Cleveland Browns: 3 players to avoid in fantasy football

Selecting a defense in a fantasy draft is one of the most difficult and seemingly insignificant picks a manager can make. Since the exciting picks are over, a lot of participants relax during the draft and lose their focus when it comes time to pick a team defense. This is especially true when the top defenses are off the board.

Since there is still an important choice to make, losing focus at this point is never a smart idea. But thankfully, the most important bit of knowledge to attain entering the draft is not difficult to remember: Do not not select the Cleveland Browns defense.

While many believe it can’t get any worse than last year for a struggling unit, the roster would indicate otherwise. Injuries have plagued this defense, as Desmond Bryant is out for the year, and Joe Haden‘s situation is uncertain.

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The entire defense is young, especially the secondary, as it is very possible Cleveland enters 2016 with four starters on defense who are either rookies or in their second season. This, coupled with the fact that the coaching staff and roster is built upon improving the offense and allowing the defense to continue its mediocrity, is less than attractive for fantasy owners.

The Browns ranked 29th in the league in points allowed in 2015, surrendering an average of 27 per game. There is little reason to believe the unit will improve in 2016. With all of this in mind, fantasy managers need to stay awake during the later rounds of their drafts, and when in doubt, they should steer clear of Cleveland’s defense at all costs.