Week 10 vs. Seattle Seahawks
John Brown only caught 1-of-4 passes thrown to him last week against the Colts, but at least it was a 52-yard reception. Brown was tied for second on the team in targets and he should continue to start opposite Larry Fitzgerald. However, with Drew Stanton at quarterback, Jaron Brown and J.J. Nelson still eating up targets, and a tough Seattle defense next on the schedule, Brown should remain on your bench. He may even belong on waivers.
Week 9 at San Francisco 49ers
John Brown only caught 1 of the 4 passes thrown his way in Week 7 against the Rams. Coming off a bye week, fantasy owners can be hopeful that he and quarterback Drew Stanton are better acquainted, but it’s hard to get too excited about him. He has some upside against the 49ers, who have allowed 14 touchdown passes to opposing offenses so far this year, but it’s likely too risky to start him until we can gain a bit more confidence in Stanton.
Week 7 at Rams (game in London)
John Brown hasn’t exploded yet this year, but he’s quietly scored a touchdown in two straight weeks, and he’s been targeted an average of 7 times in the four games he’s played in. The Cardinals passing game has been looking more and more like the 2015 version lately, giving Brown some long-term upside.
This week, Brown faces a Rams team tied for 10th in the league in passing touchdowns allowed and that has been much more vulnerable against the run. Since he seems to have reclaimed his spot as the secondary receiving option behind Larry Fitzgerald, Brown has value as a potential fringe WR2/WR3 option, but still possesses some risk behind him since he’s yet to top 4 catches or 63 yards this season.
Week 6 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
John Brown got a touchdown last week, but he only caught 2 passes for 26 yards. He was targeted 7 times on the day, though, and he appears to be healthy, which is a good sign for fantasy owners who have hung on to him.
This week, he has some upside against a Bucs defense allowing more points to opposing WRs than any other team in the league. However, it’s hard to trust him when J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown continue to get a large share of snaps and targets as well.
Week 5 at Philadelphia Eagles
John Brown returned from injury last week against the 49ers and caught 3-of-7 balls thrown his way for 47 yards. Brown is a talented player, but he’s struggled to stay healthy and that’s opened the door for J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown to take over. Nelson and Jaron combined for 16 targets last week, and RB Andre Ellington led the team with 14. While Brown has a great matchup against the Eagles this week, it’s hard to trust any Cardinals WR not named Larry Fitzgerald with the depth they have at the WR spot.
Week 2 at Indianapolis Colts
John Brown had only 4 catches for 32 yards against the Lions last week, but he was targeted 9 times as the Cardinals had to throw the ball a lot to keep up with Detroit. Brown will miss this week with an injury which isn't a good sign for a guy who was banged up a lot last year. Brown is worth keeping on a roster in most leagues, but his injury history is concerning.
Week 1 at Detroit Lions
John Brown struggled with injuries all of last season, and while he played in 15 games, he was hobbled and banged up for most of them. The result was a disappointing 517 yards after recording 1,003 yards in 2015. Expect a healthier Brown to be anxious to get back on the road to steady improvement this season, and he should remain the WR2 on a team that will throw the ball.
The Lions gave up 33 passing touchdowns last season, second-most in the league, and Brown has some upside facing them in Week 1. It’s a bit risky to trust him after such a disappointing year, but fantasy owners should take advantage of rostering him now in case he shows signs of his 2015 form. If he has a good start to the season, he’ll be a key waiver wire pickup next week.
Fantasy Upside
By all accounts, John Brown has displayed a "speed and explosiveness" the Cardinals haven't seen from the fourth-year wideout since 2015. From OTAs, through mini-camp, through the first practice of training camp, Brown has shown off the hands and high-end speed that made him one of the league's toughest players to defend. "'Smoke' looks like John Brown," head coach Bruce Arians said following a recent mini-camp, referring to Brown's nickname. Adding to the interest, ESPN.com reports the extra 13 pounds of muscle Brown added over the offseason has him looking the part of a game-changing receiver. Brown said he weighed 185 pounds, up 12 pounds from last season. "That's a lot compared to last year," Brown said. "I feel good with the weight I've put on, so I'm ready to go." The key here lies in the fact he kept the one thing that made him who he is: his speed.
Fantasy Downside
Brown believes the added bulk will help him this season as he tries to rebound from the worst season of his career, which was marred by the October diagnosis of being a carrier of the sickle cell trait. He also had a cyst on his spine that was drained after the season. Fantasy owners need to monitor Brown and make an effort to determine if those issues are truly behind him. What appears to be a minor quad injury suffered the first week of training camp adds to the concern.
2017 Bottom Line
A year after his first 1,000-yard season, Brown had a career-low 517 receiving yards, 39 catches, and two touchdowns, as he fought the fatigue and injuries associated with his condition. Now, as NFL.com suggests, Brown's transformation looms large for a Cardinals team that needs help at the position. Brown is an integral part of a cast led by an aging Larry Fitzgerald. After the team parted ways with Michael Floyd, Brown and J.J. Nelson will be asked to pick up the slack, something Brown wasn't able to do last season. Drafting him at his current price (WR48) seems like a reasonable gamble with ample upside.
Week 10 vs. San Francisco
John Brown seems to be healthy coming off the bye, and he was productive against the Panthers in Week 8, scoring a touchdown and gaining 49 yards on four receptions. He was targeted only four times all game however, which is concerning, and he may be pushed by J.J. Nelson for targets and snaps as he battles leg issues.
This week, Brown is a nice low-end WR3 option in most leagues because the 49ers rank dead last in total points allowed per game. Brown is a bit risky because there are so many weapons in the Arizona offense, but with he has some upside if you’re struggling to find that third WR on your roster.
Week 8 at Carolina
John Brown missed last week with an injury, but is supposed to be ready to go this week. He’s been hot-and-cold for much of this season and is a risky guy to bet on given his current health status and the difficulties Arizona has had throwing the ball this year.
Monitor Brown’s status, but if he is good-to-go, he could be worth considering as a low end WR2/WR3 option. Unhindered by injury, Brown is an explosive option in the passing game and he’ll face a Carolina defense that has allowed 13 touchdown passes to opposing offenses this season and gives up an average of 282 passing yards per game.
