Marlon Brown

Marlon Brown had only 24 catches and 255 yards last year after having roughly twice that output in 2013. He also failed to score a touchdown after catching seven touchdowns the previous season. The Ravens will be hoping Brown can be a little more productive in the red zone this year, where his 6’5 frame can do the most damage.

Fantasy Upside
Brown’s size is a benefit for him and the Ravens cleared the roster a bit at the WR position, letting Jacoby Jones and Torrey Smith sign elsewhere in free agency. Brown will have every opportunity to win the WR3 spot in Baltimore and maybe even start opposite veteran Steve L Smith if rookie Breshad Perriman struggles early. The Ravens will be looking to the 24 year old Brown to see if he’s a long term replacement for Smith, who has said this is to be his final season.

Fantasy Downside
With such a drastic reduction in production from Brown last year, it’s no wonder the Ravens used a first round pick on Perriman rather than hand over Torrey Smith’s starting role to Brown. While he has excellent size for the position, he struggles to get open and lacks the explosiveness to continuously make plays downfield.

Bottom Line
Brown should make the roster, but he’s a long shot to start over Smith or Perriman, and the Ravens used a second round pick on tight end Maxx Williams, who may be more likely to accrue red zone targets. Brown will be fighting for the WR3 spot on the team in all likelihood, which limits his upside as a fantasy option. He should probably stay undrafted this year, barring any surprises on the final depth chart.

Wildcard Weekend – Marlon Brown vs. Pittsburgh
Marlon Brown had only one catch for 17 yards last week against Cleveland, and he remains a sketchy fantasy option behind starters Torrey Smith and Steve Smith Sr. Brown is battling with Kamar Aiken for secondary looks in the passing game, which makes him far too inconsistent of an option for fantasy owners to risk using him.

Week 16 – Marlon Brown vs. Houston

Marlon Brown got a little work last week, catching five balls for 66 yards in a victory over the Jaguars. The Jags have been a little better defending the corners of the offense than expected this season, and Brown took advantage of an ailing Torrey Smith and softer coverage.

This week, he’ll face a vulnerable Houston pass defense, but with Torrey Smith seemingly healthy again, Brown is unlikely to get the same number of targets. Even if Smith takes a step back, Brown is contending with Kamar Aiken for targets behind Steve L Smith, and Baltimore’s passing game can’t support more than one or two fantasy options week-to-week. Leave Marlon on waivers.