Akins secured three of four targets for 30 yards in the Browns' 21-7 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.
Akins was a distant second in receptions and receiving yards behind Jerry Jeudy on a day when the Browns were afflicted with mostly ineffective quarterback play. The veteran tight end did do a serviceable job while drawing the start in place of the absent David Njoku (hamstring), but Akins holds only modest fantasy value even if he remains in the top role for a Week 16 road matchup against the Bengals.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Likely to start at tight end
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Akins is expected to start at tight end in Sunday's game against the Chiefs with David Njoku (hamstring) inactive for the contest, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.
Akins previously helped fill in for Njoku from Weeks 2 through 4 while the latter was sidelined with a high-ankle sprain and compiled a 6-49-0 receiving line on 10 targets over that span. While that level of production wasn't particularly noteworthy, all three of those outings came while Deshaun Watson (Achilles) served as the Browns' quarterback, so Akins could have a better opportunity to deliver fantasy value this time around while Cleveland's passing attack has taken off under the stewardship of Jameis Winston. The Browns are also without a key receiver in Cedric Tillman (concussion), potentially leaving Akins as high as third in the pecking order for targets behind wideouts Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Three catches in win
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Akins caught three of four targets for 38 yards in Thursday's 24-19 win over Pittsburgh in Week 12.
Akins continued a renaissance in a Jameis Winston-led offense. The outing was his fourth in the last five games in which he was targeted four times. The lone blemish Thursday was a drop on a play that looked like he had a clear path to the end zone if he secured the ball. David Njoku remains the clear No. 1 at tight end, but he had an off night in the wind and snow of Cleveland, leading him to haul in just one of his five targets.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Four targets in loss
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Akins caught one of four targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 35-14 loss to the Saints in Week 11.
Akins, who had two red-zone targets, was caught up in an offense that finished with 47 passing attempts. It was the third consecutive week the Browns have aired it out more than 40 times and the second straight week with four targets for Akins, who has four red-zone targets this season. He's not about to challenge the team's top targets, but all that volume could lead to a red-zone score.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Three catches in loss
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Akins caught three of four targets for 32 yards in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Chargers.
After a one-target performance a week ago, Akins saw a modest increase in volume Sunday. He was on the field for 25 snaps, the most he's seen since David Njoku returned from injury, but there's no reason to believe the boost is sustainable. The loss dropped the Browns to 2-7 as they enter a bye week, and the club may start preparing for 2025 by dealing veterans ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. The 32-year-old Akins, in the final year of his contract, is likely not part of the organization's future.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: One target in win
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Akins failed to catch his lone target in Sunday's 29-24 win over the Ravens in Week 8.
Akins, who played 15 snaps (22 percent share), had a bit role in Cleveland's first game following the season-ending Achilles injury suffered by quarterback Deshaun Watson. The tight end's usage had more to do with David Njoku being fully healthy than which quarterback was in the game, but Week 8 was a significant drop-off for Akins, who had four catches for 42 yards last week, including a 21-yard reception. Geoff Swaim, the other tight end competing for scraps behind Njoku, caught his lone target and was on the field for 21 snaps.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Resuming backup role
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Akins will be the top backup in Sunday's game against the Eagles, as starter David Njoku (knee, ankle) no longer has an injury designation on the Browns' injury report.
Njoku, who aggravated an ankle injury and sustained a knee injury last week and has yet to play a complete game in 2024, will resume his normal role as Cleveland's top tight end. When Njoku's been unavailable, Akins has been forced into a larger role, including that of the top tight end in three of five games thus far, and has led the team's tight ends in snaps in four of five games. Akins has 12 catches on 17 targets for 98 yards and a touchdown.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Loses playing time in Week 4
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Akins caught one of two targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Raiders.
Akins filled in for starter David Njoku (ankle) for a third consecutive game, but he saw his fewest snaps of any of those contests. Blake Whiteheart (21 snaps) and Geoff Swaim (24) shared the load at tight end Sunday. Akins has nine receptions on 14 targets for 76 yards over four games this season.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Likely to start again in Week 4
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Akins again is expected to operate as Cleveland's top tight end Sunday against the Raiders, as David Njoku (ankle) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game.
Akins set season bests in last week's loss to the Giants, working 67 percent of the offensive snaps into a 4-29-0 line on seven targets. The veteran tight end has eight catches for 66 scoreless yards on 12 targets through three games but hasn't shown much of a ceiling for fantasy purposes. He looks like a touchdown-or-bust fantasy bet versus Las Vegas.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Set to fill in for Njoku in Week 2
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Akins is the only healthy tight end on the Browns' roster heading into Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
David Njoku (ankle) is considered week-to-week after hurting his ankle in the Browns' 33-17 loss to Dallas in Week 1, and he has already been ruled out against Jacksonville. Akins filled in capably after Njoku got hurt, finishing the season opener with three catches on four targets for 27 yards. The Browns will likely elevate at least one of Geoff Swaim, Cameron Latu or Blake Whiteheart from the practice squad to provide depth behind Akins.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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For now, Akins is the No. 2 tight end for the Browns behind David Njoku, who could be out in Week 2 with an ankle injury. In Week 1 against Dallas, Akins had three catches for 27 yards on four targets. In deeper leagues, if Akins were to get the start in Cleveland in Week 2 against Jacksonville, he would be worth adding in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Untargeted in playoff loss
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Akins was not targeted while playing 16 of 71 offensive snaps in Saturday's 45-14 wild-card playoff loss to the Texans.
Akins finished up a quiet first season with the Browns; he had fewer than two targets in 13 of 18 games. For the regular season, Akins caught 15 of 23 targets for 132 yards with zero touchdowns. He was signed to a two-year contract during the offseason, which made sense given his history with franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder); however, he was never able to rekindle any of their prior on-field chemistry. Most of that was by design -- Cleveland had several other priority weapons on offense -- and part of that was the quarterback's gimpy shoulder. He's under contract for 2024 at a relatively affordable wage and could elevate to the primary backup to David Njoku, as Harrison Bryant will become an unrestricted free agent this coming offseason.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Nabs six-yard catch in loss
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Akins played 12 of the Browns' 71 snaps on offense and recorded a six-yard reception on his lone target in Sunday's 36-19 loss to the Rams.
Akins technically drew a start Sunday after the Browns opened their first possession with a three-tight end set, but the 31-year-old still ranked comfortably behind David Njoku (59) and Harrison Bryant (31) in snaps on the day. While he spent the previous five seasons in Houston, Akins showed some occasional prowess as a pass catcher, but he's unlikely to produce splashy receiving lines in Cleveland so long as Njoku and Bryant are both available.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Secures catch in loss
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Akins caught his lone target for two yards in Monday's 26-22 loss to the Steelers.
Thus far, Akins has not been a high-volume target for Deshaun Watson, his former quarterback when the pair were in Houston. The tight end's snap count dropped from 23 in Week 1 to nine in Week 2. He's been targeted once in each of the first two games, catching both for 14 total yards. A rosy offseason scenario which speculated Akins would rekindle the chemistry he had with Watson and vault Harrison Bryant (26 snaps Monday) to become the No. 2 tight end behind David Njoku has not materialized.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Targeted once in win
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Akins caught his lone target for 12 yards in Sunday's 24-3 win over Cincinnati in Week 1.
Akins was reunited with his former quarterback in Houston, Deshaun Watson, but it didn't lead to a big day for the tight end. Instead, it was Harrison Bryant (two catches, one TD, 27 snaps) getting more time on the field and targets than Akins behind starter David Njoku. Cleveland threw the ball only 29 times on a rainy day more suited for running, but there is an expectation that Watson will do more with his arm when conditions are more favorable, which could lead to more volume for Akins.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Practicing once again
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Akins returned to practice earlier this week after missing time with a knee injury, Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com reports.
Akins missed about a week while recovering from the injury, but he's been back at practice since at least Monday. The 31-year-old is working to earn a spot as the top backup to No. 1 tight end David Njoku.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Resting knee to start training camp
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Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Sunday that Akins hasn't been practicing this week to rest his knee, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Akins missed a third straight day of practice Sunday while monitoring a knee injury. The severity of the issue remains unclear, but when healthy, Akins should compete with Harrison Bryant for playing time behind David Njoku. It's never good to miss valuable training camp snaps, but Akins' history with Deshaun Watson should give the tight end some leeway with his new squad.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Looking forward to new role
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Akins anticipates a role in Cleveland greater than what he had in Houston the previous five seasons, Ashley Bostock of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. "In Houston, I was kind of labeled as a catch-and-run type in the flat," Akins said. "Here I'm more down the field."
Akins signed with the Browns during the offseason, and his history with quarterback Deshaun Watson when the two were Texans teammates was undoubtedly a factor. He wasn't a top target of Watson in Houston, but Akins achieved a level of success with the quarterback, catching 90 of 129 targets for 1,046 yards and three touchdowns in three seasons from 2018 to 2020. The tight end anticipates an expanded route tree in Cleveland and an opportunity to not be so one dimensional as a receiver. He'll compete with Harrison Bryant to back up lead tight end David Njoku.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Happily reunited with Watson
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Akins was on the field for Cleveland's organized team activities this week, Anthony Poisal of the Browns' official site reports.
Akins signed with the Browns during the offseason and acknowledged that reuniting with quarterback Deshaun Watson as a primary reason. The two played three seasons together in Houston. The Browns placed plenty of offseason focus on improving targets for Watson, and the 6-foot-6 Akins brings familiarity and serves as a red-zone threat. Akins is expected to back up David Njoku at tight end.
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Jordan Akins: Draws interest from Browns
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Akins is slated to visit the Browns, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Akins is coming off a 2022 campaign with the Texans in which he tied his career high in catches (37), while recording season bests in receiving yards (495) and TDs (five). If the 2018 third-rounder signs with the Browns, he'll add depth to a Cleveland tight end corps led by returnees David Njoku and Harrison Bryant.
