Odell Beckham suffered a torn ACL early in the Browns' 37-34 victory Sunday over the Bengals and is out for the season. This is obviously a big blow for the 5-2 Browns and Fantasy managers alike. The Browns' Week 7 solution will probably be a popular Fantasy replacement when waivers run in Week 8.
Rashard Higgins led the Browns wide receivers with six catches for 110 yards, while Harrison Bryant (twice), Donovan Peoples-Jones, and David Njoku all reached the end zone. Jarvis Landry had another disappointing outing as he continues to battle through a broken rib suffered earlier in the year. He still hasn't topped 100 yards in a game or scored a touchdown.
For Week 8 specifically, Bryant and Njoku will both be low-end steaming options if Austin Hooper remains out due to his appendectomy, just because the tight end position is so short on reliable starter. Bryant would be the top option to look for, as he has out-targeted Njoku and was third on the team with five targets in Week 7. But if Hooper is able to return he'd likely rank as a top-10 option, and the Browns backup tight ends should remain on the waiver wire.
Wide receiver is a little bit more complicated. Long term I would expect Jarvis Landry to be the No. 1 receiver on the Browns and a borderline No. 2 for Fantasy purposes. But you may need to wait until after the team's Week 9 bye before you get to see him at 100%. Higgins may in fact be the best option for Week 8 against the Raiders. He had scored touchdowns in each of the previous two games, but this was his first game since 2018 with more than three targets. When the Browns are more healthy, he likely won't be Fantasy relevant, but Higgins could be a nice starter in a pinch until then.
The problem for all of these guys is, despite the Week 7 fireworks, the Browns offensive philosophy does not lend itself to big numbers in the passing game. Mayfield has only topped 30 pass attempts twice in seven games. This was the first time all year he topped 250 passing yards. That keeps him from being a consistent starter regardless of Beckham's health. If they get Nick Chubb, Landry, and Hooper to full strength after their bye it will be a low-volume passing attack concentrated around their two running backs and top two pass catchers. In other words, view any potential waiver wire moves as one-week band aids.
