What will the Cleveland Browns do with quarterback Baker Mayfield?
Better yet, what is his fantasy football value for the rest of this season and the next?
The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner with Oklahoma hasn't exactly lit the NFL on fire over his four seasons since being the Browns' first overall pick of the 2018 draft.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Mayfield has had a chance in the fourth quarter in five games this year to pull out a victory. He has failed in all five.
Mayfield had a career high four interceptions in Cleveland's loss to Green Bay on Christmas Day. On the season, he has 15 touchdown passes and 11 picks. That won't cut it.
Mayfield is 24th in the league in passing yards, 27th in completion percentage, 23rd in touchdown passes, and 25th in passer rating behind, to name a few, Detroit's Jared Goff, Washington's Taylor Heinicke, and Houston's Davis Mills.
He threw 27 touchdowns passes in 2018 and 26 in a stellar 2020 season, but had 21 interceptions in 2019.
For the Browns and fantasy owners, it looks like the best to hope for is Mayfield becomes a very good game manager, letting the running game and defense get victories.
He is signed through 2022 at $18.5 million a year. We don't know what Cleveland will do, but Mayfield shouldn't be anywhere near your fantasy roster, even if he wins the Browns' last two games of the regular season.
And, if Cleveland gets rid of him, does he still get to live at the stadium?
Whether your fantasy football league has its championship this weekend or if you're playing out the string and focusing on next year, let's look at players who can help going forward.
■ Jacksonville's top offensive player, running back James Robinson, tore his Achilles tendon last week against the New York Jets, opening the door for Dare Ogunbowale, who had 17 rushes for 57 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes. The Jaguars have a tough game against New England this week, but volume alone should lead to good numbers for Ogunbowale.
■ Rookie quarterback Trey Lance will get another chance to show his wares this Sunday against Houston, as Jimmy Garappolo looks to be out with a thumb injury for San Francisco. Lance, the third overall pick of this year's draft, had two touchdown passes in Week 4, and his running prowess will get you more points. It also doesn't hurt that he's playing against the Texans. He could make for a great keeper for next year, too.
■ The Buffalo wide receiver corps is now at critical mass as Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis are in coronavirus protocol. We present Isaiah McKenzie. The fifth-round pick by Denver in 2017 was targeted 12 times against the Patriots last week, catching 11 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, his first of the year. He will do well against a porous Atlanta secondary this Sunday.
■ Las Vegas tight end Foster Moreau has caught 14 passes on 19 targets the past three games, and has surpassed 60 receiving yards the past two weeks. He has three touchdowns on the season, and has been seeing most of the playing time with Darren Waller sidelined. Moreau could have a big impact this week.
■ Forgotten veteran running back Rex Burkhead is back to being relevant. The 31-year-old Houston Texan had 149 rushing yards and two scores on 22 carries last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, nearly doubling his seasonal output. With David Johnson out with a quadriceps issue and a coronavirus concern, Burkhead will get the lion's share of work against San Francisco.
■ If Green Bay wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling clears coronavirus protocols before Sunday's game against Minnesota, pick him up and use him. He has upside, and the Vikings' pass defense leaves a lot to be desired. With attention on Davante Adams, Valdes-Scantling could get volume.
First Published December 29, 2021, 8:14 p.m.
