Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Diontae Johnson is focused on changing the perception surrounding him this season after a tumultuous 2024, he told ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi on Wednesday. Johnson was all over the place last season, leading the Carolina Panthers in receiving through the first seven games before a mid-year trade to Baltimore -- and eventual release after he refused to play in Week 13. The Texans claimed him, and he caught two passes for them in Week 18, but was waived after their wild-card win over the Chargers due to his "visible frustration" after playing just 15 snaps. The 28-year-old will get a chance to prove himself in Cleveland, as the target competition behind fellow WR Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku isn't too daunting. Still, the offense's success will largely depend on who is calling signals for the Browns in 2025, and even that might not be a guarantee on a weekly basis.

The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that Cleveland Browns rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders has positioned himself to make the roster this fall and eventually make the team's decision-makers think about where he might belong on the depth chart. Sanders has been good enough in spring practices to make Browns coaches think he's worthy of more chances in training camp this summer. That doesn't mean the 23-year-old is firmly in the mix to win the starting job for the regular season -- veteran Joe Flacco is still considered the favorite -- but he's shown accuracy and decisiveness this spring. Sanders still has a lot of developing to do, but so far, he has been impressive as he looks to prove to Cleveland that he belongs in the picture long term after his well-documented draft-day slide in late April. For fantasy purposes, he's merely a dynasty/keeper stash and hold in 2025.

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was first up in team drills at mandatory minicamp for the second straight day on Wednesday and is going up against the first-team defense, according to The Chronicle Telegram's Scott Petrak. Fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into the Browns QB reps during offseason workouts, as head coach Kevin Stefanski said that rookies Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will probably require more reps as they get acclimated to the NFL game. The Browns are conducting an open competition at QB, but the expectation is that it will come down to either veteran Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett. Gabriel, 24, stands at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds and could open the year as the No. 3 ahead of Sanders. He has plenty of experience playing for three different teams in college in addition to a strong arm and a good feel in the pocket. He's strictly a dynasty/keeper stash in 2025.