Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans
Final Score: Browns 27, Titans 24
Writer: Griffey Geiss (@ggeiss_PL on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Deshaun Watson: 25/36, 308 yards, INT | 3 carries, 19 yards, TD
Watson delivered one of his best performances of the season, throwing for 308 yards and adding a rushing touchdown to lead Cleveland to a dramatic road victory. The veteran quarterback orchestrated another game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, connecting with Harold Fannin Jr. for a 36-yard completion to set up Andre Szmyt‘s game-winning field goal as time expired. Watson did throw an interception, but his ability to respond in high-leverage situations continues to be an encouraging sign for Cleveland. From a fantasy perspective, the combination of his passing production and rushing upside gives him decent upside, but without consistently accumulating touchdowns, Watson’s weekly value likely rests between the QB15-18 range. This is a deep league target at best.
Running Back
Quinshon Judkins: 17 carries, 96 yards, 2 TDs | 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards
Judkins delivered a breakout performance, finding the end zone twice in the first half while helping Cleveland erase an early 14-point deficit. Judkins showcased his explosiveness with a 30-yard run before punching in his first touchdown, then added another score on a six-yard carry in the second quarter. He finished with a season-high 96 rushing yards on 17 attempts, providing the kind of volume and goal-line production fantasy managers have been looking for. If Cleveland continues to establish the run and give Judkins opportunities near the goal line, he has the potential to become a reliable weekly fantasy starter. Yesterday marked just the fourth time Judkins generated 4+ yards per carry in his career, per PFF.
Dylan Sampson: 6 carries, 45 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards
Despite this being the Judkins show for Cleveland, Sampson’s production piqued my interest. He was on the field for an overwhelming amount of two-minute drill snaps and especially on third downs. He’s clearly the passing back for Watson, and if the Browns fall behind, Sampson could get targeted a bunch. Perhaps worth a stash in deeper leagues?
Wide Receiver/Tight End
KC Concepcion Jr.: 10 targets, 8 receptions, 129 yards | 3 carries, 23 yards
Concepcion was the standout performer in Cleveland’s passing game, recording career highs in both receptions and receiving yards. The rookie finished with 129 yards on eight catches, doing most of his damage in the first half while consistently creating opportunities after the catch. He also contributed on the ground with three carries for 23 yards, highlighting the different ways Cleveland is looking to get the football into his hands. Concepcion’s involvement is particularly encouraging for fantasy managers, as double-digit targets and designed rushing opportunities give him multiple avenues to production. If this usage continues, he could develop into a dependable fantasy option rather than simply a deep-league flyer.
Harold Fannin Jr.: 9 targets, 6 receptions, 91 yards
Fannin played a pivotal role in Cleveland’s comeback, finishing with 91 receiving yards and delivering the biggest reception of the game — a 36-yard bullet from Watson that would eventually lead to a Browns game-winning field goal. Fannin offers so much receiving upside at a position where consistent production can be difficult to find… but that’s precisely been his problem all year. It’s so refreshing to see Fannin finally ball out; now let’s build off this. Given his lack of consistent production this year, he may be available to snag off the waiver wire.
Denzel Boston: 8 targets, 3 receptions, 27 yards
Boston saw plenty of opportunities, drawing eight targets, but struggled to turn that volume into meaningful production. His three receptions for 27 yards left plenty to be desired, particularly with Concepcion dominating the passing game. The target count is worth monitoring, but fantasy managers should be cautious about relying on Boston until his efficiency and overall connection with Watson improve. He’s still a rosterable option in 10-12 man leagues and should generate some FLEX interest on a weekly basis.
Jerry Jeudy: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 21 yards
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Cam Ward: 20/31, 181 yards, INT | 2 carries, 5 yards
Ward and the Titans came out firing, jumping to a 14-0 lead behind two early touchdown runs from Tony Pollard. Unfortunately, the offense struggled to maintain that momentum, and Ward finished with just 181 passing yards and an interception. His turnover came at a particularly costly moment, as Cleveland capitalized on the ensuing change of possession to build momentum before halftime. Ward did help lead a late scoring drive to tie the game, keeping Tennessee alive until the final seconds, but the passing production remained underwhelming. He should not be rostered in most redraft leagues.
Running Back
Tony Pollard: 25 carries, 129 yards, 3 TDs | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 26 yards
Legacy game for the veteran back. Pollard was the engine of Tennessee’s offense, producing a season-high 129 rushing yards and scoring three touchdowns. He found the end zone twice in the opening quarter, helping the Titans establish an early 14-point advantage, before adding a third score with under a minute remaining to tie the game at 24. His combination of rushing volume, receiving involvement, and goal-line opportunities made him one of the week’s most productive fantasy backs. The frustrating part for Tennessee is that Pollard’s career-high-tying three-touchdown performance still wasn’t enough to secure the win. From a fantasy perspective, however, this is exactly the kind of workload managers want to see. Pollard remains a strong candidate to start in deeper leagues and should be able to generate some interest in your average 10-12 mans after a breakout game, as we saw against the Browns, especially if Tyjae Spears misses more time.
I mentioned last week and would like to share again: Pollard is going to be a trade chip at the trade deadline for the Titans, so even if he’s not producing like this every week, it may be worth holding onto him in case an RB-needy contender takes a shot on him in a few weeks.
Michael Carter: 3 carries, 7 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Carnell Tate: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 69 yards
Tate led Tennessee’s wide receivers in receiving yards, finishing with 69 on five catches. His biggest contribution came late in the fourth quarter, when he hauled in an 18-yard reception to move the Titans to Cleveland’s one-yard line. Pollard punched in the tying touchdown on the next sequence, giving Tennessee a chance to escape with a victory before Cleveland answered. Tate’s ability to make plays in important moments is encouraging, although the overall passing production limited his fantasy ceiling. He remains a player worth monitoring as Ward continues to successfully look his way. It really hinges on Ward, in my opinion. Tate is more than capable of being that guy for Tennessee with how the roster is currently constructed.
Elic Ayomanor: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 44 yards
Gunnar Helm: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 24 yards
Wan’Dale Robinson: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 7 yards
Daniel Bellinger: 2 targets, 1 reception, 4 yards