Hall of Fame Game DFS: Best Jets-Browns NFL DFS Picks

The NFL makes its triumphant return on Thursday with a showdown Hall of Fame Game slate. For DFS purposes, this single-game slate functions like a normal showdown, with a few intricacies. For preseason, every player has the same price. Due to uncertain playing time across the skill positions, kickers and defenses generally grade out as the top plays. This breakdown will dive into the top options ahead of this year’s Hall of Fame Game.

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Hall of Fame Game DFS: Best Jets-Browns NFL DFS Picks

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Jets Defense

The Jets are 2-point favorites over the Browns in the Hall of Fame game. Defenses are generally strong preseason showdown plays because they accrue points over the duration of the game, unlike skill players. Defenses also benefit from backup quarterback play and turnover-friendly situations with the backups. The Browns will not play Deshaun Watson or backup Josh Dobbs, leaving third- and fourth-stringers Kellen Mond and Dorian Thompson-Robinson do duel it out here.

Browns Defense

The Browns defense benefits from the same game environment factors as the Jets. However, they will face slightly better quarterback play with Zach Wilson expected to receive some time in this game.

Greg Zuerlein (Kicker)

Like defenses, kickers generally grade out as solid plays as long as they are not splitting reps. The Jets have one kicker on the roster in Greg Zuerlein. With the Jets being the favorite in this game, Zuerlein gets a slight edge over Cade York.

Cade York (Kicker)

Like the Jets, the Browns only have one kicker on the roster, making York a solid preseason DFS play.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Quarterback)

The Browns will only suit up two quarterbacks for this game, while the Jets will trot out three. This should give each of the Cleveland quarterbacks a half of football to work. Thompson-Robinson is a fifth-round rookie out of UCLA who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds and has excellent mobility. He rushed for over 600 yards in each of his final two seasons at UCLA. This rushing floor makes Thompson-Robinson the top option among skill position players.

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Kellen Mond (Quarterback)

A third-year player out of Texas A&M, Mond will start for Cleveland and receive about a half of football. Mond played 25 snaps last preseason with the Vikings. He rushed four times for 73 yards back in the 2021 preseason, displaying solid mobility. But since he may not take off and run as much as Thompson-Robinson, Mond is out as a DFS play on the Hall of Fame game slate.

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Chris Streveler (Quarterback)

New York will play three quarterbacks, but Wilson might not receive as much playing time as Chris Streveler or Tim Boyle. Between the two, Streveler has superior mobility, as he rushed 10 times for 59 yards back in 2021. He only played 19 snaps in the first preseason game last year, but New York will have an additional game to evaluate Wilson later in the preseason.

John Kelly Jr. (Running Back)

Cleveland projects to sit Nick Chubb for this game, and Jerome Ford only returned to practice on Aug. 1. Behind Chubb and Felton, John Kelly Jr. has been running as the clear third string. Demetric Felton plays a specific role as a pass-catching back, and Nate McCrary likely will be cut. This means Kelly and rookie Hassan Hall should handle a majority of the carries here.

Hassan Hall (Running Back)

Hall is an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech. Beat reporters mentioned him alongside Kelly as players who should receive a larger workload in this game.

Israel Abanikanda (Running Back)

New York will not have Breece Hall for this game. Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight are known commodities and do not project to see the field much. Head coach Robert Saleh mentioned that younger players will dominate this game. That means fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda could be in line a larger workload. Abanikanda is 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, and ran a 40-yard dash in the 4.4’s at his pro day. He has worked behind Carter and Knight in camp and needs to “work out the kinks” as he adjusts to the NFL. Another name to potentially target in the Jets backfield is undrafted free agent Travis Dye. However, Dye tore his ACL eight months ago and looks like a longshot to make the roster.

Jason Brownlee (Wide Receiver)

Undrafted rookie Jason Brownlee allegedly has a decent shot to make this roster after a strong camp. Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Corey Davis, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb project to sit or play very little in this game. This leaves seven receivers on the Jets roster for tonight. With Brownlee quickly ascending the depth chart, he should receive plenty of playing time as New York evaluates his in-game skills.

Daylen Baldwin (Wide Receiver)

The Browns currently have 14 receivers on the roster, but starters Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and Donovan Peoples-Jones do not project to play here. Marquise Goodwin, Jakeem Grant, Jaelon Darden and Michael Woods II are all dealing with various ailments, which likely will prevent them from playing. Baldwin is a 2022 undrafted free agent out of Michigan who played 44 snaps last preseason and has gotten some work with the Watson unit in camp due to injuries above him. After a strong camp, the Browns will likely take a longer look at him this preseason.

Cedric Tillman (Wide Receiver)

A third-round rookie out of Tennessee, Cedric Tillman has quickly ascended Cleveland’s wide receiver depth chart. He has allegedly worked plenty with Thompson-Robinson this camp, and they actually played together in high school. Cleveland will try to determine a pecking order between Tillman, David Bell and Anthony Schwartz this preseason.

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Irvin Charles (Wide Receiver)

Irvin Charles was a 2022 undrafted free agent out of Indiana (PA), and he played 80 snaps with the Jets last preseason. Charles has worked plenty with the Wilson unit this summer, making him a decent target for preseason DFS. Other names to potentially consider here are Malik Taylor and Alex Erickson.

Zaire Mitchell-Paden (Tight End)

Tight ends generally offer little upside for preseason DFS, but the Browns are absurdly short on bodies. David Njoku is not expected to play as a clear starter. Harrison Bryant and Jordan Akins have been working off to the side with the injury group. This leaves just Zaire Mitchell-Paden and Thomas Greaney on the roster. Mitchell-Paden is a 2022 undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic. He previously caught 90 passes with Notre Dame College before transferring to FAU. He played 75 snaps with Cleveland last preseason.

Zack Kuntz (Tight End)

New York has a more crowded tight end depth chart, with five healthy bodies. However, the pecking order has solidified, to the benefit of rookie Zack Kuntz. With Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah and Jeremy Ruckert the clear top 3, beat reporters expect the Jets to take a long look at Kuntz this preseason. He originally transferred from Penn State to Old Dominion and caught 73 passes for 692 yards in 2021 before getting hurt last year. Kuntz is 6-foot-7, 251 pounds, and ran a 4.55 40-yard dash. He has been working primarily with Streveler in camp and could be worth a flier in tournaments.

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Matt Gajewski

Matt Gajewski graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Economics. Matt has worked in the fantasy industry for the past four years, focusing on DFS and Sports Betting. Matt specializes in NFL, College Football, College Basketball, XFL, and MMA. With GPP victories across the major sports, Matt also qualified for the DraftKings 2020 Sports Betting Championship and won a seat to the College Basketball Tourney Mania final.