Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) is not practicing on Wednesday to begin Week 7 preparation. The third-year back out of Cincinnati left the Week 6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a hamstring injury, so he could be at real risk of missing Week 7. Meanwhile, Nick Chubb (knee), who is coming off a major knee injury from Week 2 of last season, could make his 2024 debut on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cleveland backfield could be tricky to analyze this week, as Ford's status is in doubt, and Chubb could be on a pitch count if he plays. Backups D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. are likely to be involved in the rotation if Ford is inactive. The Bengals are a neutral matchup for running backs and Cleveland arguably has the worst offense in the NFL, so upside might be hard to come by for any Browns' RB this week.

The Cleveland Browns traded their top wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, opening up a significant void in their passing game. Current Browns tight end David Njoku is most likely to fill that void. The 28-year-old has hauled in 10 of 15 targets for 89 yards over three games in 2024. Njoku has ranked second on the team in targets over the past two weeks and has the trust of quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns are frequently trailing in games, forcing them to throw the ball more. However, the passing game has not been efficient. Given fantasy's current tight-end landscape, Njoku is valued as a mid-to low-end TE1 and a sold TE option in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman is expected to take on a more significant role moving forward. The Browns traded starting wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills, creating a void in their receiver room. Tillman, a third-round pick in 2022, recorded 21 catches for 224 yards in his rookie season. With a significant portion of the target share opening up, Tillman may have real upside in the Browns' passing offense. However, that offense ranks near the bottom of the NFL, and fantasy managers should avoid investing in the Cleveland Browns' passing game. The 24-year-old is a speculative add-in to deep leagues, as he should see an increase in the target share with Cooper shipped to Buffalo.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Tuesday that the league's review of the most recent sexual-assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is ongoing, despite the fact that Watson's camp already settled the latest lawsuit with the plaintiff. If the NFL finds that the newest complaint rises to a new violation of their personal-conduct policy, it can levy further sanctions against Watson, including another suspension, a fine or more counseling. Not only has Watson looked terrible in 2024 through the first six weeks of the season, but he just lost his top receiver -- Amari Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday -- and the possibility of another suspension is on the table. Through the first six weeks, Watson checks in as the QB24 in overall fantasy points and should only be rostered in superflex leagues at this point.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that the team will continue with quarterback Deshaun Watson as their starter after another loss in Week 6 to the Philadelphia Eagles. "I think Deshaun (Watson) gives us the best chance to win, continues to give us the best chance to win," Stefanski said. Watson has been really bad so far in 2024, although he was able to avoid any turnovers on Sunday against Philly. The 29-year-old went 16-for-23 for 168 yards without a touchdown and has yet to even throw for 200 yards in six games this season. It appears that the surgery on his right shoulder has sapped him of much of his arm strength, but Watson has also made plenty of head-scratching decisions to lead the Browns to a 1-5 record after six weeks. The impending return of running back Nick Chubb (knee) may not be enough to salvage Watson's starting job the rest of the season.