Fantasy Football: 14 Under-the-Radar Rookies to Target in 2017
DeShone Kizer, QB, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns have been a hot mess for quite some time, and the quarterback position has been at the center of it.
Newly-acquired Brock Osweiler ranked 31st in Passing Success Rate (46.27%) last season. Cody Kessler fared slightly better last year in Success Rate (he ranked 18th), but has reportedly fallen way behind in the competition to start Week 1. Bottom line: the job is wide open.
Enter DeShone Kizer, the 52nd overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
DeShone Kizer most talented QB in this class. Smart. Poised amid chaos. Cannon arm. Dangerous scrambler.
Not sleeping on #Browns.
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) April 29, 2017
Rookie quarterbacks typically struggle, and Kizer is considered a bit raw. He completed 58.7% of passes at Notre Dame last season, a mark would have ranked him 29th among NFL quarterbacks in 2016. And this ain't college ball.
But the tools are there, and Kizer's sneaky value lies in his running ability. In two seasons as a starter in South Bend, Kizer rushed for 997 yards and 18 touchdowns, which could prove to be a huge fantasy asset if he's given a chance under center in Cleveland.
Behind a revamped offensive line, Kizer could make for a nice value pick if he can matriculate his way up the depth chart. —Matt Kupferle
