KC Concepcion turns nine targets into 2/9

The good news: Todd Monken is intent on getting the football into the hands of the shifty rookie wideout. The bad news: Designed plays have been borderline disastrous for Concepcion, who was buried for a six yard loss on a first quarter carry. Denzel Boston — who caught his second touchdown of the season — was the only Browns pass catcher to see more targets for Concepcion on Sunday. Concepcion’s role in the low-wattage Cleveland offense leaves little room for weekly upside. He should be rostered in deeper formats though.

Concepcion was utilized like the Browns’ top offensive weapon on the day, seeing three carries and five targets. He was used in motion and targeted underneath frequently. Concepcion’s fumble occurred on a screen pass where he attempted to evade multiple defenders downfield in the second quarter. His usage is certainly encouraging for fantasy managers as he led all Browns wide receivers in targets and receptions. In an offense that will likely find itself trailing frequently this season, Concepcion will see heavy usage, though getting high leverage opportunities may be difficult if the Browns continue to face the same offensive issues they did in Week 1. Concepcion is a fantasy WR4 for Week 2 against the Buccaneers.

Concepcion caught three passes for 27 yards in the Browns’ preseason opener and also ran in a 14-yard touchdown on a jet sweep. The rookie first-rounder drew high praise from Monken on Monday, who said, "(Concepcion) is explosive, he’s tough, he’s got great contact balance,” to the media. There have been multiple reports this offseason about the Browns trying to get Concepcion the ball in as many ways as possible. We’ll still want to see how his usage shakes out once we get to real games, but Concepcion sounds like a great later-round target who could yield early results for fantasy managers.

Concepcion did a little bit of everything in this one, with his most notable play coming on a 14-yard rushing touchdown on a jet sweep. The rookie first-rounder also had an impressive 31-yard punt return that would have gone for more if not for a shoestring tackle by Hayden Large. Concepcion played on 24 offensive snaps, with all four of his targets coming from Deshaun Watson. It was a strong debut for the explosive rookie, who is among the more intriguing sleepers in fantasy drafts this season.

It’s been an impressive few weeks of camp for Boston, who has flashed on several occasions since things got underway. The rookie second-rounder has made enough of an impression to begin working with the first-team offense ahead of the team’s first preseason game, which suggests he is well on his way to solidifying an early role in the offense. While the Browns’ quarterback situation leaves much to be desired, Boston could end up having a solid fantasy floor in his rookie season under Monken. Both he and fellow rookie KC Concepcion are intriguing later-round picks in redraft leagues this season.

Concepcion landed hard on his right shoulder near the end of Monday’s practice and was in visible pain while making his way to the sideline. Despite the initial scare, it doesn’t appear this is anything too serious. The rookie receiver has made a strong early impression in training camp and is one of the more intriguing late-round dart throws in fantasy drafts this season.

Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot posted a video to her X account on Monday, where Concepcion can be seen walking to the sideline with a trainer while holding his right shoulder. We don’t know much beyond what we saw on Cabot’s video, so this will be one to keep an eye on. Concepcion has enjoyed a strong camp with the Browns through the first week and is expected to be a focal point in the offense in his rookie year under Todd Monken.

Oyefusi says the plays to Concepcion varied from “deep shots to screens to run plays,” as the versatile receiver has seemingly been all over the place early this offseason. It was reported earlier this month that head coach Todd Monken planned to design touches for Concepcion, who many believed to be one of the best overall playmakers in this year’s draft. It still remains to be seen how he will be deployed in his rookie season, but Concepcion could have a chance to be the most productive receiver in the Browns’ passing game this season, given his ability to operate in the short areas of the field and in the quick passing game. He is a player who will be worth a close watch in training camp, as any reports of significant usage could hint at a quick return in value for fantasy managers who drafted him.

Per Jackson, organized team activities and mandatory minicamp “offered clues” about Monken’s use of motion and how he plans to “hunt mismatches in the quick passing game and use misdirection to create space and passing lanes for the quarterback.” That said, Jackson also believes that either TE Harold Fannin or fellow rookie WR Denzel Boston will be the “leading receiver.” It remains to be seen whether Monken will actually dial up a high target volume for an X-receiver like Boston. He featured WR Zay Flowers, who Concepcion has been likened to, as the top target-earning wide receiver with the Ravens. If Concepcion only gets a few designed looks per game, it will be tough for him to produce reliably in fantasy. If he can be more than that, even while earning targets behind Fannin while Boston stretches the field, Concepcion can return FLEX value in his first season.

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