The Cleveland Browns are going with Cody Kessler as their starting quarterback for their Week 9 clash with the Dallas Cowboys. The team announced the move on Friday.
Fantasy impact of Browns starting Cody Kessler over Josh McCown
The Browns are going back to Cody Kessler over Josh McCown. We break down the fantasy football ramifications.
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
This is a bit surprising with veteran Josh McCown healthy and able to play, but Cleveland is rolling with the rookie Kessler instead. A shoulder injury has limited McCown to just two games this season, which has allowed Kessler to emerge and earn the starting job, even though McCown got the job back in Week 8.
McCown completed 25 of 49 passes for 341 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the Browns’ Week 8 loss to the New York Jets. As for Kessler, he has completed 89 of 133 passes for 947 yards and four touchdowns vs. one interception in five games. He has been sacked 10 times and has four fumbles (one lost).
Fantasy Impact: Seeing Kessler get the nod over a healthy McCown shows the latter is no longer worth rostering in any fantasy league. As for Kessler, he has yet to produce enough to warrant rostering him, let alone starting him on your fantasy team.
He faces a Cowboys defense that has recently gotten several key players back from injuries and suspensions, which is part of why they are allowing the fifth-least fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last three weeks.
This was a bad matchup for whoever started for Cleveland, so keep Kessler on the bench this week.
