Harold

Fannin

Njoku, 29, will become a free agent once the 2025 season officially ends. In order for him to do so, he will likely have to sign a team-friendly deal, placing him firmly in the No. 2 spot behind breakout rookie TE Harold Fannin, who supplanted Njoku outright this season. Njoku was the subject of trade rumors earlier this year, but nothing came to fruition. Njoku exuberantly celebrated the outcome despite his diminishing role. Were he to remain in Cleveland, he would not be on the fantasy TE1 radar in 2026.

He didn’t practice all week. Fannin had a wildly successful rookie season, pushing David Njoku out of his role down the stretch despite dealing with a groin injury in Week 17 that knocked him out of action after a touchdown catch. He’ll likely be in the top-seven tight ends for 2026 re-draft. Fannin finished his rookie season with 72 catches for 731 yards and six scores on 107 targets. It would help Fannin out a lot if the Browns could develop an offensive plan that moved beyond “having to run the ball a lot to protect their quarterback” this offseason.

Fannin was unsure of his potential availability when asked about it following Sunday’s win and doesn’t appear likely to play. David Njoku (knee/NIR-personal), as well, remained out. It looks to be wheels up for Blake Whiteheart and Sal Cannella szn in Week 18, though we will check in on Friday to be sure.

As expected, David Njoku also remained out of practice. Njoku is likely out for Week 18, while head coach Kevin Stefanski is leaving the light on for Fannin. With the Browns only playing for a better draft pick, there isn’t much reason to push either player to suit up on Sunday. Backup tight ends Blake Whiteheart and Sal Cannella would be in line for more work if both starting options are ruled out.

Fannin re-aggravated a groin injury he suffered late last week in Sunday’s win over the Steelers. The rookie tight end said he will undergo further testing before determining his Week 18 availability, but if he’s unable to go, the Browns will likely be looking at Blake Whiteheart and Sal Cannella as their top two tight ends in the season finale.

Fannin re-aggravated his groin injury on a play where he hauled in a 28-yard receiving touchdown in the first quarter. The star rookie left for the sidelines after the play and later the locker room. He was ruled out shortly after halftime, as his day ends with a 2-30-1 line on two targets.

CBS Sports’ sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson reported that Fannin re-aggravated his groin injury after hauling in a touchdown in the first quarter. According to Wolfson, Fannin tried to test the injury out on the sideline but didn’t feel well enough to go back out on the field. Fannin is now in the locker room and is questionable to return.

Fannin entered Sunday’s game with a groin injury. While we don’t know the specifics of this injury, he was walking gingerly to the sideline with trainers, so it’s possible this is a re-aggravation of the same groin injury. He was briefly in the blue medical tent before returning to the sideline, so we’ll see if he takes the field on the Browns’ next possession.

It was reported earlier that Fannin was expected to play after he was added to Friday’s injury report due to a groin injury. The rookie tight end has been a focal point of the Browns’ passing game for much of the season and has averaged 8.4 targets per game in during Shedeur Sanders’ time as a starter. Fantasy managers can lock him in as their TE1 for championship week.

Credit goes to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler for sharing the good news. While we would prefer Fannin to be 100.0 percent healthy, the 21-year-old tight end remains a locked-in TE1. Over the last three weeks, he has notched finishes as the half-PPR overall TE1 and overall TE2, operating as the Browns’ No. 1 pass catcher.