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Report: Browns WR Josh Gordon will play 20-30 snaps today



Josh Gordon is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He was the most productive WR in fantasy last season. He is the Browns' best offensive weapon by far, and he will be making his season debut today versus the Falcons as his 10-game suspension has ended. But if you believe ESPN's Adam Schefter and his sources, Gordon's talents won't be unleashed to the fullest extent this afternoon. Schefter tweeted this morning that a league source has told him Gordon is expected to be on the field for only 20-30 plays in Atlanta.



The Browns can give us the sense that they will be cautious with Gordon due to concerns over his conditioning or football shape -- he had not done any football activities with the team for almost three months before this week. But the Browns are in a (ahem) dog fight in the AFC North. They are technically in last place but are just a half of a game out of first at 6-4. Every game is critical for the Browns at this point, and I scoff at the notion that they will just ride with Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel when they've got a stallion in the barn waiting for the reins to be taken off.When Gordon returned from his two-game suspension in Week 3 last season, he played 70 of the team's 73 offensive snaps. He caught 10 passes for 146 yards and a score. He added a 22-yard rush for good measure. I know two weeks do not equal three months away from the football field, but there have been no reports stating that Gordon is out of shape. I'd be shocked if he played fewer than 30 snaps against a very vulnerable Falcons defense. And even if that is true, you can bet Brian Hoyer will be looking for his All-Pro receiver whenever he is on the field. I think Gordon is a top-20 fantasy wideout today, an easy WR2 in all leagues.