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Cleveland Browns DST

Player Outlook
The Browns were one of the worst defenses in Fantasy last year and we don't expect the additions of Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, and Maliek Collins to change that. To make matters worse, they open the season with Joe Burrow in Week 1 and and Lamar Jackson in Week 2. You can avoid this defense on draft day and wait to see if the rookies make any impact at all. The first time you might want to stream them is Week 6 against the Steelers, but they will need to show improvement before we'd risk that.

Fantasy News

  • Browns' Denzel Ward: Returns to practice

    Rotowire
    Ward (shoulder) is practicing Tuesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports. Ward hurt his shoulder during practice last week and missed Saturday's preseason finale against the Rams. However, his ability to return to practice Tuesday suggests that the veteran cornerback will be fine for Cleveland's regular-season opener against Cincinnati on Sept. 7.
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  • Browns' LaMareon James: Works past concussion

    Rotowire
    James recorded one tackle in Saturday's 19-17 preseason win over the Rams. James suffered a concussion in the Browns' first preseason game, but he returned to play 17 total snaps (14 on defense) in Saturday's contest. He is competing for a depth role in Cleveland's secondary.
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  • Tony Brown: Let go by Cleveland

    Rotowire
    Cleveland released Brown on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Brown logged six tackles (three solo) across three preseason games, but he likely won't be on Cleveland's 53-man roster at the start of the 2025 regular season. The veteran corner will explore his next options and should garner interest from teams looking to bolster depth in the secondary. Brown appeared in six regular-season games for Cleveland in 2024 before ending the season on IR due to a foot injury.
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  • Browns' Julian Okwara: Exits game with rib injury

    Rotowire
    Okwara is questionable to return to Saturday's preseason game against the Rams due to a rib injury. Okwara suffered the injury in the third quarter during a Brennan Presley 24-yard reception. Okwara was able to walk off the field under his own power. If he doesn't return, he'll finish Saturday's game with one tackle.
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  • Browns' Nathaniel Watson: Placed on season-ending IR

    Rotowire
    Watson (biceps) was placed on injured reserve Thursday. Watson sustained a biceps injury in Wednesday's practice, per head coach Kevin Stefanski. The linebacker will miss the entire 2025 season.
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  • Browns' Winston Reid: Sidelined by back injury

    Rotowire
    Reid (back) didn't practice Thursday, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports. Reid is nursing a back injury ahead of Saturday's preseason finale against the Rams. He's likely to reprise his role as a depth option at linebacker for the regular season after recording 23 tackles (15 solo) last season.
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  • Browns' Denzel Ward: Considered day-to-day

    Rotowire
    Ward (shoulder) didn't practice Thursday and is considered day-to-day, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports. Ward got hurt in practice Tuesday but avoided a serious injury, though he looks unlikely to suit up in Saturday's preseason finale against the Rams. He'll aim to recover in time for the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Bengals.
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  • Browns' Denzel Ward: Avoids serious injury

    Rotowire
    The shoulder injury Ward suffered during Tuesday's training camp practice is not believed to be serious, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports. Ward left the practice field with training staff Tuesday with a shoulder injury, but after preliminary evaluations, Cleveland doesn't believe it will cause him to miss significant time. During whatever time he does miss, Chigozie Anusiem could be a contender for first-team reps at cornerback.
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  • Browns' Denzel Ward: Injured in practice

    Rotowire
    Ward suffered an apparent upper right arm or shoulder injury in Tuesday's practice, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports. Ward walked off the field with the training staff and headed indoors. Ward dealt with a shoulder injury toward the end of last season and missed Week 18. The Browns kick off the regular season in 19 days against the Bengals on Sept. 7.
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  • Colts' Marcus Haynes: Catches on with Indianapolis

    Rotowire
    The Colts signed Haynes to a contract Wednesday. Haynes was let go by the Browns on Tuesday, just one week after signing with Cleveland. Haynes will get a new opportunity with the Colts and will work over the next two weeks to perform well enough in practices and preseason games to earn a spot on the 53-man roster at the end of training camp.
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  • Browns' Darius Rush: Gets opportunity with Browns

    Rotowire
    Cleveland signed Rush (undisclosed) to a contract Monday, per the team's official site. Rush signed with the Chiefs in February but was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement Friday. It's not clear what type of issue he was dealing with, but the South Carolina product appears to now be healthy given his signing with Cleveland. Rush will have the opportunity to compete for a depth role in the Browns' secondary after playing in two regular-season games with Pittsburgh last year and logging 18 special-teams snaps.
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  • Browns' Greg Newsome: Progressing through shoulder injury

    Rotowire
    Newsome (shoulder) was a limited participant in Monday's training camp practice, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports. Newsome has been sidelined due to a shoulder injury, which caused him to miss Friday's preseason game against the Panthers. He managed to return for Monday's practice, albeit in a limited capacity, but it's a step in the right direction for the 2021 first-rounder. Newsome's practice participation over the coming week should help clarify his chances of playing in the Browns' next preseason game against the Eagles on Saturday.
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  • Browns' Mohamoud Diabate: Dealing with injury

    Rotowire
    Diabate did not participate in Monday's training camp practice due to an undisclosed injury, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports. The unspecified injury also caused Diabate to miss Friday's preseason game against the Panthers. The nature and severity of the injury isn't clear, so Diabate's practice participation over the coming week will be an indicator of his availability for Saturday's exhibition contest against the Eagles. He played 13 regular-season games (11 starts) for the Browns in 2024 and finished with 70 tackles (35 solo) and three pass defenses.
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  • Browns' LaMareon James: In concussion protocol

    Rotowire
    Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Saturday that James is in concussion protocol, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports. James likely picked up the injury at some point during the Browns' 30-10 preseason win over the Panthers on Friday, when he finished with three tackles (two solo). He'll need to pass the league's five-step concussion protocols in order to play against the Eagles on Saturday, Aug. 16.
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  • Browns' Anthony Kendall: Bound for IR

    Rotowire
    Kendall (undisclosed) reverted to Cleveland's injured reserve list Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Kendall wasn't claimed by another team after the Browns waived him with an injury designation Tuesday, so now he's headed to their injured reserve list. He'll stay there for the whole season unless he can work out an injury settlement with the club.
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  • Anthony Kendall: Getting waived with injury

    Rotowire
    Cleveland waived Kendall (undisclosed) with an injury designation Tuesday. In a corresponding transaction, the Browns signed quarterback Tyler Huntley on Tuesday. Kendall will be eligible to be claimed by another team during the current waiver period, but if he's not, he'll revert to Cleveland's injured reserve list.
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  • Browns' Greg Newsome: Nursing shoulder issue

    Rotowire
    Newsome was unavailable for practice Saturday while nursing a shoulder injury, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports. Newsome is dealing with an apparent shoulder injury, and he's considered day-to-day for the time being according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. The cornerback suffered the injury while breaking up a pass at practice Friday, but he appears to have avoided any significant damage.
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  • Browns' Keenan Isaac: Signs with Cleveland

    Rotowire
    The Browns signed Isaac on Friday. Isaac spent much of the previous two seasons bouncing between the Bucs' practice squad and active roster, appearing in a total of seven regular-season contests during that span. He didn't see any action on defense but did play 59 special teams snaps. Isaac will provide cornerback depth for Cleveland during the preseason.
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  • Browns' Shelby Harris: Back from injury

    Rotowire
    Harris (elbow) is fully healthy after ending the 2024 season on injured reserve, Chris Easterling of Akron Beacon Journal reports. Harris suffered an elbow injury in Week 15 of the 2024 season. Prior to missing the final two games of the season, the 33-year-old accounted for 37 tackles (18 solo), including 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Rookie No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham is projected to start at one defensive tackle spot alongside veteran Maliek Collins, but Shelby figures to serve in a rotational role, at minimum.
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  • Browns' Martin Emerson: Out for season

    Rotowire
    Emerson (Achilles) was ruled out for the season Wednesday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. After leaving practice on a cart Tuesday following a non-contact injury, Emerson will be out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Wednesday. The 24-year-old appeared in all 17 games last season, starting 15 and tallying 80 tackles. Greg Newsome, who normally plays nickel corner, is now expected to take Emerson's spot in base defense alongside Denzel Ward.
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