Fantasy Upside
John Brown was one of the highlights of the Cardinals' 2014 season. Looked at as the speed guy, someone on the field to help take the top off of the defense, Brown is expecting to be even better in 2015 than he was as a rookie. Last season, Brown caught his 48 passes on 103 targets, averaging 14.5 yards per reception. His longest catch went for 75 yards. More than half of his receptions came on passes thrown 10 yards or more, as the team's other receivers worked closer to the line of scrimmage.
Fantasy Downside
Coaches have noticed that Brown isn't getting knocked around like last year. This after Brown added 10 pounds of muscle, mostly to his upper body this offseason. Brown is still listed as the same size as last year: 5-11 and 179 pounds, but if the added strength "helps me with press coverage and things like that, I'll give a lot of people trouble in this league," he said. We'll see. The real test will come when contact begins in training camp in late July.
Bottom Line
"In all," ArizonaSports.com's Adam Green noted, "Brown played the role of burner about as well as one could have, though he thinks he could emerge as the team's top option in the passing game this year. ..." That would certainly be news to Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. Still, fantasy owners looking for the best value among the three should keep an eye on Brown -- especially if Carson Palmer is recovered from his ACL and ready to roll Week 1, as expected.