June 10, 2021

Donovan Peoples-Jones was underrated coming into the NFL last year as a sixth-round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns, but it is only a matter of time before he earns a starting role on this team. He was the number one ranked wide receiver in the 2017 high school class, ahead of runner-ups Tee Higgins and Jerry Jeudy (heard of them?). He's a fast outside receiver with home-run speed and a knack for catching the deep ball. The problem with DPJ is his volume. He is a big play waiting to happen, but he only played on 33% of the team's snaps last year, and Odell Beckham was lost for the season with a torn ACL by the time he made any impact on offense. Fellow receiver Rashard Higgins has also re-signed with the team and will likely start ahead of DPJ again this season. On top of all that, the Browns are a run-heavy offense. However, there are a lot of things to like about DPJ for the years to come. Higgins is only signed for one year, and DPJ is more physically gifted. If he continues to make the most out of his opportunities, we could see him get meaningful snaps in the back half of the season. He has shown explosive play-making ability on the field, turning a measly 14 receptions into an impressive 304 yards for a ridiculous 21.7 yards per reception. He had a 70% catch rate, and quarterback Baker Mayfield had a near-perfect passer rating (145.8) when targeting him. I would not draft DPJ in redraft leagues, but his big-play ability makes him an excellent selection late in Best Ball drafts.--Frank Dyevoich, Esq.