Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

A new lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery has been resolved, according to the plaintiff's lawyer, Tony Buzbee. Watson denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The NFL has been reviewing the complaint under their personal-conduct policy but did not place Watson on the commissioner's exempt list because there haven't been formal charges filed. The 29-year-old Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than a dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. It's unclear if he's in danger of being suspended by the NFL again. Watson has not played well in five games in 2024 and is currently the QB20 in fantasy points, but the Browns will continue to stick with him heading into a Week 7 contest versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) played 25 offensive snaps in the Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday in his first game since suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. However, Njoku suffered a knee injury against Washington, and head coach Kevin Stefanski said he will get an MRI exam on Monday to determine the extent of his new injury. The 28-year-old had just one reception for 14 yards on three targets in his return, while Jordan Akins caught all three of his targets for 22 yards and his first touchdown of the year. Njoku's status for a Week 6 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles is now up in the air until we know more about his knee injury. Even if his knee injury isn't serious and he's able to play this weekend, Njoku's stock has fallen to a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 in what has become an ugly Browns offense.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco completed 33 of his 44 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns in the team's 34-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Flacco committed no turnovers and also surprisingly ran the ball three times for another 22 yards on the ground. Flacco was nearly perfect in the shootout loss, finding Michael Pittman Jr., Mo-Alie Cox, and Alec Pierce in the endzone throughout the game. The game script heavily favored Flacco's performance, with the Colts facing a two-touchdown deficit with less than six minutes to play in regulation, resulting in an increased passing volume for Indy. It's unclear what the plan is for Indianapolis at quarterback while Anthony Richardson (oblique) recovers from injury. Still, Flacco would remain a strong streaming option if he gets the start again in Week 5. The Colts will face a stingy Titans defense in Week 6, but Flacco would remain firmly on the radar again then should he be named the starter.

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins made both of his field goals and added an extra point in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Hopkins made field goals from 51 and 31 yards out in the blowout loss to Washington. The veteran kicker has been a reliable field-goal maker for the Browns this season, making seven of his eight attempts and six of his seven extra points. Hopkins has shown a big leg since joining the Browns ahead of the 2023 season, hitting 11 of his 12 attempts from 50+ yards. Hopkins will now begin preparing to take on the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in Week 6.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught one of his three targets for 16 yards in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Jeudy was held to his worst output of the season despite a plus matchup against a leaky Washington secondary in the loss. The veteran wideout has been quite boom/bust this season as he's gotten to at least 72 yards in two games while being held to 27 yards or fewer in his other three contests. Jeudy will look to bounce back in Week 6's road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.