KC

Concepcion

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.

This comes from Palmer’s pre-Thursday Night Football notes. After sharing the info, he tells readers to “read into that how you want.” Fannin currently leads the team in targets (18), though rookie WRs KC Concepcion (17) and Denzel Boston (15) are right behind him. If Palmer’s report is accurate, Fannin could slip to third in target share as the season progresses, but he remains a very talented player and target earner, deserving of a weekly TE1 ranking. Just file this away for now.

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.