Johnny Manziel, Travis Benjamin's Fantasy Outlook After Josh McCown's Injury

For the second time this season, an injury to Josh McCown will give the Cleveland Browns and fantasy owners an opportunity to see what Johnny Manziel has to offer at quarterback. 

McCown left the Browns' Week 7 loss against the St. Louis Rams in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury, per Andrew Gribble of Browns.com. 

Manziel was able to throw five passes before the game ended, completing four of them for 27 yards and adding another five yards on the ground. It's not a huge sample size to judge, but it is still the best stretch he's had as an NFL quarterback. 

At this point, Manziel is toxic in fantasy circles. He's been given erratic playing time by the Browns since being drafted last season, with the results matching, as the former first-round pick has three touchdowns and three interceptions. 

There's also no guarantee Manziel will be available by the time Cleveland suits up for Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. Pat McManamon of ESPN.com reported Friday the NFL is looking into the incident in which he and his girlfriend were pulled over by police in Avon, Ohio. 

"The NFL is still investigating Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel's recent driving incident, but the league could discipline Manziel before that probe is complete, if it believes that he violated the personal conduct policy," McManamon wrote. 

If Manziel isn't punished, either at all or before next week, the one encouraging part of his game this season has been an ability to help wide receiver Travis Benjamin create big plays. 

According to SportsCenter, Manziel and Ryan Tannehill are currently the only quarterbacks with two touchdown passes of at least 50 yards in a game this season. 

Even though the Browns have no depth at receiver, Benjamin has been a pleasant surprise this season. The 25-year-old caught a 54-yard touchdown from Manziel in Week 1 when McCown left after suffering a concussion. 

The next week, with Manziel starting against the Tennessee Titans, Benjamin had 115 receiving yards and two touchdowns on just three receptions. He ranks seventh in the NFL with an average of 17 yards per reception. 

Going against an Arizona defense that leads the NFL with 11 interceptions is going to be a completely different challenge for Manziel. 

Benjamin is still worth starting because he's proved himself as a good big-play threat, though his streak of four consecutive games without a touchdown is concerning. Keep him in a flex position with two different starting receivers who have more stable quarterback situations. 

Manziel has to make himself worthy of being on a fantasy roster before anyone should consider adding him. He could have that chance in Week 8 if McCown is unable to go. 

Stats via ESPN.com