Hollywood Brown: Where Have You Gone?

November 27, 2020

We knew 2020 would be a bad year for Hollywood. We did not think it would be Hollywood Brown.

After a sensational yet shortened rookie season in 2019, a lot was expected from Marquise Brown this season in Baltimore. To this point, not only has the team disappointed, so has the lightning-quick wide receiver who was the first WR taken in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Lamar Jackson has been a relative bust this season. Even with regression known to be coming, no one saw him being outside the top 10 at QB. This has not just managed to tank him, but his weapons. Those weapons include both Mark Andrews and of course, Hollywood. Let us dig deeper to find out what the numbers say and if there is any hope for him the rest of the season.

Tale of the Tape

In 14 games last season, 11 of which he played a majority, Hollywood had 46 receptions and seven TD on a total of 71 targets. At just over four catches per game on close to seven targets, these are certainly numbers we thought he could build on. He bulked up by 20 pounds this summer and came into the season expecting to take that next step forward that we have seen from second-year receivers like D.K. Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, and A.J. Brown.

Marquise Brown, in those 11 games last season, finished as the WR 45 for fantasy. So far this season, despite playing the majority of all games, he is performing worse. Through 10 games, Brown has only amassed 32 receptions and two TD. Not only have his receptions declined to three per game (3.2), but his targets have also decreased to less than six per game (59 total). Entering Week 12, he ranks as the WR55 in fantasy scoring behind less-illustrious names like Josh Reynolds and Greg Ward.

The problem can certainly not be attributed to being on the field. In 10 games so far, Brown has been on the field for only 38 fewer snaps than he was all of last season. He is in the game on 81% of offensive snaps and he is the WR 1 for what that is worth. But there is one clear reason he is having a down year - the offense is struggling.

We already mentioned the struggles of Jackson, but it is not just him. The run game has been far less effective as well (160.5 Y/G). Andrews' challenges are, of course, also related to Jackson who has gone from 208 yards per game on average to only 194 yards this year. Many thought this was the year to solidify him as a top-three TE in fantasy. Instead, it has been far from this as he is barely clinging on to the top 10 at the position. This speaks to the lack of upside as a receiver of any type in the Baltimore offense this year.

Conclusion

The trend for the Ravens does not look good the rest of the season. Jackson is frustrated and lashing out through the media. Brown has already voiced his displeasure on Twitter, which in 2020 makes it official. The team is crumbling this season and the value of Brown has crumbled with it. He is an extremely talented receiver on an extremely run-first offense. This does not bode well for what is to come.

If you need to drop someone to get that hot waiver wire pickup and make the playoffs, do it. Better days do not look to be coming in Baltimore anytime this season. Their Week 12 contest with Pittsburgh has already been delayed and may not take place until the fantasy playoffs are over. Their remaining schedule isn't the most difficult but they only face one bottom-10 pass defense in terms of points allowed to wide receivers.

It is sad to say, but if you still have Brown rostered, he is likely just a bench filler. Find someone more valuable. This is the point of the season where you should be looking to get the handcuffs to your starting RB anyhow.

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