RADIO
It took Gary Barnidge seven years to make his mark in the NFL but he made up for lost time in 2015. At the ripe age of 30, Barnidge was a revelation for the Cleveland Browns and finished the year as the number two ranked fantasy tight end. At 6'6 and 250 pounds, you would think that Barnidge would have been a redzone target for quite some time already. However, possibly due to a "stiff" running style, Barnidge was often just utilized as a blocking tight end.
Last year though, Barnidge showed great skill in getting open and impressive hands. That being said, his best catch of the season wasn't even with his hands. In what I call "the thigh master play," Barnidge caught a deflected pass in the endzone with his thighs. This play was the cherry on top of an impressive season. With 1043 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns, only the elite Rob Gronkowski scored more fantasy points among tight ends. In fact, only Gronkowski, Greg Olsen, and Delanie Walker had more receiving yardage amongst TEs.
With Jordan Cameron out of town, and Josh Gordon suspended for the season, the stage was set for Barnidge to step up for Cleveland. Now the question is, can he repeat? Josh Gordon is poised to return in 2016, so that could cut into Barnidge's targets. Nonetheless, Barnidge should be a force to be reckoned with inside the 20's. The other thing to keep an eye on is the quarterback situation. It's not that I don't trust Josh McCown, it's that I don't know if he will be the signal caller come Week 1. Okay and I also just don't feel great about McCown, but I still think Barnidge should be drafted as a top five tight end next season.
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