Terrelle Pryor, Gary Barnidge's Fantasy Outlook After Josh McCown Named Starter

The Cleveland Browns have dealt with a quarterback carousel thus far in 2016, but with veteran Josh McCown being named the starter for Week 8, the fantasy value for both wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and tight end Gary Barnidge gained a significant boost.

According to the Browns Twitter account, McCown will be under center Sunday against the New York Jets for the first time since he broke his collarbone in Week 2.

Robert Griffin III, Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan, Charlie Whitehurst and Pryor have all taken snaps at quarterback for the Browns this season, but McCown is arguably the most reliable option.

Prior to Cleveland's Week 8 clash with Gang Green, here is a look at how McCown's return impacts Pryor and Barnidge in fantasy circles.

Terrelle Pryor

Games	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
7	35	431	3

Pryor has been one of the few bright spots for the Browns this season, and he has been among fantasy football's biggest surprises as well.

The former quarterback is undoubtedly Cleveland's No. 1 option in the passing game, and he is a solid 24th in the NFL in receiving yardage.

Pryor is coming off a tough week that saw him make just two catches for 18 yards, but an injury to Kessler forced Hogan into action, and the talented wideout was also working through a hamstring injury.

Now that McCown is back in the lineup and Pryor is another week removed from suffering the hamstring ailment, however, he is a must-start commodity in Week 8.

Pryor has developed into a player who should be started every week regardless of the quarterback situation or the matchup.

With McCown on the field and a date with a Jets defense that ranks 26th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game, however, Pryor is a safer play than ever.

Gary Barnidge

Games	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
7	30	361	0

Barnidge came from out of nowhere to post a breakout season in 2015, as he set career highs with 79 receptions for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns en route to the Pro Bowl.

The Browns were forced to use numerous quarterbacks last season as well, but as pointed out by RotoGrinders NFL, he did the bulk of his damage with McCown at the helm:

Barnidge's catch and yardage production have been decent this season at what is a weak tight end position in fantasy terms, but he has yet to find the end zone.

In fact, Cleveland's quarterbacks have essentially ignored Barnidge in the red zone, according to John Paulsen of FantasyPros:

That figures to change now that McCown is back, as he relied heavily upon Barnidge in potential scoring situations last season.

Barnidge has been a mid-to-low tier starter at tight end this season, but McCown makes him a must-start player for any team without a stud tight end like Rob Gronkowski, Greg Olsen, Jimmy Graham or Jordan Reed.

Final Analysis

The 2016 season has been a nightmare for the winless Browns, but they have still managed to field some fantasy-relevant players amid the chaos.

Pryor is chief among them, and his value continues to grow provided McCown can stay healthy and give the team some stability at quarterback.

McCown was also primarily responsible for the best season of Barnidge's career, and he is likely the biggest beneficiary of the veteran's return.

The Jets defense has been susceptible to big plays in the passing game all season long, and that makes both Pryor and Barnidge great options in Week 8 and beyond.

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