2024 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Cleveland Browns player outlooks, schedule, depth chart and more to know

Despite losing Deshaun Watson six games into the 2023 season, the Browns finished with an 11-6 record thanks in part to a 39-year-old Joe Flacco. Although eliminated in the wild-card round, their success down the stretch suggests that the Browns roster isn't far from competing against the heavyweights in the AFC North. If Watson can stay healthy and perform anywhere near his level as a Texan, the Browns will pose a formidable challenge.  

Below the CBS Sports Fantasy staff will take a look into the Browns' entire team outlook including changes to the top of the depth chart that matter for Fantasy, a burning question for Fantasy Football managers that needs to be answered, a review of their draft class, strength of schedule, and individual player outlooks for all of the notable Browns players who may end up on your Fantasy rosters.

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Browns 2024 lineup changes

Burning question: Who will emerge as the Browns' lead back?

Nick Chubb played just two games last season before tearing his ACL and MCL. Given the severity of his injury, it may be a while before he factors into the Browns' running back rotation. Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman are likely candidates to shoulder the bulk of the workload while Chubb recovers. Pierre Strong Jr. could emerge as an excellent check-down option for Watson, as he boasts exceptional hands and 4.37 speed in the 40-yard dash, presenting a matchup problem for linebackers. Nyheim Hines, if recovered from an ACL injury sustained last July following a boating accident, could also provide a solid receiving option out of the backfield for the Browns, sharing similar attributes with Strong.  

2024 NFL Draft class

Browns 2024 schedule

Browns 2024 player outlooks

By Jamey Eisenberg and CBS Fantasy staff

QB Deshaun Watson

Watson is expected to return in time for training camp after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 10 last year. As long as Watson is ready for Week 1, he should be considered a high-end No. 2 Fantasy quarterback worth drafting with a late-round pick in all one-quarterback leagues. In Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, Watson is worth a mid-round selection. In 2023, Watson appeared in six games, and he scored at least 22.6 Fantasy points in three of them. When healthy, he still has the potential to be among the best Fantasy quarterbacks, but no one is going to draft him as a No. 1 option. The good news for Watson is the Browns added Jerry Jeudy this offseason to an already quality receiving corps with Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and David Njoku. And Watson can still be a decent rusher with at least 22 rushing yards in four of six games in 2023. If Watson can stay healthy all season, he could emerge as a potential starter in all leagues, and he's a cheap investment this year with a late-round pick in one-quarterback formats.

QB Jameis Winston

Winston signed with the Browns this offseason and will back up Deshaun Watson. The former No. 1 overall pick threw for an NFL-high 5,109 yards in 2019, but his league-leading 30 interceptions were enough reason for the Buccaneers to move on, leaving Winston to see sporadic playing time with the Saints over the last four years while continuing to be responsible for big plays on both sides of the ball. He is not worth rostering in most leagues but makes for an interesting handcuff option in two-QB and Superflex leagues given Watson's injury history.

RB Nick Chubb

Chubb has two significant things working against him this season. The first and most important is his recovery from last year's left knee injury suffered in Week 2, which was his ACL, MCL and meniscus. He's also 28, and Father Time is not on his side. But if he's healthy and ready for Week 1 then it's hard to bet against Chubb, and he's worth drafting as a high-end No. 3 running back as early as Round 6. Chubb's status will be worth monitoring in training camp, and hopefully he'll be close to 100 percent by then. The Browns have insurance for Chubb with Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman, and both could be factors in Cleveland even when Chubb is healthy. While Chubb might not return to his status pre-injury -- he averaged at least 15.4 PPR points per game in four seasons in a row prior to 2023 -- he can still be a starter in most leagues. Just don't overvalue Chubb because of his name and history, and keep an eye on his recovery prior to your Draft Day.  

RB Jerome Ford

Ford was the best running back for the Browns in 2023, and he could once again be the best running back in Cleveland in 2024 as well. Ford is worth drafting with a mid-round pick in all leagues, especially if Nick Chubb (knee) is limited in his recovery in training camp. Last year, Ford took over for Chubb in Week 2 and averaged a career-best 12.4 PPR points per game. He did that while sharing touches with Kareem Hunt, and Ford showed he can be productive in tandem. This season, Ford could share touches with Chubb or D'Onta Foreman if Chubb is limited to open the year, but the worst-case scenario for everyone in Cleveland would be if all three running backs get touches. Most likely, Ford and Chubb will be the main two options in the Browns backfield, and Ford could help Fantasy managers get off to a good start this season if Chubb is still limited. Ford has plenty of sleeper appeal in 2024.

RB D'Onta Foreman

Foreman signed with the Browns this offseason, and he's expected to be a reserve running back in Cleveland this year. Foreman is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. Now, Foreman could have a bigger role than expected if Nick Chubb (knee) is limited to open the season, but Foreman would still have to contend with Jerome Ford in that scenario. And if Chubb is ready for Week 1 then Foreman would be third on the depth chart at best. However, keep in mind that Foreman has been buried on the depth chart in previous stops in Tennessee in 2021, Carolina in 2022 and Chicago in 2023, but he's found a way to get significant touches due to injury. And in two of those seasons (2021 and 2023), Foreman averaged at least 10.1 PPR points per game. Most likely, Foreman will go undrafted in most leagues, but he could be someone to add off the waiver wire if Chubb misses any time early in the season.

RB Pierre Strong Jr.

Strong returns to the Browns backfield in 2024 as a reserve running back, but he's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. Strong will open the season behind Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman, and it's hard to envision Strong getting much playing time unless there are multiple injuries. In 2023, Strong didn't have much of an impact for the Browns and Fantasy managers even when Chubb (knee) was injured, and he likely won't make much of an impact again this season. At best, you can add Strong off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well.  

WR Amari Cooper

Cooper should once again be the best receiver for the Browns, and we'll see if he can be among the best Fantasy receivers as well. We view him as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver this season, and he's worth drafting as early as Round 5 in all leagues. In 2023, Cooper set a career-high with 1,250 yards, and he also added 72 receptions and five touchdowns on 128 targets in 15 games. He did this despite playing with four different quarterbacks in Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker. Watson (shoulder) will return as the starter this season, and that's good news for Cooper. But he also turns 30 in June, and the Browns added Jerry Jeudy this offseason to go with Cooper, Elijah Moore and David Njoku. There's a lot to like about Cooper at the right price, but don't reach for him on Draft Day just because of his history. He's entering the point in his career where he could start to see a downturn in production.  

WR Jerry Jeudy

After four tough years with the Broncos, Jeudy was traded to the Browns this offseason. He'll attempt to put together his second season with at least 10 PPR points per game, though it won't be easy. The Browns already have Amari Cooper as their primary threat (7.8 targets per game with Deshaun Watson last year) and got an outstanding season from tight end David Njoku. Jeudy would have to carve out a role larger than what he had in Denver and then rediscover the kind of efficiency he had in 2022 in order to be a good Fantasy choice. That feels unlikely, even with the quarterback upgrade, which is why Jeudy is best viewed as a bench receiver worth taking in the double-digit rounds.  

WR Elijah Moore

Moore enters this season competing for targets in what has become a crowded Cleveland receiving corps. Moore is only worth drafting with a late-round pick in the majority of leagues. The Browns added Jerry Jeudy this offseason, which should negatively impact Moore, especially since Amari Cooper and David Njoku should also command plenty of attention. In 2023, Moore's first season in Cleveland, he dealt with five different quarterbacks in Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker and Jeff Driskel, and Moore averaged just 7.8 PPR points per game. Hopefully, with a full season of Watson, Moore can perform at a higher level. But he has to prove he should be among the team's target leaders this season, and that could be difficult with all the mouths to feed for the Browns. Most likely, we could see Moore on the waiver wire early in the season, and if he starts out playing well then add him where available.  

WR Cedric Tillman

Tillman is expected to be the No. 4 receiver for the Browns this season, but he has minimal Fantasy value in that role. He's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. Cleveland has a crowded receiving corps with Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore, and Tillman could struggle for targets. As a rookie, the 2023 third-round pick recorded a 21-224-0 line on 44 targets in 14 regular-season games, but hopefully better quarterback play could help with Deshaun Watson (shoulder) back at 100 percent. There's a chance Tillman could surprise us and be more of a factor on offense, but let him prove himself first. He could be someone to add off the waiver wire during the year.

WR David Bell

Bell is expected to be the No. 5 receiver for the Browns this season, but he has minimal Fantasy value in that role. He's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. Cleveland has Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman ahead of Bell on the depth chart, and David Njoku is also a significant factor as well. Bell has struggled to produce in two years, averaging 3.3 PPR points per game or less in each season, and that's unlikely to change in 2024. At best, you can add Bell off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well.

WR Jamari Thrash

The Browns selected Thrash in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, and he should provide some depth for Cleveland this season. Thrash is not worth drafting in most redraft leagues, and he's a flier at best in rookie-only drafts for Dynasty leagues. The Browns have a crowded receiving corps with Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman and David Bell are also expected to be ahead of Thrash on the depth chart. We'll see if he can make plays when he gets on the field, and the Louisville product had 63 catches for 858 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. At best, you can add Thrash off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well.   

TE David Njoku

Njoku had a career season in 2023, and we'll see if he can produce at a high level once again this year. He's worth drafting as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues with a mid- to late-round pick. Njoku averaged a career-best 12.6 PPR points per game last season, but you have to look at his 2024 campaign in two parts. He was great with Joe Flacco to end the season, but Njoku struggled with Deshaun Watson, who will be the starter in 2024. Njoku scored 6.8 PPR points or less in three of five games with Watson, but he scored at least 16.4 PPR points in each of his final four games with Flacco. We're hopeful Njoku can be more productive with Watson this year, and a full season together should help. Njoku is a good tight end to wait for on Draft Day in all leagues, but don't reach for him based solely on last year's success.

TE Jordan Akins

Akins is expected to be the No. 2 tight end for the Browns this season, but he has minimal Fantasy value in that role. He's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. David Njoku is the No. 1 tight end for the Browns, and he's the primary receiving threat at the position. Cleveland also has Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore as the top receivers, and Akins should struggle to earn targets. In 2023, he averaged just 1.7 PPR points per game, and the best season of his career was 7.7 PPR points per game in 2022 with Houston. At best, you can add Akins off the waiver wire if he starts off the season playing well.

K Dustin Hopkins

Hopkins is the starting kicker for the Browns, and he should be considered a low-end No. 1 Fantasy option. He's worth drafting with a last-round pick in all leagues. Hopkins had a solid season in 2023 with 33 made field goals on 36 attempts, including going 8-of-8 on kicks from 50-plus yards. And he made 24-of-26 PATs. The Browns offense should give Hopkins plenty of chances to score, and he should have the chance for another quality campaign in 2024.

Browns DST

The Browns defense should be considered one of the best in the NFL this season, and the Browns DST is worth drafting with a late-round pick in all leagues. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has plenty of tools at his disposal, including one of the NFL's best pass rushers in Myles Garrett. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is one of the top linebackers in the league, and Denzel Ward is a top corner. Last year, the Browns were No. 6 in sacks (49), tied for third in interceptions (18) and No. 1 in yards against (4,593). It should be another standout season for the Cleveland defense, and the Browns DST has top-five upside in all leagues.