The Cleveland Browns aren't fans of having their top cornerback tail the opposing team's top receiver all game, at least according to head coach Mike Pettine, via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland's Joe Haden is one of the best cornerbacks in the game, and he's as capable in man coverage as any cornerback in the NFL. He can shadow any receiver in the league and have a solid outing.
Antonio Brown might not have Joe Haden shadow him all game; fantasy value high regardless
Mike Pettine says the Browns won’t be sending Joe Haden all over the field to cover top receivers. We break down the fantasy implications.
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On Sunday, the Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, which would mean Haden is going up against Antonio Brown. Though if Pettine is to believed, Haden and Brown might not match up as often as one might suspect. Assuming that Pettine is being honest is a big jump, though. It wouldn't be surprising if he was just trying to play things close to the vest. A guy like Haden is good enough to move around, especially against a receiver like Brown.
Fantasy Impact: Brown has flourished against top cornerbacks before, and he can certainly do it against Haden. He is a top fantasy receiver, and you can’t go sitting those guys just because they’re going up against elite cornerbacks. Fantasy owners should start Brown and they should hope that Pettine is telling the truth. It’s not the end of the world if Haden moves around with Brown, but it would certainly be beneficial if Pettine sticks to his statement.
