Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that the Browns believe rookie WR Denzel Boston can make a similar impact to fellow rookie K.C. Concepcion. Boston was drafted 39th overall, only 15 picks after Concepcion. “Whereas Concepcion is the explosive, run-after-catch type, Boston is the big-bodied, outside-the-numbers genre,” Breer writes. “He’s already earned the trust of the team’s three quarterbacks, runs better than you’d expect of a guy his size and, coming out of the same college offense Tetairoa McMillan did a year ago, has drawn internal comparisons to the young Panthers star.”
What They're Saying
New HC Todd Monken gave his assessment of Boston back at rookie minicamp.
“He does have quick feet getting off the line of scrimmage, you can see that,” Monken said via SI. “He does a really good job getting in and out of breaks for someone with his length… seeing him move around, you can really see his skillset.”
2026 Fantasy Football Impact
The early buzz on Boston is encouraging, but it needs some context.
Browns GM Andrew Berry called Jerry Jeudy a “bell cow” in May, a sign that he’ll remain a key piece of the passing game.
Concepcion went earlier than Boston in the draft and has the catch-and-run skill set to earn quick-hitter touches. Boston’s film showed little after-the-catch ability, and he's unlikely to get many designed touches.
Isaiah Bond presents another potential target obstacle after drawing praise for his work in offseason practices.
Of course, the Browns also return Harold Fannin Jr. after a rookie year that saw him finish top-10 among TEs in catches, yards, and targets.
In short: The Browns have enough pass-catching depth to limit Boston’s Year 1 impact.
And that's not even factoring in the QB position. Cleveland will enter camp with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders competing for the starting job, but neither option inspires much confidence. Watson has played just 19 games over the past five seasons amid two shoulder injuries, two Achilles tears, and a myriad of off-field issues.
Sanders, meanwhile, underwhelmed in his limited 2025 sample. Among 36 QBs with 200+ attempts, he ranked:
- 29th in yards per attempt
- 36th in adjusted completion rate
- 36th in catchable throw rate
The hype on Boston is encouraging. But the fantasy payoff likely won’t come until Cleveland upgrades at QB. For now, he’s just a late-round stash in leagues of 12+ teams.
