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David Njoku David Njoku Estimated as non-participant
Thu, Dec 25, 2025, 4:20 PM
Njoku (knee) is listed as a non-participant on Thursday's estimated practice report.
Analysis: Njoku did not practice Wednesday and hasn't suited up for either of Cleveland's last two contests, and he appears to be trending in the wrong direction for Sunday's matchup against the Steelers as well. The veteran tight end's last chance to take the practice field in some capacity Week 17 will arrive Friday. |
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Dylan Sampson Dylan Sampson Limited on practice estimate
Thu, Dec 25, 2025, 4:18 PM
Sampson (hand) is listed as limited on Thursday's estimated practice report, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The Browns didn't officially hold an on-field practice Thursday, but had the team done so, it's estimated that Sampson would've reprised the limited activity level he logged Wednesday. The rookie running back hasn't played since Week 14, and he'll have one more chance to prove he can handle full practice reps Friday. With Quinshon Judkins (ankle/fibula) out for the year, Sampson will have a chance to lead a backfield that also houses Trayveon Williams and Raheim Sanders if he can gain clearance to play Sunday versus Pittsburgh. |
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Dylan Sampson Dylan Sampson Limited practice Wednesday
Wed, Dec 24, 2025, 2:43 PM
Sampson (hand) was limited at practice Wednesday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: Sampson, who last suited up in Week 14, didn't practice at all last week, so his return to practice -- albeit in a limited capacity -- bodes well for his chances of returning to the lineup Sunday against the Steelers. If Sampson is available this weekend, he'd have an opportunity to claim a key role in the Browns' Week 17 backfield, which will also include Trayveon Williams and Raheim Sanders, with Quinshon Judkins (ankle/fibula) now on injured reserve. |
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Dylan Sampson Dylan Sampson Looks set to practice Wednesday
Wed, Dec 24, 2025, 9:52 AM
Sampson (hand) is in line to practice Wednesday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The Browns will release their first Week 17 practice report later Wednesday, when it will be known whether Sampson was a limited or full participant. Sampson was unable to practice in any fashion last week before sitting out this past Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills, but if the rookie running back is able to move past the hand injury this week, he could be primed to handle a lead role out of the Cleveland backfield. Quinshon Judkins (ankle/fibula) underwent season-ending surgery and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, leaving Sampson, Trayveon Williams and Raheim Sanders as the available backs on Cleveland's 53-man roster. |
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David Njoku David Njoku Not practicing to begin Week 17
Wed, Dec 24, 2025, 9:46 AM
Njoku (knee) isn't in line to practice Wednesday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Njoku hasn't played in either of the Browns' last two games while managing the knee injury, and his continued absence from practice to kick off Week 17 prep doesn't bode well for his chances of playing Sunday against the Steelers. The Browns will see if Njoku is able to do anything on the field Thursday and Friday before deciding on his status for the weekend. If Njoku ends up missing another game, rookie Harold Fannin would continue to be locked into a high-volume role at tight end, and more snaps would be available for blocking specialists Blake Whiteheart and Brenden Bates. |
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Deshaun Watson Deshaun Watson Will not be activated this season
Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 3:11 PM
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that the Browns will not activate Watson (Achilles) from reserve/PUP this season, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October of last year, and the Browns opened his 21-day practice window three weeks ago. That window closed Tuesday afternoon with the Browns opting against activating the quarterback. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Cleveland is expected to keep Watson on the team in 2026, the final year of his fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal. His current $80.7 million cap number for 2026 is the highest in the NFL. Watson hasn't played in a game since Week 10 of last season. It's unclear if the Browns will seriously consider starting Watson if he's indeed on the team next year. |
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Quinshon Judkins Quinshon Judkins Undergoes successful surgery
Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 12:52 PM
The Browns announced Judkins (leg) underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair his dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula, and Judkins has been placed on injured reserve.
Analysis: The team added that Judkins is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026 season and will return to football activity in four-to-six months. Judkins suffered the gruesome injury in Sunday's loss to the Bills. With the rookie running back out for the final two games of the season, Cleveland is expected to roll with some combination of Dylan Sampson (hand/calf), Raheim Sanders and Trayveon Williams against the Steelers and Bengals. |
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Quinshon Judkins Quinshon Judkins Surgery on tap
Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 8:45 AM
Judkins will undergo surgery Tuesday in Cleveland to repair a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Analysis: Judkins will face a 4-to-5-month recovery timeline following surgery, putting him on track to be available for the start of training camp in late July. In his absence over the final two games of the season, Cleveland will rely on a committee of running backs that includes Dylan Sampson (hand/calf), Raheim Sanders and Trayveon Williams. Judkins wrap up his rookie campaign with 230 carries for 827 yards (3.6 average) and seven touchdowns to go with 26 catches for 171 yards on 36 targets over 14 games. |
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Dylan Sampson Dylan Sampson Improving daily
Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 8:34 AM
Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Sampson (hand/calf) is improving by the day, Noah Monroe of the Browns' official website reports.
Analysis: Sampson missed Week 16, and the coach is hopeful for a return this coming Sunday against the Steelers. With Quinshon Judkins (leg/ankle) out of action for the remainder of the regular season, the Browns hope to have a full complement of backs available. That includes Sampson, Raheim Sanders and Trayveon Williams. If all are healthy for Week 17, Sampson would be considered the lead back. |
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Quinshon Judkins Quinshon Judkins Facing four-to-five month recovery
Mon, Dec 22, 2025, 8:38 AM
Judkins (ankle, fibula) is expected to be sidelined four-to-five months after undergoing surgery to address the pair of serious injuries he suffered during Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
Analysis: Judkins sustained a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula late in the first quarter of Cleveland's loss to Buffalo. It's positive news that the rookie second-round pick's recovery timeline could allow him to retake the practice field during spring drills this offseason, potentially setting him up to gain full clearance for training camp. With Judkins' 2025 campaign now over, Dylan Sampson (hand), Trayveon Williams and Raheim Sanders will fill out the Browns' backfield. Across 14 regular-season appearances, Judkins gained 827 yards and seven scores on 230 carries. He also secured 26 of 36 targets for 171 receiving yards. |
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Isaiah Bond Isaiah Bond Untargeted in loss
Mon, Dec 22, 2025, 6:22 AM
Bond was not targeted and had one rush attempt for minus-1 yard in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills in Week 16. He was credited with 21 receiving yards after taking a lateral from fellow wideout Malachi Corley.
Analysis: Bond has shown chemistry with quarterback Shedeur Sanders, particularly on deep throws, but it wasn't there for him Sunday. It's been an inconsistent year for the rookie wideout, who went without a catch for the fifth time in his last eight games. For the season, Bond has caught 16 of 41 targets for 309 yards and zero touchdowns. |
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Cedric Tillman Cedric Tillman Increased playing time in loss
Mon, Dec 22, 2025, 6:02 AM
Tillman caught his lone target for eight yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills in Week 16.
Analysis: Tillman, who played just seven snaps last week after returning from a concussion, was given 31 snaps Sunday. Unfortunately for the receiver, he was not - and has not been -- a preferred option for quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Over the last five contests, Tillman has three catches on eight targets for 36 yards. |
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Malachi Corley Malachi Corley More involved in Week 16
Mon, Dec 22, 2025, 5:55 AM
Corley caught two of four targets for 11 yards and gained 30 rushing yards on three carries in Sunday's 23-20 loss to Buffalo in Week 16. He also returned four kickoffs for 107 yards.
Analysis: Corley was allotted season highs in targets and snaps (30 snaps, 45 percent) in the loss. His three rush attempts were also a season high, as the rookie wideout was part of the crew that stepped up in the wake of running back Quinshon Judkins' season-ending leg and ankle injuries. Corley is part of an unimpressive wideout group in Cleveland but is setting himself up for a spot on next year's roster. |
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Jerry Jeudy Jerry Jeudy Produces 12 yards versus Buffalo
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 9:18 PM
Jeudy caught three of four targets for 12 yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills.
Analysis: Jeudy's four targets tied for third on the team against Buffalo, but it marked the veteran receiver's 11th game held below 50 receiving yards this season. Jeudy has just two touchdowns on the year and has shown no ceiling with an extremely low fantasy floor. Even in a plus on-paper matchup against the Steelers next Sunday, Jeudy will be difficult to trust. |
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Harold Fannin Harold Fannin Two trips to end zone Sunday
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 5:20 PM
Fannin secured four of six targets for 34 yards and a touchdown and rushed once for a one-yard touchdown in the Browns' 23-20 loss to the Bills on Sunday.
Analysis: Fannin continued his stellar rookie season with his fifth and sixth touchdowns of the campaign, including his first rushing score. The talented tight end first struck through the air via a 13-yard grab to open the scoring, and he added his short rush TD late in the third quarter to cap off a 14-play drive. Fannin had been averaging nine targets per game in Shedeur Sanders' first four starts coming into Sunday, and although he fell slightly short of that mark, he still tied for the team lead in that category with Quinshon Judkins (fibula/ankle). |
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Shedeur Sanders Shedeur Sanders Takes his lumps in loss
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 5:14 PM
Sanders completed 20 of 29 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions while adding four rushes for 49 yards in the Browns' 23-20 loss to the Bills on Sunday.
Analysis: To his credit, Sanders kept the Browns in contention against Josh Allen and company for most of the afternoon despite short-circuiting a pair of drives with interceptions. However, Sanders could arguably be mostly exonerated in both instances, as the first came on a deflection off the hands of Quinshon Judkins (leg/ankle) and the second was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Sanders connected with his favorite target, fellow rookie Harold Fannin, for his one TD toss from 13 yards out to open the scoring in the first quarter, but he has just a 1:5 TD:INT in his last pair of contests. The rookie fifth-round pick will next tangle with the Steelers' veteran defense in a Week 17 home matchup next Sunday. |
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Trayveon Williams Trayveon Williams Expanded role due to Judkins injury
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 3:48 PM
Williams rushed three times for 17 yards and brought in all four targets for 38 yards in the Browns' 23-20 loss to the Bills on Sunday.
Analysis: After Quinshon Judkins exited the game in the second quarter with what was eventually diagnosed as a broken fibula and dislocated ankle, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Williams and Raheim Sanders both saw expanded roles. Williams operated in a change-of-pace and pass-catching role, actually pacing the Browns in receiving yards on the afternoon. Williams projects for additional opportunity over the final two games of the season due to Judkins' absence, but Dylan Sampson (calf/hand) could potentially join the backfield mix in a Week 17 home matchup against the Steelers after missing the last two games. |
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Raheim Sanders Raheim Sanders Records 12 touches in loss
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 3:42 PM
Sanders rushed 11 times for 42 yards and brought in his only target for four yards in the Browns' 23-20 loss to the Bills on Sunday.
Analysis: Quinshon Judkins exited the game in the second quarter with what was eventually diagnosed as a broken fibula and dislocated ankle, per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Sanders finished as the team leader in rush attempts. Backfield mate Trayveon Williams operated more as a change-of-pace option, and although Judkins will naturally miss the final two games of the season, Sanders and Williams could be joined by Dylan Sampson, who logged a second straight absence due to calf and hand injuries, for a Week 17 home matchup against the Steelers next Sunday, which would muddy the outlook for all three backs to a degree. |
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Quinshon Judkins Quinshon Judkins Suffers dislocated ankle, fractured fibula, per coach
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 3:26 PM
Coach Kevin Stefanski said that Judkins dislocated his ankle and fractured his fibula in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Judkins is in line to undergo surgery, while the running back is presumably slated to land on IR in the coming days. With his 2025 season over, Judkins will have the offseason to focus on his injury recovery, with a timetable on that front likely to emerge following his upcoming procedure. As for the Browns' backfield plans for the team's final two contests, Dylan Sampson (hand) would be next in line for carries next weekend against the Steelers, if he's available after being inactive Sunday, with Trayveon Williams and Raheim Sanders also in the mix to see added work down the stretch. Additionally, Ahmani Marshall is a member of Cleveland's practice squad. |
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Quinshon Judkins Quinshon Judkins Reportedly sustains broken leg Sunday
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 3:08 PM
Judkins reportedly suffered a broken leg during Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Bills, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Per the report, Judkins is also being evaluated for a knee injury. We'll await further details via the Browns, but it appears as though the rookie back's 2025 season is done. If that's the case, Dylan Sampson (hand) would be next in line for carries, if he's available after being inactive Sunday, with Trayveon Williams and Raheim Sanders also in the backfield mix heading into Cleveland's final two games. |
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