The Browns are out of the playoff race at only 3-12 as they host the Dolphins in one of just two games in the later wave this Sunday. Cleveland is expected to give Dorian Thompson-Robinson ($4,800) his second straight start and will be without TE David Njoku (knee) and WR Cedric Tillman (concussion). The absence of those pass catchers could open up plenty of work for Jerry Jeudy ($6,500), who has shown a very high ceiling but has also been very volatile. Should you start or sit Jeudy this week against Miami? Let’s take a look:
Jerry Jeudy’s upside
Jeudy reached 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career this season after catching 11 passes for 108 yards and 24.8 fantasy points two weeks ago while facing the Chiefs.
He had six games with over 14 fantasy points including his monster revenge game in Week 13 against the Broncos, in which he showed his massive ceiling with 43.5 fantasy points on 235 receiving yards.
Jeudy has proven that he can be the Browns WR1 of the future, and he has stepped up as the team’s go-to option after the Bills traded for Amari Cooper ($5,000).
Without Tillman and Njoku, the Jeudy alternatives are few and far between for the Browns. Last week against the Bengals, Njoku was targeted 10 times while no one else on the team got more than five targets. If the Browns let DTR throw the ball 30+ times this week, Jeudy should get a huge number of targets and have the potential for a big game.
Jerry Jeudy’s risk factors
There are a few issues that could hold Jeudy back, though. He’s in a tough matchup against the Dolphins, who have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to receivers this season and the fewest to opposing QBs.
Jeudy’s QB is the other big unknown. All his big games came with Jameis Winston ($4,800; shoulder, questionable) at QB. If Winston does get cleared to play, he’ll still be the backup for Thompson-Robinson, who only targeted Jeudy three times last week.
Jeudy finished with two catches for 20 yards and 4.0 fantasy points in one of his most disappointing games of the season. While Winston likes to take the deep, downfield shots that Jeudy thrives on, Thompson-Robinson averaged just 4.6 yards per attempt and threw a pair of interceptions.
The Verdict: Sit Jerry Jeudy if possible
Jeudy is extremely volatile given the limitations of DTR and the difficulty of the matchup. He’s a high-risk play as a FLEX option in standard-sized leagues, although there’s no arguing with his potential ceiling.
At $6,500, he’s a high-priced option for DFS play in Week 17 contests like the NFL $2.25M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]. He does have a high ceiling, but there are better options in the same price range.
The Browns are 6.5-point home underdogs and Jeudy is +240 to score a touchdown.
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