Cleveland Browns

Height Weight : 217 Age : 28 : 6-0: 217: 28

Born : 8/3/1989 Hampton , VA

College : Virginia Tech

Experience : 8th season

High School : Hampton HS [VA]













The Perception:

Tyrod Taylor has struggled to convince the masses that he is more than just your average NFL quarterback with athletic ability and running upside. As we all know, Taylor received his chance to start in this league with the Buffalo Bills under the Rex Ryan regime back in 2015. Taylor proved he was an exciting player that displayed great skill with the deep pass with immense accuracy, while electrifying in game situations with his legs taking off whenever the opportunity presented itself. As opposing teams began to stockpile game film on the first time starter, it was apparent Tyrod would continue to have his struggles in his 2016 & 2017 seasons. Over three seasons in Buffalo, Taylor was unable to show progression that would warrant the new Bills coaching staff to stay the course keeping him as the starter for the Bills.





Early in the 2018 offseason, the Bills shipped Tyrod to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for draft pick compensation giving the initial perception that Taylor would at least begin the year as the Browns starting quarterback. When the deal occurred sending Taylor to Cleveland, subsequent moves trading for Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins to help rebuild the foundation for this Browns club, we at ADF began to look at the potential of what the Browns could become. With former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley also making a transition bringing with him a skilled offensive system to a squad that bolsters playmakers like Landry, Gordon, Hyde, Johnson, and Njoku; it only increased our gleam for Tyrod Taylor and the potential for this fantasy football season.





As we enter organized team activity, mini-camps, and eventually training camp, Tyrod should find his way to beating out young rookie Baker Mayfield, unless Mayfield shows something extremely special this preseason. If Tyrod in fact does playout the season as the Browns starter, the potential is there to see improved numbers perhaps the likes of new career highs in both passing and rushing. From day one Cleveland should find their way to being in the top five in rushing much like the Bills were these past three seasons with Taylor under center. Browns fans have a lot to be excited about as the season moves closer.





The Reality:

Let me be very clear and set the stage appropriately for how we view Tyrod Taylor. First, Taylor does possess a unique athletic skillset that allows him to make plays with his legs once trouble comes his way. There might be no one better than Taylor when he breaks the pocket; turns up field eluding would be tacklers while extending drives. Adding to the running aspect of his game, Taylor does have a great arm which allows him to launch the ball down the field with ease and precision, finding his receivers with very good consistency. Looking back at the 2015 season, the Buffalo Bills employed a receiving core that was able to help Taylor excel as a first time starter. With Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Chris Hogan, and Percy Harvin rounding out the core of pass catchers, the Bills were one of the best teams in the NFL in both deep pass attempts, and deep pass completions to go alone with being the best team on the ground leading in rushing yards. You see now where we’re going with this??





As the Browns have retooled the entire offense, Taylor now has a unit which could actually be seen as better than the 2015 Buffalo Bills. Jarvis Landry is a machine that will catch literally anything thrown his way, while Josh Gordon looks to replant himself as one of the most dominating receivers in the game. Having a rushing attack to aid Taylor in Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb, while having viable check down options in Duke Johnson, David Njoku, there should be no excuses if Taylor falters making way for Baker Mayfield to take over the reins and begin his NFL career.





It appears we have only sung the praises of what the Browns and Tyrod could achieve this season, but we feel inclined to share the number of inadequacies Taylor possesses. It’s very clear Tyrod struggles with any pass over the middle, especially those which travel more than ten yards. We believe this is a combination of both terrible coaching insisting he protect the ball at all costs, and his inability to adequately read line backers in zone coverages over the middle with a lack of touch on the ball. As the years went on in Buffalo, it was evident the coaching staff had no faith in Tyrod other than sideline routes and deep shots down the field, while encouraging him to run whenever the opportunity presented itself. While we also question if Taylor will find some magical correction in Cleveland which will enhance his skill in finding his targets in places he’d never go before, we believe his extremely talented wide receivers will give that perception while bailing Tyrod out on poor throws.





The Outlook:

271.05 fantasy points seeing an average per week score of nearly 17 fantasy points, very serviceable for any starting quarterback. While his 2016 season saw a very similar output of 270.92 fantasy points, 2017 is the year everything fell off a cliff which saw Taylor account for 222.66 fantasy points, providing the perception that Taylor was inept and wouldn’t do anything positive with his new digs in Cleveland. It doesn’t take great intelligence to understand what is required to expel the most from Tyrod, the reality of the situation in Cleveland, and how its set up for the 2018 season - Taylor could have a banner year. In 2015, Tyrod Taylor saw his best season scoringfantasy points seeing an average per week score of nearlyfantasy points, very serviceable for any starting quarterback. While his 2016 season saw a very similar output offantasy points, 2017 is the year everything fell off a cliff which saw Taylor account forfantasy points, providing the perception that Taylor was inept and wouldn’t do anything positive with his new digs in Cleveland.



