It's that time of the year again. Optimism is in the air, and there are jobs up for grabs. With the onset of training camp comes heated positional battles. And the winners of these battles can help fantasy owners down the road. So who are we watching in training camp over the next month? Take a look at the breakdowns below and make sure to keep a close eye on how these roster spots shape up over the next few weeks. There may just be a league-winning sleeper to discover among the chaos.
Cleveland Browns
Wide receivers
The Browns are in rebuild mode and drafted four wideouts to refresh their receiving corps after parting ways with Travis Benjamin and Brian Hartline. It's a full-fledged position battle in Cleveland and targets are up for grabs.
Corey Coleman - The favorite to lead Cleveland's receiving corps, Coleman was the first wideout selected in the NFL draft in April. He's got elite speed and an all-around dynamic skillset. He's being drafted in fantasy leagues in Round 9 and his ADP could rise even higher if he has a strong showing in camp. His fantasy outlook would be brighter if he landed in a better offense, but he should be featured in Cleveland's air attack and has the potential to lead all rookie wideouts in targets.
Andrew Hawkins - A former Bengals receiver, Hawkins had an injury plagued 2015 campaign and only managed to haul in 27 receptions. He's the oldest wideout on the roster heading into camp at age 30, and should be the clubhouse leader for the No. 2 job behind Corey Coleman heading into camp.
Rashard Higgins - The fifth-rounder has done enough in offseason OTA sessions to be dubbed the Browns No. 3 wideout heading into camp.
Josh Gordon - A report via NFL Media Insider Ian Rappoport stated that 2013's No. 1 fantasy wideout Josh Gordon had met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his potential return to the league. And while Rappoport tweeted that nothing was imminent, this is a situation to monitor as we get deeper into the summer. Gordon would become an immediate must-own if he is indeed reinstated.
Terrelle Pryor - A former quarterback, Pryor transitioned to wide receiver last season. His size, 6-foot-4, 223 lbs. gives him an advantage over some of the more diminutive wideouts battling in Cleveland, and he's been talked up by coaches and teammates alike this offseason. There's an outside chance he earns himself a role as a starter but until we get confirmation, he's off of the fantasy radar.
Taylor Gabriel - Entering his third year in the NFL, Gabriel is a smaller (5-foot-8) deep threat type and caught 28 passes last year due to the Browns deficiencies at the position. He'll have to really make a splash in camp in order to vie for a starting role.
Marlon Moore - In his six seasons in the NFL, More has just 26 receptions to his name. He's mainly a special teams contributor and while that could secure him a roster spot with Cleveland this year, he won't be a fantasy option.
Rookies Ricardo Lewis, Jordan Payton and Dennis Parks will also vie for snaps during camp and preseason action but unless something drastic happens, they should be considered far from fantasy relevant.
Quarterbacks
Another new coaching regime in Cleveland presents another opportunity for someone to emerge as the team's starting quarterback.
Robert Griffin III - The verdict on RGIII's offseason has been split. Obviously, coach Hue Jackson talked up his quarterback's development during spring workouts, but some Cleveland beat reporters were not so high on his performance. Whatever the case may be, RGIII has an amazing opportunity to get a second chance at an NFL career. If he has a good showing in camp and preseason action, he'll solidify his spot as the Browns starting quarterback. Without much talent in the receiving corps though, we're not endorsing RGIII as a fantasy option just yet.
Josh McCown - When he was healthy last year, McCown had a mini-run as a strong fantasy quarterback between Weeks 3 through 5. A broken collarbone ended his season in early December though and he's getting up there in age too. RGIII will probably get the first crack as the starter, but McCown's experience gives the Browns a legitimate backup plan. This is one of the more intriguing camp battles to watch this preseason.
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Matt Franciscovich is an associate fantasy editor for NFL.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFranchise.
