Marquise Brown

Brown was the East Coast version of Mike Williams last year, appearing to take a step forward from "deep threat" to "legit No. 1 receiver" before crashing back to Earth in the second half of the season. The decline for Brown was drastic, exacerbated by QB Lamar Jackson missing five-plus games. Through the first nine weeks of the season, Brown scored six TDs and averaged 5.8 catches for 85.3 yards on 8.6 targets, with his 20 targets of 20-plus yards tying for the NFL lead (five catches, four TDs). The final nine weeks, he dropped to 5.6 catches for 40.8 yards on 9.6 targets, notably going 0-for-10 on deep looks. Brown never topped 55 yards without Jackson in the lineup, and opponents seemed to give him more cushion in the second half of the year, forcing the undersized wideout to catch quick passes and avoid tackles — never his strength. Brown does have the speed to get open, especially downfield, plus a natural feel for tracking the ball and getting in proper position, though he had some brutal drops last year (including three potential TDs in one game). The Cardinals saw enough to send Baltimore a first-round pick for Brown and a third-rounder, even without a new contract in place. While he might not be his new team's No. 1 receiver, Brown will at least fill that role for six weeks when DeAndre Hopkins opens the season suspended. It remains to be seen if a new offensive system will spark a rebound from Brown's late-2021 collapse. Read Past Outlooks