Tag Archives: Josh Gordon

2016 NFL Predictions: Will Browns Trade Josh Gordon?

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The Cleveland Browns don’t seem like they really know what they want to do with star wide receiver Josh Gordon. Recently reinstated by the NFL, Gordon finally has a chance to redeem himself for past failed drug tests, following a four-game ban to begin the 2016 season.

Josh Gordon Trade Rumors

The big question, of course, is if Cleveland cares to see if he’ll actually make good on what figures to be his final chance.

Just this week reports emerged that the Browns were taking in trade offers for Gordon, and not too look after, there were whispers that the team itself sparked the Josh Gordon trade rumors by releasing the info, themselves.

Shortly after, the team came forward and declared they now are not interested in trading Josh Gordon, and probably never seriously considered doing so.

Can Gordon Be Trusted?

The Browns are a tough organization to believe here, for a couple of reasons. For one, Gordon is impossible to truly trust. This is a kid who was a red flag coming into the league and has been suspended two games or more every year since 2013. He missed all of 2015 with a year-long ban and even still hangs out with fellow headcase, Johnny Manziel.

On paper, Gordon is a major liability.

There’s more to hate. New head coach Hue Jackson comes in with a whole new system and approach and his fresh start had the Browns cleaning house in a massive way. The team cut ties with most of it’s previous receiving talent, cut Manziel and numerous other high profile talent and then drafted four new receiving options in the 2016 NFL Draft. The big one was first round wide receiver Corey Coleman, while Terrelle Pryor’s heavy inclusion in camp and preseason play suggests he could be in for a huge role, as well.

Very quickly, the excitement around a Josh Gordon return has turned into hesitance to fully bring him back.

So Much Upside

That being said, if Gordon can keep his head on straight and get back to being the player that dropped a ridiculous 87-1,646-9 line on the league back in 2013, the Browns would be foolish to pass on him. Right?

Perhaps, but if the Browns already love their other receiving talent, don’t trust Gordon for the long-term and think they can get something of value in return, it’d actually make even less sense not to cut ties with him.

Josh Gordon Prediction

So, what happens with Gordon, then?

This probably says it best: Josh Gordon has a price.

It’s true that’s probably the case with most players, but guys like Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt simply aren’t getting traded. Gordon very well could.

There are without a doubt a long line of interested teams that both have a serious need at wide receiver and also may be willing to part with the right draft picks to make a deal happen.

If Cleveland is smart, they make a play for the best available offer and deal Gordon. Not only is he a liability to get suspended again, but after this season he is due for a new contract. Is that a situation the Browns really want to be in – one way or another losing a star talent potentially for nothing? That’s very doubtful.

Again, the list is long, but the teams that need wide receiver help or could be willing to throw caution to the wind the most are the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and the St. Louis Rams. Cleveland would be wise to deal Gordon outside of the division, as well as the entire AFC, putting the likes of the Eagles, Panthers and Rams largely under the microscope. It’s also possible Gordon doesn’t get dealt, thrives in Cleveland, re-signs to  a massive deal and ends up being one of the best receivers ever. Cleveland has to know all of that is a longshot, however.

2016 Fantasy Football ADP: Best Wide Receiver Values to Target

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Fantasy football drafts are just around the corner, which has everyone in a frenzy to prepare for their league’s draft. That’s especially the case for PPR (points per reception) leagues, where extra emphasis is placed on the wide receiver position.

It gets even trickier when you get past the first few rounds, as the top wide receivers are quickly flying off of draft boards and league managers start wondering which options in the middle and late rounds represent the most value. We’ve looked over the latest ADP (average draft position) results at FantasyFootballCalculator.com to see which wide receivers are flying a little under the radar and could potentially return serious value:

Jordy Nelson – Packers (Round 2)

Nelson missed all of last season with a torn ACL and is battling some tendinitis in his other knee, but he’s quickly looking like a major steal in drafts. Once a top-five fantasy receiver, Nelson is still in his prime and promises to be Aaron Rodgers’ top dog in Green Bay’s passing game.

The beauty here is that many fantasy owners will pass on Nelson because of his injury risk, and that could actually equate to him falling down draft boards even further. Ideally he can slide to you in round three, but either way he’s shaping up as a massive steal if he can stay healthy and return to form.

Mike Evans – Buccaneers (Round 2)

Evans might even pack more value, as he’s currently available at the very end of round two and in some mocks can slide even further. There is a negative stigma around him, both because Tampa Bay ran a lot last year and because he dropped a ton of passes.

The Bucs promise to balance things out more, however, and it’s tough to imagine Evans scoring just three times again – especially after finding the end-zone 12 times as a rookie. Evans is a scorer and Tampa Bay’s best weapon in the passing game. He’s going to crush his price tag in drafts this year.

Demaryius Thomas – Broncos (Round 3)

Is Demaryius Thomas the first round lock he was a couple of years ago? Apparently not, as fantasy managers are allowing him to slide to round three and later. DT’s scores did come down in 2015 due to a regressing passing game, but his role and production remains. He still hauled in 105 balls for 1,304 yards and six scores.

Thomas may not be a lock for 10+ touchdowns, but he’s going to get the ball and do good things with it. He’s a flat out steal right now in round three.

Golden Tate – Lions (Round 4)

Tate is another steal one round later, and for obvious reasons. Not only do a ton of receptions have to go somewhere with Calvin Johnson retiring, but Tate has already proven his worth with 189 catches in Detroit over the past two years. He did regress a bit in the system last year, but he turned things around beautifully, scoring five times over the last six games.

Now as the team’s locked-in top receiver, Tate could vie for hos best season yet. Even if he doesn’t, Tate is still part of an offensive system that thrived down the stretch in 2015. He could return crazy value out of the fourth round.

Jeremy Maclin – Chiefs (Round 5)

Maclin is going even later than Tate, likely because most fantasy owners don’t respect the huge season he enjoyed in KC last year. Well, they should. Maclin showed how valuable his jets and role are, turning 87 catches into 1,088 yards and 8 scores.

Maclin is well past his knee injury he sustained in Philly and he’s now put up back to back stellar fantasy campaigns, despite playing for two different teams over the past two years. Alex Smith handcuffs him a bit, but Maclin has a big role and can break big plays with ease. You can’t let him get past you in round five.

Larry Fitzgerald – Cardinals (Round 6)

Fitzgerald may have to continue to prove his worth in the fantasy football community, as fantasy owners clearly don’t think he’s going to repeat his amazing 2015 run. Fitzgerald did slow down a bit late in the year, but he actually showed up big time in the playoffs and ended up turning in arguably his best fantasy run ever.

Repeating that could be tough, but Fitzgerald is clearly still a big piece of Arizona’s offensive puzzle. He’s going to be a threat for 80+ catches, 1,000 yards and 8-10 scores. That kind of value is hard to come by in round six usually.

Josh Gordon – Browns (Round 7)

Trusting Josh Gordon is impossible and we do need to consider his four-game ban. However, if the Josh Gordon of 2013 returns (87-1,646-9 line) then we have something to talk about. That’s no lock and the Browns have concerns at quarterback, but the mere possibility makes him an interesting mid-round pick.

Ideally you’re waiting to nab Gordon in round 8 or later, but if he’s there in round seven and you feel he’s worth the risk, he could be a fun gamble.

Marvin Jones – Lions (Round 8)

Jones was seemingly always held back in Cincinnati playing second fiddle to A.J. Green, yet he found a way to make an impact (14 touchdowns over the last two years). Heading into 2016, he’s set to have a big role with Megatron gone and it could end up being a huge season if all goes well.

We already know Jones is a red-zone threat, but he hasn’t had a chance to prove himself with a consistently large role. Betting on him with an 8th round pick isn’t much of a risk.

Markus Wheaton – Steelers (Round 9)

Martavis Bryant is gone for the entire 2016 season due to suspension, which means someone in Pittsburgh has to try to make up for his absence. Considering Bryant was a big play maestro, that could mean the guy who steps up opposite of Antonio Brown enjoys a career year.

Wheaton is still pretty erratic and at best unproven, but he has the speed and play-making ability to turn into a fantasy dynamo.

Vincent Jackson – Buccaneers (Round 11)

V-Jax is aging and had a rough 2015, but he’s still been a huge part of Tampa Bay’s passing game when healthy. With Jameis Winston set to take a step forward in year two, the Bucs could blow up in the passing game. Jackson could be a big part of that, even at age 33. In round 11, you’re taking chances on backups that may never amount to anything. Why not bet a small chip on V-Jax turning in a strong season before his career winds down?

Victor Cruz – Giants (Round 12)

The story could be similar for Cruz, who can be found one round later in fantasy football drafts, yet could potentially yield even more value than Jackson.

Cruz is obviously a major injury risk after missing most of the last two seasons, but he also is a former speedster who can spring big plays. With defenses dialed in on Odell Beckham Jr., we could see Cruz open a ton in 2016. Whether or not he stays healthy and keeps a big role is open for debate, but in round 12 it’s a risk worth taking.

Got some sleeper wide receiver values of your own for the 2016 fantasy football season? Tell us all about them in the comments below!

2016 Fantasy Football: Is Josh Gordon Worth the Risk?

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With the news breaking on Monday that Cleveland Browns star wide receiver Josh Gordon had been reinstated by the NFL, many wondered what it meant. How soon could Gordon rejoin the Browns, what would Cleveland’s intentions be with him, and of course, what did this news mean for Gordon’s 2016 fantasy football outlook?

Gordon’s Return

Per reports, Roger Goodell approved Gordon’s reinstatement, which allows him to practice and play in preseason games, but will suspend the star receiver for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season. Gordon will, however, be able to practice and maintain communication with the Browns throughout his suspension, while he will also be at risk of being suspended should he fail another drug test.

Cleveland’s Plans

While exciting news, it’s unclear how the Browns regard Gordon’s NFL return. The team has an entirely new regime running the show and just this past NFL Draft added four new wide receivers. The passing game has been completely remodeled, with Johnny Manziel and Brian Hartline released, Travis Benjamin now in San Diego and Robert Griffin III assuming the starting role under center.

With so many changes and Gordon’s constant poor decision-making in the past, it’s easy to see why a new regime would hesitate to trust Gordon going forward. On top of that, Gordon is set to be a restricted free agent in 2017, which puts Cleveland in an awkward spot. Not only do they have to trust Gordon this year, but they’d quickly have to decide whether he’s worth big money and a long-term investment.

2016 Fantasy Football Value

All of that is certainly interesting and needs to be figured out eventually, but it really doesn’t matter to fantasy football league managers. One way or another, provided he doesn’t fail another drug test or mess up in another way, Josh Gordon is set to return to the fantasy football realm in week five.

There are still red flags to consider, of course. Gordon could be in a weird situation with the Browns, he could mess up again, or he could be in a completely different situation if traded.

Because of all of that, Gordon is an obvious risk and you simply can’t invest a high draft pick on him. He did crush the league in 2013 with over 1,600 receiving yards, but we need to consider his surrounding talent, his current shape and how reliable he is going forward.

All of that mixed together makes Gordon certainly worth drafting, but somewhere in the middle rounds or later.

The good news is there is a steep drop off at wide receiver right around round six or seven in standard 12-man leagues, depending on who you value and how you wide receiver rankings look. Right around round six is where you’ll see guys like Larry Fitzgerald, Eric Decker and Emmanuel Sanders hear their names called. There are still interesting shots worth taking in that range (Tyler Lockett, Kevin White, etc), but an active and dialed in Gordon has to trump them.

That is about the range you’ll want to be targeting Gordon. However, the risk is real and you’ll need to gauge yourself just how much you currently trust in Gordon and how likely you think it is that he stays clean, stays out of any other trouble and also can crush it like he has in the past.

The latter is important, because even that wasn’t the case when he last played in 2014. Still, the idea here is upside, and in the sixth or seventh round, Gordon possesses it in spades. He’s worth the gamble there and just might be one of the top steals in fantasy football drafts when it’s all said and done.

Does Josh Gordon Have a Chance to Play in 2016?

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Cleveland Browns star wide receiver Josh Gordon may have a chance to suit up in 2016.

Past reports regarding more failed drug tests suggested Gordon could be looking at yet another ban, but a reported meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sparked new optimism that Gordon could play against this season.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapopport, Gordon and Goodell met on Wednesday to discuss the troubled receiver’s future. The meeting didn’t include a decision either way from Goodell, while reports suggest Gordon should be able to reapply for reinstatement on August 1st.

Troubled History

The future still remains murky for Josh Gordon, as the league doesn’t always reinstate players despite their attempts to reapply, while Gordon’s multiple failed drug tests will naturally be taken into consideration when the league considers Gordon’s future.

Gordon burst onto the seen as a rookie in 2012 and then stepped up his game and looked like an elite weapon during a massive 2013 campaign. Although Gordon’s star was rising steadily, his career hit a wall when he was suspended two games for substance abuse in 2013 and then another 10 games for the 2014 season. Gordon’s career took a dark turn for the worse again in 2015, when more negative drug tests resulted in a year-long ban.

Gordon looked to be set to return for the 2016 season, but reportedly yet again failed league mandated drug tests and now faces the possibility of further suspension. Gordon’s meeting with the commissioner figures to be a step towards possible reinstatement, but no such action by the league is imminent.

So Much Talent

The story of Josh Gordon is especially troubling, both because of the frequency of his trip-ups with the league, as well as his top shelf talent that is being wasted. Gordon went into the 2012 Supplemental Draft largely due to character concerns, and he didn’t waste much time before making the Browns regret acquiring him.

Most of Gordon’s off the field issues have come following his enormous success, which began during his rookie season, when he caught 50 balls for over 800 yards and five scores. Gordon’s big play ability made him the focal point of the team’s offense the following season, where he would amass 1,646 receiving yards and nine touchdowns off of 87 catches – all in just 14 games.

Gordon’s suspensions began to take a toll on his development, however, as he didn’t appear to be the same player upon returning from a 10-game ban in 2014, when he posted a weak 24-303-0 stat line.

Odds of Reinstatement

The biggest thing working against Josh Gordon is his failed drug tests after spending an entire season away from football. That may show that he has not been taking the proper precautions in living drug free life. For the league, Gordon’s constant infractions suggest he’s not taking his professional football career seriously and there has to be worry that he may never appreciate what is at risk.

Gordon isn’t out with recourse, here, as the diluted sample that put off his reinstatement could still be discarded, should the league decide to give him a break. Gordon’s sit-down with Goodell could easily allow for that to happen, depending on whether or not Gordon can convince the league commissioner that he’s serious about staying clean and working his way back into the league.

From there, Gordon will likely apply for reinstatement and still potentially could find his way back into the league this year. That being said, applying for reinstatement and conversing with Goodell individually and together don’t mean anything. A discussion with Goodell could lead to nothing and Gordon’s application to be reinstated could still very well be denied. And should Gordon’s recent failed drug tests or any future failed drug tests be used against him, Gordon may not be looking at 2016 as his main roadblock; he could be looking at a completely derailed NFL career.

Two harsh realities exist. Not only could Gordon’s own team decide not to activate him (they could also trade him, if reinstated), but the league itself could opt not to believe, trust or hand out another chance to a player who has routinely broken their rules. That has already been the case with the likes of Justin Blackmon and Daryl Washington, while other players such as Ray Rice have seemingly been blackballed by the league for their actions away from the field.

Josh Gordon Prediction

The NFL has been making a name for itself when it comes to making an example of players that break rules. Players that abuse drugs, use steroids or banned substances or commit acts of violence do not usually get the benefit of the doubt – even when they’re not actually convicted of a crime in the court of law.

Johnny Manziel, who hasn’t been convicted of anyhing yet, was suspended four games this year for drug issues. Numerous players have received bans for substance and drug abuse issues this summer already, as well. Due to his lengthy history of failed drug tests and existing suspensions, a 2016 reinstatement still feels like a reach.

For Josh Gordon to be reinstated immediately, the league would have to throw out any of his recent failed drug tests, trust blindly that Gordon is reformed and won’t relapse and in a sense also forget any of his past infractions.

This is all assuming Gordon is close to being allowed back in the league. Even if Goodell throws out the drug tests and does randomly give Gordon another chance, there is the huge elephant in the room: what are the odds Josh Gordon makes good with what would surely be his last chance in the league?

The simple reality is players do not come back from year-long suspensions very often and they surely don’t come back after another suspension after the fact. One way or another, Josh Gordon is on his last legs in the NFL. Whether or not he gets reinstated in August shouldn’t be the concern. The concern is whether or not his next reinstatement will last more than a month. Considering his history, Gordon will have to prove Goodell, the league, the Browns and everyone else that he’s a changed man and that he can be trusted. Judging by things have gone so far, it’s tough to buy it working out.