The Cleveland Browns are set to start Brian Hoyer over Johnny Manziel for the rest of the season and in Week 11 the team has the Houston Texans and for that game, Andrew Hawkins, Terrance West and Taylor Gabriel are the best fantasy football options, as Jordan Cameron will be out again with a concussion and that could lead to increased touches for those players.
Hoyer has been playing well this season and while he has not put up Peyton Manning numbers, he has put the Browns in position to make the playoffs, possibly as a division winner. Manziel has received some playing time, but so far nothing significant and the Browns have had no reason to go to him as the starter with the way Hoyer has performed. Hoyer comes into this week with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions on the season and while he has been completing just 58 percent of his passes, he has not turned the ball over much all year.
Hoyer's ability to take care of the ball and to lead the team to wins has kept him in the starting job and Mike Pettine has seen no reason to go to Manziel. The Browns may have a dilemma after the season since Hoyer is becoming a free agent, but the team will cross that bridge when it comes. Manziel is obviously the future as long as he is in Cleveland, but right now the team has no problem riding this train for as long as it lasts. Hoyer has not put up amazing numbers, but he only has five total turnovers this year and he has a solid matchup with the Houston Texans this weekend.
Hoyer has 2220 yards this season with 10 TDs and he comes in after passing for 198 yards last week against the Bengals. Terrance West was the main star of that game with nearly 100 yards on the ground, while Hoyer held things together and did not turn the ball over. Hoyer has kept the team in games through the year and now they are on a three game winning streak and the Browns have won five of the last six. The schedule is manageable the rest of the season with the Falcons coming up after the Texans along with the Bills and Panthers down the stretch and two divisional games with the Bengals and Ravens.
Hawkins has been playing well without Josh Gordon in the offense and once he comes back, he could have more chances with defenses getting stretched. Gabriel has also stepped up and the top sleeper in recent weeks has been Terrance West. The Browns have three solid RBs with West, Isaiah Crowell and Ben Tate and if they can get going this week, it will help Hoyer in the offense a great deal.
