The Broncos are trading WR Jerry Jeudy to the Browns for fifth- and sixth-round picks in this year's draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's clearly a cost-cutting move for Denver, which avoids the nearly $13 million cap hit of the final season on Jeudy's contract. The move should allow second-year WR Marvin Mims to hit the starting lineup, though he'll have to compete with returning WR Tim Patrick. Jeudy arrives to a Cleveland corps that already sported WRs Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore. Right now we'd bet on Jeudy garnering more targets than Moore, who earned just 16.7% target share in his first year with the Browns. But it's certainly not an exciting landing spot for Jeudy's upside. That's magnified by QB Deshaun Watson's lackluster play in 2023 before his season-ending shoulder injury. Jeudy's fine to stack with Watson on best ball rosters at their respective prices: WR61 in Underdog Fantasy ADP for Jeudy; QB23 for Watson. Just don't expect either to be a championship winner. That said, Watson sports a nice crew of pass-catchers now, with the aforementioned wideouts and TE David Njoku. Cleveland second-year WR Cedric Tillman, meanwhile, looks blocked from relevance for at least one more year. He's not a must-hold in dynasty.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is expected to resume throwing in March, according to insider Mary Kay Cabot. His rehab from November surgery on his right shoulder has gone smoothly by all accounts. Watson got back in the weight room this week, per Cabot, and should at least be a limited participant in April's OTAs. Watson was mostly disappointing prior to that shoulder injury last year, finishing the 2023 campaign with a 61% completion rate and 6.5 yards per attempt. It's been three years now since Watson's big 2020 season -- and it's becoming increasingly unlikely that he returns to that level of play. But he did still average 23.7 rushing yards per game last year, which gives Watson a chance to be a fantasy asset in 2024 even if his real-life performance is lacking. He scored as a top-10 fantasy QB in three of his five full games last year. We'll keep tabs on that right shoulder.
New Steelers OC Arthur Smith talked up QB Kenny Pickett a little in his first interview since taking the job. "It's exciting to hear the way that this offense is built with a lot of young players and, obviously, where Kenny Pickett is at going into his third year," Smith said to Missi Matthews of Steelers.com. "There's a relationship that's got to be built between me and Kenny, and that's so paramount between the playcaller and the quarterback. I've got to earn Kenny's trust and vice versa as we build this offense and all the things we want to work on, and we want him to work on and take command of this offense." Does this mean Pickett is guaranteed to start Week 1 in 2024? Of course not. HC Mike Tomlin told reporters in January that Pickett heads into the offseason as the top QB but "will be challenged." Until and unless Pittsburgh acquires a significant challenger, though, Pickett is the likeliest 2024 starter. Early best ball drafting has him going outside the top 32 at the position on both Underdog and FFPC. That makes Pickett worth a look as your QB3, especially if you've drafted a Steelers pass-catcher or two.
The Browns are hiring Ken Dorsey as their OC, according to multiple sources. He'll replace Alex Van Pelt, who'd been Cleveland's OC since HC Kevin Stefanski took over in 2020. Dorsey spent a season-and-a-half as Buffalo's OC, taking over in 2022 and leading the Bills to second-place finishes in both total yards and points. He was fired midway through this past season, despite the Bills averaging 26.2 points through the opening 10 games. (They averaged 27.1 the rest of the way.) We'll see exactly how much say Dorsey has in Stefanski's offense this coming season. Stefanski has called plays the last four seasons.
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.
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.
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.
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson hauled in 4 of 5 targets for 81 receiving yards and a TD in Week 18 vs. Ravens. The veteran ends this season with a career-low in receptions (51) and the second-fewest receiving yards (717) he’s logged to date, though a good deal of this can be attributed to the four games missed due to a hamstring injury. Johnson will play next season at 28 years old in the final year of his contract. Unless the Steelers make a change at QB this offseason, there’s no reason to value Johnson any higher than as a WR3 in dynasty formats.
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.
The Browns will likely rest some starters in Week 18 if the Ravens beat the Dolphins today to clinch the AFC North, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. In that case, Cleveland would basically be locked into the AFC's No. 5 seed and have nothing to play for against the Bengals next weekend. QB Joe Flacco, WR Amari Cooper, and TE David Njoku would be obvious candidates to be held out of that one.
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.
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.
Browns QB Joe Flacco completed 27 of 42 passes for 368 yards with 3 TDs and 2 INTs in Week 16 vs. the Texans. This is the third consecutive game in which he’s thrown for at least 300 yards with multiple scores. Since becoming the starter in Week 13, Flacco ranks first among QBs in passing yards per game (326.8) and attempts per game (43.8). That’s the kind of volume that leads to fantasy production you can rely on, even though he’s thrown 7 INTs in that span. Next week’s game presents a tough challenge against the Jets (third in pass defense DVOA), but that should not dissuade you from tossing Flacco out in superflex/2QB lineups.
Browns K Dustin Hopkins is officially questionable to return to Sunday's game vs. the Texans with a left hamstring injury. Cleveland just went for two points after their latest TD, so it doesn't look like Hopkins is available the rest of the way.
Vikings LB Jordan Hicks (shin) is active for today's game against the Lions. Minnesota activated him from IR Saturday, and it appears Hicks is ready to reclaim his role. There's some risk to playing him right away following a four-game absence, but we're willing to take that shot in LB2 range of the Week 16 LB rankings. Rookie LB Ivan Pace Jr. (shoulder) is active as well after turning up questionable with a late-week shoulder injury. He filled in well for Hicks but now carries a playing-time question with Hicks back. Pace sits in LB3 territory of our rankings. DT Harrison Phillips (back) is also active but sits lower in our DL rankings than usual. There is tackle upside against a Detroit offense that likes to run.
Vikings LB Jordan Hicks is questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions. He put in full practices all week, in his first action following four weeks on IR for compartment syndrome after a shin injury. Hicks tweeted a hype video Friday pointing to his return, but it ended with the message "soon." So we'll have to see whether Hicks will play. If he does, we'd assume he'll play at least near his usual role and carry intriguing IDP upside. We've had Hicks in our Week 16 LB rankings but will continue to track his status. Fellow LB Ivan Pace Jr. popped up on the injury report Friday with a shoulder issue that limited his practice. He's also questionable. DT Harrison Phillips (back) is questionable after managing just one limited practice for the week. You should lean away from using him if possible. The defense will miss CB Byron Murphy (knee). The matchup with Detroit's high-ceiling offense doesn't look attractive regardless of who's active (or not).
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