The Best Players to Stash in Fantasy Football From the AFC East
Bryce Brown, RB, Buffalo Bills
The Player
Bryce Brown's physical talent has never really been a question. The former number-one overall high school recruit has always wowed with his ability on the field, but getting on the field has been a huge mess.
From off-field issues and college transfers to being traded and stuck behind talented NFL backs, Brown has only given us glimpses of what he could accomplish if given a full workload, rushing for 1,004 yards and 6 touchdowns in three seasons of limited playing time.
He has also been a coaches nightmare, often making mistakes that lead to big losses, struggling in pass protection, and of course, fumbling way too much.
Athletically, he has shown the ability to run through, around and past NFL defenders, and is a big play waiting to happen whenever he touches the ball. His players comparisons as an athlete is an interesting group:
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Bnch | Vert | Broad | 3Cone | 20 ss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Ajayi | 6' 0" | 221 | 4.57 | 19 | 39" | 121" | 7.1 | 4.1 |
| Isaiah Crowell | 5' 11" | 224 | 4.57 | 23 | 38" | 117" | 7.28 | 4.56 |
| Christine Michael | 5' 10" | 220 | 4.54 | 27 | 43" | 125" | 6.69 | 4.02 |
| Bryce Crown | 5' 11" | 223 | 4.48 | 22 | 34" | 117" | 7.04 | 4.2 |
| Marshawn Lynch | 5' 11" | 215 | 4.46 | 20 | 35½" | 125" | 7.05 | 4.58 |
| LaDainian Tomlinson | 5' 10" | 221 | 4.46 | 18 | 40½" | 124" | 6.84 | 4.21 |
| Carnell Williams | 5' 11" | 217 | 4.43 | 19 | 35½" | 118" | 6.94 | 4.17 |
| Rashard Mendenhall | 5' 10" | 225 | 4.41 | 26 | 33½" | 117" | 4.18 |
Brown runs like a very undisciplined LaDainian Tomlinson, demonstrating speed, power, agility, and a terrible desire to bounce everything outside that often gets him in trouble. Like an untamed horse, he needs an aggressive coach to corral him before he will ever be a consistent player on the field.
But despite his immense potential, it remains to be seen if he will ever get the opportunity to be a lead back in the NFL. And even further, whether he has the work ethic to take advantage of that opportunity.
The Opportunity
To start, I don't expect Bryce Brown to be on the Bills roster to start the 2015 season. But to be honest, I'm completely okay with that.
Buried on a depth chart that features a lead runner in LeSean McCoy, a veteran backup in Fred Jackson, a powerful change-of-pace guy in Anthony Dixon, and a fifth-round rookie in Karlos Williams, it hardly seems like Brown will find a role on this team. That is especially true considering he doesn't provide much special teams value.
Camp reports indicate that Rex Ryan and his new staff have been disappointed with Brown, who continues to fumble away his opportunities this summer. He would need to have a remarkable preseason to stick with the team, but a trade or release seems more likely.
So where Brown lands next could determine his fantasy viability. Teams like Dallas, Houston or Tennessee could be in the market for a running back, and signing with any of them would instantly boost his appeal.
A player like Brown is just too talented not to watch this preseason to see where he lands. No one would be surprised if he was a free agent this fall, but it also isn't out of reach for him to be a major contributor in the right situation.
And perhaps with a coach who doesn't mind fumbles.
