Are the Cleveland Browns, dare I say it, good? Well, that's a conversation for another day, but there's no doubt that Cleveland's recent acquisitions have made the franchise more fantasy relevant than it has been in a long time.
The latest of those transactions was Friday's barrage of trades, which brought both Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry to town.
Taylor is immediately the heavy favorite to be under center when Week 1 rolls around. Though he's far from the most productive passer in the game, Taylor is elite at protecting the football and adding points with his legs. Taylor's 1.29 percent interception rate trails only Tom Brady (1.04 percent) for best in the NFL over the past three years.
Taylor also has 283 carries for 1,575 yards and 14 touchdowns during that span, trailing only Cam Newton in all three categories. Taylor sits 20th in passing yards during those three seasons, but the low turnover rate and rushing numbers have made him a sneaky fantasy option. He ranked sixth at the position in fantasy points per game in 2015 and seventh in 2016, before plummeting to 19th during a disappointing 2017 campaign.
The offense in Cleveland will -- believe it or not -- be better than what Taylor had in Buffalo. He'll be behind one of the league's best offensive lines (Joe Thomas, Joel Bitonio, JC Tretter, Kevin Zeitler, Shon Coleman), with Duke Johnson Jr. (and a rookie -- perhaps Saquon Barkley) in the backfield, rising star David Njoku at tight end and Landry, Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman at wide receiver. At least out of the gate, Taylor is best-viewed as a solid QB2 option, though if the team drafts a rookie in the top five, he may simply be keeping the seat warm for a few months.
Landry, meanwhile, heads to Cleveland following a four-year stint with Miami in which he was targeted 563 times (sixth-most in the NFL) while catching 400 passes (No. 3 in the league). Primarily a short-area asset, Landry's career 6.3 average depth of target is higher than only Cole Beasley (6.2) and Adam Humphries (6.2) among wide receivers with 100-plus targets since he entered the league in 2014. His conservative role was more than offset by the heavy volume, allowing Landry to post a top-14 fantasy campaign in each of the past three seasons, including a career-best No. 5 WR ranking in 2017. that effort was fueled by nine touchdown receptions. He had entered the season with only 13.
The big question for Landry in Cleveland will be whether or not he can sustain the 28 percent target share he enjoyed during the past three years in Miami. The presence of Gordon (28 percent target share over his past 24 games) could be a bit of a roadblock, but there's certainly room for both Gordon and Landry to eat. New offensive coordinator Todd Haley only figures to help the cause, as he was well-known for relying heavily on top offensive weapons like Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders in Pittsburgh.
If we bake in a slight-to-moderate dip in target share and some regression to the mean in the touchdown department, Landry has the looks of a solid WR3 in 2018. Gordon, meanwhile was No. 21 at the WR position in fantasy points during the five weeks he was active last season, despite a horrid 42 percent catch rate and just one touchdown. He'll be a bit more boom-or-bust than Landry. Still, the quarterback upgrade, coupled with his sky-high ceiling keeps him in the WR2 discussion. Coleman, in his third season, falls to No. 3 on the WR depth chart and could fall as far as fifth or sixth in line for targets.
The Landry trade also means significant changes are coming in Miami. Landry's departure means 55.7 snaps and 10.0 targets per game are up for grabs. DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills figure to see an uptick in targets, but it may not be overly significant when you consider that both were already full-time players last season. The Dolphins had a third wideout on the field for 87 percent of their pass plays, which trailed only the Rams (92 percent) for highest in the league. Of course, a slight to moderate boost of targets, coupled with the return of Ryan Tannehill, is enough to get Parker and Stills into the WR3 discussion. Both can safely be considered flex plays, but there's room for more.
Jakeem Grant, meanwhile, currently sits third on the WR depth chart and would slide into Landry's slot gig, at least as the roster stands. It's reasonable to expect an addition -- and potentially a significant one -- over the next two months. Leonte Carroo, Isaiah Ford and Rashawn Scott are also in the mix, but are no more than deep dynasty sleepers.
Early 2018 16-game projections
Tyrod Taylor: 323-of-525 for 3,560 yards, 21 TD, 8 interceptions plus 89 carries, 509 yards, 4 TD
Jarvis Landry: 127 targets, 89 receptions, 864 yards, 5 TD
DeVante Parker: 116 targets, 72 receptions, 919 yards, 6 TD
Kenny Stills: 110 targets, 64 receptions, 941 yards, 5 TD