It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the Tennessee Titans star wide receiver. After delivering the only highlight on the team in Week 1, AJ Brown has fallen off the cliff in fantasy football production. Although the Titans have looked much better in their last two matchups, Brown hasn’t been able to produce the way the team had hoped.
In Week 2, Brown finished with just three receptions for 43 yards and had a catch percentage of just 33%. In Week 3, Brown left early in the first quarter due to a hamstring injury. Additionally, the Titans will be facing the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars in their next two games. For that reason, there’s a real chance AJ Brown doesn’t play at all for the next couple of weeks. Not ideal for anyone who selected Brown in fantasy football this year.
Redraft is a win-now fantasy format and there’s no time to bench players and rebuild the roster. Brown’s lack of production in fantasy football has generated reasonable concern for his outlook on the rest of the season. Let’s dive into the three options we have in regards to AJ Brown right now.
What to do with AJ Brown?
Sell
Option one would be to trade the Titans struggling receiver. This is a smart approach if you feel Brown won’t recover this year at all. Many still view him as one of the top fantasy assets in the league, so you should be able to trade him away for a receiver who has been more efficient so far.
The downfall though, is that some of your league mates are going to make low-ball offers. Brown should be considered a prime “buy-low” candidate, especially in redraft formats. Keep that in mind if you’re shopping AJ Brown and only accept an offer you feel is fair. Avoid any two-for-one offers that give you a WR2 and WR3 to replace him with, as you’re likely to lose this deal in the long run.
Drop
Another option (albeit, it’s unfathomable to do so) would be to drop AJ Brown from your roster altogether. There’s a chance he’s a bust in fantasy football this year and never recovers. Sometimes the best option is to cut your losses early and move on.
Even so, dropping AJ Brown shouldn’t even be a consideration. He’s a stud receiver who dominates after the catch. Additionally, he’s one of the top two targets in a high-powered Titans offense. If you’re thinking about dropping Brown, think again, as he’s more valuable than anyone you’re going to find on the waiver wire.
Hold
The final option we have in regards to AJ Brown is to just hold onto him on your fantasy roster. You drafted him for a reason, likely within the first three rounds of your draft. Sure, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations for fantasy football so far, but he’s bound to bounce back in a big way.
Looking at his stats through the first two games, Brown has been targeted 17 total times in Weeks 1 and 2. He looked great against the Cardinals and was the most consistent player on the offense. Then, in the game against the Seahawks, Brown uncharacteristically dropped multiple passes. He was looking to have a big game against the Indianapolis Colts, but an injury prevented him from playing most of the game. He’ll likely bounce back once he’s healthy.
Conclusion
The best option to go with right now is to hold onto AJ Brown. As mentioned previously, there’s a real chance Brown doesn’t even play in Week 4 and/or Week 5. Keep that in mind and have a backup plan in place for these coming weeks. Be patient, as once AJ Brown returns, you’re likely to have the WR1 you drafted in fantasy football this year.
Expectations should be low for him right now. Tennessee is a dominant football team that should run up the score on both the Jets and Jaguars. Their Week 6 opponent is the Buffalo Bills, whose defense has locked down the passing game so far this year. With that said, AJ Brown might not produce fantasy points until Week 7 when the Titans play the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s a long time to wait for a superstar receiver, but your patience could bring you the ultimate reward come playoff time. A fantasy football championship.
