Marvin

Hall

Cleveland signed Hall late last year after the Lions released him. Hall made 11 appearances for the Lions in 2020, totaling 17 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns. He was eventually overtaken by rookie Quintez Cephus. Hall will have to compete with Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyer for slot duties in New England’s revamped offense.

After a COVID-19 scare that kept a number of coaches and players at home for their Wild Card game versus Cleveland, the Browns enter the Divisional Round nearly at full strength. HC Kevin Stefanski is present for this game and will call the offensive plays after being forced to watch his team from home last week. CBs Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson are also active which should help the Cleveland defense offer some resistance to Patrick Mahomes this week.

Hall was presumably the Browns’ No. 1 receiver with their top four options on the COVID-19 list, but practice-squad call-up Ja’Marcus Bradley ended with a position-high 11 targets instead. This was Hall’s best chance at showing why he belongs on an active roster, and he did little with it. Jarvis Landry and company are expected back in Week 17 against the Steelers.

It’s a catastrophe for the Browns. Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones, KhaDarel Hodge, and Rashard Higgins were all considered high-risk close contacts of someone who tested positive for COVID-19. It leaves the team without any of its regular wideouts for Week 16 against the Jets. Marvin Hall is the only receiver on the official Browns depth chart who has not been deemed a COVID close contact. He will be joined by practice squad call-ups Ja’Marcus Bradley and Derrick Willies.

Good grief. With Hodge joining Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones on the COVID list as “close contacts,” ex-Lion Marvin Hall will now be the Browns’ “No. 1 receiver.” Ja’Marcus Bradley and Derrick Willies will also be promoted from the practice squad. It’s obviously a situation to avoid in fantasy, and all the more reason for the Browns to lean on their lethal rushing attack against the Jets’ tanked defense. Hall will be worth a WR5 punt, however.

Hall is the last receiver standing on the Browns’ 53-man roster, though he will be joined by practice squadders Ja’Marcus Bradley and Derrick Willies. 27-year-old Hall flashed a little juice for the Lions earlier this season, turning in 12 targets over one two-game span. He will offer some desperation WR5 appeal, but the Browns will clearly double down on their rushing attack while likely featuring targets to Kareem Hunt and Austin Hooper.

Currently in his fourth year in the league, Hall was recently waived by Detroit to allow for more playing time for rookie Quintez Cephus and converted wideout Jamal Agnew. Hall still made 11 appearances for the Lions this year, totaling 17 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll likely be a depth option in Cleveland since both KhaDarel Hodge and Taywan Taylor are currently banged up.

The team wants to take a longer look at the younger receivers on the roster like Quintez Cephus and to a lesser extent Jamal Agnew. It’s in the best long-term interest for the organization even if Hall is more polished right now. If Hall is waived, there’s a chance he’s claimed as a depth option.

Swift was on the wrong side of questionable in a short week. Expect Kerryon Johnson and Adrian Peterson to share backfield duties against a terrible Houston front seven, with Johnson taking most pass catching opportunities and Peterson getting short yardage and perhaps goal line work. Marvin Jones and Marvin Hall will once again operate as the team’s top two wideouts with Amendola and Golladay sidelined. Jamal Agnew last week was the Lions WR3, playing half the team’s offensive snaps and drawing six targets against Carolina. He’s only viable in single-game DFS contests.

Detroit will be thin at wide receiver with Amendola and Kenny Golladay (hip) out. Marvin Jones would presumably be the team’s WR1 and Marvin Hall the WR2 against an average Carolina secondary. Hall, who has seen 13 percent of the team’s targets and leads the offense in air yards over Detroit’s past three games, is a high-variance WR3/4 option this week.