Welcome to the Fantasy Forecast series for the Cleveland Browns! We at Dynasty Nerds will be breaking down the players to talk about their value for the upcoming season. Cleveland is up next! The Cleveland Browns landed back in the playoffs in 2023 despite key injuries at quarterback and running back that could have derailed their season. For 2024, they have rounded out their wide receiver group and replaced their offensive coordinator, but their success will ultimately come down to the health and play of their starting quarterback.
Quarterbacks
Deshaun Watson hasn’t lived up to his enormous contract with the Browns, but he has immense upside if he figures it out. The arrival of Ken Dorsey as Offensive Coordinator could help. While the offense is still Head Coach Kevin Stefanski’s, Dorsey should help implement elements of a Bills offense that made Josh Allen successful on the ground and through the air.
Watson has played just 12 games in Cleveland and hasn’t had an impactful fantasy year since 2020. He will be 29-years old in September and probably won’t have a short leash due to his contract. This is perhaps his deepest group of weapons in his career and maybe his best coaching staff. A healthy Watson finished fifth in fantasy points for a QB in 2020, 2019, and 2018. A return to fifth is unlikely, but he’s certain to have games that remind you of those years. Whether he is worth the gamble depends entirely on the cost to acquire him.
Backing up Watson are Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley. Despite his propensity for interceptions, Winston is steady and probably a top 35 QB in the league. At 30-years old, it would be a surprise if he’s given the chance to be a full-time starter again. However, the Browns had recent notable success with a veteran QB distant from his time as a full-time starter.
While Winston has started 10 games over the last 4 years in New Orleans, he last made a fantasy impact in 2019 when he threw for over 5000 yards. I can’t imagine the Browns making a quick move, but should Watson struggle and the Browns have success elsewhere, they might make the swap. Stefanski is an excellent coach, and great coaches don’t allow one person to sink a season. Winston finished fourth in fantasy in 2019.
Cleveland is an interesting landing spot for Tyler Huntley. I expected him to have a much bigger market this offseason. He’s just 26 and made an impact in his nine starts for the Ravens over his first four years. It’s unlikely he will do so as the Browns’ third QB, even if he makes the team. However, if he found his way a spot start, his running ability makes him the type of QB who can put up points in fantasy.
Running Backs
Jerome Ford is all but certain to be the Browns lead back—at least to start the season. He took control of the backfield after Nick Chubb‘s Week 2 injury and finished 14th in fantasy points. The Browns have a great offensive line and are willing to use Ford in the passing game. He had 60 targets for 40 receptions in 2023. The absence of Bill Callahan will be felt. The Browns line should still pave the way for a Top-16 season for Ford (dependent on Chubb’s health).
Chubb is unlikely to be back at the start of the season, and there is no telling when he will be completely healthy. When healthy in 2022, he was RB6; in 2021, he was RB10; in 2020, he was RB12; and in 2019, he was RB8. The questions with him aren’t talent. It’s when and if he will be back to his previous form. He is in the final year of his contract.
D’Onta Foreman is the wildcard in the Browns backfield. He could go anywhere from not making the roster to a firm member of the RB rotation. Foreman rushed for over 900 yards in 2022 with Carolina but was used sporadically in 2023 in Chicago. In total fantasy points, he finished 51st last year, but on average, he was 37th. From Weeks 6 to 11, he was good enough to be RB12.
Nyheim Hines and Pierre Strong are both players I have been high on at times in their careers but who I wouldn’t gamble on for 2024. Hines could be a weapon in the passing game if he can return from his jet ski accident. Strong was one of my favorite backs in his draft class. However, he hasn’t done anything at stops in Cleveland and New England.
Wide Receivers
Amari Cooper is steady as they come, even without a steady QB. He’s had at least 1,000 yards in 7 of his 9 years as a pro and will likely add to that in his 10th year. He is the biggest buy on the Cleveland Browns offense because all he does is produce, regardless of who is playing QB. Cooper is in the final year of his contract and, at 30, will look to have a big year to cash in on what could be his final big contract.
| Game | Game | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Tota | Tota | Tota | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | No. | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | 1D | Succ% | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | Y/Tgt | Att | Yds | TD | 1D | Succ% | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | Touch | Y/Tch | YScm | RRTD | Fmb | AV | Awards |
| 2015* | 21 | OAK | 89 | 16 | 15 | 130 | 72 | 1070 | 14.9 | 6 | 47 | 47.7 | 68 | 4.5 | 66.9 | 55.4% | 8.2 | 3 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 33.3 | 2 | -1.0 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 75 | 14.2 | 1067 | 6 | 1 | 9 | AP ORoY-3, PB |
| 2016* | 22 | OAK | 89 | 16 | 14 | 132 | 83 | 1153 | 13.9 | 5 | 49 | 46.2 | 64 | 5.2 | 72.1 | 62.9% | 8.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 84 | 13.7 | 1153 | 5 | 2 | 10 | PB |
| 2017 | 23 | OAK | 89 | 14 | 12 | 96 | 48 | 680 | 14.2 | 7 | 28 | 39.6 | 87 | 3.4 | 48.6 | 50.0% | 7.1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 100.0 | 4 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 49 | 14.0 | 684 | 7 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2018* | 24 | 2TM | 15 | 15 | 107 | 75 | 1005 | 13.4 | 7 | 53 | 62.6 | 90 | 5.0 | 67.0 | 70.1% | 9.4 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 100.0 | 11 | 10.0 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 77 | 13.3 | 1025 | 7 | 2 | 8 | PB | |
| * | DAL | 19 | 9 | 9 | 76 | 53 | 725 | 13.7 | 6 | 39 | 60.5 | 90 | 5.9 | 80.6 | 69.7% | 9.5 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 100.0 | 11 | 11.0 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 54 | 13.6 | 736 | 6 | 2 | 6 | PB | |
| * | OAK | 89 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 22 | 280 | 12.7 | 1 | 14 | 67.7 | 36 | 3.7 | 46.7 | 71.0% | 9.0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | 9 | 9.0 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 23 | 12.6 | 289 | 1 | 0 | 2 | PB | |
| 2019* | 25 | DAL | 19 | 16 | 16 | 119 | 79 | 1189 | 15.1 | 8 | 54 | 63.0 | 53 | 4.9 | 74.3 | 66.4% | 10.0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | 6 | 6.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 80 | 14.9 | 1195 | 8 | 0 | 9 | PB |
| 2020 | 26 | DAL | 19 | 16 | 15 | 130 | 92 | 1114 | 12.1 | 5 | 54 | 63.1 | 69 | 5.8 | 69.6 | 70.8% | 8.6 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 66.7 | 10 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 98 | 11.5 | 1128 | 5 | 0 | 9 | |
| 2021 | 27 | DAL | 19 | 15 | 14 | 104 | 68 | 865 | 12.7 | 8 | 45 | 53.8 | 41 | 4.5 | 57.7 | 65.4% | 8.3 | 0 | 68 | 12.7 | 865 | 8 | 1 | 7 | |||||||||
| 2022 | 28 | CLE | 2 | 17 | 17 | 132 | 78 | 1160 | 14.9 | 9 | 61 | 53.0 | 55 | 4.6 | 68.2 | 59.1% | 8.8 | 0 | 78 | 14.9 | 1160 | 9 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 2023* | 29 | CLE | 2 | 15 | 15 | 128 | 72 | 1250 | 17.4 | 5 | 50 | 53.1 | 75 | 4.8 | 83.3 | 56.3% | 9.8 | 0 | 72 | 17.4 | 1250 | 5 | 2 | 10 | PB | ||||||||
| Care | Care | 140 | 133 | 1078 | 667 | 9486 | 14.2 | 60 | 441 | 53.7 | 90 | 4.8 | 67.8 | 61.9% | 8.8 | 14 | 41 | 0 | 3 | 64.3 | 11 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 681 | 14.0 | 9527 | 60 | 9 | 79 | |||
| 4 yr | 4 yr | DAL | 56 | 54 | 429 | 292 | 3893 | 13.3 | 27 | 192 | 60.4 | 90 | 5.2 | 69.5 | 68.1% | 9.1 | 8 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 75.0 | 11 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 300 | 13.1 | 3924 | 27 | 3 | 31 | ||
| 4 yr | 4 yr | OAK | 52 | 47 | 389 | 225 | 3183 | 14.1 | 19 | 138 | 46.8 | 87 | 4.3 | 61.2 | 57.8% | 8.2 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 50.0 | 9 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 231 | 13.8 | 3193 | 19 | 4 | 27 | ||
| 2 yr | 2 yr | CLE | 32 | 32 | 260 | 150 | 2410 | 16.1 | 14 | 111 | 53.1 | 75 | 4.7 | 75.3 | 57.7% | 9.3 | 0 | 150 | 16.1 | 2410 | 14 | 2 | 21 |
Newcomer Jerry Jeudy settles into a Browns’ starting receiver group that has been missing a piece. There is a reason he was available, but the Browns felt he was worth the gamble by adding three years to his contract. In contrast to Cooper, Jeudy has never surpassed 1,000 yards. Stefanski should move Jeudy inside and outside to give him every chance to be the weapon the Broncos thought he was when they took him 15th overall in 2020.
Elijah Moore is another disappointment whose best year was 640 total yards. He is going into his fourth year, and it’s time to show the promise that made him the second pick in the second round of 2021. He is the type of WR who could positively benefit from Jeudy and Cooper spacing the field, allowing him to turn short routes into big gains.
There is a reason the Cleveland Browns traded for their starting WRs: they don’t seem to be able to draft one. Anthony Schwartz and Donovan Peoples-Jones both had moments but have moved on. David Bell hasn’t lived up to his third-round draft status. Cedric Tillman was their top pick in the 2023 draft and had a mediocre rookie year with 21 catches for 224 yards. Cleveland took Jamari Thrash in the fifth round this year, the fifth-straight year drafting a wide receiver. With Moore and Cooper coming up on free agency after this year, there might be a stash player in the group. Of the lot, I’d gamble on Tillman as a stash for 2025.
Tight Ends
I wasn’t high on David Njoku before the season, but he certainly proved me wrong in 2023 with a career-high in catches (81), yards (882), and TDs (6)—good for TE6 overall. I trust Stefanski will find ways to get Njoku open so that he can make a similar impact in 2024. He rivals Amari Cooper as the easiest bet on a messy Cleveland Browns team.
The Cleveland Browns are thin at tight end with just 32-year-old Jordan Akins (a FB), and two college free agents (CFAs) from the 2022 and 2024 drafts behind Njoku. Akins looked good in 2022 (33-425-3) but caught only 15 balls last year. Keep an eye on the cut-down day and potential trades to shore up their tight end depth. They are an Njoku injury away from being in trouble at the position.
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