Fantasy Football Team Preview: Browns

With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.

Meet The ...
Team who fooled us all a year ago! So much promise, so much hype and yes so many wasted fantasy picks. The writing was on the wall for doom in Cleveland last season. Many put their faith in Braylon Edwards and Derek Anderson to be the next great QB-WR combination in fantasy football.

This season the Browns remain a little less profile. Jamal Lewis is on the cusp of crashing into the wall, Braylon Edwards is on the trading block and we aren't really 100% sure who the QB will be week in and week out. One thing is pretty certain, you can shelve Donte Stallworth for a very, very, very rainy day.

The Breakout
Brady Quinn. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but as long as were here we may as well dance. Yeah, that kinda sums up the Brady Quinn era in Cleveland. Nobody is quite sure what the Browns have with Quinn. After riding the bench his rookie season, he quickly got injured in his brief stint as the starter a year ago. The Browns seem intent on finally giving full reigns to Quinn this season and stashing a bitter Derek Anderson on the bench.

However, we'll just have to see how long Quinn's leash really lasts. The prominent thought here is that Quinn steps up to the challenge and at long last quenches the Brownies and their fans thirst for a solid QB. He's dealing with a less potent set of offensive weapons this season, but it's tough to argue the talent in Braylon Edwards. Quinn is also a very smart QB and will limit mistakes, while finding a groove with what is around him. For some reason I see him being managed closely, as to not put him in situations where he simply has to carry the team. You can probably see where this is going...yup, I'm viewing Quinn as a solid QB2 level option. Think of Chad Pennington (very few mistakes) and the capability for a big game here and there.

The Bust
Well, about that ancient running back, Jamal Lewis. OK, he's really not that old, but the mileage on his odometer reads like a '57 Chevy with a dying engine. It's hard to believe the Browns didn't try and shore up deeper rotation in the backfield this off-season, because Jamal is gonna crash and burn folks. Those sneaky multiple TD games where he averages less than three yards a carry are going away this season. He's going to get the goal line touches, but don't bank on him delivering.

Old happy feet will see his carries cut this season from Jerome Harrison and Noah Herron. You can only bank on a valuable fantasy career for so long. Like all running backs eventually father time catches up and you're left holding onto the glory days. I implore you not to be one of those owners that still believes the glory days exist for Jamal. Get ready for a giant dud, I'm saying it's going to be a chore for Lewis to crack 700 yards and he'll probably gather about 5 or 6 garbage TD's. Those numbers hardly warrant a fantasy spot on your team. Let somebody else make that mistake. Yes, I hold strong convictions on my Jamal Lewis proclamations...trust me!

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Brady Quinn
QB2 - Derek Anderson
RB1 - Jamal Lewis
RB2 - Jerome Harrison
RB3 - Noah Herron
WR1 - Braylon Edwards
WR2 - Joshua Cribbs
WR3 - Brian Robiskie
WR4 - David Patten
WR5 - Mohamed Massaquoi
TE1 - Steve Heiden
TE2 - Robert Royal
K - Phil Dawson

The D/ST
Deep sigh. I'll be short and sweet, it's the Browns...seriously you can do better. This is a defense that couldn't stop anyone last season and expect more of the same this season. Yes, Mangini will no doubt push this unit to improve slightly, but that hardly means much to fantasy owners. You can only do so much with depleted talent. Keep them on the wire and stay as far away as possible.

The Skinny
Let's be honest you really don't want to sink your teeth to deep into the Browns on your fantasy team. Aside from Quinn and Edwards, maybe you nab Phil Dawson as your kicker, but not much else worth stashing.

-Edwards is another one of those WR's coming off a sub-par season with simply too much talent to lay another stinker. He'll have an entire camp and pre-season to adjust and build rapport with Quinn. Good things should come from him this season. A top 5 talent at his position? Hardly, but yes he'll climb back into the upper echelon of fantasy WR's and be a solid WR1.

-Steve Heiden will be a decent option at the TE slot. He's not going to wow anybody on name credentials, but he should do a fine job acting as Quinn's safety valve at times. Remember a TE is a young QB's best friend. And he won't have that "me first" attitude that Kellen Winslow brought to the table. I actually really like Heiden if all the big names have slipped off the board at the TE position.

-Joshua Cribbs is pegged as the 2nd WR, but let's not get too carried away. In deeper leagues he could hold some value, but he's not ever gonna be an every week kinda guy.

-The backfield situation should be an ongoing mess in Cleveland this season. See above for my thoughts on Lewis and I'm hardly trusting Harrison or Herron to be instant waiver wire sensations. My guess is the Browns use multiple running backs every game. Can Lewis really stay healthy all season? No.

-Really the Browns offer very little for fantasy purposes this season. This comes as quite the contrast from a season ago when they were all the buzz. With a softer schedule and a year removed from great expectations hopefully the skill positions offer value in the middle of the draft.