ASL's Kevin Campbell evaluates the Cleveland Browns' fantasy assets, including TE David Njoku, RB Jerome Ford, and WR Jerry Jeudy. These players are key components in any dynasty roster, providing both short-term and long-term value. Njoku is bouncing back to elite status at the TE position, Ford remains one of the best handcuff RBs in the league, and Jeudy continues to produce as a top target in the Browns' passing game.
David Njoku: The Elite-Level TE
Njoku has performed admirably through a series of underwhelming QB situations in Cleveland, so he'll be well prepared heading into 2025. As a top-10 TE in the entire NFL, he remains one of the best fantasy-relevant players on the Brown's roster.
2024 Fantasy Production: Njoku was injured for some of 2024, playing in only 11 games, marking the second-lowest total of his career. However, he scored five TDs in those 11 games and averaged 45.9 receiving yards per game. Additionally, he averaged 7.3 targets per game over the past three years and is expected to slot in as the No. 2 option in Cleveland's passing game.
Dynasty Value: Set to turn 29, the recent aging curves for TEs suggest that he still has at least 2-3 prime years left and is well positioned for another borderline top-10 fantasy finish for 2025 and beyond. He's a great buy-low candidate for dynasty rosters.
Jerome Ford: A Great Fantasy Handcuff
Ford took over the RB1 role for Cleveland in 2024 after Nick Chubb's season-ending injury, and performed admirably during the year. While he did miss the final game in Week 17, Ford's production placed him solidly in the RB2 category for fantasy purposes, not bad for someone who is typically a backup.
2024 Fantasy Production: Ford finished the season with over 500 rushing yards to go with 225 receiving yards, highlighting his capacity to be a productive passing-catching back. He also ended up with three TDs. While the production isn't necessarily great compared to other backs in the league, Ford ended up being very good as the de facto #1 RB in Cleveland due to the Chubb injury.
Dynasty Value: At 25, Ford should continue to be in a position to secure solid volume in the Cleveland running game, especially given Chubb's age and injury history. While the Browns could draft another RB and take away some volume from Ford's game, he should still be in a position over the next few years to continue to be a solid handcuff and viable fantasy starter should he get the opportunity to do so. While he isn't a top RB fantasy stud, he's a great plug-and-play RB2 option for dynasty rosters, especially in PPR leagues.
Jerry Jeudy: The New Alpha WR
Jerry Jeudy was probably underrated before 2024 and during the first seven weeks in a Cleveland uniform, as he didn't do too much with QB DeShaun Watson under center and former teammate Amari Cooper soaking up most of the targets in the passing game. However, once Watson got hurt and Cooper was traded, Jeudy went nuclear and ended up with an excellent 2024 campaign.
2024 Fantasy Production: Jeudy finished the year with over 1200 receiving yards to go with 4 TDs, topping 1,000 yards for the first time in his career while nearly doubling the production from his final year with the Denver Broncos. While he did still struggle with drops from time to time, from Week 8 on, his efficiency was very good, ranking 20th among WRs.
Dynasty Value: At just 25 years old, it feels like Jeudy has been in the league forever. However, he's currently locked in as Cleveland's #1 receiver for the future with TE David Njoku being the closest thing to serious competition. Should he stay healthy and get decent QB production, it's not out of the realm of possibility for Jeudy to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2025 and beyond. He's a solid WR3 on dynasty rosters with the potential for even more.
The Cleveland Browns feature several players with high dynasty value, from Njoku's elite TE status to Ford's pass-catching prowess. Additionally, Jerry Jeudy offers solid production from the WR spot. While they don't necessarily currently have fantasy studs (Njoku or Jeudy being the possible exceptions), the Browns’ key pieces are all in their prime or near it, making them important targets for teams looking to build for both short-term and long-term success.
