It appears Josh Gordon's year-long suspension will be reduced, with reports saying it will be trimmed to 10 games. That means he's likely to be available to the Cleveland Browns as early as Week 12 in a road game against the Atlanta Falcons. This has the potential to be 2014's biggest scale-tipper in fantasy football, so let me break it down from a few angles:
Gordon should be added in all leagues
I don't care if you're in an eight-team league. Find the worst player on your roster (or your backup quarterback/tight end/defense or, heaven forbid, kicker), dump him and add Gordon. As of this writing, despite my best efforts, Gordon was still available in nearly 80 percent of ESPN leagues. He is absolutely worth carrying on your bench for the next couple of months.
I know it can be difficult to keep a bench spot in abeyance when the bye weeks start coming. I know you'll look at the little "SSPD" beside Gordon's name every week and mutter under your breath. And I know it's not totally guaranteed that Gordon won't do something else dumb in the coming weeks to get himself in further hot water. But the reward of getting a productive Gordon for the stretch run of your fantasy playoffs far outweighs these costs.
I've talked at length about Gordon's limitations as a refined NFL receiver. In his first two pro seasons, he's run a limited route tree which, to oversimplify, has consisted of delayed crosses, flies and post patterns. But his above-average size and speed are made deadly by how freakishly fluid he is as a runner. There are very few people who can change directions while sprinting like Gordon can, and practically none of them are 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. There are no guarantees he'll instantly be dominant when he returns, but that first week back he'll merit a top-10 WR ranking.
The Browns' other receiving weapons lose some luster
Jordan Cameron's biggest selling point this summer was always: "He's the only game in town!" I still like Cameron a lot, and if he's healthy (no sure thing) he'll still be a fantasy starter even with Gordon in the lineup.
But I don't buy the crutch argument that goes, "Oh, this will be great for Cameron, because more defensive attention for Gordon will mean less for Cameron!" Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel or whoever else is under center for Cleveland in two months will not be a great player, and that makes the Browns' offense -- especially under new coordinator Kyle Shanahan -- unlikely to sustain two pass-catching fantasy superstars on a weekly basis.
I'm not saying you trade Cameron away, but I think his ceiling gets a little lower when Gordon returns. In theory, his target volume will probably go down. Plus we should remember that while Cameron's skills are terrific, our perception of him as a golden god in fantasy is still speculative. From Week 9 forward last year, Cameron scored four fantasy points or fewer in six of eight contests.
As for guys like Andrew Hawkins, Miles Austin, et al? Hawkins may still have some PPR chops running underneath routes, but I wouldn't count on starting any of the other Cleveland wide receivers in standard leagues.
The Browns' running game probably stays vigorous
The younger Shanny likes a grinding, zone-blocking rush attack. He'll take shots down the field, but usually after softening up a defense with a steady cutback attack. Last year, shockingly, the Browns led the NFL in pass attempts. That just won't happen with Shanahan in charge, Gordon or no Gordon.
Of course, which running back will benefit from this philosophical change is open for debate. Ben Tate is already battling a knee injury that will cost him at least a couple of games, and Terrance West played well in his absence during Week 1. Isaiah Crowell also chipped in with five carries Sunday, two of which led to touchdowns. West looks like the starter for the moment, and as such should be owned in all leagues, while Crowell may be a legit physical complement who steals scores. By later in the season, of course, this depth chart may have sorted itself out. And I don't believe Gordon's return would spoil much.
Should you trade for Gordon?
This is a question without an answer, because I'd need to know what you're giving up. Would I deal Jamaal Charles for him, after one poor week for J-Mail? Absolutely not. Gordon isn't going to be an instrumental factor in getting you to your fantasy playoffs. Your team will have to be good without him for more than two months.
Of course, if you get to your playoffs, Gordon could very well be the straw that stirs your championship drink, and that's why a swap to get him is worth considering. I'd seek to trade from depth on my own team: not a stud, but a usable player, perhaps a No. 3 RB or WR. Hopefully, the Gordon owner in your league has a glaring area of weakness that could be patched with one of your secondary quality players. Would I do a full season of Ryan Mathews for several games of Gordon? I probably wouldn't. Would I do Chris Ivory or Mark Ingram, who no doubt could help a starting lineup that's struggling with running backs? Provided my roster had some depth, I think I would.