Week 3 at Indianapolis
Travis Benjamin caught six balls for 115 yards and two TDs last week. He was targeted six times in the win over the Jags.
We had a lot of questions in our Discuss Your Team Forum from subscribers asking who will be the team's WR1 going forward. Benjamin left little doubt that will be him. Last year with a mess of QBs in Cleveland, Benjamin put up respectable numbers as a top target so with Philip Rivers throwing him the ball, he could be a borderline WR1 in some matchups this year. That's certainly the case this week as Benjamin is ranked 12th on our WR list. It's a great matchup against the Colts who are just 23rd in allowing fantasy points to WRs. Bemjamin has two nice weeks coming up before facing four-straight defenses in the top-seven .
Week 2 vs. Jacksonville
Last week Travis Benjamin caught seven passes for 32 yards on eight targets. It was kind of an odd game in that Keenan Allen was putting up great numbers on the other side while Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead were scoring the TDs. With Allen now out for the rest of the year, Benjamin is poised to take over the the team's WR1 role, something he pretty much did while in Cleveland last year.
We're a little more used to bigger plays from Benjamin but that remains to be seen in this offense. And, it's a tough matchup in that the Jags are 10th in allowing fantasy points to WRs. Tyrell Williams seems poised to take over for Allen, especially as a deep ball threat, and while he's gained a lot of positive press in camp, he's a bit of an unknown. Benjamin is ranked 33rd on our WR list so he's an average WR3 play. The hope is Williams develops into a threat to allow Benjamin more freedom.
Week 1 at Kansas City
Travis Benjamin had a nice year for Cleveland in 2015 despite all the QB problems the Browns had. Benjamin finished with 68 catches for 966 yards and five TDs. His numbers were a little top heavy, however - meaning he did a lot of his damage in the first half of the season. That's especially true of his TD catches. He had four over the first three weeks and then one more in Week 12. He posted three, 100-yard games, all of which came over the first 10 weeks. Over the final five games he had a combined 14 catches for 140 yards.
He'll get a fresh start in San Diego opposite Keenan Allen. And he has a nice Week 1 matchup on paper as the Chiefs were 32nd in allowing fantasy points to WRs. Benjamin is just 50th on our list this week but could benefit if the Chargers struggle to run the ball as the Chiefs are third in allowing fantasy points to RBs. Benjamin is probably best used in deeper leagues this week.
Fantasy Upside
The Chargers secured another playmaker for Philip Rivers by adding Travis Benjamin in free agency. From a fantasy perspective, Benjamin fills a void in San Diego's offense for a deep threat created by the retirement of Malcom Floyd. Benjamin also adds a playmaker to the Chargers' return game. San Diego averaged a league-low 4.2 yards a punt return in 2015. In fact, the Chargers finished last in the NFL in 2015 with 84 total punt return yards, the lowest total by any NFL team since 1981. Speed is Benjamin's forte. His average of 12.6 yards per return ranks first in the NFL since he entered the league in 2012. He is one of seven players with three punt returns for a touchdown in that time, and he holds the Browns' record for punt-return yardage in a game (179 in 2013) and longest punt return (93 yards in 2012). He also had five receiving touchdowns last season.
Fantasy Downside
Benjamin, a smaller, shiftier type of receiver, doesn't fit into the more imposing physical mold that Floyd and Antonio Gates represent which leaves some wondering if he'll be an ideal fit for the offense.
2016 Bottom Line
I'm not buying into that downside. I think Rivers is more than capable of taking advantage of the skills his newest receiver brings to the table. That being the case, I expect Rivers, who threw the ball 662 times last season (and who has at least 527 attempts every season since 2010), and returning OC Ken Whisenhunt to maximize Benjamin's play-making ability. Working in receiving corps led by Keenan Allen will also work in Benjamin's favor.
Week 17 vs Pittsburgh
Since catching six passes for 90 yards and a touchdown in Week 12 against Baltimore, Travis Benjamin has been lethally silent, with nine receptions for 87 yards since the clash with the Ravens. In defense of Benjamin, he left the Week 13 tilt with Cincinnati early due to injury, but increased defensive attention and rough matchups have caused a bright surprise to dwindle into a disappointment.
However, in a week where it can be tough to find reliable options, Benjamin has a reasonably favorable matchup with a Pittsburgh secondary that somehow got picked apart by Ryan Mallett last week. He also hauled in seven passes for 111 yards against the Steelers earlier in the season. The risks are high, but Travis can be used as a WR3 if your situation dictates it.
Week 16 at Kansas City
Predictably, Travis Benjamin was unable to get much going in Week 15 against Seattle’s Legion of Boom secondary. Benjamin caught three passes for 26 yards and added nine yards on a running play. In defense of Travis, he has been forced to masquerade as a number one receiver thanks to the prolonged incompetency of Cleveland general manager Ray Farmer.
And Benjamin has delivered some big games under the circumstances this year. If you look at the numbers, you would think Kansas City could be had through the air. The Chiefs have given up 24 touchdowns and surrender 243.2 yards per game. However, their secondary started slow and has come alive during an eight-game winning streak. Twice, they held San Diego’s Philip Rivers without a touchdown pass. Rivers has lost a lot of talent at receiver due to injury, but he is still one of the NFL’s upper echelon quarterbacks. While Benjamin is always a candidate to break through with a big play, fantasy owners needing safe points in the Super Bowl should opt for a steadier player.
Week 15 at Seattle
Travis Benjamin was quiet in Week 14 despite a favorable matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. Benjamin caught four passes for 41 yards as Cleveland ran the ball better than they had all year.
And quiet will remain the password for Benjamin in Week 15. As Cleveland’s number one wide receiver, he will likely see a lot of superstar cornerback Richard Sherman. Travis has generated a much better season than anyone thought possible, but he is not going to burn Sherman and the rest of the Legion of Boom very often, especially with Seattle at home in the midst of a hot streak. This would be a week to sit Travis for a safer player.
Week 14 vs San Francisco
A shoulder injury knocked Travis Benjamin out of action in Week 13. Before being injured, Benjamin failed to catch a pass.
Travis looks likely to return this week against a San Francisco defense that has given up 17 touchdown passes, tied for ninth fewest in the league. However, the 49ers give up 270 yards per game, meaning Benjamin ought to be productive if he gets his usual volume. Johnny Manziel and Benjamin displayed chemistry earlier in the season, especially back in Week 2 when the duo combined for two touchdowns in a victory over the Tennessee Titans. You can start Benjamin as your WR3.
Week 13 vs. Cincinnati
The Browns lost on Monday in excruciating fashion, but it was not because of Travis Benjamin. Targeted 13 times, more than anyone else on the Cleveland roster, Travis caught six passes for 90 yards and his first touchdown since Week 3.
Perhaps most importantly, the touchdown pass was thrown by Austin Davis, who steps in as Cleveland’s starter this week with Josh McCown out for the season. It could be a sign that Davis and Benjamin will have good chemistry, or it could mean nothing, especially since Davis is still a bit of a mystery despite starting some last year for St. Louis. Benjamin struggled against Cincinnati when the two teams met back in Week 9, catching just three passes for 22 yards. With the Bengals having a decent but not spectacular pass defense and the Browns likely to be playing from behind, Benjamin can stay in lineups as a WR3.
Week 12 vs Baltimore
After scoring four touchdowns in the first three weeks of the season, Travis Benjamin has not scored since. Benjamin had maintained value by posting good reception and yardage totals, but fell into a three-game slump starting in Week 7 that threatened to send him back to fantasy obscurity. He righted the ship in Week 10 by catching seven passes for 113 yards.
Owners who remained patient with Benjamin could look quite savvy by the time this week is over. Baltimore’s ineffective pass defense has given up 19 touchdown passes and yields 257 yards per game. Travis is a WR3 with the upside for bigger and better things.
