Cleveland Browns DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught seven of his 11 targets for 93 yards in a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Njoku wound up leading the team in targets and receiving yards in the loss, capping off an extraordinary late-season run for the athletic tight end. Njoku wound up turning in a career year this past season, setting career-highs in catches (81), yards (882), and touchdowns (six). Njoku showed excellent chemistry with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who targeted the big tight end heavily over his six-game stretch of starts. The veteran will be back as Cleveland's starting tight end for the 2024 season, although he will likely go back to catching passes from Deshaun Watson and not Flacco.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell caught all eight of his targets for 54 yards in a 45-14 playoff loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday. Bell wound up leading the Browns in catches while finishing fourth on the team in receiving yards in the loss on Saturday afternoon. The second-year receiver came on strong over the final month of the season, catching 16 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns across the past five games (including the playoff loss to Houston). With a strong offseason, Bell could open the 2024 campaign as the team's No. 3 receiver behind Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore. He's worth stashing in deeper dynasty leagues this offseason.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford carried the ball nine times for 17 yards and added four catches for 15 yards in a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Ford was quiet in his first playoff game as the Browns fell behind 24-14 at halftime and had to shift to a pass-first approach in the second half. Ford turned in a solid effort as Cleveland's lead back after the team lost Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Chubb is likely to be back at some point early in the 2024 season but Ford has certainly earned himself a role as the No. 2 running back in Cleveland moving forward. With Chubb set to become a free-agent after next season, Ford remains an interesting long-term asset in dynasty formats.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco completed 34 of his 46 passes for 307 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions while adding three carries for 13 yards in a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Flacco's final stat line doesn't look too bad but both of his interceptions were momentum killers. The veteran quarterback threw pick-sixes on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter, turning a 24-14 deficit into a 38-14 deficit. Flacco turned in some magical moments in his late-season tenure as Cleveland's starting quarterback but it is safe to assume that Deshaun Watson will be back as the team's starter in the 2024 season. A pending free-agent, Flacco could remain in Cleveland as a backup or try to catch on as a bridge option somewhere else this offseason.

Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. (back) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's Wild-Card game against the Houston Texans. Strong was considered questionable heading into this game due to a back issue. The Browns have decided to take the cautious approach and hold him out of this game. His absence won't have a huge impact on the running game for Cleveland. The expectation is that Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt will see basically all the carries in the backfield.