UPDATE (11:14 a.m., ET): Johnny Manziel will start on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
It would be a "major surprise" if Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is not announced as the team's starter for Week 14, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Johnny Manziel will start Week 14, per report; remains risky fantasy option
The Browns will turn back to Johnny Manziel in Week 14. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Manziel had been demoted after reportedly lying to team officials about his whereabouts during the team's bye week, and Austin Davis took over as the team's quarterback when Josh McCown suffered a season-ending collarbone injury. However, Davis struggled along with the rest of the team during the 37-3 shellacking brought upon them by the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. His struggles, along with two weeks transpiring since Manziel's actions, present favorable circumstances for the Browns to lift their punishment in order to evaluate their first-round quarterback.
Fantasy impact: It remains difficult for fantasy owners to trust anyone on a reeling Browns football team, but Manziel’s inherent playmaking ability at least presents upside. With Travis Benjamin sidelined with a shoulder injury, even more uncertainty can surround a Browns offense bereft of any consistency.
Manziel has put up decent numbers when given the chance, but has enough downside to scare away any reasonable fantasy owner who isn't in a desperate state. He remains a low-end QB2 if given the chance against the 49ers.
