2025 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Preview
The 2025 NFL Draft provided the perfect opportunity for GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski to hit reset on a roster that fell to 3-14 last season. Mission accomplished. The Browns added weapons on both sides of the ball and acquired Jacksonville’s first-rounder in 2026.
While the draft brought an infusion of youth, that didn’t necessarily apply to the most important position. Deshaun Watson’s albatross contract still hamstrings the Browns. Recovering from a torn Achilles, Watson is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season. 40-year-old Joe Flacco is expected to take over as the starter in his return to Cleveland. Kenny Pickett, third-rounder Dillon Gabriel, and embattled fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders give the Browns depth under center.
Nick Chubb was not retained, which opens the door for second-round Ohio State rookie Quinshon Judkins to take over as the starter. Judkins (6-0, 219) has good size and ranked 4th in FBS with 179 missed tackles forced in 2024. He was the third running back selected in this deep class and has RB2 upside in an offense that wants to rely on the rushing attack.
Judkins will form a solid tandem with Jerome Ford, who averaged 5.4 yards per tote last season and caught 37 balls. Fourth-round Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson has a three-down skill set and gives the Browns depth after they ranked 27th in rushing EPA last season.
Flacco winning the starting job and staying there would be a welcome development for Cleveland’s underwhelming passing attack. Even in a lost season, Jerry Jeudy ranked 7th with 144 targets. He only caught 90 of those looks (62.5 percent catch rate), but still produced 1,229 receiving yards. Jeudy is locked into the WR1 slot, while Cedric Tillman looks like a solid late-round sleeper target. Tillman had a monster three-game stretch before a concussion ended his season. With Amari Cooper gone, Tillman projects to be Cleveland’s WR2. Michael Woods, DeAndre Carter, Diontae Johnson, and David Bell will vie for WR 3 duties.
With David Njoku, the Browns were already set at tight end. However, they added promising Bowling Green rookie Harold Fannin Jr. in the third round. Njoku ranked 6th with 13.1 fantasy points per game, and Fannin set an FBS record with 117 receptions in 2024 for 1,555 yards. Cleveland only used multiple tight ends on 16.4 percent of their snaps in 2024, which ranked 22nd. The addition of Fannin and the lack of wideout depth indicate that rate will climb significantly in 2025.
Fantasy Grade: D
It looks like Deshaun Watson (Achilles) won’t play in 2025. As insurance, the Cleveland Browns re-signed Joe Flacco as the transitional starter. Flacco famously went ham for the Browns in 2023, throwing for 323 yards and 2.6 touchdowns per game in a five-game stint to end the season and lead the Browns to the playoffs. We can’t expect that kind of production in the reunion, but Flacco is a reliable veteran who will push the ball downfield. As a pure passer, Flacco is a significant upgrade from anyone else on the roster, and good news for Cleveland pass catchers.
The Browns first signed Kenny Pickett as insurance in case Deshaun Watson misses the 2025 season. Cleveland also added veteran Joe Flacco and drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. These additions will make it difficult for Pickett to make much of an impact this season.
RB Judkins, Quinshon, CLE [RB1]
Cleveland’s rushing attack struggled without Nick Chubb last season, ranking dead last in attempts (312) and 31st in yards (1,253). They also averaged just 4.0 yards per carry with a mere seven touchdowns. Browns’ backs caught 63 passes for 429 yards and one touchdown on 87 targets. Enter Quinshon Judkins from Ohio State, who scored 50 touchdowns in 42 games. Despite fewer carries in 2024 (194 versus 274 and 271 previously), he scored consistently and added 59 receptions for 442 yards and five touchdowns on 72 career targets. Judkins will replace Chubb in a Cleveland offense that wants to establish the run. UPDATE: Judkins is facing serious charges for an offseason domestic assault. We’re now recommending that fantasy managers fade the rookie. Only the Cleveland Browns.
Jerome Ford went from backing up Nick Chubb to potentially playing behind two rookie rushers. Ford performed well as Cleveland’s top back last year, ranking top 10 in routes run (236), yards per touch (5.6), and explosive play rate (106.8). But with the Browns adding Quinshon Judkins in Round 2 and Dylan Sampson in Round 4, Ford won’t be able to match last year’s 54.1 percent snap share. Instead, Ford is more likely to be the change-of-pace and main passing down option, but with Judins’s availability now in doubt, he becomes a nice value target.
ADVICE: Tennessee’s all-time single-season TD record holder (22), Sampson has explosive acceleration. With Judkins now in doubt, Sampson has an outside shot at posting usable fantasy stats. He’s a strong late-round draft target.
No wide receiver ran more routes last year than Jerry Jeudy’s 700. Despite being hampered by a Cleveland offense that scored the fewest points in the league, Jeudy delivered WR16 overall numbers. His massive target load (144) and sheer volume of catches (90) were enough to overcome low touchdown production and eight drops. With Joe Flacco projected to open the season under center, Jeudy will remain heavily involved in Cleveland’s game plan. Jeudy was primarily targeted downfield in 2024, but his elite route-running should open up more underneath targets. That could lead to an increased red-zone presence and another WR2/3 finish.
WR Tillman, Cedric, CLE [WR2] Sleeper
Cedric Tillman’s season ended after a concussion in Week 12 against Pittsburgh, missing the final six games. The third-year wideout showed promise, starting four games post-Amari Cooper trade, with stat lines of 8/81/0, 7/99/2, 6/75/1, and 3/47/0 on 40 targets. However, Cleveland’s unstable quarterback situation clouds his fantasy outlook, making him a risky asset despite evident upside. Tillman showed great playmaking ability, forcing nine missed tackles on only 29 receptions last season. If Joe Flacco opens the season as the starter, as expected, Tillman has some late-round value appeal as Cleveland’s ascending WR2.
WR Johnson, Diontae, CLE [WR3]
ADVICE: Johnson managed to wear out his welcome with three different teams in one season. Even with the Cleveland Browns desperate for pass-catchers, Johnson has a lot to prove before he can be considered fantasy-relevant. It’s a shame, because Johnson is talented.
David Njoku’s 2024 season started slowly, with a knee injury sidelining him for three games and a season-ending IR stint after Week 16, limiting him to 11 games. When healthy, he recaptured his 2023 breakout form, averaging 13.1 fantasy points per game (PPR), ranking sixth. His best stretch came with Jameis Winston under center, including a 9-catch, 52-yard, 2-TD gem in Denver. Njoku’s 64 catches, 505 yards, and 5 touchdowns, with a 21.5% target share, cemented his role as Cleveland’s No. 2 option.
ADVICE: Fannin set FBS records for receptions (117) and yards (1,555) for a TE at Bowling Green. But he’s stuck behind David Njoku, limiting his 2025 potential.
Hopkins was not good last season and plays in a decidedly fantasy-unfriendly offense. He should not be drafted unless you’re in Ohio and simply have to have the Browns on your team to root for. As Teddy KGB said, “bad judgment.”
The Cleveland Browns ranked 26th in fantasy scoring in 2024. While the Browns had a solid 41 sacks, they forced only 12 turnovers. Additionally, Cleveland’s poor offense will continue to force the defense to play too many snaps. It’s an unfavorable situation. There’s not enough upside to consider drafting the Browns.
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