Going from Broncos to Browns is at best a lateral move for Jerry Jeudy's fantasy value

As the Denver Broncos emerge from the ashes of their Russell Wilson mistake, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy stood out as a player who could be on the move too. On the precipice of the new league year, news came Jeudy is going to the Cleveland Browns for fifth and sixth-round picks in this year's draft.

Since the Broncos drafted him 15th overall in 2020, he has largely disappointed. His best season was the first with Wilson, 2022, when he had 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns. That's the only year he has finished as top-24, or even top-36, fantasy wide receiver, regardless of scoring format.

Yes, the Broncos have had some ugly quarterback play since Peyton Manning retired. But Jeudy's underachievement does not rest completely on that. He is not the route runner and separator he was advertised as coming out of Alabama, and he has generally been inconsistent.

As could be heard on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports radio in the wake of the trade, we need to stop "trying to make Jerry Jeudy happen."

Bob Harris of Football Diehards was not the one who made the above comment, but he's on the same wavelength regarding there being no change in Jeudy's fantasy prospects as he goes to Cleveland

Jerry Jeudy to the Browns: A big fantasy football yawn

In Cleveland, Jeudy falls in behind Amari Cooper and tight end David Njoku in the target pecking order. Elijah Moore is his competition for targets, in an offense that was middle of the pack in pass play rate last season (57.2 percent). Moore was third on the team in targets last year with 104, so if Jeudy outright won the WR2 role there could be something there. But those targets could very well be divided,

And of course there is a quarterback question mark. Deshaun Watson has been a massive disappointment with the Browns, to say the least, and he's coming off a significant shoulder injury that ended his 2023 season early.

A lot of times, a move to a new team is a needle mover for a player's fantasy outlook-good or bad. With Jeudy, going from the Broncos to the Browns doesn't change a thing in the final year of his rookie contract. The upside, such as there is any (and it feels generous), is a WR3 or WR4 finish in 12-team leagues. There will be worse fliers to take in a double-digit round, but that's about all that's good to say here.

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