Craig Rondinone analyzes the fantasy impact of quarterback (QB) Brock Osweiler getting traded to the Cleveland Browns for the 2017 football season.

Brock Osweiler did not help one single fantasy owner win a championship this past season. For an encore, he might even have less fantasy value next season. In today’s pass-happy NFL, even though he played in 15 games last year for the Houston Texans, Osweiler did not pass for 300 yards in any game, nor did he throw for three touchdowns in any contest. Doing that in this day and age is harder than going a day without a Trump tweet. Terrible quarterbacks throw for 300 yards all the time, if for no other reason than due to the volume of their pass attempts.

Osweiler also ruined the fantasy value of one of the best receivers in the NFL last season when he could not put the ball in DeAndre Hopkins’ hands on a regular basis. Hopkins went from a 1,521-yard, 11-TD superstar to a 954-yard, four-TD major disappointment. It was not as if Hopkins forgot how to run routes or catch passes. Osweiler and his errant throws were the main culprits.

Osweiler is a walking contradiction and conundrum. He is a strong-armed quarterback who cannot complete passes to his receivers downfield. Meanwhile, his accuracy and touch on shorter, more makeable passes is subpar. He also lacks in the decision-making department, which is why he threw more interceptions (16) than touchdown passes (15) in 2016. This is why Houston moved on from him and moved out from under his multi-million dollar salary by sending him to Cleveland WITH SECOND-ROUND AND SIXTH-ROUND DRAFT PICKS, only to receive a fourth-rounder in return and much-needed salary cap space in return. Here is a look at how Osweiler getting traded to Cleveland affects the fantasy football world.

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Brock Osweiler's Impact in Cleveland

Osweiler was acquired as a salary dump, not because the Browns expect him to lead them to the promised land. Even though he probably has better skills and more experience than the plethora of mediocrity Cleveland currently has behind center, Osweiler may not be kept around. But at the time of the writing of this column, he is still a member of the Browns, which means he would head into training camp against Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan (in a battle where no Browns receiver or fantasy football owner wins) unless Cleveland acquires a quarterback via a trade or the draft.

If Osweiler wins the starting job and is Cleveland’s quarterback heading into the season, his fantasy value would be towards the bottom of the barrel at the position among starters. His fantasy value might even be beneath some backup QBs come to think of it. I will predict, however, that his fantasy value will be higher than what Robert Griffin III’s was with the Browns last season.

Osweiler does not have the worst supporting cast surrounding him in Cleveland. Isaiah Crowell rushed for 952 yards and seven scores in 2016, backup back Duke Johnson Jr. can do a little bit of everything, newly-acquired Kenny Britt is coming off a 1,000-yard year and Joe Thomas is arguably the best offensive tackle in the business. So Osweiler would have some pieces to work with if he wins the starting gig.

But Osweiler had talent around him in Houston (Hopkins, Lamar Miller, Will Fuller) and he still flopped, so Cleveland’s contingent should not excite fantasy owners into thinking that Osweiler could turn things around. If Osweiler wins Cleveland’s quarterback competition, he might improve slightly and throw for 3,400 yards and 18 touchdowns. If he does not win the job, then his fantasy worth ranks on the same level as your average slot cornerback in non-IDP leagues.

How Will This Affect Other Players?

The aforementioned Hopkins can only improve stats-wise with Osweiler out of town and out of his way. Mind you, Houston’s QB situation is just as muddled and mediocre as Cleveland’s, so Hopkins should not get giddy. But if the Texans pull a quarterback out of their cowboys hats this offseason that is even slightly better than Osweiler, Hopkins’ fantasy value definitely goes up. His standing as a top-10 fantasy receiver is very tenuous though, especially if they wind up sticking with Tom Savage.

Cody Kessler is the frontrunner to be the man handing the ball to Crowell in 2017 at this juncture. While he was decent during his run as the starter this past year (1,380 passing yards, six TD tosses, two INTs, 65.6 completion percentage), Kessler took a beating and could not stay healthy, nor did he impress anyone with him arm strength. Kessler is a battler and could be a solid game manager if he was quarterbacking the right team, however. Unfortunately, the Browns are not the right team. He deserves better, but so do fantasy owners.

Cleveland receivers Corey Coleman and Kenny Britt will be battling it out for targets and the title of No. 1 receiver, which is like battling it out to be the best bathroom sweeper in prison. If Osweiler ends up being the starting signal caller somehow, it will not bode well for this pass-catching pair. Just ask Hopkins owners from last year. Tight end Gary Barnidge is done no favors if Osweiler is the quarterback, either; he can be safely ignored in fantasy drafts this preseason.

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