Open Nav
Show Navigation
Show Menu

Cleveland Browns Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Shark Bites are the latest fantasy football news & NFL updates. Draft Sharks has been in business since 1999. And when we started, redraft was the dominant form of fantasy football. Check out what we've learned about this most basic form of fantasy football along the way.

The Browns have fired OC Alex Van Pelt and RBs coach Stump Mitchell. Van Pelt has been Cleveland's OC since HC Kevin Stefanski was hired in 2020; Mitchell started his Browns tenure in 2019. We'll see who replaces those guys, but we wouldn't expect sweeping changes to the offense considering Stefanski has always had a big say in the operation.

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said at Sunday's season-ending press conference that the team still has a "ton of confidence" in QB Deshaun Watson. Injuries limited Watson to just six games this season -- the last of which was a broken glenoid in his throwing shoulder that required surgery in November. “He’s doing great in rehab," Stefanski said. "I’m confident he’ll be ready to roll this spring. He’s chomping at the bit, but he’s doing everything he’s supposed to do when it comes to what the doctors are telling him and as he rehabs through this, but he’ll be ready to roll.” Watson's recovery from that surgery is one question heading into 2024. But the bigger one is his ability at this point. Watson put more bad than good on tape this past year, finishing with a 61.4% completion rate and 6.5 yards per attempt. QB Joe Flacco was much more productive in the same offense down the stretch. Watson can't be considered more than a QB2 in early fantasy drafts. We'll track his rehab.

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney (hip, ankle) is inactive for tonight's Wild Card game vs. the Dolphins. Hopefully he wasn't part of your playoff plans. WR Justyn Ross (hamstring) is also inactive.

Browns RB Pierre Strong (back) is inactive for today's Wild Card game vs. the Texans. That leaves a few extra touches to go around for RBs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt.

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney (hip, ankle) is questionable for Saturday night's Wild Card game vs. the Dolphins. HC Andy Reid said Thursday that Toney will be limited if he plays. He shouldn't be in your fantasy plans.

Browns WR Cedric Tillman (concussion) is out for Saturday's Wild Card game vs. the Texans. The rookie has been a full-time player for Cleveland over the second half of the season and averaged 5.0 targets over the last seven games. His snaps will go to some combination of WRs David Bell, James Proche, and Marquise Goodwin. But Tillman's targets might just be soaked up by WR Amari Cooper and TE David Njoku.

Browns RB Pierre Strong (back) is questionable for Saturday's Wild Card game vs. the Texans. He shouldn't be in your fantasy plans, but his absence would leave a few extra touches for RBs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt. We'll get Cleveland's inactives around 3 pm ET on Saturday.

Browns WR Cedric Tillman (concussion) did not practice on Tuesday. He's more likely than not to miss Saturday's Wild Card game vs. the Texans. Tillman has been a full-time player for Cleveland over the second half of the season and averaged 5.0 targets over the last seven games, so his absence would be felt. The rookie's snaps would likely go to some combination of WRs David Bell, James Proche, and Marquise Goodwin.

Browns WRs Elijah Moore (concussion) is active for today’s game vs. the Bengals. He’s cleared concussion protocol but still might not play much with Cleveland having nothing to gain today. WR Marquise Goodwin (knee) is inactive, leaving the Browns with WRs Cedric Tillman, David Bell, and James Proche alongside Moore.

Saints backup QB Jameis Winston agreed to a restructured contract that adds two years to his deal, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports. But the move was reportedly done merely to spread out his cap hits. Those two extra years void "early in the new league year," according to Fowler. That means Winston can still hit free agency this spring. The 30-year-old will be interesting to watch on the market. Winston is stashable in dynasty leagues now (where possible) in case he lands behind a shaky starter. That seems more likely than Winston getting a shot to be some team's bridge QB. Winston previously hit the market in 2020, 2021, and 2022. His most recent New Orleans contract came with a starting opportunity ($28 million over two years), but the Saints stuck with Andy Dalton in 2022 even after Winston got healthy and then imported Derek Carr for 2023.

The Browns have ruled Edge Myles Garrett out for Sunday's game against the Bengals. He did sit out Friday's practice and is officially listed with shoulder and hamstring issues. But Garrett's sitting because Cleveland doesn't need this game. Beware of other Browns starting defenders in this game for that reason. Missing Garrett also makes Cleveland a worse team-defense play.

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy (illness) is active for today’s game vs. the Chargers. He didn’t practice on Friday but should be ready for a full slate of snaps today. WR Marvin Mims (hamstring) is inactive, leaving WRs Brandon Johnson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, and Phillip Dorsett behind Jeudy.

Bears RB D'Onta Foreman is a surprise inactive for today's game vs. the Falcons. He missed last week's game due to a personal issue but was left off the final injury report this week. Chicago will again roll with RBs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson today. Herbert tallied 20 carries and two targets to Johnson's nine carries and three targets last week.

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy (illness) is expected to play vs. the Chargers today, while WR Marvin Mims (hamstring) is not, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Mims seemingly hurt his hamstring on Thursday and then did not practice on Friday. With WR Courtland Sutton (concussion) also out, the Broncos are down to Jeudy, Brandon Johnson, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, and Phillip Dorsett at WR. Jeudy is the only viable play in season-long fantasy leagues.

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney (hip) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Bengals. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice, and Justin Watson operated as Kansas City’s top three WRs last week, with Richie James as the No. 4.

Bears RB D'Onta Foreman (personal) practiced all week and isn’t listed on the final injury report for Sunday’s game vs. the Falcons. It’s entirely unclear how work will be divvied between Foreman, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson, making it a situation to try to avoid in Week 17 fantasy lineups.

Browns WR Elijah Moore sustained a concussion in the second quarter of Thursday night's win over the Jets. It's his second documented concussion. We'll track Moore's progress through the protocol. The most likely scenario has him missing Week 18 but being cleared for the first round of the playoffs.

Bears RB D'Onta Foreman (personal) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. That should put him on track to return for this weekend's game vs. the Falcons -- and return Chicago's backfield to an ugly three-man committee.

Browns K Dustin Hopkins (hamstring) is out for Thursday night's game vs. the Jets. Riley Patterson will kick in his place but is not a strong fantasy option with Cleveland's implied total at just 21 points.

Bears RB D’Onta Foreman (personal) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Cardinals. That leaves Chicago’s backfield to Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert. We don’t know exactly how work will be divvied between them, but they both have enough upside against Arizona’s 31st-ranked RB defense to consider as RB3 or flex plays. See where Johnson and Herbert sit in the Week 16 RB Rankings.

Compare Plans » Compare Plans »
THE 2024 ROOKIE GUIDE IS HERE! UPDATED POST-DRAFT
Trade Values • Model Scores • Analytics • Sleepers • Busts & More