The Cleveland Browns had one of the best offensive rookies in the league last season. Harold Fannin Jr. made scouts look foolish after letting him slip to the third round after watching him post video game-like numbers out of Bowling Green.
Kevin Stefanski got the rookie involved right away, and he didn't need much time to prove that, regardless of his lackluster competition in college, he was the real deal. He was the team's only reliable target in the passing game.
That's why, after watching him eclipse 70 receptions and 700 yards as a rookie, the hype is at an all-time high for the second-year pro. Ironically, Bleacher Report's Alex Kay believes the team's improved offensive situation under Todd Monken will actually hurt him:
"Fannin's team-high 107 targets are almost guaranteed to come down after Cleveland used several premium picks to bolster its receiving corps during Monken's first draft. Rookies KC Concepion and Denzel Boston are joining a receiver's room that already included veterans Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, giving the Browns far more mouths to feed this season than last," wrote Kay.
Harold Fannin Jr. should still be crucial for the Browns
Kay has some valid points here. For starters, the Browns will have the best -- or at least the most promising -- group of skill players they've had in years, and with so many mouths to feed, his target share may only go down.
Also, with Quinshon Judkins looking sharper after his season-ending injury and some doubts about the quarterback situation, the Browns might deploy a run-heavy offense. That might be the wisest thing to do while the rookie pass catchers get a hold of the offense and the NFL speed.
That said, there's simply no way to keep good players off the ball. Coach Monken has adapted his offense to his players and not the other way around. Fannin Jr. hasn't participated in team drills, so he might have some catching up to do at minicamp when he's finally healthy, but he must already have multiple ideas on how to use him.
The Browns have added multiple bodies to the tight end room, but that's not due to a lack of trust in Fannin Jr. He's one of the few sure things on the team, and everybody else will only be fighting for reps opposite or a chance to be the team's blocking tight end.
Even if Fannin Jr.'s numbers are slightly worse, that won't necessarily be a bad thing for the team or mean that he won't have a good, impactful season. There will be an adjustment period with a new scheme and playcaller, and the players still have to show what they have and earn the right to be the team's featured pass catcher.
But after watching Fannin Jr. manhandle defenders on the open field, shake off tackles, and pile up yards after the catch like a young Travis Kelce, not getting him heavily involved in the passing game would be a monumental mistake.
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