After the big Deshaun Watson move, it felt like Cleveland was ready to ascend into a consistent playoff team; however, Watson has struggled in his time with Cleveland, and the team has relied on its rushing attack and solid defense. Now, for the Browns to make a run at the playoffs, Watson is going to have to stay healthy, and Kevin Stefanski is going to have to open up the offense and use all of his weapons, which he has been reluctant to do in years past.
Watson has not been the same player since his days in Houston, and this may be a pivotal year for him. Watson has played six games in each of the past two seasons, one of which was due to his suspension and one of which was due to his injury. This is the seminal year for him and for the Browns to see whether Watson is done, and they need to move on. Smartly in the offseason Cleveland signed Jameis Winston to be Watson’s backup. If Watson were to miss time, Winston is certainly capable of leading the team to a few victories.
Chubb only played two games last year before suffering a horrific knee injury, which ended his season. Now, the team hopes that he’ll be ready to start the season on time, but I think fantasy managers are expecting him to miss the first few weeks. Chubb is going in rounds 10 through 12, which is a smart place to draft him as you’re not counting on him to be anything more than a backup who might be a difference-maker come fantasy playoff time. In the meanwhile, Jerome Ford still has relevant fantasy value as he should have the majority of the touches until Chubb is back.
Cooper is now 30 years old and is looking for one last payday. He’s missed some of minicamp, but it’s to be expected to return when training camp starts in a couple of weeks. Even though he’s getting on in age, Cooper still is a tremendous route runner and a difference-maker on offense. He is no longer a true WR1 for fantasy purposes, but I think he’s a sensational WR3 on any winning fantasy roster.
Jeudy came over this past offseason from Denver, where he did not meet expectations. However, many people believe that Jeudy is an impact offensive player who’s never had the right quarterback to play with. Right now, Jeudy is best served as a WR5 with WR4 upside until we see Watson healthy and the Browns commit to throwing the ball more.
Njoku is a tremendously talented player who is very hard to cover in the red zone due to his size and speed. Fantasy managers had been counting on him for years, and last year, we finally saw his offensive breakout. While I think that 81 receptions and over 880 yards might not be attainable in 2024, he still should be counted on for about 65 receptions and 700 yards and, most likely, about six to seven touchdowns. If you miss out on Kelce, LaPorta, Andrews, and McBride, Njoku is certainly in the next tier of good tight ends.
The Browns are a very difficult team to handicap, as their two best players are recovering from major injuries. If Watson and Chubb can be back on the field playing together by Week Five, there’s a strong chance that the Browns will make the playoffs. If one or neither of them is back on the field until halfway through the season, then there’s a good chance that the Browns finish under .500.
