Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr. Post-Week 9 Fantasy Advice

It was a Thursday to forget for the Cleveland Browns, as they dropped another game. This time, it was against their in-state rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, 31-10. 

At least running back Duke Johnson Jr. found the end zone, which is music to the ears of fantasy owners who were relying on him to jump out to a fast start in Week 9. Those who started Isaiah Crowell were not as fortunate, as the starting running back turned in another dud of a performance.

Here is a look at the final tallies for the ball-carriers as well as some reactions for each.

Carries	Rushing Yards	Catches	Receiving Yards	Total Touchdowns	Targets	Fantasy Points
10	38	3	26	0	4	6.4

One positive for Crowell owners is the fact that he carried the ball 10 times, compared to Johnson’s three. He didn’t take advantage of those carries, but he is still the presumed workhorse in the backfield.

Cleveland fell behind early in the game and ultimately threw the ball 33 times. That is not a formula for victory, especially with the unproven Johnny Manziel under center, and it cut into Crowell’s fantasy value, although he did tally three catches.

At this point, Crowell’s only fantasy upside comes from his designation as a starting running back, because the production isn’t there. He has only one rushing touchdown all season (compared to eight from last year), and he was averaging a dismal 3.2 yards per carry entering Thursday’s contest.

What’s more, Crowell has topped 50 rushing yards only twice all year, and he has yet to reach the 80-yard mark in a game. His 38 yards Thursday were his most in an individual contest in the last four games. 

He is not even worth flex consideration this season, especially on a 2-7 Browns team that consistently falls behind and is forced to turn away from the rushing attack.

Carries	Rushing Yards	Catches	Receiving Yards	Total Touchdowns	Targets	Fantasy Points
3	0	2	38	1	4	9.8

Cleveland’s tendency to air it out has benefited Johnson’s fantasy value and made him the better of the two options moving forward.

Manziel threw the ball often in a comeback effort Thursday, and typical starter Josh McCown has averaged 41 throws per game in his last six outings. That is great news for Johnson owners, as he has 369 receiving yards and two touchdown catches in his last seven games.

He is a dangerous weapon out of the backfield with the speed to take it the distance and shiftiness in the open field.

The problem from a fantasy perspective is the lack of supplemental rushing yards. His season high is 43, and that came back in Week 2. Since then, Johnson has only 40 carries for 114 yards for a dismal 2.9 yards per rush. That is not an encouraging number for fantasy owners.

While it is difficult to trust a running back who doesn’t see a lot of handoffs, Johnson is at least doing his best Danny Woodhead impersonation in terms of providing value as a pass-catcher. If you have to start a Cleveland running back, make sure it is the high-upside rookie.