Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Njoku (ankle) will be out Sunday against the Jaguars, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Njoku's looming absence isn't surprising, as Stefanski said Monday that the tight end is week-to-week with an ankle injury that he sustained Week 1. For any length of time Njoku misses, Jordan Akins should benefit from extra snaps and targets as the Browns' top healthy tight end.
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Browns' David Njoku: Labeled week-to-week
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Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Njoku (ankle) is week-to-week, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Stefanski declined to confirm whether Njoku suffered a high-ankle sprain during Sunday's loss to the Cowboys, per Petrak, which Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports is the fear for the Pro Bowl tight end. Jordan Akins is currently the only healthy tight end on Cleveland's active roster, though the team also has Cameron Latu and Blake Whiteheart on the practice squad. Being labeled week-to-week creates serious doubt about Njoku's availability for Sunday's road game in Jacksonville, but the tight end hasn't yet been officially ruled out from playing.
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Browns' David Njoku: In walking boot, tests to come
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Njoku (ankle) exited the locker room in a walking boot after Sunday's 33-17 loss to the Cowboys, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com, coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game that Njoku will have more testing done Monday on the ankle injury that he suffered in the second half of Sunday's season opener. Njoku didn't return to the game after going to the locker room with trainers in the third quarter. An update on his availability for Week 2 against the Jaguars should surface after Monday's tests, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Njoku is feared to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, which would likely entail a multi-week absence.
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Browns' David Njoku: Goes to locker room with trainers
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Njoku (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Cowboys, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Njoku went to the locker room with team trainers in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Cowboys, per Field Yates of ESPN. The veteran tight end went to the medical tent after taking a big hit at the end of a catch and run in the third quarter, and he gingerly made his way to the locker room shortly thereafter. Njoku had four catches on five targets for 44 yards prior to the injury.
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Browns' David Njoku: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Njoku is still worth using as a low-end starter in most leagues, but he didn't play well with Deshaun Watson last year, which is something to monitor. Njoku scored 6.8 PPR points or less in three of five games with Watson, who is still dealing with shoulder concerns heading into Week 1 against Dallas. The Cowboys also were No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, so this could be a tough game for Njoku if Watson is limited in any way.
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Browns' David Njoku: Healthy heading into Week 1
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Njoku (undisclosed) wasn't listed on Cleveland's injury report Wednesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Njoku practiced without limitations and should be good to go for Sunday's season opener against the Cowboys. The 28-year-old tight end set career highs with 882 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2023, but most of that production came with quarterbacks other than Deshaun Watson, who is set to reprise the starting role under center after having recovered from a shoulder injury.
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Browns' David Njoku: In line to practice Tuesday
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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Njoku (undisclosed) will practice Tuesday, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.
Njoku has been kept off the practice field since mid-August due to soreness, and he also missed Cleveland's preseason finale Saturday. If the standout tight end is indeed able to get back on the practice field Tuesday, it will assuage most concerns about his Week 1 availability. Njoku still has nearly two weeks to get fully healthy before the Browns' regular-season opener against the Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 8.
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Browns' David Njoku: Not playing Saturday
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Njoku (undisclosed) isn't slated to play in Saturday's preseason contest at Seattle, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Njoku has been dealing with some soreness since mid-August, which has kept him off the practice field in the meantime. With his lack of availability for the exhibition finale confirmed, he'll set his sights on a Week 1 matchup with the Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 8. Over the last two campaigns with the Browns, Njoku has come on as a receiving threat with a combined 139 catches (on 203 targets) for 1,510 yards and 10 touchdowns in 30 regular-season games.
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Browns' David Njoku: Remains sidelined
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Njoku (undisclosed) didn't practice Wednesday, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.
Given that Njoku hasn't practiced since Aug. 15, it seems unlikely that he'll see action in the Browns' preseason finale against the Seahawks on Saturday. If that's the case, the focus of the team's top TE will then pivot to preparing for a Week 1 matchup against the Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 8.
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Browns' David Njoku: Still not practicing
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Njoku (undisclosed) is not practicing Tuesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Njoku hasn't returned to practice since exiting last Thursday's joint session with the Vikings early due to what was called soreness. Top wide receiver Amari Cooper (undisclosed) is also not available Tuesday, despite early indications that he was in line to return. Saturday's road exhibition matchup against the Seahawks will be Njoku's final chance to log preseason reps prior to Cleveland's regular-season opener against the Cowboys.
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Browns' David Njoku: Dealing with soreness
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Njoku (undisclosed) participated in 1-on-1 drills but took only one snap in team drills during Thursday's practice, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.
Afterward, coach Kevin Stefanski said that Njoku was feeling "sore." With the Browns not in line to play starters Saturday versus the Vikings, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com, the tight end's next chance to see game action will arrive Saturday, Aug. 24 against the Seahawks.
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Browns' David Njoku: Developing chemistry with QB
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Njoku and quarterback Deshaun Watson showed off a developing connection during this week of practice, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
That connection became most notable Thursday, the Browns' first competitive practice with offense vs. defense in full pads. The tight end used his size to snare a couple of targets, beating Grant Delpit and Juan Thornhill in one-on-one coverage. Njoku appears to be operating with confidence following a breakout 2023 campaign, which really kicked into high gear over the second half when Watson was out with a shoulder injury. If the Watson-to-Njoku combination continues to develop, the Browns could make a deeper run in the playoffs.
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Browns' David Njoku: Cleared for practice
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Njoku (undisclosed) participated in his first training camp practice Saturday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Njoku missed the first two days of training camp with an undisclosed injury, but the team never indicated the matter was overly serious. The big-bodied tight end is now poised to build off a stellar second half of the 2023 season, when he registered 50 receptions, 598 receiving yards and four touchdowns over the Browns' final eight games including the playoffs.
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Browns' David Njoku: Working on side
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Njoku worked on the side during Thursday's practice with an undisclosed injury, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
There's nothing to indicate the nature of the injury or if this was merely a veteran getting an easy first day of camp. Njoku looks to build off a breakout campaign in 2023, when he had career highs in targets (123), catches (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (six). Competition for targets will be even greater in 2024 with Jerry Jeudy (leg) added to the roster.
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Browns' David Njoku: Manages limited practice
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Njoku (illness/knee) was listed as a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Njoku was able to handle some reps at practice Thursday, a day after he sat out the Browns' first Week 18 session entirely due to an illness, a knee injury and rest. No major health concerns are expected to prevent Njoku from playing this Sunday against the Bengals, but the Browns could still choose to rest him for all or most of the game in order to preserve his health for the postseason. The Browns are locked in as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs, and Njoku has proven himself to be one of the team's more important players this season, especially since Joe Flacco took over as Cleveland's starting quarterback. In his five appearances with Flacco under center, Njoku has averaged six receptions, 78 receiving yards and nine targets per game while scoring four touchdowns.
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Browns' David Njoku: Comes down with illness
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Njoku won't practice Wednesday due to an illness, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Njoku has been on a tear over the last four games, racking up a cumulative 28-373-4 receiving line on 39 targets during that stretch. He benefited from Amari Cooper sitting out last Thursday's win over the Jets due to a heel injury, with Njoku turning his eight targets into six catches for 134 yards. Now that Njoku is dealing with an illness, though, his status will be monitored to see if he may join a healthy Joe Flacco (coach's decision) on the sideline Sunday at Cincinnati.
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Browns' David Njoku: Gets into end zone again
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Njoku caught six of nine targets for 44 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 36-22 win over the Texans.
While the tight end's performance was overshadowed by a record-setting day from Amari Cooper, Njoku still got into the end zone for the third straight game, as he was on the other end of a 21-yard strike from Joe Flacco in the second quarter. Njoku's chemistry with his new QB is undeniable, and over his three-game TD streak he's posted a 22-239-4 line on 31 targets. He'll look to keep rolling in Week 17 against the Jets.
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Browns' David Njoku: TEs to Start
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Njoku has scored fewer than 10.4 PPR points just once since Week 6, and he's been excellent with Joe Flacco in the past two games. Against Jacksonville and Chicago, Njoku has 16 catches for 195 yards and three touchdowns on 22 targets, and he should have another quality outing against the Texans, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. I like Njoku as a top-five Fantasy tight end in Week 16.
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Browns' David Njoku: Top DFS Play
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Trey McBride is finally priced as one of the top options on the slate, so I'm looking a different direction. Njoku has 55 targets in his last six games and only one game below 11 PPR Fantasy points in that stretch. The Texans have allowed the most targets to tight ends, the second most catches, and the third most yards.
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Browns' David Njoku: Tops century mark against Chicago
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Njoku caught 10 of 14 targets for 104 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-17 win over the Bears.
The tight end was Joe Flacco's favorite target, leading Cleveland in catches and targets, though Amari Cooper topped him in yardage with 109. Njoku also hauled in Flacco's first TD pass of the day with a two-yard grab in the first quarter. Njoku has erupted since the Browns made their switch at QB, and over the last two games he's produced an eye-popping 16-195-3 line on 22 targets. Sunday's production also put him over 700 receiving yards on the season for the first time in his career, and his 69 receptions and five touchdowns are also personal bests. Njoku will look to keep surging in Week 16 against the Texans.
