Cleveland Browns: Isaiah Crowell appears on list of 2017 fantasy facts
ESPN’s Matthew Berry published a list of 100 fantasy football facts to consider, and Isaiah Crowell appears as a player to watch in 2017.
No matter how bad the Cleveland Browns have been in the recent past, there always appears to be a few fantasy standouts on the roster. Garbage time yards will do that.
Heading into 2017, there are a few names who stand out, with the main one being Isaiah Crowell, who rushed for 952 yards in 2016 on just 198 carries.
Crowell has not established himself as a dominant back for all 16 weeks of a season, but it is hard to judge how he did last year based on the fact he never received at least 20 carries in any game. He also had single-digit carries in five games.
Crowell’s big numbers in limited action has landed him on Matthew Berry’s list of 100 facts for the 2017 fantasy football season.
The list breaks down notable numbers and facts about players from all around the league, and Crowell makes an appearance.
From the article:
"73. LeSean McCoy, Ezekiel Elliott, Jay Ajayi and Mike Gillislee were the only RBs in the NFL last season to average more yards per carry and have more rushing touchdowns than … Isaiah Crowell."
"74. Crowell is one of only six backs in the NFL under the age of 30 with at least 145 carries in each of the past three seasons."
"74a. Crowell has never missed a game in his NFL career."
Berry goes on to explain how the Browns upgraded the offensive line this offseason, meaning things should only improve for Crowell if Hue Jackson actually commits to the running game this season.
Browns fans know Crowell’s occasional ability to have big games, making him a solid player to add to a fantasy team in deeper leagues. And with hopefully a more competent offense this season, he should finally be able to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, and reach that mark easily.
If Crowell can consistently reach 20 carries per game, it would make the offense less predictable and even open up opportunities for Duke Johnson to shine in the passing game. This would also prevent defenses from easily stopping the Browns when it becomes obvious a pass is coming more often than not.
Next: Top 5 WRs Browns will face in 2017
Fantasy football predictions are not easy to make, but Crowell is an above-average option for players looking to get solid production from a player who can be drafted late or even picked up after the draft.