Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
After a tumultuous college career in which he was kicked off the Georgia football team and enrolled at Alabama State, Isaiah Crowell went undrafted this season. Teams cited attitude and character issues as the reason, but after Week 1 of the NFL season, teams may wish they had Crowell around.
Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine admitted that Crowell was not a part of the Browns’ gameplan in the first game of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was needed once starting running back Ben Tate went down with a knee injury. Crowell responded extremely well in a committee replacing Tate with Terrance West.
Crowell was out-touched 16-5 by West, but he he made the most of his carries as he scored the two touchdowns. Crowell finished the game with five carries for 32 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. Those numbers will put him near the top of the waiver wire list this week, especially if Tate is to miss an extended period of time.
Tate has never been the most durable player, missing multiple games each of the last two seasons. That looks to be a trend that will continue this season, making Crowell a good addition off the waiver wire.
West was being drafted in plenty of leagues already as a high-upside handcuff to the injury-prone Tate, and now Crowell needs to be added as well. He will be the change of pace compliment to West as long as Tate is sidelined, putting him in line for at least 8-12 touches a game in that scenario. As the man who scored both touchdowns, Crowell has some more added appeal.
Crowell is a player who should be added, but only if Tate is not playing. As long as Tate is playing, Crowell doesn’t have much of a role in the offense. Tate and West will be the main guys, but Crowell looks to have maybe played himself into a small role, though, it is not one big enough to warrant a roster spot on your fantasy team unless Tate misses more time.
Kenneth Teape is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @teapester725 or join his Google network
