2012 Fantasy Football Quick Hitters: Getting To Know Josh Gordon
When you are one of the worst teams in all of football you have to take chances; that is exactly what the Cleveland Browns did when they selected former Baylor WR Josh Gordon in this years’ supplemental draft. The selection causes the Browns to lose their second round pick in next year’s draft, which isn’t that big of a deal for a team that was loaded with picks after they traded the #6 pick to Atlanta in 2011.
While the loss of a pick might not be a big headache, Gordon could certainly be one to the Browns. The troubled young WR has been somewhat of a head-case during his time at Baylor. Gordon was kicked off the team last year after testing positive for marijuana. However, the Browns GM Tom Heckert is convinced that he will not be a problem off the field after having done an “exhaustive background check” and was quoted as saying “We hope he comes in and plays right away”.
According to NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah (a scout), “He’s very exciting to watch on tape. He can gain ground very quickly with his long stride, has a huge catching radius and can create after the catch with both speed and elusiveness.
Having gathered information from a few other sources , I don’t believe Gordon is the kind of explosive talent that will come in and just start making big play after big play. Granted, on the Browns, a big play could mean a 5 yard catch for a first-down.
Anyways, sarcasm aside, Gordon’s impact for Fantasy should be kept realistic. Judging by his 40 yard dash time – 4.52, he isn’t a burner so to me that means more of an impact in PPR leagues than standard leagues. Gordon will be working with rookie QB Brandon Weeden in Cleveland so at the very least, Gordon is starting with the same slate of trust as everyone else on the Browns roster. An optimistic projection would be: 50 catches, 700 yards, 6 TD’s. Start with that as your maximum expectation and go down from there depending on your risk tolerance.
Written by Joshua Kay (@RaysNut_1292) exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com
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