Browns players who must step up in 2015 (Part 2)

Nov 30, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) carries the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

We all were pleasantly surprised with the performance of Terrence West and Isaiah Crowell last season, as both rushed for upwards of 600 yards, but neither really established themselves as the go-to back. West especially suffered early on from a fumbling problem, which landed him in head coach Mike Pettine‘s dog house.

Still, considering the small schools they came from, Crowell from Alabama State and West from Towson, one can live with the idea of the pair being star struck and perhaps lacking confidence in their own abilities. That is fine for the first year but now, with a full season of expectations and practices behind them, they must elevate their game.

Related: 2015 Position Preview – Running Backs

Admittedly, they both were better as the season went on, especially Crowell. Their respective yards per rush dropped a ton when Alex Mack went down with the broken leg (per ESPN Stats & Information, the Browns averaged 4.4 yards per carry with Mack on the field and 3.3 without him), and neither really showed much in the passing game. Both of this issues must improve dramatically, considering the Browns claim they are going to focus on the running attack.

Duke Johnson, the team’s third-round pick out of Miami of Florida, has demonstrated both in college and in OTAs that not only does he run impressively, but is a real pass catching threat as well. Johnson, very quietly became the No. 1 rusher in Miami’s long train of running backs, many of which were stars in the NFL.

Johnson can be a great outlet for Josh McCown on swing passes and plays into the flat that allow Johnson to exploit his natural ability to gain massive chunks of yardage and extend drives. Johnson can be a Greg Pruitt-type of running back, one who is a real asset when drives are stalling, and a change of pace from the bigger-back running style of West and Crowell.

The characteristics that Johnson brings to the field are ones that the Browns running game has lacked since, well Pruitt’s heyday in the 1970s. I see Johnson as the Browns Offensive Rookie of the Year.

I don’t honestly see our fullbacks as having much impact other than to block, but if the running backs elevate to the level proposed here, the Browns plan to be a running team should prove successful.

Next: The Tight Ends