Terrelle Pryor should see fantasy value boost in Washington

The Washington Redskins have signed former Cleveland Browns wideout Terrelle Pryor to a one-year, $8 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s a good fit, as the Redskins had a need at wideout after losing their top two targets from 2016 in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.

Pryor’s superior athleticism enabled him to be fantasy-relevant in Cleveland last year despite playing with a hodgepodge of subpar quarterbacks. Pryor caught 77 of 132 targets for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. He finished the year as the No. 22 wideout in fantasy.

Pryor did struggle with consistency in 2016, which can be at least partly attributed to his poor supporting cast (read: quarterback play). He had three 100-plus yard games, but he also had three games with fewer than 30 yards.

Assuming Kirk Cousins does not get traded, Pryor is about to see a huge boost in quarterback play — which will in turn help his consistency from a fantasy standpoint. Pryor will line up opposite Josh Doctson, a first-round pick from one year ago who missed the majority of his rookie year due to injury. Pryor will also have to fight tight end Jordan Reed and slot man Jamison Crowder for targets.

Despite the presence of more competent teammates than he had in Cleveland, Pryor’s fantasy stock received a jolt of life by signing with Washington. The Redskins produced two 1,000-yard receivers last year (Jackson and Garcon), while Crowder still gained 847 yards and led the team’s wideouts in touchdowns (7). Reed also gained 686 yards in just 12 games.

In short, this passing offense has been a fantasy goldmine, and there’s no reason to think it won’t continue to operate a high level even with Jackson and Garcon no longer in town. Pryor and a healthy Doctson are more than capable of picking up the baton.

Pryor probably won’t see 132 targets again — which was 12th-most among wideouts last year — but the quality of his targets will be vastly improved. He is firmly in the WR2 conversation with another 1,000-yard season in his sights. He has true WR1 upside in this spot.

The Browns already have their Pryor replacement on the roster. They inked Kenny Britt to a new deal when free agency opened. Britt will team with second-year wideout Corey Coleman. It’s a bit strange the Browns let Pryor get away, but they still lack a quarterback, so from a fantasy perspective, this has to be viewed as a positive for Pryor’s stock. Pryor departure is good news for Britt and Coleman, however, as they will both now see a lot more volume in 2017.