David Njoku Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Browns TE David Njoku awoke from his fantasy slumber and finished as TE11 overall with 10.1 points per game in 2022. He hadn't finished that high since being the TE9 in 2018 and has only two other career top-25 fantasy seasons to his name. Fantasy managers looking for a high-end contributor at TE in 2023 outside the elite tier of players should look no further than Njoku. The former 1st-round pick finished 2022 12th among TEs in target share (18.2%), 13th in air yards share (15.2%), and fifth in Pro Football Focus receiving grade. Though most of that production came with QB Jacoby Brissett in the lineup last season, we feel optimistic about QB Deshaun Watson's chances at improving in 2023, which will certainly keep Njoku among the highest opportunity earners at the position. Take a look at where he we have him projected in our current TE rankings.

Zac Jackson of The Athletic believes Browns QB Deshaun Watson will be “much better” in 2023. We’re in strong agreement there. Watson struggled across six late-season games last year, tallying 6.5 yards per attempt and a 58.2% completion rate. But let’s recognize that he played his first regular season games since the 2020 season. And we’re ultimately talking about a small sample of 170 attempts. Cleveland added WRs Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman to a receiving corps already featuring Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and David Njoku. Watson sits inside the top 10 of our QB rankings.

The forecast for today's Saints-Browns game calls for temperatures in the single digits with sustained winds of 20-25 mph and gusts of 40+. The wind chill is well below zero. They're brutal conditions that will significantly limit the passing and kicking games. Check out our projections for all the Saints and Browns players.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) is off the team's injury report after logging a full practice on Thursday. The weather in this game will be bad, but Njoku is still a low-end TE1 vs. the Saints in Week 16. He's tied for the team lead in targets (22) with QB Deshaun Watson under center. Even in inclement weather, TEs are usually decent short-area bets.

Browns WR Amari Cooper (hip) was given another rest day again on Wednesday. TE David Njoku kept his limited participation going as well. We didn't get much new information today ahead of Saturday's game vs. the Saints. Check back tomorrow once we learn more about these two.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) was a limited practice participant on Tuesday. Week 16’s showdown against the Saints is on Saturday, so today’s report will shed more light regarding the TE’s availability. Stay tuned.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson didn't show much progress in his 3rd game back. He threw for just 161 yards and 1 TD in Saturday's win over the Ravens. He found WR Donovan Peoples-Jones from 3 yards out for the team's lone TD. WR Amari Cooper and TE David Njoku tied for the target lead (6). Cooper caught 4 balls for 58 yards. Njoku snagged 3 for just 28 yards. Week 16 brings a Saints defense that ranks 12th on the year in Football Outsiders' pass-defense DVOA, compared with 21st against the run. Watson doesn't look like a fantasy starter for that week or a Week 17 trip to Washington.

Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones drew a season-high 12 targets in Sunday's loss to the Bengals, leading the team in that category, receptions (8) and receiving yards (114). He led Amari Cooper by 5 pass routes in a game Cooper entered questionable with a hip issue. Cooper did check in 3rd on the team with 7 targets but caught only 2 (for 42 yards). His usage bodes well for his Week 15 role. TE David Njoku finished between the wideouts with 9 targets, catching 7 balls for 59 yards and the team's lone TD.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) practiced all week and isn't listed on the final injury report for Sunday's game vs. the Bengals. "Dave has looked like himself," HC Kevin Stefanski said Friday. "He looks good." Njoku still carries at least slightly elevated risk coming off this knee injury, but he belongs in plenty of fantasy lineups considering the sorry state of the TE position.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) remained limited in Thursday's practice. We'll see what he does on Friday and how Cleveland lists him on the final injury report for Sunday's game vs. the Bengals.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) got in a limited practice on Wednesday. That gives him a shot to return for this weekend's game vs. the Bengals. We'll keep you updated on Njoku's progress over the next few days.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) is out for Sunday's game vs. the Texans. He had just gotten over a high-ankle sprain and then hurt his knee in last week's win over the Bucs. We'll see if Njoku can make it back for Week 14, but he wasn't able to practice at all this week. TE Harrison Bryant will step back in as Cleveland's lead TE on Sunday but remains a shaky fantasy play. He totaled just 3 catches on 3 targets in the 2 games Njoku missed a few weeks ago.

Browns TE David Njoku (knee) missed practice again on Thursday. He's now looking unlikely to play vs. the Texans this weekend, but we'll get another update on his status tomorrow.

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that TE David Njoku is dealing with a different knee injury from the one that landed him on last week's injury report. Stefanski added that he's not ruling Njoku out for this weekend's game vs. the Texans -- which means that his availabiltiy for that one is in question. We'll keep an eye on Njoku over the next few days, but fantasy owners should have an alternative lined up.

Update: Njoku did not practice on Wednesday.

Browns TE David Njoku returned to the top of the depth chart in Sunday's win over the Buccaneers and found the end zone. He ranked 2nd on the team in targets (7), receptions (5) and receiving yards (29) -- including a 12-yard TD late in the 4th quarter to send the game to OT. Pro Football Focus credited Njoku with the 3rd most routes run among Browns, 3 times as many as #2 TE Harrison Bryant. That marked a big rebound for Njoku vs. his Week 11 return from injury. He ran a route on 76.7% of Jacoby Brissett's 43 dropbacks. With Deshaun Watson back next week, Njoku looks like a weekly top-10 option the rest of the way.

Browns TE David Njoku (ankle, knee) is not listed on the final Week 12 injury report. He got in just limited practices on Thursday and Friday, though, and HC Kevin Stefanski said Friday that he wasn’t sure if Njoku would be ready for an increased workload vs. the Bucs on Sunday after playing just 37% of the snaps last week. Try not to use Njoku in Week 12 fantasy lineups.

Browns TE David Njoku (ankle, knee) returned to a limited practice on Thursday. That gives him a chance to play vs. the Bucs this weekend, but it's clear that Njoku won't be at 100% if he does suit up.

Browns TE David Njoku (ankle, knee) did not practice on Wednesday. He returned from his high-ankle sprain last week but is now also listed with a knee injury. We'll track Njoku's status over the next few days, but you should look elsewhere for Week 12 fantasy lineups.

Browns TE David Njoku was active and starting against the Bills for the 1st time since a knee injury knocked him out of Week 7. But he played about half as many snaps as TE Harrison Bryant and trailed the position leader by 10 routes and 4 targets. Njoku managed 2 catches for 17 yards among 3 looks. We'd bet on his playing time improving for a Week 12 date with the Buccaneers. Bryant caught 4 balls for 41 yards against the Bills on 7 targets, which ranked 2nd on the team.

Browns TE David Njoku (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Bills. He got in just limited practices on Thursday and Friday, so it’s safe to assume that Njoku still isn’t at 100%. This is also a tough matchup, so Njoku sits a bit lower in the Week 11 TE Rankings than his early-season production deserves.