Fantasy Football Player Notes

Quinshon Judkins had off-the-field and contract issues last year, entering his rookie season, which caused him to miss training camp and not start the season until Week 2. Once he was on the field, he was Cleveland's workhorse back until suffering an ankle and fibula fracture in Week 16. In Weeks 2-15, he was the RB26 in fantasy points per game (RB22 in expected fantasy points per game), averaging 18.7 touches and 72.8 total yards. I wasn't high on Judkins as a prospect, as his per-touch efficiency in college wasn't amazing. He didn't debunk that trend in his rookie season, either. Among 49 qualifying backs, he ranked 40th in explosive run rate, 33rd in missed tackle rate, and 26th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). In his defense, Judkins' offensive line didn't do him any favors last season. Among those 49 backs, Judkins had the fifth-highest mark of yards after first contact, with 62.2% of his rushing yards coming after first contact, and he had the fourth-fewest yards before contact per attempt, with only Cam Skattebo, Ashton Jeanty, and Zach Charbonnet seeing less runway with the ball in their hands. With a rebuilt offensive line to run behind in 2026, hopefully better quarterback play in front of him (fingers crossed), and more scoring opportunities, Judkins could return RB2 production this season.

Harold Fannin Jr. had a banner rookie season as the TE8 in fantasy points per game. Let's see if he can follow it up in year two with Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion competing with him for targets. Last year, among 54 qualifying tight ends, Fannin was fifth in target share (19.4%), 12th in receiving yards per game (45.7), 12th in yards per route run (1.81), fourth in first-read share (22.3%), and 25th in first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). I expect his first-read share to dip some, but he could retain similar per-route metrics outside of that in 2026 if he can hold off Boston and Concepcion while overcoming quarterback concerns in Cleveland. When it's all said and done, Fannin is likely a low-end TE1 in 2026.

KC Concepcion has the talent to be Cleveland's clear WR1 this season. Where he's priced in drafts, all of the risk of bad quarterback play and Denzel Boston and Harold Fannin Jr. competing with him for the team target lead is priced in. The upside if he is the true WR1 isn't. Concepcion is a receiver that can threaten a defense at all three levels while also making things happen after the catch with the ball in his hands. In two of his last three collegiate seasons, he ranked top 35 in FBS in YAC per reception (26th, 33rd, per PFF). In 2023, Concepcion was 17th in missed tackles forced among FBS wide receivers. He's a wonderful late-round dart to toss in every format. Hell, draft him, and Boston, considering the cost and cut the player who is lagging behind in target share by Week 4.

Dylan Sampson finished 2nd in yards per route run and first in target rate per route run (28%) among qualifying RBs last season.

Denzel Boston was a baller in college. In his final season, he had the fifth-best contested catch rate (min ten contested targets) among FBS wide receivers while also posting 2.44 yards per route run. He finished college with a 79th percentile college dominator and an 86th percentile collegiate target share. Boston will compete with KC Concepcion and Harold Fannin Jr. for the team lead in targets in 2026. The worries about the quarterback play in Cleveland and the certainty that other players will out-target him are pushing Boston down the board. Boston could easily be the Browns' WR1 after we flip over the cards for the 2026 season, and it's not reflected in his draft price at all. Draft him and Concepcion late and see how it plays out in the first few weeks of the season. There will be value to mine in this passing attack.

I didn't draft Jerry Jeudy anywhere last year, and I don't expect that to change in 2026. With Harold Fannin Jr., Denzel Boston, and KC Concepcion leading the way for the Cleveland passing attack this year, I expect Jeudy to be on the outside looking in. Last year, Jeudy was the WR61 in fantasy points per game with an 18.6% target share, 1.09 yards per route run, 0.056 first downs per route run, and a 25.3% first-read share (per Fantasy Points Data). He had 104 targets last year and did little to nothing with them. Avoid Jeudy in all formats this year.

No Myles Garrett or DC Jim Schwartz? No thanks. 17th in the projections.

Entering the final year of a burdensome five-year, $230 million contract that has been an albatross around the neck of the Cleveland Browns, Deshaun Watson won a battle with second-year man Shedeur Sanders to be the Browns' Week 1 starter, although it remains to be seen how long he'll keep the job. An electric dual-threat quarterback early in his career, Watson has been a flop since being traded to the Browns in 2022. The oft-injured Watson has started only 19 games for Cleveland over the last four seasons. He's averaged just 6.0 yards per pass attempt and 177.1 passing yards per start with the Browns. Watson has at least offered a little bit of rushing value, averaging 24.5 rushing yards per game since the trade. But it's fair to wonder whether that rushing potential still exists after a pair of Achilles tears, the latter of which sidelined Watson for all of 2025. Watson is no more than a late-round option in superflex leagues.

Expected by many to be an early pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders fell to the fifth round and was drafted by the Browns, who had already taken QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round. Sanders wound up playing eight games and making six starts. The son of former NFL great Deion Sanders had a rough NFL debut, completing 56.6% of his passes and averaging 6.6 yards per attempt, with seven TD passes, 10 interceptions, and 23 sacks. The Browns, however, didn't provide their quarterbacks with much of a supporting cast last season, as the offensive line struggled and the WR group was among the worst in the league. No more than a late-round option in superflex leagues, Sanders will start the season backing up veteran Deshaun Watson but has a good chance to get starts at some point this season.