Cleveland Browns vs San Francisco 49ers
Cleveland Browns
Quarterbacks
- Baker Mayfield: 8/22, 100 yards, 2 INTs
- Garret Gilbert: 0/1
It’s tempting to blame Baker Mayfield’s poor performance on his offensive line being completely outclassed by the pass rush of the 49ers, but even when Mayfield had time to throw he looked bad. It cannot be overstated how bad the Browns offensive line looked, and that led to four sacks and a lot of throws made under duress. When Mayfield did have time to throw he looked inaccurate, in particular overthrowing a wide-open Odell Beckham Jr. for what would have been a nice gain. Mayfield’s first interception came on a very poorly thrown ball while he was under pressure where he badly underthrew Antonio Callaway leading to a Richard Sherman interception. His second pick came on what should have been an easy touchdown pass to Callaway that the receiver bobbled up into the air to K’Waun Williams. If you have Mayfield and can afford to hold him he still has the skill position players around him to have big games, but he is not a player I would seek to buy low on. His offensive line is terrible, the play-calling has been questionable, and Mayfield himself looks to be a little rattled from all of the hits he’s taken to start the season. Garret Gilbert came in late in the fourth quarter after the game was decided, but the Browns only let him throw the ball once instead of trying for a miracle comeback.
Running Backs
- Nick Chubb: 16 carries, 87 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 12 yards
- D’Ernest Johnson: 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards
Nick Chubb struggled to find running lanes against a dominant 49ers front seven, and even when he was able to make the first defender miss that usually meant turning a negative play into a minimal gain. He did have a nice 37-yard run when he lined up at fullback with Odell Beckham Jr. in the backfield, and overall Chubb looked about as good as a running back can when the defense is living in his backfield. He handled all but one of the backfield touches and remains a no-doubt start at running back every week.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Jarvis Landry: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 75 yards
- Odell Beckham Jr.: 6 targets, 2 receptions, 27 yards | 2 carries, 15 yards | 1/1, 20 yards
- Demetrius Harris: 2 targets, 1 reception, 0 yards
- Antonio Callaway: 3 targets, 0 receptions
It was encouraging to see the Browns find ways to get Odell Beckham Jr. involved in the offense in creative ways, lining him up in the backfield several times and letting him throw another pass to Jarvis Landry. That said, it’s tough for Beckham to get going if his quarterback does not have time to get him the ball. It’s not time to panic on Beckham as the volume and talent are both still there, but he’ll have a hard time producing consistent fantasy numbers if the Browns cannot figure out how to pass block. Jarvis Landry was able to get open easily when the 49ers employed zone defenses, which makes sense given his skillset. It would make sense for the Browns to start incorporating more short passes to help mitigate the damage from their offensive line, which would probably be a slight fantasy bump for Landry. Beckham and Landry are both guys I would look to buy low this week after a lot of fantasy owners watched this terrible performance from the Browns offense in prime time. Antonio Callaway was the target on both of Baker Mayfield’s interceptions, and his drop that led to the second one is the type of play that gets receivers benched. He is droppable in a redraft league.
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback
- Jimmy Garoppolo: 20/29, 181 yards, 2 TDs
Jimmy Garoppolo did not have to do much in this game thanks to the dominance of his defense and rushing attack. He had several throws where he placed the ball a little too low for his receivers to be able to run after the catch, but aside from that, he was efficient and effective, especially off of play-action. He could have easily had another touchdown pass if not for a drop by Dante Pettis, and he looked comfortable even when the Browns were able to generate pressure. The 49ers probably rely on the run too much for Garoppolo to be a consistent fantasy starter, but he is certainly someone you can consider streaming in favorable matchups.
Running Backs
- Matt Breida: 11 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 15 yards, 1 TD
- Tevin Coleman: 16 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD
- Raheem Mostert: 7 carries, 34 yards
- Kyle Juszczyk: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 20 yards
Matt Breida took his first carry 83 yards for a score, and that proved to be a sign for how the game would go for the 49ers rushing attack. Led by some great blocking from Kyle Juszczyk and George Kittle, the 49ers zone-blocking scheme was able to open huge rushing lanes for all of their running backs. Tevin Coleman looked good in his first game back from injury, showcasing his speed on a 19-yard touchdown run and bouncing up quickly after a couple of tough runs through contact. Coleman and Breida handled most of the backfield touches, with Raheem Mostert getting most of his work after the game was decided and Jeff Wilson sitting this game out to make room for Coleman. The 49ers blocking looked dominant enough that both Coleman and Breida can be started with confidence going forward, especially since both are big-play threats every time they touch the ball and are capable pass catchers. One thing to monitor here is that Kyle Juszczyk left the game with an injury and if he were to miss any time that would be a downgrade to the running game as a whole because his lead blocking has been a huge factor in their success thus far.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Marquise Goodwin: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 41 yards | 1 carry, 15 yards
- George Kittle: 8 targets, 6 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD | 1 carry, 18 yards
- Kendrick Bourne: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 24 yards
- Dante Pettis: 3 targets, 1 reception, 11 yards
- Deebo Samuel: 3 targets, 1 reception, 3 yards
George Kittle was dominant as both a blocker and a receiver tonight. He had several receptions where he bounced off the defensive back trying to tackle him as he picked up extra yards after the catch. He could have had a second touchdown if not for a defensive back just getting there in time to break up a pass in the end zone, and the 49ers made it a point to get him the ball including giving him a carry. He remains the top target on the 49ers and a must-start fantasy tight end. Marquise Goodwin had a nice run on a reverse end-around play and would be the only receiver from this team I would consider starting. Dante Pettis had a tough drop on what should have been an easy touchdown, and Deebo Samuel was a complete non-factor after having a ball punched out of his hands for an incomplete pass on a play that would have converted a long third down.
- Dan Adams