Can the Browns catch the Ravens?
Cleveland Browns
The Browns come in with expectations as high as they have ever been in the last two decades and not to be outdone, they have an offense loaded with weapons through the air and on the ground.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has to step up to the next level to stop being the truck driver and make plays like the ones that led him to be the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. He has two Pro Bowlers running backs, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and two receivers of the same caliber, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr.
The defense will have five new starters, or nearly 50 percent of the unit. Among them, Javadeon Clowney on the opposite side of the ball from Myles Garrett.
Player to watch: QB Baker Mayfield — In a league of quarterbacks, Mayfield has to make the leap to the next level, even, to finish earning his long-term mega-contract, as he will play in the final year of the guaranteed tab he signed as a rookie.
Most intense period of the schedule: Weeks 12 through 14.
In a very rare schedule, the Browns will play two consecutive games against the Baltimore Ravens, who are supposed to be their rivals to beat in the fight for the divisional title and who, according to many analysts, are the favorites to win it.
Fantasy fact
Last season, Nick Chubb became the first running back with at least 1,000 yards and a 5.5 per-carry average since 2012, when Adrian Peterson and C.J. Spiller dominated the NFL on the ground. In 2020, Chubb had seven games with at least 80 yards and a touchdown. Only Derrick Henry had one more game with those levels of production.
The only pending issue for whoever brings Chubb to their fantasy team will be that he splits a lot of his red zone carries with teammate Kareem Hunt.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have to get more serious about attacking through the air, because they’ve already realized that if they just run, it will be next to impossible to get to the Super Bowl, which is already the must-win for this team.
Baltimore led the NFL in ground offense, but they were last through the air. It is almost impossible for them to compete with the AFC’s heavyweights, especially if they go down early on the scoreboard.
Their defense has talent at all three levels, with one of the best cornerback duos in the entire league: Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey. Opposite them, Calais Campbell, Justin Houston and Patrick Queen can make a difference in the trench.
The Ravens have dominated their division the last two seasons and have been one of the two best teams in the conference in the regular season. They know how to win big, close games, as long as it’s not playoff games.
Player to watch: QB Lamar Jackson – It will become increasingly difficult for the Ravens to win if they rely on a quarterback who just wants to run or throws solely out of necessity. That’s the way it has been historically.
