Cleveland Browns News

The NFL Network's James Palmer reports that "there have been some things circulating" that the Cleveland Browns "could be moving on" from second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland now has plenty of draft capital and are expected to be in on the strong QB class in next year's NFL draft. Palmer also reports that Sanders is "making up ground" and "has closed the gap" in the quarterback competition with veteran Deshaun Watson. The belief is that the competition is close this summer in training camp, the Browns will go with Watson, who has more NFL experience and also much more invested into him by the organization. Sanders is improving in terms of his pocket presence and in going through his progressions, and he's done everything right since he fell to the fifth round in last year's draft. Accuracy is the 24-year-old's strength, but he's been more of a developmental prospect in terms of playing under center, reading defenses, and playing with anticipation. Palmer is not convinced that the Browns are set on trading Sanders because of the improvement that he's shown since joining the NFL. Neither Watson nor Sanders will carry much value in single-QB, 12-team fantasy leagues in 2026, but now might be a good time to buy low on Sanders in dynasty/keeper formats.

Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins quickly became the team's lead back in 2025 after he was selected with the 36th overall pick in the second round out of Ohio State. Judkins led the Browns' rushing attack with 230 carries for 827 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns in 14 starts while adding 26 receptions (36 targets) for 171 yards as a pass-catcher. "Runs incredibly hard, faster in the open field than you'd think. I think he's going to have a big year," an AFC executive said. Judkins was an honorable mention for ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in his top RB rankings for the 2026 season. The 22-year-old's first year in the NFL was cut short by a season-ending dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula in Week 16, but he took part in offseason workouts and should be good to go for Week 1 this fall. Judkins looked explosive in OTAs, but we'll get a better idea of his progress in training camp when the pads go on. In new head coach Todd Monken's offense, Judkins could have Year 2 breakout potential, and he'll come at the cost of a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 in fantasy drafts. Of course, the major drawback is Cleveland's less-than-ideal QB situation holding the entire offense hostage.

A three-game flash by Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman in the middle of the 2024 season has left dynasty managers holding on and hoping that the flame can be rekindled. From Weeks 7-9 of his sophomore campaign, Tillman made 21 catches for 255 yards and three touchdowns, but a devastating concussion ended his season shortly thereafter, and he has done little of note since. Playing in 13 games in 2025, he topped 30 receiving yards only three times and did not find the end zone after Week 2. With Jerry Jeudy leading all Browns wide receivers with 50 catches, and nobody else in the room reaching even 25 receptions, the team spent two top-40 picks on the position in the 2026 NFL Draft. Rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston could see immediate involvement alongside the team's leading receiver from a year ago, tight end Harold Fannin Jr., leaving Tillman in little more than a supporting role in what again projects to be a below-average offense. The fourth-year receiver falls outside RotoBaller's top 300 for 2026 redraft leagues and has dropped to WR99 in the latest dynasty rankings.

While playing in all 17 games in 2025, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy saw his receiving yards cut by more than half from his previous season, a 90-catch, 1,229-yard campaign that earned him his first Pro Bowl selection. His first season with the team saw him hyper-targeted to end the year by a combination of Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Bailey Zappe, earning double-digit opportunities in six of the final nine weeks. While the team's quarterback rotation continued into 2025, the players changed, and with Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders all starting games, Jeudy only topped 10 targets twice all season, and an inability to form a connection with any of his signal callers led to one of the lowest reception percentages in the league. Heading into 2026, the Browns' quarterback situation is as unsettled as ever, with Sanders and veteran Deshaun Watson projected to battle throughout training camp for the starting job in new head coach Todd Monken's offense, and with the team spending two top 40 picks on the receiver position, Jeudy could face the most significant target competition since being traded from Denver. With all these factors at play, expectations are low heading into the 2026 season, and Jeudy is RotoBaller's WR64.

A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (ankle) recorded 998 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 256 touches across 14 games as a rookie. The 22-year-old's season came to an unfortunate end in Week 16 when he suffered a dislocated right ankle and a fractured fibula. Still, Judkins is expected to be ready to go for the start of 2026 and profiles as Cleveland's early-down and short-yardage workhorse. Judkins struggled to be efficient in his first NFL season, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. However, the Browns overhauled their offensive line this offseason and should create a healthier offensive environment for Judkins in 2026. Judkins' workload projection gives him a safe production floor, and his current redraft ADP of RB21 may undervalue his upside.

Cleveland Browns rookie first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion showed off his elusiveness and his ability to make tough catches at times while making several plays during an offseason program that favors the passing game, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. The Browns got Concepcion the football in a variety of ways, from deep shots to screens to run plays. Drops continued to be somewhat of an issue for the 24th overall pick this spring, but the Browns aren't too concerned. "KC came in with the right mindset. He was ready to work on what he thought was an issue coming in the draft, which were his drops," wide receivers coach Christian Jones said. The Athletic's Zac Jackson reported last week that the 21-year-old could play all over the formation in 2026 in his rookie year, which corroborates Oyefusi's story, potentially making him one of the most dangerous wideouts the Browns have in new head coach Todd Monken's scheme. The problem is that Jerry Jeudy is still around, and fellow rookie Denzel Boston could also command a strong share of targets from either quarterbacks Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders. Concepcion's upside is very high in the short and long-term, but Cleveland's less-than-ideal QB situation could hold him back. Target him as a WR4/flex with upside in single-year fantasy drafts.

A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson recorded 446 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 98 touches across 15 games as a rookie. The 21-year-old did the majority of his damage as a receiver out of the backfield, as he finished with more receiving yards (271) than rushing yards (165). Entering 2026, Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (ankle) will likely block Sampson from seeing significant early-down and goal-line work. However, Sampson profiles as the unquestioned RB2 in Cleveland following the offseason departure of veteran back Jerome Ford. Between his handcuff appeal and standalone value in PPR-scoring leagues, Sampson may be undervalued by current redraft ADP as the 53rd running back off the board.

Cleveland Browns second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel has "had a very nice spring," but he will enter training camp at the end of July competing for a depth role behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. After being surprisingly selected before Sanders in the third round (94th overall) last year out of the University of Oregon, Gabriel went on to appear in 10 games (six starts) while throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions on 185 pass attempts. The 25-year-old southpaw will essentially be competing for the No. 3 QB role this summer with rookie sixth-rounder Taylen Green. When healthy and in a starting role in 2025 in his rookie season, Gabriel looked mostly like an underwhelming game manager, but to be fair, he didn't have a ton of help around him on offense. Gabriel will enter his sophomore campaign completely off the redraft fantasy radar.

Cleveland Browns rookie first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion could be moved around the offensive formation in his first year in the NFL in new head coach Todd Monken's offense as the Browns look for "the best ways to utilize his explosiveness," according to The Athletic's Zac Jackson. Even with a less-than-ideal quarterback competition going on between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders this summer, Concepcion, the 24th overall pick in April out of Texas A&M, could be fantasy relevant in most leagues in 2026 in his first year in the NFL. Veteran Jerry Jeudy really struggled last year, which is why the Browns brought in both Concepcion and Denzel Boston (second round) to beef up the team's passing attack. The Browns have every reason to throw both Concepcion and Boston into the fire immediately and give them big roles to try and spark their offense. In his lone season with the Aggies in 2025, Concepcion caught 61 passes for 919 yards and an SEC-leading nine touchdowns in 13 games. His opportunity and upside make him RotoBaller's No. 47 fantasy WR as he heads into his rookie season.

Cleveland Browns rookie second-round wide receiver Denzel Boston "might have been the most impressive offensive player in the (Browns') spring sessions," according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. The Browns still have Jerry Jeudy atop their WR depth chart, but Boston and fellow rookie KC Concepcion (24th overall pick in April) should make immediate impacts in new head coach Todd Monken's offense in 2026. Of course, the Browns' quarterback situation -- competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders -- isn't ideal, but the 6-foot-4, 209-pound Boston could see plenty of targets on the outside in his first year in the NFL. If Boston continues to impress the coaching staff during training camp this summer, he should at least be considered Cleveland's WR2 behind Jeudy, with a chance to overtake him later this year if Jeudy's struggles persist. In his final two collegiate seasons at the University of Washington, Boston hauled in 125 catches for 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns in 25 games played. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 60 fantasy WR as he heads into his first year in the league.

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston enters 2026 with a chance to carve out a significant role in his team's passing game right away. The 22-year-old was a highly productive player for the University of Washington in 2025, recording 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns across 12 games. The Browns took him with the 39th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Boston could now be competing with fellow rookie KC Concepcion for the WR1 role in Cleveland. While veteran Jerry Jeudy and young wideouts Isaiah Bond and Cedric Tillman remain on the Browns roster, none of the three were able to step up and produce in 2025. The one limiting factor on Boston's short-term production outlook is the quarterback situation in Cleveland, which once again projects as one of the NFL's worst in 2026. Still, Boston does not need an elite passing game around him to outproduce his current redraft ADP as the 62nd wide receiver off the board. Entering 2026, fantasy managers should consider taking a low-cost swing on a high-upside player in Boston.

Across eight games (seven starts) as a rookie in 2025, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 56.6% of his pass attempts for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The 24-year-old took over as the starter in Week 12 of what was already a lost season for Cleveland and flashed some upside, but largely struggled. Entering 2026, Sanders is competing with Browns veteran Deshaun Watson for the team's QB1 role. While Watson has struggled with both injuries and ineffectiveness during his time in Cleveland, early reports indicate that the veteran may be the favorite to open 2026 ahead of Sanders on the depth chart. While Sanders' short-term fantasy value may be nonexistent, he may still be worth holding onto in dynasty formats. Cleveland overhauled both its offensive line and wide receiver corps over the offseason and currently remains without a clear quarterback of the future. For rebuilding dynasty managers, Sanders could be a worthy buy-low target.

After one of the most productive collegiate seasons in recent history, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was a third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 NFL Draft, and, along with the Colts' Tyler Warren, he was one of only two rookie tight ends to earn 100 targets. With a shakeup to the coaching staff and Cleveland spending two top 40 picks on potential target competition in receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, Fannin is generally not viewed on the same level as the fellow standouts from his class, Warren and Chicago's Colston Loveland, regularly going a full two rounds later than either in dynasty startups. The Browns deployed 12 personnel at the league's highest rate in 2025, but new head coach Todd Monken has traditionally fallen more in line with the league average, and with the team parting ways with veteran tight end David Njoku, Fannin is likely to more frequently find himself as the lone tight end in three-receiver sets. While the talent he put on display at small school Bowling Green was proven legitimate in his first year in the NFL, the situation he faces heading into year two is not as favorable as that of Warren or Loveland, though at RotoBaller's TE5, he is still a legitimate TE1 and a player that dynasty managers can feel comfortable locking into a onesie position for years to come.

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr.'s undisclosed injury this offseason doesn't appear to be very serious, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Fannin was seen walking without a limp during offseason workouts recently. The 21-year-old second-year tight end sat out of offseason practice in May and June with his undisclosed injury, but the Browns appear to be playing it safe with their leading pass-catcher from a year ago. After being selected with the 67th overall pick in the third round in 2025 out of Bowling Green, Fannin impressed with 72 receptions on 107 targets for a team-high 731 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games (13 starts). Fannin's participation level for the start of training camp at the end of July will be worth watching, but currently, it doesn't seem like his injury will keep him from being ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Even though Cleveland's QB situation is not ideal, Fannin will enter Year 2 in the NFL as a low-end TE1 in fantasy football drafts after his big rookie season.

ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi writes that no Cleveland Browns wideout was targeted more than wide receiver Isaiah Bond this spring. The Browns drafted receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston back in April, but that doesn't mean that Bond will be mothballed in his second NFL season. Bond showed off his speed and the 15 pounds of muscle that he added in the offseason with plenty of contested catches during offseason practices. The 22-year-old former University of Texas product played in 16 games (two starts) for the Browns in 2025 in his first year in the NFL and caught just 18 of his 44 targets for 338 yards and no touchdowns. Veteran Jerry Jeudy is still in the team's WR room, which will definitely make it difficult for Bond to stand out every week as he heads into his sophomore season in Cleveland. Bond deserves to be held in dynasty/keeper formats, but in redraft leagues in 2026, he should be left to the waiver wire to begin the season in 12-team leagues. Right now, Bond is outside of RotoBaller's top-100 receivers for the upcoming campaign.

When the Cleveland Browns selected Taylen Green in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, he became their third quarterback taken in the last two drafts. With Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders still on the roster, and veteran Deshaun Watson currently battling Sanders for the starting job, Green will presumably have the opportunity to develop behind the scenes. Still an incredibly raw prospect who went 2-9 as a starter in his final season at Arkansas, Green possesses traits rare for his (or any) position. At 6'6" and 227 pounds, he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and while the player and team have both insisted that his future is at quarterback, it isn't difficult to envision a specific package of plays designed to get him the ball in space. While it may take until 2027 or beyond to truly gain a sense of Green's fantasy viability, as RotoBaller's dynasty QB33, he is one of the most obvious stash candidates in the later rounds of rookie drafts, and in best ball formats, he adds potential value as a player who could feasibly be given a late-season opportunity that coincides with the fantasy playoffs.

The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that Cleveland Browns new head coach Todd Monken would have liked to have a starter already named going into training camp in late July, but he "wants and needs to see more" from both quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders this summer. Ultimately, Monken said he will play "whoever gives us the best chance to score, and I won't know that until we play." He wants to see more "consistency and confidence" from both Watson and Sanders in training camp than what he saw this spring. Jackson adds that it's safe to say that Watson "looked like the same player in his return from a year and a half away that he was before his two Achilles tendon injuries." Watson is healthy and threw downfield occasionally with confidence, but he "lacked consistency and too often threw into traffic." Jackson doesn't think there is much reason to want Watson to play unless he's "clearly their best option." The 30-year-old Watson has been a Pro Bowler three times (all before he came to Cleveland), but it appears he might have to thoroughly outplay Sanders to win the starting gig going into Week 1. Either way, this QB situation is one to ignore for fantasy managers, if at all possible. Whoever wins the starting job this summer probably will have a very short leash to begin the regular season.

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on 92.3 The Fan that "everything is on the table" with regards to quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) this year. "Honestly, the public discourse doesn't really have a factor in terms of how we think about putting together the team or Todd in terms of putting together the best lineup...that really doesn't play a factor into it," Berry said when asked how past comments about the Watson trade play into the future. Watson, who missed all of last season with a twice-torn Achilles tendon, is competing with second-year QB Shedeur Sanders for the starting job in new head coach Todd Monken's offense. Last spring, owner Jimmy Haslam said that the trade for Watson was "a big swing and a miss." The Browns have acknowledged that the trade for the 30-year-old was a disaster after they signed him to a five-year, $230 million deal in March of 2022. Watson has played in just 19 games for the team since he joined them in 2022, but all of that is history now, and Berry isn't ruling anything out, including a potential new deal for the QB as he heads into his final year under contract with the organization. For fantasy purposes, Watson will be a low-end QB2 target in superflex leagues if he wins the job over Sanders. He hasn't played a full season since 2020 with the Houston Texans, and he's completed 61% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his 19 games with Cleveland.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman saw his production drop off across the board in 2025, as he finished the year with 21 receptions for 270 yards and two touchdowns on 39 targets. The 26-year-old suffered an early-season hamstring injury that landed him on Injured Reserve and may have ultimately derailed his campaign. However, injuries have been a persistent issue for Tillman, as he's missed 13 games over the first three years of his NFL career. As he enters the final season on his rookie contract with the Browns, Tillman may no longer be a part of the team's long-term plans. Cleveland enters 2026 with a new coaching staff in place and used a pair of top-40 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. A change of scenery could be what Tillman needs to get his career off the ground, but he's done little to this point to prove he's worthy of a spot on dynasty rosters.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (hamstring) was not seen on the practice field on Thursday. When asked about his absence, head coach Todd Monken said Jeudy isn't practicing due to a hamstring injury. The team wants to be extremely cautious with it being this early in camp. Fantasy managers shouldn't have anything to worry about, as this seems like a minor issue. Jeudy is expected to be the No. 1 wide receiver on the Browns' offense heading into the 2026 season. He's looking to rebound after posting 50 receptions, 602 receiving yards, and two touchdowns with the Browns last season. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for more updates, but Jeudy should be fine going forward.