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: Snap leader at TE
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Akins caught three of four targets for 27 yards and saw 43 snaps, the most among Cleveland tight ends, in Sunday's 33-17 loss to Dallas.
The Browns had just two tight ends on the game-day roster and were down to one when starter David Njoku (ankle) was taken off the field in the third quarter. He'll undergo tests Monday to determine the severity of his injury, but Akins figures to step into a significant role if Njoku misses any further time. The Browns currently have two other tight ends on the practice squad, but neither Cameron Latu nor Blake Whiteheart have significant NFL experience.
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Browns' Jordan Akins: Two targets Saturday
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Akins caught both of his targets for 15 yards in Saturday's preseason game against Minnesota.
Akins has played the first quarters of both preseason games and caught all four targets for 40 yards. He's expected to serve as the top backup to David Njoku, while Zaire Mitchell-Paden and Giovanni Ricci (knee) battle for the third spot.
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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: Two targets in loss
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Akins caught one of two targets for six yards in Sunday's 28-3 loss to Baltimore.
Akins has not seen much playing time through the first four weeks as the No. 3 tight end. Sunday's effort was the first time he's seen multiple targets, but the Browns were forced out of their usual offense in the blowout loss. Cleveland was also missing starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, which resulted in usage patterns being skewed and reduced production across the board. The Browns are off in Week 5.
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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: Misses another day
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Akins is not participating in Saturday's practice due to an apparent leg injury, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
This marks the second day Akins has been held out to start Browns training camp. The big-bodied target joined the team back in March, reuniting with former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, and when healthy will likely push Harrison Bryant for playing time behind starter David Njoku.
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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.
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Texans' Jordan Akins: Plays hero in season finale
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Akins secured four of eight targets for 70 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans' 32-31 win over the Colts on Sunday. He also caught a game-winning two-point conversion pass.
The journeyman tight end played the unlikely hero in an unlikely win, corralling a 28-yard touchdown grab on a 4th-and-20 heave from Davis Mills late in the fourth quarter and then securing the subsequent two-point conversion pass that proved the difference in the contest. Akins' Week 18 production allowed him to finish the 2022 campaign having tied his career high in receptions (37) and setting new personal bests in receiving yards (495) and touchdowns (five). The fifth-year pro played this season on a one-year contract, and given his ability to once again offer solid production as a pass catcher, Akins shouldn't have much trouble finding an NFL home in 2023.
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Texans' Jordan Akins: Makes two receptions
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Akins caught two passes for 38 yards on three targets against Jacksonville on Sunday.
Akins has been productive on a per-snap basis in 2022, but he hasn't been able to scale up that production over a bigger workload. It's possible that Akins could do more if the Texans gave him more snaps, but with Brevin Jordan and O.J. Howard also in the mix, his opportunity is capped to an extent.
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Texans' Jordan Akins: Three grabs in win
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Akins caught all three of his targets for 39 yards in Saturday's 19-14 win over the Titans.
Akins continued his career renaissance with another three grabs, giving him 31 receptions and 387 yards for the season, tops among the team's tight ends. The 30-year-old was off the radar to start the season, but Akins has moved to the top of the depth chart since joining the active roster in Week 3. Houston's passing attack is unreliable, but with Nico Collins (foot) done for the season and Brandin Cooks dealing with injuries, Akins has averaged 4.4 targets and scored twice over the last five weeks. He leads all Houston pass-catchers with three TDs and is second with nine red-zone targets.
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Texans' Jordan Akins: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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The Titans have allowed a tight end to score at least eight PPR points in three of their past four games, and Akins is worth a look in deeper leagues if you need a streaming option. He just scored a touchdown in Week 15 against Kansas City with three catches for 22 yards on six targets, and he now has at least 11 PPR points in two of his past four games. He also has three games with at least five targets over that span. Akins could get company this week if Brandin Cooks (calf) or Nico Collins (foot) return to action, but Akins could be useful given how bad the Titans have played in their secondary of late against tight ends.
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Texans' Jordan Akins: Sleeper TEs
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The Titans have allowed a tight end to score at least eight PPR points in three of their past four games, and Akins is worth a look in deeper leagues if you need a streaming option. He just scored a touchdown in Week 15 against Kansas City with three catches for 22 yards on six targets, and he now has at least 11 PPR points in two of his past four games. He also has three games with at least five targets over that span. Akins should be useful as a low-end starter given how bad the Titans have played in their secondary of late against tight ends.
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Texans' Jordan Akins: Week 16 Streamers (TE Preview)
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Akins has five or six targets in three of his last four games. The Titans have allowed the fifth-most Fantasy points to tight ends this season. Four of the past five tight ends to see five or more targets against them have scored 11 or more PPR Fantasy points.
