Cleveland Browns 2020 Fantasy Outlook
From the hiring of Kevin Stefanski as head coach to making significant improvements on the offensive line and adding Austin Hooper, the Cleveland Browns provide a number of reasons for their offense to perform better and fantasy owners to get better return on investment with a number of players in 2020.
The focus is largely and deservedly going to be on Baker Mayfield, who had a mediocre second season. Better blocking and another premium weapon being added to the offense should pay massive dividends for Mayfield, who will be playing in an offense that appears to fit him like a glove. If nothing else, he should be more efficient with fewer negative plays.
The X-factor at this point is the health of his top two receivers. Jarvis Landry is recovering from offseason hip surgery and has mentioned August as his target return, but acknowledged September as a possibility. Odell Beckham should be much closer to being cleared from his surgery that involved a groin issue that plagued him all of last season.
Landry, despite barely practicing and being in pain consistently throughout the year, had perhaps the second best season of his career. Assuming there's enough time for him to get in shape and get the reps necessary with Mayfield, he could put up similar numbers. It's just a question of when that would start.
Beckham and Mayfield never found chemistry last season. He still had over 1,000 yards, but it could be so much better from an efficiency and touchdown standpoint. Beckham only scored four touchdowns in 2019.
Nick Chubb is rock solid and should only stand to benefit from the Browns offseason. He thrived running in wide zone concepts last year. Improving the blocking in front of him as well as generating a more viable passing attack only makes him more dangerous, creating opportunities for more explosive plays.
It remains to be seen how Kareem Hunt gets used in this offense. He should be better as a runner as the Browns have added Andy Janovich and Hunt has been his best with a fullback as his eyes. As a receiver, Stefanski may not be as inclined to play him out wide as a receiver with options like Hooper and David Njoku available, but that is to be determined.
As for new addition Austin Hooper, Mayfield loves throwing to tight ends. He did it throughout his college career and even when the Browns were somewhat compromised at the tight end position last season due to an injury to Njoku, he still targeted tight ends in the red zone particularly. Hooper could end up with large number of touchdowns.
