Tag: Rashard Higgins

Browns WR Rashard Higgins cited for drag racing

Higgins was cited by Westlake police

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Rashard Higgins drove into some trouble on Tuesday morning. Higgins was stopped in Westlake, a suburb of Cleveland, and cited for drag racing by police.

Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram was the first to report the news.

In addition to the drag racing citation, police also noted a marijuana cigarette in possession of one of the illicit drag racers. recreational marijuana is still illegal in Ohio. From Petrak’s report,

A substance suspected as a marijuana joint was found and destroyed on camera under officer supervision, the report said. The initial report didn’t state in which vehicle or on what person the suspected marijuana was found. The full report is expected to be available Wednesday.

Higgins initially downplayed the citation but deleted the tweets he sent out at the time. The Browns released a brief statement that the team was aware of the incident but had no comment at the time.

[lawrence-related id=57373]

7 pending free agent wide receivers that could interest the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021

7 pending free agent wide receivers that could interest the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021

The Eagles have some looming roster decisions to make and despite adding three wideouts during the NFL draft, Philadelphia needs more ammo on the outside.

Salay cap issues could prevent Philadelphia from making a big splash in free agency, but there are several interesting targets that the Eagles could have an interest in.

We break down seven targets, all under the age of 30 that could possibly interest Howie Roseman and company.

Browns place 5 more on reserve/COVID-19 list including top 4 WRs

The Browns will be without Landry, Higgins, Peoples-Jones and Hodge vs. the Jets

Shorthanded doesn’t even begin to describe how the Cleveland Browns offense will look when the team takes the field in New York on Sunday. The top four wide receivers on the Browns were all placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list less than 24 hours before the scheduled kickoff at MetLife Stadium with the Jets.

Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge and Donovan Peoples-Jones are joined by linebacker Jacob Phillips on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday. The team’s plane to New York was delayed for several hours while contract tracing for a positive test was completed. All the players listed were deemed as close contacts and will miss Sunday’s game.

The Browns quickly elevated WRs Ja’Marcus Bradley and Derrick Willies, as well as LB Montrel Meander, from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements. Left tackle Jedrick Wills was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday and will play against the 1-13 Jets.

[lawrence-related id=56909]

6 waiver wire targets in fantasy football for Week 16

Waiver wire targets for championship weekend.

Here we are. Championship Week. If you are blessed to be playing for a title this weekend, good luck! If you’re trying to avoid whatever shameful punishment your league has for last place, then you need all the help you can get.

Luckily, there are still many quality players out there on the waiver wire that are available to give your team an extra boost.

Here are six waiver wire targets for Week 16 as the fantasy season comes to a close:

 

6 waiver wire targets for fantasy football in Week 15

Waiver wire targets in Week 15.

The final weeks of the fantasy football season are full of playoff stress, and setting your lineup with the best players is vital to your team’s success.

It can be tough to switch out players in your starting lineup for those on the waiver wire, but sometimes a move is necessary. Here are six waiver-wire targets for Week 15 of fantasy football:

Fantasy Football Targets, Touches and TDs: Week 15

A deep dive into the wide receiver position as we near the end of 2020.

Wide receiver has been fantasy’s unquestioned deepest position for several years running now.

As a result, leagues with three starting wide receiver slots have become increasingly common, and the weekly lineup decisions surrounding those starters often are among the toughest to make with fantasy general managers regularly choosing from a pool of similarly productive and intriguing WR options.

So what separates one talented wideout from another or one WR2 from the next?

This week’s TT&T will attempt to answer some of those questions by taking a look at deeper and lesser-known wide receiver statistical metrics and see what light they can shed on actual efficiency and true productiveness at the position this season.

In the process, some underrated and overrated wideouts are sure to emerge along with some hidden gems, and that should help in regards to some of those tough weekly WR lineup decisions.

Team target share

(source: Lineups.com)

Top 10

  1. DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals 25.2 percent
  2. Stefon Diggs, Bills 25.1
  3. Keenan Allen, Chargers 25.0
  4. Davante Adams, Packers 24.8
  5. Marquise Brown, Ravens 24.2
  6. Terry McLaurin, Washington 23.1
  7. Jarvis Landry, Browns 22.7
  8. Robby Anderson, Panthers 22.7
  9. Allen Robinson, Bears 22.3
  10. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs 21.9

Notable

  • Brown (36th among wide receivers with 80 total targets ) and Landry (27th with 87) are the only wideouts ranked in the above top 10 who are not among the top 25 at the position in total targets. They also are the only ones in the above group averaging fewer than 8.5 targets per game with Landry averaging 6.7 and Brown averaging 6.2.
  • Aside from the just-mentioned Landry and Brown, Anderson (18th among WRs with 15.1 point-per-reception fantasy points per game) and McLaurin (19th with 14.9) rank the lowest among this group in fantasy production, and most of it is due to their combined five touchdowns. The other six (Hopkins, Diggs, Adams, Allen, Robinson and Hill) have 53 TD receptions between them with none with fewer than five.
  • 49ers rookie Brandon Aiyuk (17th with 15.8 fantasy points per game) has missed three full games due to injury and consequently owns the lowest team target share (13.9) of any current top-20 fantasy wideout. However, he’s drawn at least 23 percent of San Fran’s targets in each of his last five games with a minimum of seven targets in each outing.

Air yards before catch per reception

(min. 35 receptions, ProFootballReference.com)

Top 10

  1. Nelson Agholor, Raiders 13.0
  2. Calvin Ridley, Falcons 12.8
  3. Mike Williams, Chargers 12.5
  4. D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks 12.5
  5. D.J. Moore, Panthers 12.5
  6. Darius Slayton, Giants 12.0
  7. Jerry Jeudy, Broncos 11.9
  8. Justin Jefferson, Vikings 11.5
  9. Will Fuller, Texans 11.1
  10. Tim Patrick, Broncos 10.9

Notable

  • This is not only a good indicator of which wide receivers are getting targeted with the coveted/more fantasy-lucrative deeper passes, but how many of these deeper passes are actually being caught. The Bucs’ Scotty Miller (13.6 yards on 28 catches), the Packers’ Marquez Valdes-Scantling (13.2 on 31) and the Bills’ emerging Gabriel Davis (12.4 on 28) are among those who just fell short of the minimum-catch threshold.
  • Agholor popped again Sunday with five catches for 100 yards and a TD on nine targets in the Raiders’ 44-27 loss to the Colts, but even with that, he’s only averaging 11.1 fantasy points per game and has had more than twice as many sub-top-40 finishes (seven) than top-25 finishes (three) on the season — a true boom-or-best receiver with a few too many busts to be started with any confidence.
  • It’s not too surprising to find a pair of Broncos on this list, considering QB Drew Lock leads the league with an average of 9.1 intended air yards per passing attempt, but hopefully most fantasy GMs have realized by now that Patrick is by far the team’s best WR3/flex option as his 64.2 catch percentage is far superior to Jeudy’s 46.5. Patrick has a team-most six TD receptions while Jeudy and the rest of the team’s wideouts have combined for seven.

Yards after catch/reception

(min. 30 receptions, NFL Next Gen Stats)

Top 10

  1. Deebo Samuel, 49ers 12.3
  2. Mecole Hardman, Chiefs 7.6
  3. Danny Amendola, Lions 7.2
  4. Michael Pittman Jr., Colts 7.1
  5. A.J. Brown, Titans 7.1
  6. Hunter Renfrow, Raiders 6.7
  7. Valdes-Scantling, Packers 6.6
  8. McLaurin, Washington 6.5
  9. Moore, Panthers 6.4
  10. Robert Woods, Rams 6.2

Notable

  • Samuel, who could miss the rest the season due to Sunday’s opening-play hamstring injury, is averaging nearly five more yards after the catch than any other qualifying wideout. Samuel also has a negative-7 total air yards on his 33 receptions, meaning he has more yards after the catch (398) than he does total receiving yards (391) on the season. That’s truly a rarity for a wide receiver, but Samuel seems to be paying a price health-wise for his physical style as he’s played in only seven of 13 contests this season.
  • The rookie Pittman has drawn physical comparisons to his AFC South counterpart in Brown, so it’s wholly fitting that their YAC averages are near identical. Pittman, though, is averaging 2.4 fewer targets and 1.3 fewer receptions per game and has had five or fewer targets in three of his last four contests after a bright but brief midseason surge.
  • Woods and fellow Rams WR Cooper Kupp, rank fourth and second among wideouts with YAC totals of 463 and 473, respectively. That obviously beefs up their own fantasy numbers as well as QB Jared Goff, who ranks third at the position with an average of 6.0 YAC per completion. Only Aaron Rodgers and the Niners’ Nick Mullens, at 6.2 apiece, average more, and only Patrick Mahomes (1,965) has benefited from more total YAC than Goff’s 1,945 to date on the season.

Team red-zone TD share

(min. 10 red zone targets, Lineups.com)

Top 10

  1. Adam Thielen, Vikings 58.0
  2. Ridley, Falcons 55.0
  3. Allen, Chargers 44.0
  4. N’Keal Harry, Patriots 40.0
  5. Mike Evans, Bucs 38.0
  6. Adams, Packers 36.0
  7. Aiyuk, 49ers 27.0
  8. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers 26.0
  9. Hill, Chiefs 26.0
  10. Amari Cooper, Cowboys, 25.0

Notable

  • Thielen ranks eighth at the position with an average of 17.5 fantasy points per outing, and he owes it much to his top-of-the charts red-zone efficiency. A league-high 11 of his 12 total scoring grabs have come in the red zone, and he’s done it on 16 targets (fourth) and 14 receptions (third) inside the 20.
  • Ridley and Allen are the only other wideouts to have snared more than 40 percent of their teams’ red zone TD tosses with rounded-up percentages of 55 and 44, respectively. It’s particularly notable that Ridley has been on the receiving end of six of the Falcons’ 11 TD throws. WRs Russell Gage and Brandon Powell have two apiece and tight end Hayden Hurst has the other, leaving Julio Jones with a shocking zero on eight inside-the-20 targets and four receptions.
  • On the flip side, the Panthers’ Anderson, Washington’s McLaurin, the Bears’ Anthony Miller and the Saints’ Michael Thomas are the only wide receivers with 10 or more targets inside the red zone and no receiving TDs. All have exactly 10 inside-the-20 targets apiece with 17 combined receptions. Bengals TE Drew Sample (10 scoreless red-zone targets) is the only other pass-catcher without a TD on double-digit red zone targets.

Drop percentage

(min. 35 targets, ProFootballReference.com)

Top 10

  1. Hardman, Chiefs 13.3
  2. KJ Hamler, Broncos 11.5
  3. Valdes-Scantling, Packers 10.2
  4. Diontae Johnson, Steelers 8.8
  5. Moore, Panthers 7.9
  6. Kendrick Bourne, 49ers 7.9
  7. Thielen, Vikings 7.7
  8. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks 7.5
  9. Gage, Falcons 7.1
  10. Michael Gallup, Cowboys 7.1

Notable

  • Johnson has been poster player for drops with a league-high 10 on 113 targets. His unreliable hands have been especially glaring of late, and he even earned a seat on the bench for much of Sunday night’s loss in Buffalo after a pair of glaring early-game drops. Johnson is certainly not alone on the Steelers as QB Ben Roethlisberger has been victimized by a league-most 33 dropped passes and only the Cowboys’ Andy Dalton, at 7.0 percent, has had a higher percentage of his passes dropped than Big Ben’s 6.4.
  • It’s a bit shocking to see Thielen and Lockett on this list considering the former’s sure-handed reputations and the latter’s sheer volume (106 targets) and penchant for reeling in low-percentage passes, but they have had seven and eight drops on the season, respectively. Of course, Thielen and Lockett really don’t have to worry about much of a decrease in targets if the dropped opportunities continue, but players like the just-mentioned second-year Johnson are in danger of seeing their looks and snaps take a dip if the frustrating miscues persist.
  • On the flip side, the Browns’ Rashard Higgins, the Texans’ Randall Cobb, the Broncos’ Patrick, the Bucs’ Antonio Brown and Bears rookie Darnell Mooney are the only wide receivers without a drop and at least 34 targets, according to ProFootballReference.com data.

Report: Browns have begun contract extension discussions with Rashard Higgins

Higgins will be a free agent at the end of the season

Are the Cleveland Browns ready to roll out some more red carpet for “Hollywood”?

A report from Josina Anderson of ESPN indicates the Browns have commenced discussions with wide receiver Rashard Higgins on a possible contract extension.

Higgins is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season. He is playing on a one-year contract worth $910,000. The big wideout has 25 catches for 400 yards and three TDs in 2020, but his role has increased considerably since fellow WR Odell Beckham Jr. went on injured reserve after Week 7.

The 26-year-old has had an up-and-down five-year career in Cleveland. He’s developed good chemistry with QB Baker Mayfield, but fell into the coaching doghouse with Freddie Kitchens in 2019. Higgins is one of the most popular players in the Browns locker room.

Finding a value point could be difficult. The Browns are heavily committed financially to Beckham and Jarvis Landry at wide receiver already.

Watch: The Browns perfect the ‘Hollywood’ Higgins red carpet TD celebration

The Browns nailed the choreography perfectly

Rashard Higgins has been doing the red carpet stroll as his touchdown celebration for years. The Browns wide receiver goes by the nickname “Hollywood”, or “Wood” to teammates and friends, after all. But he’s never had a better-choreographed edition of the elaborate TD celebration than the one he and his Browns mates rolled out on Sunday in Tennessee.

Everyone got in the right places and positions to make this one epic. What makes this one the best is Baker Mayfield’s slide into the celebration as an extra paparazzi. It’s pure brilliance.

From the photojournalist who captured it in person, Asa Johnson:

Here’s hoping Hollywood gets to strut a few more times.

[lawrence-related id=56084]

Studs and Duds is all studs in the Browns win over the Titans

Not everyone had great games but the team is 9-3 and sometimes it’s best to just enjoy the happy moments

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=EgqYNzMpti-1062445-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

The Cleveland Browns just finished putting the Tennessee Titans away to an impressive tune of 41-35 and are now 9-3 for the first time since 1994. Everyone should be stoked and for that reason in this week’s stud and duds, we will only be exploring the studs baby!

Baker Mayfield

It is still shocking that people question Baker Mayfield and his ability, but maybe after orchestrating another phenomenal game against a good opponent the critics will shut up. Mayfield threw four touchdowns, all in the first half, and finished the game with 334 passing yards. Maybe no pass was prettier than the 75-yard touchdown pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Myles Garrett

Garrett is a mainstay on this list, except for when he is dealing with COVID. He had another fantastic game with two tackles and a sack that showed just how elite and explosive he is off the edge. Garrett is the first player in franchise history to earn 10 or more sacks in three straight seasons. The only thing that would make his game even better would be the refs calling a hold every once in a while.

Donovan Peoples-Jones

“DPJ” didn’t have the perfect game as illustrated by his atrocious drop, but the late-round rookie did finish as the second leading receiver with two receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. We spoke of the glory of his 75-yard touchdown in which he worked the defensive back like a rodeo clown and hopefully we can expect more of this moving forward.

Rashard Higgins

Higgins was the actual leading receiver for the Browns with six receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. It almost makes you forget that he was in the coaching doghouse for some unknown reason last season…almost. Benching Higgins may have been the biggest mistake of the John Dorsey tenure.

Sheldon Richardson

Richardson may be the real MVP of the game as he was the focal point of stopping the Derrick Henry rushing attack, which was the main reason Tennessee was favored by a touchdown to begin with. Richardson not only stopped Henry early and often but also forced a fumble on Henry.

Not everyone had great games but the team is 9-3 and sometimes it’s best to just enjoy the happy moments.

[vertical-gallery id=56121]

Browns vs. Titans recap: Score, stats, stars of the game and more

Keys to the Cleveland win, stars of the game, what’s next for the Browns and more

The Cleveland Browns are 9-3 after a convincing, nerve-racking, exciting 41-35 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 13.

It was a tale of two halves, with the Browns surging out to the best first half in franchise history. Then the Titans reminded everyone why they entered the game at 8-3 and nearly pulled off the improbable comeback.

The win means the Browns solidified their grasp on the top Wild Card spot in the AFC. Only Pittsburgh and Kansas City have more wins than the 9-3 team from Cleveland, which finally got a signature win over a good team.