Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle) remains out of the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Njoku suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and has missed the last two games as a result. With a DNP to open the week, he's off on the wrong foot in terms of returning to play in Week 4 versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Njoku will need to get on the practice field later this week to at least give himself a chance to return. As things stand right now, fantasy managers should be planning to go in another direction for their starting TE spot. In the last two contests with Njoku sidelined, Jordan Akins has been Cleveland's top pass-catching TE but has produced just five receptions on eight targets for 39 receiving yards. If Njoku misses his third straight game, Akins will be a TE2 sleeper play, at best.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said "we'll see" whether tight end David Njoku (ankle) will be available to play in a Week 4 tilt against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. The Browns and fantasy managers will have a better idea of Njoku's status when they resume practicing on Wednesday. Njoku suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and has missed the last two games as a result. With Njoku sidelined the last two games, Jordan Akins has stepped in as the primary pass-catching TE but has gone for just five receptions on eight targets for 39 yards and no touchdowns. Quarterback Deshaun Watson relied heavily on receiver Amari Cooper in the Week 3 loss to the New York Giants, targeting him 12 times, leading to seven catches, 86 yards and two touchdowns. Njoku will be in play as a low-end TE1 option for fantasy managers if he returns to play in Week 4.

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed his lone field-goal try while adding an extra point in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. Hopkins misfired on a 53-yard attempt in the third quarter, his first miss from 50+ yards since joining the Browns before the 2023 season. Overall, Hopkins has made four of his five field goals and all four of his extra points through three games this season. He will kick against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road in Week 4.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught four of his seven targets for 27 yards and added a two-point conversion reception in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. Jeudy was quiet from a yardage standpoint, although his seven targets tied for second on the team. The veteran wideout gave the Browns hope when he caught a two-point conversion from Deshaun Watson in the fourth quarter to pull Cleveland to within six points of the Giants, but those would be the last points they would muster. Jeudy will take 12 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown into Cleveland's Week 4 road matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford carried the ball 10 times for 37 yards and caught three of his four targets for 33 yards in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. Ford wound up leading the Browns in carries and rushing yards while finishing second on the team in receiving in the close loss. Meanwhile, teammate D'Onta Foreman only saw two carries for five yards in the contest. The Cleveland backfield has been tough to predict through three weeks with Ford leading the way in Weeks 1 and 3 while D'Onta Foreman took the majority of the workload in Week 2. Ford will remain involved, especially in the passing game, heading into a road matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4.