Let’s be honest–the offense of the Cleveland Browns was nothing to brag about in 2011 as they ranked 29th overall and only averaged 193.1 passing yards per game. However, there was one player that showed plenty of potential as a rookie last season and the Browns hope he emerges as one of the top 2012 fantasy football sleepers for the upcoming season–wide receiver Greg Little.
Cleveland selected Little in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft with the intention that he would make an immediate impact as a rookie–which they were right. For an offense that struggled as much as the Browns, Little still managed to display an impressive rookie campaign by catching 61 passes for 709 yards and two touchdowns.
Sure, these may not seem like the most impressive numbers in the world–but they are when you’re part of a team like Cleveland.
Now that he has a year of experience under his belt, the Browns expect bigger things from Little heading into his second season as the team looks to bounce back from a disappointing 4-12 season in 2011. Whether Cleveland decides to go with rookie Brandon Weeden or Colt McCoy at quarterback, Little should be able to top last season’s numbers considering he’s lost some weight and appears to be in much better shape.
He has the size and speed to gain an advantage over most opponents–so fantasy owners should at least consider Little for a backup wide receiver if he’s still available in the later rounds of their drafts. Who knows–maybe Little could emerge into a No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver by the time playoffs roll around in fantasy leagues.
