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Oct 4, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end

(82) juggles a pass while diving into the end zone as San Diego Chargers strong safety

(27) tries to break up the play in the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. After a video replay Barnidge was ruled to have made the catch and scored a touchdown to make the score 27-27. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns

Alright, I know what you are thinking—I am crazy for picking any tight end going up against the Denver Broncos defense. Well maybe, but as someone who watches the Browns play week in and week out, the Josh McCown-Barnidge connection absolutely cannot be ignored right now.

Barnidge checks in as the No. 3 overall fantasy tight end right now in my league, and has put up lofty numbers since McCown returned against Oakland in Week 3. He has two 100-yard games and three consecutive games with a touchdown, putting up over 20 fantasy points in two of those games and just missing 20 in the other.

On the season, Barnidge has 24 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns on 31 targets. Not bad for a five-game span, but when you look at the last three games (with McCown) the numbers are even more impressive, as he is averaging 8.6 targets and 6.6 receptions per game with the Browns sizzling hot 36-year old signal-caller at the helm.

With a price of $4,400 on DraftKings, Barnidge should also be an easy add—and might garner a lower percentage of play by other users because of Denver’s No. 9 ranking against tight ends. But when you really look at it, Denver has only played one tight end group that was highly targeted (Kansas City in Week 2), and they gave up six receptions for 112 yards. So the opportunity for Barnidge to go “boom” is there.

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