mark Ingram (46%), David Johnson (28%), and Phillip Lindsay (26%) essentially split the snap share, and each scored a touchdown. Ingram did operate like the proverbial lead-back, with 85 rushing yards on 26 carries, but it’s anyone’s guess if that will hold. His volume could be a direct result of the game script, with the Texans leading and running a high amount of plays (75). Ingram is a decent flex play if you feel the Texans can keep this game close. Otherwise, Johnson would be the play if you feel the Texans will be in comeback mode and forced to pass. Lindsay is a wait and see and belongs on your bench.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Brandin Cooks (Start, WR2), Nico Collins (Sit), Jordan Akins (Sit)
Is there a more underappreciated receiver in the league than Brandon Cooks? Cooks caught five balls on seven targets for 132 yards receiving. Tyrod has always had a history of feeding his primary target, and as the season goes on, the only issue fantasy managers will need to monitor in Houston is pass volume. Houston ran 75 plays but only threw the ball 33 times. What we should hope for is a negative game script, with the Texans forced to throw the ball. This week looks like one of those games, and Cooks should see plenty of opportunities.
Outside of Cooks, this group of Texans receivers is slim. Rookie Nico Collins is a player to monitor. Collins had a strong profile coming out of college, and ran routes on 73% of dropbacks in Week 1, including a near touchdown on a fade route in the end-zone. Managers with extra roster spots would be sharp to pick up Collins ahead of a breakout, especially considering this thin group of skill players. However, he hasn’t earned a spot in lineups yet. Not much has changed at tight end for the Texans. Jordan Akins isn’t a player that managers should be rostering.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield (Start, QB2)
Baker Mayfield looked just as comfortable in this offense as he closed out the 2020 season, but once the team found itself in the red zone, they showed who they were. The team scored four rushing touchdowns and didn’t take many shots into the endzone. Without a primary target in the red zone, Baker’s Week 1 could become the norm in Cleveland until one emerges. Mayfield is a fine start in 2QB leagues this week, as he could see a couple of long passing touchdowns off of play-action against a make-shift Texans defense. Single QB league managers can take a shot and hope that the Browns blow this Houston team out, but that comes with high risk.
Running Backs
Nick Chubb (Start, RB1), Kareem Hunt (Start, RB2)
The two-headed monster of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt was back and in mid-season form. The Browns essentially split the halfback snaps between their two studs, with Chubb taking 53% of the snaps to Hunt’s 47%. Both were productive, finishing inside the top 15 in running back fantasy points in Week 1. Expect more of the same this week, the Texans should pose little threat in slowing down this rush attack. Both players are easy fantasy starts, and Chubb could be in a position to have a huge game. Hunt will see plenty of opportunities and belongs in your line-up too.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jarvis Landry (Start, Flex), Odell Beckham (Sit), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Sit), Anthony Schwartz (Sit), Austin Hooper (Sit), David Njoku (Sit)
Browns receiver Jarvis Landry led the team in snaps and finished with a rushing touchdown, to go with his five catches for 71 yards. Landry is as solid of a flex play as there can be, and managers who are starting three receivers too. The real questions come with the rest of this pass-catching corps. Odell Beckham was ruled out on Week 2 on Wednesday, which opens the door for more action from the remaining pass-catchers. The Browns have several talented options, but forecasting who will break out is a fool’s errand until we get more data. Donovan Peoples-Jones (80% snaps, 1 target, 4 air yards), Anthony Schwartz (53% snaps, 5 targets, 126 air yards), Austin Hooper (64% snaps, 3 targets), David Njoku (59% snaps, 5 targets), and Harrison Bryant (32% snaps, 2 targets) all saw plenty of action but split fantasy production. DPJ was an underneath option, while Schwartz was targetted down-field on multiple big shots. Managers would be well to monitor this situation, and sitting all of them till we know more.
-Marc Salazar (@oldsnake77)