Fantasy Football: One Deep Sleeper Candidate From Every NFL Team
DeShone Kizer, QB, Cleveland Browns
While it's certainly rare for a quarterback prospect to gain enough value early in their careers to really become a fantasy asset in any format, there have been exceptions. And when there are exceptions, usually it's because that player has the ability to add value with their legs (think Dak Prescott, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III) while they develop their ability to produce from the pocket.
DeShone Kizer, the 2017 second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, certainly has that ability with his size and athleticism. He isn't necessarily a scrambler, per se, and prefers to play within the confines of the pocket, but at the goal line and when the play breaks down, Kizer can be a force. He had 997 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground in two seasons in college, and he is simply a bull at 235 pounds.
Built in the mold of Daunte Culpepper, Kizer is a huge player with a cannon of an arm, but he was tremendously inconsistent as a college player at Notre Dame. He flashed big-time upside, though, and if he can continue to grow in his ability to process defenses, perhaps the Browns may have found their quarterback of the future. After only his third preseason game, Kizer was named the starter in Cleveland, beating out Brock Osweiler and Cody Kessler. Fingers crossed?
Watching him sling the ball in the preseason, he clearly has one of the better arms in the NFL, and his ability to make plays at any level of the defense is impressive. When he makes the correct read, his accuracy and ability to drive the ball through any amount of traffic is really rare considering his inexperience. Undoubtedly he will still have the typical growing pains of a rookie quarterback, but it's not like the Browns are devoid of talent, especially along the offensive line.
While Kizer is probably owned in most two-quarterback leagues, he has value in deeper standard dynasty leagues due to his ability to be a weapon as a runner. Should he demonstrate even baseline skills as a passer, he could ascend in value quickly, especially if the weapons around him (read: Corey Coleman and David Njoku) begin to develop.
