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Deshaun Watson threw for 324 yards, but almost all of those were to tight ends and running backs. Concepcion did have a nice gain of 24 yards on one catch but was rarely involved apart from that. He did play 55 of the team’s 67 snaps and run a route on 44 of their 49 dropbacks, so the role is great, but the offense and quarterback play will likely keep him an inconsistent fantasy option.
The Browns slot man shredded the Tennessee secondary from start to finish. Coming into the game with a season-high of 64 receiving yards, Concepcion eclipsed that mark in the second quarter and didn’t look back. He continually shed tacklers against a low-effort Titans defense and functioned as the centerpiece of the Cleveland passing game. He led the Browns in targets, mostly seeing designed short-area throws from Deshaun Watson. In a Browns offense with a top-10 neutral pass rate, Concepcion should be a weekly top-36 option in PPR formats. He’ll get the Steelers in Week 8.
Concepcion should be treated as a PPR WR3/WR4 tweener this week in a good matchup against the Titans. With Denzel Boston also active, we likely won’t be seeing any major explosions here. Concepcion-reliant managers would accept any explosion at this point as he’s found it hard to crack 50 receiving yards so far.
The Browns’ short-area target earner is banged up, but he still has a chance to play in Week 7 against the Titans. Ideally, Concepcion will upgrade to full participation tomorrow. If he remains limited, he may end up being listed with a questionable tag. Stay tuned.
The rookie wide receiver has been awfully banged up over the past two weeks. He suffered a concussion in Week 5, yet managed to play in Week 6. Unfortunately, he did not leave the contest unscathed, picking up two lower-body injuries. Hopefully, he resumes practicing fully tomorrow.
Concepcion’s six targets led all Browns players, while his 37 receiving yards were good for second-most behind Jerry Jeudy. Concepcion’s biggest play of the game came on a 17-yard reception in the third quarter that helped set up the Browns’ first scoring drive of the afternoon. Concepcion had a red zone carry inside the Ravens’ 10-yard line that resulted in only a one-yard gain, but it’s always good to see his coaches trusting him in the valuable areas of the field. We are still waiting on his first breakout game, but the volume continues to be encouraging. Concepcion will be a fringe WR3/WR4 next week against the Titans.
Concepcion will have some low-end WR3/FLEX appeal with four teams on bye in PPR leagues. He simply hasn’t been able to find much space with his opportunities so far, with two 25-yard catches and 16 other catches that went for just 99 yards in his first five weeks of action.
He’s still in concussion protocol, but it looks like he’ll have at least some chance of clearing before Sunday’s game against the Ravens. Concepcion would struggle to be more than a FLEX option here even if healthy, so fantasy managers should probably look at alternatives this week.
It’s a remarkable turn after Concepcion was knocked out cold on the field in Week 5 against the Jets. If Concepcion is able to practice in the coming days he should be active for Week 6 against the Ravens. The rookie leads the Cleveland offense with a 23 percent target per route rate, used primarily as a gadget player near the line of scrimmage. He would be a flex option in PPR formats if he suits up against Baltimore.
Making a spinning first quarter grab, Concepcion took a high hit from Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was flagged for a personal foul. It was the kind of hit the NFL is trying to legislate out of the game, but it wasn’t necessarily dirty. It was extremely unfortunate, as Concepcion did appear to be briefly out cold. He thankfully made his way to his feet and to the locker room unassisted, but he was ruled out before even undergoing a formal evaluation. He will now be highly questionable for Week 6 against the Ravens. Concepcion’s loss will mean more routes for beleaguered Jerry Jeudy.
Concepcion continues to operate as the primary slot receiver for a Browns team clearly looking to their youth while phasing out veteran Jerry Jeudy, the latter of whom managed three receptions on three targets for 36 yards. Concepcion has yet to lead the team in receiving while working in a short area role, with this the first game thus far which he has gained more then 43 yards. He’ll be a difficult start in fantasy circles when the Browns take on the Jets in Week 5.
Concepcion ranks second on the team with 17 targets, but his chemistry with Watson remains a work in progress. The rookie wide receiver has turned a team-high 12 receptions into just 80 yards. Concepcion is FLEX-viable against the Steelers on Thursday Night Football.
Well that’s not going to cut it. As ESPN’s Mike Clay points out, rookie first-rounder Concepcion is up to 20 targets over three appearances but has just 80 yards to show for it. He is not being put in position to make explosive plays, and he is very much not doing so. With a yards per catch more befitting of a sluggish running back (6.6), Concepcion is best left outside the WR4 ranks ahead of a tough Week 4 date with the Steelers.
The good news: Todd Monken is intent on getting the football into the hands of the shifty rookie wideout. The bad news: Designed plays have been borderline disastrous for Concepcion, who was buried for a six yard loss on a first quarter carry. Denzel Boston — who caught his second touchdown of the season — was the only Browns pass catcher to see more targets for Concepcion on Sunday. Concepcion’s role in the low-wattage Cleveland offense leaves little room for weekly upside. He should be rostered in deeper formats though.
Concepcion was utilized like the Browns’ top offensive weapon on the day, seeing three carries and five targets. He was used in motion and targeted underneath frequently. Concepcion’s fumble occurred on a screen pass where he attempted to evade multiple defenders downfield in the second quarter. His usage is certainly encouraging for fantasy managers as he led all Browns wide receivers in targets and receptions. In an offense that will likely find itself trailing frequently this season, Concepcion will see heavy usage, though getting high leverage opportunities may be difficult if the Browns continue to face the same offensive issues they did in Week 1. Concepcion is a fantasy WR4 for Week 2 against the Buccaneers.
Concepcion caught three passes for 27 yards in the Browns’ preseason opener and also ran in a 14-yard touchdown on a jet sweep. The rookie first-rounder drew high praise from Monken on Monday, who said, "(Concepcion) is explosive, he’s tough, he’s got great contact balance,” to the media. There have been multiple reports this offseason about the Browns trying to get Concepcion the ball in as many ways as possible. We’ll still want to see how his usage shakes out once we get to real games, but Concepcion sounds like a great later-round target who could yield early results for fantasy managers.
Concepcion did a little bit of everything in this one, with his most notable play coming on a 14-yard rushing touchdown on a jet sweep. The rookie first-rounder also had an impressive 31-yard punt return that would have gone for more if not for a shoestring tackle by Hayden Large. Concepcion played on 24 offensive snaps, with all four of his targets coming from Deshaun Watson. It was a strong debut for the explosive rookie, who is among the more intriguing sleepers in fantasy drafts this season.
Concepcion landed hard on his right shoulder near the end of Monday’s practice and was in visible pain while making his way to the sideline. Despite the initial scare, it doesn’t appear this is anything too serious. The rookie receiver has made a strong early impression in training camp and is one of the more intriguing late-round dart throws in fantasy drafts this season.
Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot posted a video to her X account on Monday, where Concepcion can be seen walking to the sideline with a trainer while holding his right shoulder. We don’t know much beyond what we saw on Cabot’s video, so this will be one to keep an eye on. Concepcion has enjoyed a strong camp with the Browns through the first week and is expected to be a focal point in the offense in his rookie year under Todd Monken.
Oyefusi says the plays to Concepcion varied from “deep shots to screens to run plays,” as the versatile receiver has seemingly been all over the place early this offseason. It was reported earlier this month that head coach Todd Monken planned to design touches for Concepcion, who many believed to be one of the best overall playmakers in this year’s draft. It still remains to be seen how he will be deployed in his rookie season, but Concepcion could have a chance to be the most productive receiver in the Browns’ passing game this season, given his ability to operate in the short areas of the field and in the quick passing game. He is a player who will be worth a close watch in training camp, as any reports of significant usage could hint at a quick return in value for fantasy managers who drafted him.
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