Browns vs. Jets Fantasy Football Worksheet, Week 5

The Worksheet, a comprehensive fantasy football preview by Rich Hribar, breaks down everything you need to know about the Browns vs. Jets Week 5 matchup.

Find a breakdown of every Week 5 NFL game in our Worksheet Hub.

Trust = spike production for that player

Browns vs. Jets Fantasy Quarterback Preview

Geno Smith

Smith and this offense were wiped out on Sunday because they didn't have the football.

The Jets ran 32 offensive plays in Chicago, their fewest as a franchise in the Super Bowl era.

Smith went 8 for 15 (53.3%) for 119 yards (7.9 Y/A) and a touchdown.

Four weeks into the season, Smith has one week higher than QB16.

He is a QB2 here.

The Jets have a lower-end team total despite being favored for the first time in 25 games.

The Browns have found their stride on defense, but they do play a boom-or-bust style since they are hyper-aggressive.

Cleveland has played the most man coverage over the opening four weeks of the season (46.5%), and that rate is 53.3% over the past three weeks since they were more passive in Week 1 against the Jaguars.

They are blitzing at the league rate (29.6%) since Week 1 but have a 44.6% pressure rate (4th) and an 8.3% sack rate (7th) over the past three weeks.

When they have gotten home with pressure over that span, they have allowed a 43.8% completion rate (12th) and 5.3 Y/A (13th) with 11 sacks and 2 interceptions.

They have allowed 11.2 yards per completion (18th) when passers have connected, as they put their defense in consistent one-on-one situations.

Bryce Young (291 yards) and Aaron Rodgers (299 yards) have had strong yardage totals over the past two weeks against Cleveland, and Rodgers threw 3 touchdowns.

Smith has handled pressure well to open this season.

When pressured this season, Smith leads the league with a 117.2 rating, completing 66.7% (22 of 33) passes for 9.5 Y/A and 2 touchdowns.

He has taken 12 sacks, however, taking a sack on 26.7% of his pressures (27th).

Deshaun Watson

Watson has been the QB20, QB12, QB14, and QB21 over the opening four weeks.

He had set the bar so low that his current performance is being oversold, but Watson is playing functional football.

Watson has completed 69.6% of his passes so far, sixth among qualifiers to this stage of the year.

Cleveland is managing him, which is coaxing that play out.

Watson's 6.3 air yards per attempt average is 24th in the league.

While Watson has a high completion rate, his expected completion rate (72.1%) is the highest in the league.

He has actually completed 2.6% of his passes below that expectation.

His 13% inaccurate-throw rate ranks 21st.

On throws 10 or more yards downfield, he has completed 48.1% (13 of 27), which is 21st in the league.

That's not to dismiss Watson playing better football than he has with the Browns so far. We are just adding context.

Cleveland has a collection of young talent on offense that can help Watson, and we want him to be functional and good again so those players can rise as viable fantasy options.

Watson is a QB2 with the Browns posting another lower-end team total on the road, but there is floor potential to build on.

Watson is giving gamers steady rushing output.

He has rushed for at least 22 yards in every game.

The Jets have also been significantly worse on defense over the past two weeks, which we questioned after their season-opening games against the Titans and Packers.

They have allowed a 75.8% completion rate (30th) and 8.1 yards per pass attempt (27th) over the past two weeks to Jared Goff and Tyson Bagent.

Both completed over 70% of their passes, with 8.4 Y/A and 7.9 Y/A.

Those are offensive systems we have confidence in, however.

I would still put Watson and Cleveland much closer to Tennessee and Green Bay than I would Detroit and Chicago in terms of offensive infrastructure.

Browns vs. Jets Fantasy Running Back Preview

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