Right now, the talk of the receivers in Cleveland is all the rave.
There’s a ton of hoopla surrounding the exodus of Edwards, and the arrival of Stuckey, the speculation surrounding whether or not Cribbs will get up to speed, some even more interesting talk of Furry (now the most experienced receiver for the Browns by default) continuing to play defense, and of course the breakout game last week of Mohamed Massaquoi.
Riveting!
Well not really, as the Browns have shown us absolutely nothing at all this year, but things are beginning to look up aren’t they?
This brings me to my next point; a point that has all but eluded the limelight of the past week, and that is Robert Royal’s return to Buffalo.
Royal was brought into Cleveland to not only replace Kellen Winslow, but to also become another impact player capable of giving the Browns’ QBs a viable target to throw to; particularly in the red zone—too bad the QBs are still trying to figure out just how-to get to the end zone, but you get the point.
On Sunday Royal travels back to whence he came from in a matchup featuring the Browns’ 28th ranked offense against the Bills’ 25th ranked defense. But for Royal, after the season opener he became less noticeable than Eric Mangini’s ineptitude to manage a football team.
But all of that should change and here’s why!
The Browns are going to have to deal with an adjustment period of breaking in Stucky, but it shouldn’t be too difficult since he is already familiar with Mangini’s system, but they will also have to try and figure out what to do with Massaquoi.
Massaquoi enjoyed last week’s success primarily due to Edwards’ double coverage and ability—despite being inept in his own right…go figure—to draw the double coverage. Now, teams will be able to play a more balanced defense against the Browns putting a lot of responsibility back on the QB to make good reads; something the Browns haven’t been doing so far.
In addition to all of this, the Browns are just now getting to enjoy a new shinny RB in James Harrison, but since he is in fact new, it’s hard to say whether or not Harrison’s success will repeat week after week.
SO, what does all of this have to do with Robert Royal? (See, even in articles he tends to disappear doesn’t he?)
Well, the Browns will need some sure hands to rely on especially during this transition period, which means Royal could be center stage for the next couple of games; he is surely to be center stage when the Browns go back to Buffalo. If the Browns can use their ground game effectively to afford themselves ball control, they can then utilize the TE and slot, to move the ball methodically down field as well as using both positions for scoring.
But they have to actually accomplish this feat first don’t they?
In Fantasy Football, you count on your TE to supply supplemental points via catches, yards and especially scoring.
So up until now, Royal owners have been more than likely peppering their computer screens with spit from yelling so much and otherwise throwing uncontrollable fits of rage at the water cooler on Monday mornings due to his lack of performance.
Well buck up little campers!
As the next couple of game advance on the Browns, the usage of Royal to balance everything out just makes sense which could mean Fantasy owners are looking at a couple of good weeks out of him, and if he does start producing, the crafty little ‘ratman’ we call Eric Mangini may keep using him to take the easy road.
If you Think About It, Royal is set to have a huge day Sunday, and a nice couple of weeks going forward. But by the season’s end, Royal will undoubtedly be relegated to the murky shadows of TE irrelevancy, and hope will be the only fodder sustaining him during the offseason.
