Week 8 at Carolina Panthers
After a couple of down games, John Brown was excellent against the Saints last week. He caught all seven passes thrown his way for 134 yards and a touchdown. Brown now has four touchdowns on the season and is on pace for a career-high 1,275 receiving yards. Brown is second on the team in targets, and his 19.9 yards per reception ranks third in the league.
This week, Brown faces a Panthers defense that has only allowed five touchdowns to the wide receiver position this season, but has allowed 999 yards and 81 receptions. Brown has some upside as a deep threat, as Carolina ranks 23rd in the league in yards allowed per pass attempt at 7.7. With his heavy workload and potential for big plays, Brown is a solid WR2 option in all leagues.
Week 7 vs. New Orleans Saints
John Brown has struggled the past two weeks, putting up only six receptions and 86 yards in that span. However, he was targeted 14 times in Week 5, and last week against the Titans was more of a slug-it-out affair. Brown remains the primary deep option on the team and is averaging 20.2 yards per catch.
This week, Brown has high upside as a WR2 option in all fantasy leagues. He’ll face a Saints defense that has been a sieve, and not only has given up fantasy points, but also the second highest yards per pass attempt this season. That means teams can go deep on them, and Brown should find space downfield.
Week 6 at Tennessee Titans
John Brown struggled along with the rest of the Ravens offense last week, catching only four balls for 58 yards in a disappointing loss to the Browns. Brown was targeted 14 times however, and he leads the team with three receiving touchdowns so far this year.
This week, Brown should continue to be the primary deep threat for the Ravens, giving him upside in any given week. We have him as WR2 based on his workload, though he has some risk associated with him, as the Titans defense is third in the league in points allowed per game.
Week 5 at Cleveland Browns
John Brown is off to a red-hot start as a Raven. He has scored three touchdowns in four games, is averaging 22.5 yards per catch, and is second on the team in targets. Quarterback Joe Flacco is looking to Brown early and often, and the Ravens have used Brown as their primary deep threat.
This week, Brown should be in for another busy day against the Browns. He may be stymied a bit by the young, talented secondary the Browns have cobbled together over the past two years, but the Browns have allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game this year, so Brown should be able to find some room. He’s a high-end WR3 option in most leagues.
Week 4 at Pittsburgh Steelers
John Brown caught five passes for 86 yards last week against the Broncos. Brown has been the Ravens’ primary deep threat, with receptions of more than 40 yards in two straight games. He’s second on the team in targets and seems to have found a home with the Ravens.
This week, Brown has borderline WR2 potential against the Steelers. Only the Saints, Chargers and Buccaneers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing receivers this season, and Brown should be able to get deep on them. The Steelers are allowing the fourth-most yards per reception to the wide receiver position. Brown is risky, but he’s also a high-upside starter in a great matchup.
Week 3 vs. Denver Broncos
John Brown tied for the team lead with 10 targets last week against the Bengals, catching four balls for 92 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted early and often on deep routes and made a great catch on an underthrown ball for 45 yards in tight coverage to get the Ravens back in the game. If Brown continues to be the primary target downfield, he could be in for some big weeks, as Joe Flacco still has a big arm.
This week, Brown will face a Broncos defense that gave up three touchdown passes to Russell Wilson in Week 1, but only one last week to the Raiders. Expect the talent of Von Miller and Chris Harris to win out, and for the Broncos to be too tough of a matchup to rely on Brown in most leagues.
Week 2 at Cincinnati Bengals
John Brown was only targeted four times last week against the Bills, but he caught three of them for 44 yards and a touchdown. In a blowout win, quarterback Joe Flacco spread the ball around to his newly-acquired targets, and the Ravens offense looked primed for a resurgence this season. Brown has some upside if he can stay healthy.
This week, Brown will face a Bengals defense that gave up eight catches to Ryan Grant last week as the Colts’ No. 2 WR. Brown should continue to be an active part of the passing game. While he carries risk due to the Ravens' historically erratic passing offense, he should be considered a sneaky low-end WR3 option in deep leagues.
Week 1 vs. Buffalo Bills
John Brown is hoping for a healthier, more consistent season with the Ravens after struggling to stay on the field for the Cardinals last year. He’ll have an opportunity to produce in Baltimore, as Jeremy Maclin and Breshad Perriman combined for 106 targets last season that will need to be replaced. Brown will likely be the No. 2 WR behind Michael Crabtree, but he has long-term upside.
This week, he may be too risky to trust against the Bills. Buffalo was better against the pass than the run last season and added Trent Murphy and Star Lotulelei to their front-seven. A wait-and-see approach is recommended for Brown, but he should be rostered in most fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Upside
After a couple of down years, John Brown gets a fresh start with the Ravens, and should have the inside track at winning a starting job opposite Michael Crabtree. Brown showed considerable promise early in his career, highlighted by a sophomore campaign in 2015 where he finished with 65 receptions, 1,003 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Brown is still only 28, and Joe Flacco will be the second-best quarterback he’s had after a myriad of substitutions and journeymen in Arizona.
Fantasy Downside
Brown has dealt with sickle cell trait and has missed time in each of the last three seasons. He was limited to only 10 games and 21 receptions last year, and his catch-rate of 37.5 percent was well below his career average of 52.1 percent. Some of that was due to poor quarterback play, but much of it showed just how much Brown struggled. Brown will be vying with Willie Snead for No. 2 WR duties, and if he can’t stay healthy or return to his 2015 form, he may fall behind early.
2018 Bottom Line
Brown is a risky bet, but he’s worth considering in the later rounds of the draft. Because he has the potential to earn a starting job, he has the potential to be a steady producer. The Ravens were 11th in pass attempts last season and ninth in completion percentage, so if Brown can beat out Snead and stay on the field, he could be a steal on the back end of a roster.
Week 11 at Houston Texans
John Brown had only 2 catches for 27 yards last week against the Seahawks, and he’s a very risky fantasy option in all league formats. However, he has a fantastic matchup against a reeling Texans defense that has allowed 19 touchdown passes this season, including 9 over the past three games. If you’re desperate, Brown has some long-shot upside.
