A.J. Brown – 2021 #2 Dynasty Wide Receiver
#11 A.J. Brown, TEN
bio:
A.J. Brown is IDPE’s #2 dynasty WR in 2021. He was drafted by Tennessee in the 2nd round (#51 overall) out of Ole Miss in the 2019 draft. 2x unanimous first-team All-SEC.
attributes:
A 3rd-year physical receiver, he is a strong route runner and excels after the catch. Built more like a running back than a receiver, he has good size and athleticism. Brown has an above-average College Prospect Score (CPS).
| Age* | Height | Weight | 40 | Vertical | Broad | CPS |
| 24.2 | 6’0″ | 226 | 4.49 | 36.5″ | 10’0″ | 4.5 |
player grades:
Brown graded out as the #2 wide receiver (tied with Justin Jefferson) out of 127 qualified players in 2020, per PFF.com. He also posted strong grades in 2019, which is rare for a rookie.
| Year | Overall | Receiving | Rushing |
| 2019 | 84.0 | 83.0 | 71.7 |
| 2020 | 90.1 | 90.1 | – |
injury:
He missed two games in 2020 due to a bone bruise.
receiving:
Brown had 106 targets (#36), 70 receptions (#32), 1075 yards (#16) and 11 touchdowns (#5) in 2020. He does not see as many targets as most elite dynasty WR, but he has been efficient with his opportunities.
He has averaged 61 receptions and 1063 yards over his first two seasons. Therefore, he has a decent floor in fantasy. He has also averaged 9.5 touchdowns over the same stretch, giving him a high ceiling in fantasy.
| Year | Rec | Yards | TD | TReFP* | Games | ReFP/G** | A4GM*** |
| 2019 | 52 | 1051 | 8 | 179 | 16 | 11.2 | 179 |
| 2020 | 70 | 1075 | 11 | 209 | 14 | 14.9 | 238 |
**ReFP/G is Receiving Fantasy Points per Game
***A4GM is Adjusted for Games Missed
Note: Fantasy Points based on 1/2 point PPR
strength of schedule:
Tennessee has the 2nd most difficult schedule for WR in 2021, per PFF. The bye week is Week 13 and the most difficult matchup is Week 9. New Orleans, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, LAR, and NYG WRs currently look like solid options if you want to stream based on WR matchup those weeks.
contract:
Brown is still on his rookie contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023. Expect Tennessee to franchise tag him if he isn’t signed long-term.
summary:
A.J. Brown is a rising star. He has not received the workload you’d expect for an elite dynasty wide receiver, but that could change this year. Tennessee let Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith walk in free agency, freeing up 157 targets, but Tennessee signed Julio Jones in free agency, limiting Brown’s upside. Expect him to compete for a Top 10 WR finish in 2021 and dynasty for years to come.
