Johnny Manziel finally got some real playing time this weekend as Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine yanked Brian Hoyer in the fourth quarter after two picks. I've laid out my reasoning for why Johnny Football should get the nod the rest of the way. But as of now, Pettine is still deciding which QB to start on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
"The obvious [is] adding another dimension when things break down," one NFL personnel evaluator said of the difference between Hoyer and Manziel. "But getting [Manziel] out in space to make throws are going to ease the process and that's what he's good at. Plus, there was a little more zip on some of those passes he was throwing."
The question I keep coming back to is: should you pick up Manziel in your fantasy football league?
He's only owned in 2.7 percent of ESPN leagues so you know he's available. But is going to be productive?
Against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Manziel completed five of eight passes for 63 yards and rushed twice for 13 yards including a 10-yard scamper for a touchdown. Mobile quarterbacks tend to do well for fantasy purposes. Tim Tebow accounted for 29 total touchdowns and 887 rushing yards in 23 career games with the Denver Broncos, and he isn't half the passer Manziel is.
Johnny Football has unusually good legs and mobility, a strong arm and Josh Gordon to receive his passes. The best part of all is that he isn't just a running QB. His 73.5 completion percentage from his 2013 college season ranks first among draft eligible quarterbacks in that year.
I'm not necessarily saying that he's the answer at quarterback for the Browns, but all of the factors are there for success from a fantasy perspective.
If Manziel is named the starter and you're desperate for a quarterback, the upside here is very intriguing to say the least.
