Week 14 – John Brown vs. Kansas City
John Brown had two catches for 40 yards in the loss against the Falcons last week and faces a much more difficult opponent this week, the Kansas City Chiefs. Brown has upside, but the whole Cardinals passing game looks shaky right now, and the Kansas City pass rush doesn’t seem like what the doctor ordered. Brown is a risky option, and should probably stay on the bench this week.
Week 13 – John Brown vs. Atlanta
John Brown caught three of the five passes that were thrown to him last week against the Seattle, but wound up with only 61 yards. That led the team, and lately he’s been looking like the more explosive and more talented Cardinals receiver, but it still wasn’t what fantasy owners would call a good day.
Brown should continue to get increased looks with Larry Fitzgerald hobbled, and this week he faces a Falcons team that gives up more passing yards per game than anyone. Brown is risky because we don’t always know what to expect from the Cardinals offense week-to-week, but he’s a WR3 with upside in an excellent matchup.
Week 12 – John Brown vs. Seattle
John Brown has had a nice rookie season, and led the team with nine targets last week against the Lions. He ended up with only 69 yards on five receptions, but he’s proven to be a consistent target for the Cardinals, with five touchdowns on the season.
This week he’ll face a Seahawks defense that’s allowing only 215 passing yards per game to opposing offenses. While he may benefit from the great coverage going to the outside receivers, he’s a risky start against Seattle and we don’t recommend putting any of the Cardinals receivers in your fantasy lineup this week.
Week 11 – John Brown vs. Detroit
John Brown had five catches on nine targets last week in a win over the Rams, and he wound up with 73 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted more than twice as much as Michael Floyd was and he seems to be earning more and more playtime.
While he still has deep league upside and dynasty value, Brown is a risky guy to count on, especially this week against a dominant Detroit defense. Fantasy owners with the roster space should stash Brown, but with a bad matchup and a backup QB in place, it’s hard to recommend starting him.
Week 10 – John Brown vs. St. Louis
John Brown was targeted five times against the Cowboys, but wound up with only two catches and 10 yards as Arizona beat Dallas to advance to 7-1. Brown has looked brilliant at times this season, but inconsistency has come along with the rookie as well, partly due to the Cardinals offense, and mostly due to his status as the third receiver on the depth chart.
Brown has been a solid producer in certain weeks and is worth a roster spot, but he should be considered a very risky option and should only be considered a risky WR3 in very deep leagues.
Week 9 – John Brown vs. Dallas
John Brown blew up last week, catching five passes for 119 yards, including a game winning 75 yard touchdown near the end of the fourth quarter. He remains a nice WR3 for the Cardinals, but his spot on the depth chart makes him a risky option week-to-week.
Brown faces the Cowboys this week, who have been much better than anticipated this season on defense. They are middle of the road against the pass, but they’ve been solid in the red zone, and rank in the top ten in passing touchdowns allowed. Brown remains a risky WR3 or Flex play as long as he’s third on the depth chart. He’s shown a propensity to score, but it’s hard to rely on that each week so he’s a boom/bust kind of start for fantasy owners.
Week 8 – John Brown vs. Philadelphia
John Brown has cooled off since his multiple touchdown days early in the season, and he had only two catches on Sunday against the Raiders. He did end up with 41 yards however, and he was targeted five times, meaning he’s got a stranglehold on that WR3 job in Arizona.
This week, he’ll face a vulnerable Philadelphia pass defense that ranks 23rd in the league in passing yards allowed per game. Brown has some upside, but as the third WR on the depth chart, it’s still hard to recommend starting him. He’s a nice dynasty roster stash though, and worth a bench spot in really deep leagues.
Week 7 – John Brown vs. Oakland
John Brown was targeted six times last week against Washington and wound up with four catches and 43 yards in Carson Palmer’s first start since week one at the quarterback position. Brown is a nice young piece for the Cardinals offense who should have a great future in Arizona.
This week, Brown will remain the primary WR3 in the offense against a Raider defense that has struggled all year. They rank 11th in passing yards allowed per game, but that’s mostly because they get behind early and opposing teams run the ball the rest of the game. At third in the pecking order, Brown has limited upside, so we have him outside starter realm, but he’s worth hanging onto in most leagues, especially dynasty formats.
Week 6 – John Brown vs. Washington
John Brown only had two catches and four yards last week against the Broncos, but he was targeted seven times and he remains an intriguing young receiving prospect in Arizona. Part of his struggles a week ago should be attributed to the lack of a healthy quarterback for the Cardinals, as they were down to their third string rookie Logan Thomas by the end of the game.
Brown should be better this week. Brown has a great matchup against Washington, who are a top ten team in passing yards allowed this season, but have also allowed 11 touchdown passes on the season, worse than all but three other teams in the league. Still, Brown is a risky start due to the instability at the quarterback position, and his place on the depth chart as the third receiver. He’s a boom-bust kind of option and a risky start, and we don’t suggest adding him to your lineup at this time.
Week 5 – John Brown vs. Denver
John Brown has been a surprisingly effective rookie receiver and has run away with the WR3 job in Arizona. Before the bye, Brown caught four passes for 52 yards and a pair of scores against the 49ers, and now has three touchdowns through three games.
Brown faces a Denver defense that has been improved defensively this season, but has still participated in some shootouts during the young season and will be hard-pressed to find someone to cover the speedy Brown. Still, he’s a risky option until we see more of the young kid and he’s more of a stash-for-later option right now than a viable starter as the third option in the Cardinals passing game.
