Isaiah Crowell's Week 2 Fantasy Football Forecast After Browns RB's Big Debut

Only three players scored two rushing touchdowns in Week 1. Marshawn Lynch and Mark Ingram pulled off the feat for the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints, respectively. The other one was much more of a surprise, as Isaiah Crowell found the end zone twice for the Cleveland Browns.

The undrafted free-agent signing wasn't expected to play a major role right away. He was buried on the depth chart behind Ben Tate and Terrance West.

However, he was called on once Tate went down with a knee injury and proceeded to score twice on just five carries.

Now it appears he'll remain part of the backfield rotation for at least a couple of weeks. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports the team's starter is facing an uncertain road to recovery depending on how his body responds:

It makes both West and Crowell waiver-wire targets ahead of Week 2. The latter is available in a far greater number of leagues, but that's likely to change in the coming days.

The Georgia and Alabama State product is just happy for the opportunity, as noted by Kevin Jones of the team's official site.

"It was a dream come true," Crowell said. "I've put in the work and I'm just thankful for the chance."

As the Browns prepare for a clash with the New Orleans Saints, the biggest question from a fantasy perspective is how the touches will be divided. West figures to draw the start after reaching the 100-yard mark on 16 carries against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cleveland seems committed to running the ball, though. It struck nearly a perfect balance in the opener with 31 passes and 30 rushes.

That means there's enough work to go around for both backs if the team sticks with a similar game plan.

Crowell has earned the chance to get some looks, too. He averaged seven yards per carry during the preseason and nearly reached that mark in Week 1, albeit on a limited number of carries. Add in the two scores, and he should get at least a dozen touches against the Saints.

That's enough work to warrant flex consideration. Dane Brugler of CBS Sports remains very high on him based purely on talent:

Starting him won't come without risk, however. The Saints own one of the NFL's most explosive offenses, and if they are able to build an early lead, it could force Cleveland to abandon the plan and become focused almost solely on the pass.

Cleveland will attempt to force a slower pace on the game to avoid that, but it's something to keep in mind while making your lineup decisions.

Ultimately, the bottom line coming out of Crowell's two-touchdown performance is that he deserves a roster spot but isn't a must-start option for Week 2. The second part is dependent on each team's situation at the No. 2 RB and flex positions.

The situation should become clearer over the next week. By then, fantasy owners will have a better idea of how the Browns backfield will operate without Tate and when the starter could return to the lineup.

Solely for Week 2, Crowell is a risky play. As Week 1 showed, though, he's not without some upside.

Projection: 12 points (50 rushing yards, 15 receiving yards, one TD)

Fantasy football information courtesy of ESPN.com.