Cleveland Browns bye week report cards: Wide receiver

Rashard Higgins – A

Higgins has been targeted only 15 times on the season, and was actually inactive for Weeks 3 and 4, but it seems like every time he’s been on the field, dating back to 2017, he’s played well. He and Mayfield clearly have a strong chemistry, and it’s why Higgins has turned those 15 targets into 12 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He was fantastic against the Bengals, a major reason why the Browns ended up winning that game. His future with the team is still uncertain, but one thing is for sure; there’s something special between him and Mayfield.

Donovan Peoples-Jones – B+

In one of the best wide receiver draft classes in recent history, Peoples-Jones was one of the most talented prospects, but poor collegiate production at Michigan caused him to slip all the way to the sixth round. He took over as the Browns returner following a season-ending injury to JoJo Natson, and has seen significant playing time in two games this season; Week 4 at Dallas where he was deployed as a run blocker, and Week 7 at Cincy, where he was targeted three times, catching all three passes for 56 yards, including a fantastic toe-tap on the game-winning pass.

He’s still raw, but Peoples-Jones has already shown the talent that made him such a highly-touted prospect coming out of high school. It is likely he’ll see an increase in his role as the season goes on.

KhaDarel Hodge – B+

Hodge has caught three of six targets for 51 yards this season. His value comes from his field-stretching speed, his excellent run blocking, and his strong special teams play. Hodge has a specific role, and he plays it very well.

The Browns wide receivers may not be producing at an eye-popping rate, but for the most part, they’re doing their jobs. The group looks a lot different without Odell Beckham Jr., so it will be interesting to see how they play over the second half of the season with the playoffs within Cleveland’s grasp.