Rapid React: Josh Gordon Traded to Patriots (Fantasy Football)

According to an ESPN report, Browns WR Josh Gordon will be traded to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round pick. He was inactive for Sunday’s matchup with the Saints.

Gordon has had to deal with his demons over the last five years, detailing his numerous struggles with drugs and alcohol in this interview with GQ. A supremely gifted talent from Baylor, “Flash” lead the NFL in receiving in 2013 after being suspended for the first two games of the season, reeling in an impressive 1,646 yards and nine TDs and finishing as an All-Pro and a WR1. In Weeks 12-13 of that year, Gordon set an NFL record, becoming the first receiver to ever have back-to-back 200-yard receiving games. These accomplishments came in only his sophomore season.

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Gordon played only five games in 2014, and he missed the entire 2015 season due to his violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. He wasn’t signed by a team in 2016, and he came back to play five games in 2017, compiling a modest 18-335-1 line on 42 targets. Gordon missed several weeks of Browns’ training camp so that he could deal with his “mental health.” It is not believed that Gordon relapsed or had any legal issues that kept him away from the team. He returned to the Browns shortly before the season started. Gordon played in Week 1 but didn’t start. He was supposed to be on a snap count but ended up playing 69 of 89 offensive snaps, the third most among Browns pass-catchers behind only Jarvis Landry and David Njoku. Gordon reeled in his lone target in Week 1 for an impressive 17 -yard TD.

The Browns are not exactly stacked at WR behind Jarvis Landry. The next men up on the depth chart are Antonio Callaway (who was cited for marijuana possession in the preseason) and Rashard Higgins, an unassuming player without exceptional talent. Why then would they cut Josh Gordon? Gordon’s six-year stint with the Browns has certainly been tumultuous. His peak came with his All-Pro 2013 season, and there have been many valleys since. The team has stood by Gordon while he dealt with personal issues, and it is unusual that they cut him now. In a statement from Browns GM John Dorsey, he said: “For the past six years, the Browns have fully supported and invested in Josh.” He went on to say: “Unfortunately, we’ve reached a point where we feel it’s best to part ways and move forward. We wish Josh well.”

Dorsey’s comments are an understatement. The organization continued to support Gordon despite his many off-the-field issues. He reportedly showed up late to practice on Saturday, and he reported then that he was dealing with a hamstring issue after a full week of practice. This looks to be a “final straw” situation for Cleveland after six years of patience with Gordon. The team’s competitiveness in Week 1 may have played a part in the decision, with the Browns looking to clean up the locker room from any distractions as they try to build a winning culture.

Next man up

Gordon’s release will mean more targets to go around for Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, and David Njoku moving forward. Landry was almost certainly going to be the team’s leading receiver in terms of yards and targets heading into 2018, but Gordon could have eaten into his numbers as the season went on. It should be noted that “Juice” put up his impressive 7-106 line in Week 1 with Gordon on the field for 78% of the offensive snaps. Landry led the team with 15 targets, while Gordon had only three. Landry’s top spot in the Browns receivers’ pecking order is now firmly cemented, although he was always going to be productive, even with Gordon on the field. He’s averaged 142 targets and 100 receptions per season over his first four years in the NFL. He’s an every-week WR2 with a WR1 ceiling, especially in PPR leagues.

It looks like the primary beneficiary of Gordon’s release will be rookie Antonio Callaway. Callaway, like Gordon, dealt with some off-the-field issues this preseason. He was cited for marijuana possession, but his hard work and talent kept his roster spot safe. He suddenly becomes fantasy relevant and should now slide into the No. 2 role on this team. His value is that of a WR3/4 moving forward, but volume and his deep-threat abilities could make him even more viable in good matchups.

Callaway got more playing time in Week 2 with Gordon inactive. Here are the snap count percentages from Week 1 and Week 2.

 
Callaway caught his first NFL TD on Sunday and actually lead the Browns in receiving yards with 81. He only had three receptions on four targets, being targeted less than Landry, Higgins, and Njoku, although he played more snaps than Higgins and Njoku. His snap count rose from 17% to 81%, a huge improvement and very encouraging for his production moving forward.

Tyrod Taylor’s outlook doesn’t change much. He played most of the preseason without Gordon and only targeted him three times in Week 1. Landry was always going to be his favorite target, and the loss of Gordon doesn’t affect Taylor’s value very much. He’ll still put up solid weekly numbers with Landry, Callaway, Higgins, and Njoku as his primary pass-catchers.

What it means for the Patriots

Gordon will immediately make an impact with the Patriots. He is arguably the most gifted WR Tom Brady has had since Randy Moss over 10 seasons ago. Gordon will most likely sit out Week 3 or be on a snap count while getting up to speed with the offense. New England has been an oasis for troubled or underachieving players to revitalize their careers. Moss, Chris Hogan, and Danny Amendola have all made huge contributions to the team at one point. 

The move diminishes the role of Chris Hogan and, when he returns, Julian Edelman. Hogan’s numbers will take the most beating, as Edelman will primarily line up in the slot, a position Gordon is unlikely to see too often. Phillip Dorsett has not been a very relevant fantasy option in 2018, and the addition of Gordon closes that door completely. 

Gordon will join the Pats and fill a deep-threat role formerly filled by Randy Moss and Brandin Cooks. In three seasons with New England, Moss averaged an 83-1,255-16 line while Cooks averaged 65-1,082-7. If Gordon can stay clean and learn the playbook, he has the potential to be a WR1. He’s an excellent rest-of-season play as a WR2/3 with an extremely high ceiling.

It’s sad to see Josh Gordon’s story end so abruptly in Cleveland after his failures and climb back up to the top. His tenure in New England should be prosperous, and he joins a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. A troubled player, Gordon will find stability with Bill Belichick in New England that he wasn’t offered in Cleveland. This is likely the defining moment of his career. As a football fan and a fantasy football player, I’m anxious to see him in a Patriots uniform.

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Zachary Hanshew is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.