Browns @ Ravens
Final Score: Browns 33, Ravens 31
Writer: Brett Ford (@fadethatman on Twitter)
With 12:29 remaining in the third quarter, the Baltimore Ravens took a 24-9 lead and looked like they were ready to run away with yet another contest with a dominant performance. The Cleveland Browns had other ideas. Deshaun Watson led his teams to a pair of second half touchdowns and the Cleveland defense made a huge, game-changing play in the fourth quarter as the Browns defeated their division rivals on the road by a score of 33-31.
Despite the tremendous amount of scoring (especially for an AFC North divisional clash), nobody really produced eye-popping fantasy numbers. Keaton Mitchell continued his insane efficiency while Zay Flowers rebounded from a complete dud last week with an average performance. Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore led the Browns’ offense from a fantasy perspective while Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt split running back production almost evenly.
Let’s dig in.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Deshaun Watson: 20/34, 213 Yards, TD, INT | 8 Carries, 37 Yards
Watson started the day 1-for-9 for 19 yards, an interception and a 0.0 passer rating. Nothing went right in the early going for the Browns, including this pick-six by the Ravens’ 2022 Round 1 selection, Kyle Hamilton.
ARE YOU KIDDING US @kyledhamilton_?!?!?!
PICK SIX!!!!
Tune in now on FOX! pic.twitter.com/ojlcFMT1lp
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 12, 2023
Watson figured things out in just enough time to dig the Browns out of a hole and finished his day by going an insane 14-for-14 in the second half. The former Houston Texan and Clemson standout led a pair of touchdown drives and the game-winning field goal drive as the Browns overcame a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to earn a crucial divisional win over the Ravens, who are still perched atop the AFC North.
P.J. Walker: 0/1
Running Back
Jerome Ford: 17 Carries, 107 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Ford nearly doubled the snap count of Hunt in this game, logging 50 of the Browns’ 78 offensive snaps. He earned nearly double the touches, as well. Ford became just the second running back to reach 100 yards rushing against a stout Baltimore front this season. It appears that Ford is ascending back into the primary role he briefly held before his injury; his snap count has increased in each of the past two weeks.
Kareem Hunt: 10 Carries, 32 Yards, TD
Hunt was on the field for 28 of 78 offensive snaps and took advantage of his short-yardage role, punching in a gritty run around the end for a short-yardage score. Hunt has managed to carve out a reliable short-yardage and goal line role, but with Ford nearing full health, Hunt will continue to play as a spell back.
.@Kareemhunt7 powered through half the defense and is still doing push ups!#CLEvsBAL on FOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/ChVwMdgCzl
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 12, 2023
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Amari Cooper: 9 Targets, 6 Receptions, 98 Yards
Cooper had a solid game with a handful of catches on intermediate to deep routes. Cooper’s stock will continue to ebb and flow with the health of Deshaun Watson. In five full games with Watson under center, Cooper has reached 90 receiving yards in four of those games. Without Watson, Cooper has reached that threshold just once.
David Njoku: 9 Targets, 6 Reception, 58 Yards
Njoku has always been one of Watson’s favorite targets since coming to Cleveland and that remained true on Sunday, as he tied a team high with nine targets. He had a short gain called back for a penalty, which kept him from reaching a double-digit target total for the first time this season. Njoku has now posted a Top 12 or better fantasy finish at the tight end position in three of his last four games.
Chief not going down easy 😡#CLEvsBAL on FOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/JfoqpW1eSM
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 12, 2023
Elijah Moore: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 44 Yards, TD
Elijah Moore started relatively slow in Cleveland while running a ton of routes in slot and gadget roles, but at least he’s being used more in Cleveland than he was in his second season as a New York Jet. On his touchdown catch, Moore lined up in the backfield before emerging and securing an ugly dump-off from Watson for a score. Moore was on the field for 66 offensive snaps and ran 38 routes as the second receiver in Cleveland’s 11-personnel grouping. Moore reached the end zone for the first time this season but could be used more heavily as Watson gains more confidence in his first full season running the offense.
eight ball, corner pocket#CLEvsBAL on FOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/0TiEvaUlcY
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 12, 2023
Cedric Tillman: 3 Targets
Cedric Tillman didn’t record a catch but was used as a primary wide receiver in the Browns’ 11-personnel, posting nearly identical snaps and routes run as Elijah Moore and Amari Cooper. Watch for positive regression from the rookie from Tennessee if he remains on the field as often as he was on Sunday.
Jordan Akins: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 8 Yards
Harrison Bryant: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
James Proche III: 1 Target, Fumble (Lost)
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: 13/23, 223 Yards, TD, 2 INT | 8 Carries, 41 Yards
Jackson was having a mediocre fantasy day as the Ravens seemed to be piling on en route to yet another easy win. Until they weren’t. After the Browns scored a pair of touchdowns on their last two drives, Jackson made an ill-advised pass into the flat that was deflected at the line of scrimmage. It landed in the hands of Greg Newsome III, who took it back for a touchdown, drawing the Browns to within a point. It marked Jackson’s second interception of the day, a knock against the MVP candidate as the Ravens once again failed to close out a game late in the fourth quarter. In all three Baltimore losses this season, the team has surrendered a second half lead. So far this season, the team that has looked most effective beating the Ravens is…well…the Ravens.
Ogbo and Greg teaming up for the major takeaway!!#CLEvsBAL on FOX & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/EFu2SGYGyA
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 12, 2023
Running Back
Keaton Mitchell: 3 Carries, 34 Yards, TD | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 32 yards
Rookie Keaton Mitchell has been absurdly efficient since joining the Ravens’ running back rotation. He averaged over 15 yards per touch in this one and added a touchdown run for the second consecutive week. Though he served as a change of pace back for Gus Edwards, Mitchell was clearly the more productive and explosive of the two. He might earn more touches moving forward.
.@_KeatonMitchell picking up where he left off❗❗❗
Tune in on FOX pic.twitter.com/8QaaVoimv3
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 12, 2023
Gus Edwards: 11 Carries, 24 Yards, TD | 1 target, 1 reception, 4 yards
Edwards served as the de facto primary back, playing on 28 offensive snaps while Mitchell and Justice Hill combined for just 27. The problem was that the “Gus Bus” was largely ineffective, averaging just 2.2 yards per carry. He did get the high-leverage carries at the goal line, however, and converted one of them for a short-yardage touchdown. If he doesn’t find his burst next week, the Ravens may lean toward giving the explosive Mitchell more of the running back touches moving forward, especially between the 20-yard lines.
Justice Hill: 2 Carries, 7 Yards
With the emergence of Mitchell, Hill has essentially been phased out of an already limited role. He can be safely dropped for priority waiver wire or free agent additions in Week 11.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Mark Andrews: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 44 Yards
Cleveland clearly made adjustments after Mark Andrews burned them for 80 yards and two touchdowns in their first meeting of the season; he is the only tight end to score on the Cleveland defense this season. In fact, the Browns entered this matchup allowing the NFL’s fewest points per game total to opposing tight ends. It was an uncharacteristically quiet game for Andrews as the Browns worked hard to limit his production, forcing Lamar Jackson to look elsewhere.
Odell Beckham Jr.: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 40 Yards, TD
The good news is that Beckham caught a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game. The bad news is that he was clearly the third wide receiver in the pecking order. Beckham was on the field for just four 12-personnel snaps, and only 18 snaps overall. Be wary of the veteran in fantasy, given his usage.
HIM
Tune in on FOX! pic.twitter.com/M02VhpC516
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 12, 2023
Rashod Bateman: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 25 Yards
The production wasn’t what fantasy managers wanted, but his utilization was closer to what some might be looking for. Bateman was on the field for 40 offensive snaps, more than doubling OBJ. He was targeted four times and caught a pair of passes. With much weaker defenses on tap the next two weeks (Chargers and Rams), Bateman could potentially be a useful waiver fill-in for those in need of help at wide receiver.
Zay Flowers: 6 Targets, 5 Reception, 73 Yards
Flowers has separated himself from the pack as the Ravens’ top wide receiver; he ran a team-high 26 routes in this one, a total that pales in comparison to the number of routes run by other team leaders. Nevertheless, the Ravens are scheming ways to get the rookie involved and made it a priority to get him the ball in space to create and make things happen. Of course, as a rookie, he’s been slightly inconsistent (holy cow, last week was bad) but he’s still a guy that fantasy managers can start every week with confidence.
Isaiah Likely: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Nelson Agholor: 2 targets