Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell's Updated 2014 Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 3

Cleveland Browns rookie running backs Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell have both stepped up when called upon through the team's first two games, which have been largely without starter Ben Tate.

Considering West is first among all first-year ball-carriers and is tied fourth in the NFL with 168 rushing yards, he ought to be considered as a No. 2-caliber fantasy option until Tate returns to the lineup.

But the most explosive of all Cleveland backs is Crowell, whose touches should still be rather frequent based on what he's done so far.

In what figures to be a run-oriented Week 3 game plan against the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens, Crowell can be deployed as a flex player, though it'd be tough to count on him for significant point production.

Team communications manager Dan Murphy pointed out how formidable West and Crowell have been:

West followed up his 100-yard effort in his NFL debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers with 19 carries for 68 yards in Week 2's win over the New Orleans Saints.

This evaluation from Sports Illustrated that West posted to Instagram highlights some of his prowess to date:

And there's certainly no shortage of self-belief on West's end:

Meanwhile, Crowell scored two touchdowns in the opener and registered a solid 11 attempts for 54 yards versus New Orleans.

Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer doesn't have many playmakers at his disposal. There is no word yet on the status of Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron, who was out for Week 2. Stud receiver Josh Gordon is suspended, depriving an already thin Cleveland receiving corps of its by-a-mile best player.

A sustainable model for winning and stable quarterback play—something Cleveland hasn't experienced since re-entering the NFL in 1999—doesn't include Hoyer throwing the ball 40 times a game. That proved ultimately effective in the Saints victory, but the Browns can't do that with regularity and expect success in 2014.

Thus, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will seek to establish the run on the Ravens early, using a crackling cocktail of West and Crowell to do so.

That's something Crowell would welcome. He may be behind West on the depth chart at the moment, yet it isn't discouraging the talented undrafted free agent:

The zone-blocking scheme Shanahan deploys has Cleveland No. 7 in the league in rushing. Although the season's barely begun, that's a marked improvement from the Browns' horrendous running game from 2013. Part of that is play design; part of it is a massive increase in backfield talent.

One concern is that the Ravens are a top-10 run defense through two weeks, limiting the likes of Cincinnati's Giovani Bernard and Steelers standout Le'Veon Bell to a combined 107 yards on the ground.

Let's make the case for a better performance out of West and Crowell. 

They're playing behind a better offensive line in Cleveland that features two former first-rounders (Joe Thomas, Alex Mack) and two second-rounders (rookie Joel Bitonio, Mitchell Schwartz). They run harder and are part of an effort to turn around years of losing.

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

While Bernard and Bell were second-round picks from talent-rich college programs in UNC and Michigan State respectively, West hails from unheralded Towson, Crowell from Alabama State.

The latter two Browns appear to be playing with chips on their shoulder. Even a formidable Baltimore front seven won't be able to shut them down completely. The AFC North is up for grabs at the moment, so the Browns should come out fired up and physical at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 3 ready to take down a rather recent Super Bowl champion.

Don't get too accustomed to West and Crowell just yet, though. Tate is reportedly out two to four weeks, making him likely to return following the Browns' Week 4 bye. That puts West's status as the starter in doubt. The same goes for Crowell as the primary backup.

For Week 3 specifically, West is a strong No. 2 RB, and Crowell is a nice flex fit in deeper fantasy leagues and even for owners who are feeling a little bold and expect his touches to increase.

Projected Week 3 Stats...West: 22 carries, 105 yards, TD; 2 receptions, 10 yards...Crowell: 14 carries, 75 yards, TD; 1 reception, 15 yards.