NFL

Sleeper Fantasy Picks for Browns vs. Broncos Monday Night Football

When the schedule was released back in May, many people probably thought the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos would be in opposite positions for their Week 13 Monday Night Football showdown. The Browns had been trending up in recent years and looked poised to make the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time since 1988-89. Instead, they are languishing as one of the worst teams in football and have their sights set on the NFL Draft already. Conversely, Denver was supposed to be on the development path. The Broncos had just drafted Bo Nix and rebuilt their roster, thinking this would be a year to get Nix acclimated to the rigors of professional football. Yet, here they are, comfortably positioned in an AFC wild-card spot. As a result, they’ve been installed as -6.5 home chalk for this intra-conference tilt at Mile High Stadium.

This article will discuss two or more of my favorite NFL pick’ems from Sleeper Fantasy, where you can use Sleeper promo code LABS1 for a $1,500 deposit match.

Sleeper Fantasy Picks for Browns vs. Broncos

Jameis Winston Less 21.5 Completions

The Deshaun Watson era has likely come to an end in Cleveland. In the interim, Jameis Winston has filled in under center, and he’s done so with many of the same issues that have plagued him his entire career. The former first-overall draft pick has struggled with accuracy, with a sub-optimal completion percentage and persistent interceptions. Unfortunately, neither of those benchmarks will improve against a fierce Broncos’ secondary.

With the Browns constantly trailing, Winston has been relied upon heavily to keep the ball moving; however, he’s done so mostly ineffectively. Over the last three games, he’s completed 62.2% of his throws with more interceptions than touchdowns. Winston has fallen below 235 passing yards in two of those three contests and has been sacked 10 times. Granted, his high-volume approach in the passing game has helped him exceed 26 completions in two of those contests; we’re anticipating a more subdued performance on Monday night.

Denver’s pass defense will get the better of Winston all night. The Broncos are allowing an opponent completion percentage of 62.7% over their past three games, on par with their home average of 62.5% this season. Moreover, they lead the league in sacks, getting to opposing quarterbacks 3.7 times per game. As we’ve seen, Winston doesn’t respond well to pressure and will be forced into bad decisions against a secondary that ranks in the top half of the league in interceptions.

Winston and the Browns passing attack face a sincere challenge on Monday Night Football. The Broncos are one of the most imposing defensive units in the NFL, and they consistently find ways of limiting opponents in the passing game. Winston will falter and should fall below 21.5 completions in Denver.

Nick Chubb Over 55.5 Rushing Yards

We need to take a moment and appreciate Nick Chubb for the specimen that he is. Less than a year after suffering another catastrophic knee injury, Chubb returned to the Browns’ backfield and resumed his role as the lead back on offense. After a gradual increase in workload, the four-time Pro Bowler is back to his usual usage, putting him on pace to eclipse 55.5 rushing yards on Monday night.

Through his first four games of the season, Chubb was averaging 13.3 rushing attempts per game; however, he jumped to 20 carries in last week’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. More importantly, he’s worked his way into game shape and has seen a sharp increase in his effectiveness. Chubb mustered just 2.7 yards per carry through his first three games, bumping that total up to 3.5 with his two most recent efforts.

While he faces a stiff challenge against an imposing Broncos’ rush defense, there are a couple of factors worth considering. First, we’re expecting Kevin Stefanski to take the ball out of Winston’s hands as frequently as possible. A diminished passing attack lends itself to increased reliance on the ground game, and Chubb will be the primary beneficiary. Secondly, opposing running backs have enjoyed some level of success at Mile High Stadium. The Broncos give up 100.6 rushing yards per game at home, an unexpected increase relative to the 93.0 they give up as the visitors.

Chubb is coming off a 59-yard rushing performance last time out and has seen improved efficiency and workload over his past couple of games. That upward trajectory should continue, with the Browns running back going north of 55.5 rushing yards against the Broncos.

Javonte Williams Less 58.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards

As noted, Bo Nix has exceeded expectations in his rookie campaign. Still, his most prominent growth has come in recent weeks. The unintended consequence of Nix’s ascent is diminished reps for Javonte Williams, who continues to struggle with effectiveness.

Nix is spreading the ball around his receivers’ corps, eroding Williams’ usage and production. The Broncos’ running back has fallen below 44 rushing yards in four of the last five games, with a disastrous average of 20.8 rushing yards per game. Moreover, he’s not playing a prominent role in Nix’s progressions. Williams has recorded more than two receptions just twice over the five-game sample while falling below eight receiving yards on three occasions.

Predictably, Williams’ ineffective run has resulted in a diminished workload. The former second-round pick has fallen below 58.0% in terms of snap count in each of the past five games. More concerningly, he’s totaled just 18 carries and 11 targets over his three most recent games.

This is Nix’s offense now, and Williams has taken a back seat in game planning. We’re anticipating another lackluster showing from Williams on Monday Night Football, with the Broncos running back falling below 58.5 rushing + receiving yards.

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When the schedule was released back in May, many people probably thought the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos would be in opposite positions for their Week 13 Monday Night Football showdown. The Browns had been trending up in recent years and looked poised to make the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time since 1988-89. Instead, they are languishing as one of the worst teams in football and have their sights set on the NFL Draft already. Conversely, Denver was supposed to be on the development path. The Broncos had just drafted Bo Nix and rebuilt their roster, thinking this would be a year to get Nix acclimated to the rigors of professional football. Yet, here they are, comfortably positioned in an AFC wild-card spot. As a result, they’ve been installed as -6.5 home chalk for this intra-conference tilt at Mile High Stadium.

This article will discuss two or more of my favorite NFL pick’ems from Sleeper Fantasy, where you can use Sleeper promo code LABS1 for a $1,500 deposit match.

Sleeper Fantasy Picks for Browns vs. Broncos

Jameis Winston Less 21.5 Completions

The Deshaun Watson era has likely come to an end in Cleveland. In the interim, Jameis Winston has filled in under center, and he’s done so with many of the same issues that have plagued him his entire career. The former first-overall draft pick has struggled with accuracy, with a sub-optimal completion percentage and persistent interceptions. Unfortunately, neither of those benchmarks will improve against a fierce Broncos’ secondary.

With the Browns constantly trailing, Winston has been relied upon heavily to keep the ball moving; however, he’s done so mostly ineffectively. Over the last three games, he’s completed 62.2% of his throws with more interceptions than touchdowns. Winston has fallen below 235 passing yards in two of those three contests and has been sacked 10 times. Granted, his high-volume approach in the passing game has helped him exceed 26 completions in two of those contests; we’re anticipating a more subdued performance on Monday night.

Denver’s pass defense will get the better of Winston all night. The Broncos are allowing an opponent completion percentage of 62.7% over their past three games, on par with their home average of 62.5% this season. Moreover, they lead the league in sacks, getting to opposing quarterbacks 3.7 times per game. As we’ve seen, Winston doesn’t respond well to pressure and will be forced into bad decisions against a secondary that ranks in the top half of the league in interceptions.

Winston and the Browns passing attack face a sincere challenge on Monday Night Football. The Broncos are one of the most imposing defensive units in the NFL, and they consistently find ways of limiting opponents in the passing game. Winston will falter and should fall below 21.5 completions in Denver.

Nick Chubb Over 55.5 Rushing Yards

We need to take a moment and appreciate Nick Chubb for the specimen that he is. Less than a year after suffering another catastrophic knee injury, Chubb returned to the Browns’ backfield and resumed his role as the lead back on offense. After a gradual increase in workload, the four-time Pro Bowler is back to his usual usage, putting him on pace to eclipse 55.5 rushing yards on Monday night.

Through his first four games of the season, Chubb was averaging 13.3 rushing attempts per game; however, he jumped to 20 carries in last week’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. More importantly, he’s worked his way into game shape and has seen a sharp increase in his effectiveness. Chubb mustered just 2.7 yards per carry through his first three games, bumping that total up to 3.5 with his two most recent efforts.

While he faces a stiff challenge against an imposing Broncos’ rush defense, there are a couple of factors worth considering. First, we’re expecting Kevin Stefanski to take the ball out of Winston’s hands as frequently as possible. A diminished passing attack lends itself to increased reliance on the ground game, and Chubb will be the primary beneficiary. Secondly, opposing running backs have enjoyed some level of success at Mile High Stadium. The Broncos give up 100.6 rushing yards per game at home, an unexpected increase relative to the 93.0 they give up as the visitors.

Chubb is coming off a 59-yard rushing performance last time out and has seen improved efficiency and workload over his past couple of games. That upward trajectory should continue, with the Browns running back going north of 55.5 rushing yards against the Broncos.

Javonte Williams Less 58.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards

As noted, Bo Nix has exceeded expectations in his rookie campaign. Still, his most prominent growth has come in recent weeks. The unintended consequence of Nix’s ascent is diminished reps for Javonte Williams, who continues to struggle with effectiveness.

Nix is spreading the ball around his receivers’ corps, eroding Williams’ usage and production. The Broncos’ running back has fallen below 44 rushing yards in four of the last five games, with a disastrous average of 20.8 rushing yards per game. Moreover, he’s not playing a prominent role in Nix’s progressions. Williams has recorded more than two receptions just twice over the five-game sample while falling below eight receiving yards on three occasions.

Predictably, Williams’ ineffective run has resulted in a diminished workload. The former second-round pick has fallen below 58.0% in terms of snap count in each of the past five games. More concerningly, he’s totaled just 18 carries and 11 targets over his three most recent games.

This is Nix’s offense now, and Williams has taken a back seat in game planning. We’re anticipating another lackluster showing from Williams on Monday Night Football, with the Broncos running back falling below 58.5 rushing + receiving yards.

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About the Author

Born and raised in the barren ground of Canada, Grant White was nurtured by sports growing up. He spent years honing his betting craft before being joining FantasyLabs and Action Network in 2021. With a keen eye for value, Grant sets his sights on any perceived imbalance for a long-term winning edge.