Browns Week 16 Fantasy Football Outlooks After QB Change, Injuries | Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jerome Ford, Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku and More

The Cleveland Browns season is already over, and they are just playing out the regular season at this point.

That doesn’t mean their fantasy players can’t help your team out though, and that’s what we’re here to discuss. Cleveland made a quarterback change this week, and lost its top running back, so there’s plenty to discuss.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Lineup Changes

Nick Chubb was just placed on injured reserve, so his season is over. Earlier in the week, the team announced that Jameis Winston was being benched and that Dorian Thompson-Robinson would start in week 16 instead.

Winston started seven games, with the team going 2-5 in those contests. He completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Winston rushed for 83 yards and a score on 25 carries.

Thompson-Robinson has appeared in four games so far this season. He has 100 passing yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions on 44.1% passing. He’s also rushed for 60 yards on six carries.

Thompson-Robinson made three starts across eight games played in his rookie season in 2023. The team went 1-2 in those starts, with Thompson-Robinson completing 53.6% of his passes for 440 yards, a touchdown and four interceptions overall. 

Chubb played in eight games. He rushed for 332 yards and three scores on 102 attempts. Chubb had 31 receiving yards and a score on five receptions and 11 targets.

Browns’ Fantasy Outlooks

Thompson-Robinson will make a week 16 start against the Bengals. It’s a very favorable matchup, but looking at the quarterback’s career numbers, I’d want no part of starting Thompson-Robinson in a standard league. I’d consider playing him in a deeper league, but really do my best to avoid him.

With Chubb out, it should be Jerome Ford leading the Browns’ backfield again. In 12 games and four starts, Ford has 451 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 87 attempts, while adding 186 yards on 32 catches and 38 targets.

Pierre Strong and D'Onta Foreman are other backs on the active roster, while Jacob Kibodi is another option from the practice squad. Foreman has 51 touches to just 28 for Strong this season, but Strong has been the only back logging snaps of late. I don’t think any Cleveland back but Ford will be fantasy assets down the stretch, but Strong, Foreman and Kibodi are names to keep an eye on at least.

The Bengals are an average fantasy matchup for running backs. Given that Ford doesn’t have to deal with Chubb anymore, I actually think Ford is on the right side of the start/sit line this week. I expect Cleveland to run the ball plenty of times, and volume alone could help Ford to a decent fantasy outing. I think he’s a better deep-league option, but I also wouldn’t mind starting him in a standard PPR league.

The matchup for the Browns’ wide receivers is also a pretty average one. The test for the tight ends is as favorable as it gets. 

Jerry Jeudy has been the top Cleveland fantasy wide receiver of late. He has scored 13 or more fantasy points in seven straight contests, but having Thompson-Robinson starting in place of Winston is definitely hurting all the team’s pass catchers.

Elijah Moore has at least four targets in eight straight games, and has scored in double figures in four of those contests. He only had two fantasy points last week, and went backward a yard on his receptions.

Tight end David Njoku missed last week with a hamstring injury, which is a shame, because he had 43 fantasy points over the previous two games combined. His status will be one to watch as the week 16 game gets closer.

Cedric Tillman had been emerging as a good fantasy wideout before suffering a concussion. He was close to returning last week, so I like his odds for week 16. Tillman had between 18-29 fantasy points in weeks 7-9, but had just 11 fantasy points over the next two games combined before suffering the concussion.

If Tillman remains out, Michael Woods is likely to keep getting a ton of snaps. He led the team in snaps in week 15, but only had two catches for seven yards across three targets. 

If Njoku isn’t able to return this week, Jordan Akins should be the most-utilized tight end. He had 30 yards on three catches and four targets last week.

In order of who I like most for fantasy options, I'd go Jeudy, Njoku, Tillman, Moore, Akins and Woods. If Njoku or Tillman are out, I’d just slide everyone up, instead of shuffling pass catchers around.

Jeudy and Njoku are the only pass catchers I’d consider for standard league starts. Because of the quarterback switch though, I’m not a huge fan of starting either guy. They definitely should be starting in deeper leagues.

Tillman and Moore are deep-league starting options, but hard to trust with Thompson-Robinson now throwing them the ball. If the matchup was tougher, I wouldn’t even consider those two wideouts. 

I’d try to stick away from Akins and Woods, even if Tillman and/or Njoku are out. Only in the deepest of leagues should you be giving those two starting spots.

Be sure to put your Cleveland players up against your other starting options in the FantasySP start/sit tool!