Week 1 at New England
Brown has 32 consecutive games with at least five receptions and 50-plus yards receiving. He has caught at least five passes for 70 or more yards in 19 consecutive games -- both NFL records. He is as unstoppable as any receiver in the league as the Steelers find ways to get him the ball in situations where he can run after the catch. Brown is easy money, especially in PPR leagues.
Fantasy Upside
He’s not the biggest receiver in the league but Antonio Brown is certainly among the most productive. And he’s had at least 5 receptions for 50 or more yards in every game over the past two seasons. Even his bad games aren’t terrible. With the emergence of Martavis Bryant on the other side and LeVeon Bell’s continued improvement, it gets more difficult for opponents to double team Brown, not that doing so has been particularly effective.
Fantasy Downside
There’s not a lot to dislike about Brown’s game, but you do have to wonder if the emergence of other stars in the Pittsburgh offense might take some of his catches away. Maybe. But probably not.
Bottom Line
The one knock against Brown heading into last season was that he wasn’t an effective red zone player. He took care of that by scoring 13 touchdowns to go along with his 129 receptions and 1,698 yards. Perhaps he won’t reach those totals in 2015, but 80 to 90 percent of that is still pretty darn good. Brown should be one of the top five receivers selected in any fantasy format.
Antonio Brown Wildcard game vs. Ravens
The NFL leader in receptions and receiving yards, Antonio Brown finished his regular season off with a bang last week against Cincinnati, catching seven passes for 128 yards and a score. He had 11 receptions for 144 yards and a score in the last meeting with Baltimore at Heinz Field, getting two cornerbacks fired by the Ravens after that game. Baltimore will surely try to double Brown, but so has practically every other team this season. Yet he still finished with 129 receptions, the second-best total in NFL history. He's a strong start regardless of circumstance or weather because he can beat teams in so many ways.
Antonio Brown Week 17 vs. Bengals
Antonio Brown had seven receptions for 72 yards and a score last week, which sounds like a great game, but is basically on the low end of what the NFL's leader in receptions and receiving yardage has done this season. He had nine catches for 117 yards three weeks ago against Cincinnati and has increased his catches and yardage the second time around against Cleveland and Baltimore this season. But he might be hard pressed to do the same against the Bengals. Given his results already this season, however, he should approach those numbers.
Antonio Brown Week 16 vs. Chiefs
My partner on Tuesday night's on ESPN 970-AM's Antonio Brown show - a shameless plug - had another big day last week, catching 10 passes for 123 yards. The NFL's leader in receptions with 115 and receiving yards with 1,498 hasn't been slowed by anyone all season and there's no reason to think the Chiefs defense will be any different. Brown is a must-start every week.
Antonio Brown Week 15 vs. Falcons
Antonio Brown continues to lead the league in receptions with 105 after catching nine more passes for 117 yards last week. He's had seven or more catches in 11 of 13 games this season and has put up at least 74 yards every time out. Atlanta has given up 13 TDs to opposing wideouts, including two against Green Bay. Brown is once again a strong start.
Antonio Brown Week 14 vs. Bengals
Antonio Brown continued his assault on opposing defenses last week with eight receptions for 97 yards and two scores. Nobody has slowed him in recent weeks, as he's gotten into the end zone six times in the past five games. Cincinnati's pass defense has been very good. The Bengals have allowed an NFL-low 12 TD passes and just six of those have been to opposing WRs. Brown should still be a solid start this week but he might not have his typical numbers.
Antonio Brown Week 13 vs. Saints
Antonio Brown comes out of the Steelers' bye week as the NFL leader in receptions and second in total yards. The Saints have a banged-up secondary, which is not a good thing facing the crafty Brown. He's a must-start in all formats. But you didn't need me to tell you that.
Antonio Brown Week 11 vs. Titans
Antonio Brown continues to be double-teamed and bracketed every game. And he continues to get his, last week to the tune of eight catches for 74 yards. The yardage total was a season low, which gives you an idea of how well he's played. He lost a pair of fumbles last week - just the third and fourth of his career - so he should be highly motivated to bounce back from what he considered a bad game. Brown is a must-play in all formats.
Antonio Brown Week 10 vs. Jets
Antonio Brown torched the Ravens to the tune of 11 receptions for 144 yards - both season highs - and a touchdown. He now has 30 receptions in the past three weeks with three touchdowns. There won't be anyone in New York's putrid secondary that will be able to cover him. Brown is a top-flight start in all formats.
