"Browns General Manager Tom Heckert recently lamented the team's lack of playmakers capable of truly striking fear into the hearts of opposing defenses.

The Browns (4-9) will encounter one of those rare men today when they face the Arizona Cardinals (6-7) at University of Phoenix Stadium. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is undoubtedly among the NFL's elite.

"I put Larry Fitzgerald as the best receiver in the league," Browns cornerback Joe Haden said. "I think he's No. 1."

Haden said he expects to shadow Fitzgerald, who will face the Browns for the first time in his career. Haden also conceded that Fitzgerald is worthy of double teams.

"He deserves for more than one person to be over there sometimes," Haden said. "They throw it to him in double coverage. He makes plays in double coverage, so he's used to it."

The Cardinals could make double-teaming Fitzgerald difficult by moving him to different spots in their formations, a strategy they have capitalized on as of late. When Fitzgerald lines up as a slot receiver, the defense has more problems identifying which part of the field he's going to occupy. In other words, he can sometimes avoid extra defenders if he reads the defense properly.

"Teams are making a conscious effort to have somebody over the top of [Fitzgerald] more and more," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "We see that. You have to try to move him around to try to discourage that or get him in matchups where he's single covered."

If Fitzgerald moves into the slot, Haden said, he wouldn't necessarily follow him. Nickel cornerback Dimitri Patterson knows he must be at his best if he's asked to cover the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Fitzgerald.

"He's one of the most aggressive receivers at the point of attack at the ball, and he has outstanding hands," Patterson said. "I think that's what separates him in addition to his work ethic. But he has unbelievable concentration, great hands and extremely good ball skills."

Those attributes allow Fitzgerald to grab passes in traffic. The Browns are well aware of his knack for making acrobatic catches."