Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Final Score: Steelers 27, Browns 6
Writer: Kevan Downs (kdsportsnet on Instagram)
Two Up
- Harold Fannin Jr. — Some receiver can usually pop against the questionable Steelers secondary, and Fannin was that guy Sunday. He was all over the field, short passes, down the seams, towards the sideline, he was getting open everywhere. With the run game floundering, Deshaun Watson was forced to throw more in this one, especially after getting down a couple scores by half, and Fannin capitalized on the opportunity.
- Jaylen Warren — And the fantasy points just keep coming. Warren was once again the engine behind the Steelers’ offense, exploding for 143 yards on 8.4 yards per carry. He already had a great day, then was able to add on a late-game touchdown to the scorecard.
Three Down
- Quinshon Judkins — The Steelers are a tough run defense, but over the course of the season, Judkins has been very touchdown-dependent. He’s still RB1 and there isn’t a looming threat of another back coming for his workload, but he’s been pretty terribly inefficient, and he couldn’t get much of anything going in this game too.
- KC Concepcion — Fannin and Denzel Boston seem to be the most favored targets on this Browns offense. Fannin has been getting open over the middle with Boston more towards the sidelines. Concepcion still sees a high snap share, but his time on the field has had limited returns to fantasy points at any point this season.
- DK Metcalf — If it’s even possible to be any lower on this guy. He showed his terrible connection with Aaron Rodgers again in this game, as well as a handful of drops, one of which should get recorded as an interception on DK’s stat sheet.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Deshaun Watson: 27/39, 324 Yards | 3 Carries, 2 Yards
Notes
- Watson did quite well at taking what the secondary gave him and was able to get the ball out quick, especially when targeting Harold Fannin and Denzel Boston. He was even able to connect a couple times deeper down the field, finding Fannin and Concepcion. What Watson wasn’t able to deal with was the Steelers pash rush. They don’t even have to blitz that much, just send their normal four- or five-man rush, and with all their threats, they can get in there with ease. Watson was often able to avoid the first rusher, but then that avoidance would walk him right into the next closest rusher. The Steelers ended with eight sacks.
Missed Opportunities
- Watson and Fannin just missed a touchdown pass where Fannin was tackled down at the 2.
- Watson missed Boston on all three of his end zone targets in this game.
Running Back
Quinshon Judkins: 11 Carries, 25 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 24 Yards
Notes
- Judkins just wasn’t able to generate much on the ground in this one. The Steelers’ run defense has made life tough for opposing running backs with guys like Cam Heyward and Peyton Wilson getting in there seemingly every other play. The defense ended the day with seven tackles for loss.
- Once the Browns got down multiple scores, especially after it became 27-6, the Browns had to pass a lot more and Judkins ceded snaps to Dylan Sampson. Sampson actually played more snaps than Judkins (39 vs. 27).
Missed Opportunities
- Following a deep catch by Fannin, the offense was set up at the 2-yard line. On the first-and-goal carry, Wilson got into the backfield quick to hit Judkins with a loss of 4 on the play.
Dylan Sampson: 1 Carry, 7 Yards | 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 62 Yards
Notes
- Very script-dependent, but Sampson has the potential to have a quality PPR performance. By the end of this one, he outsnapped Judkins 39-27 and 32 routes to 10 for Judkins.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Harold Fannin Jr.: 12 Targets, 10 Receptions, 154 Yards
Notes
- Fannin was everywhere. Watson connected with him for larger chunk plays over the middle, breaking in behind the clear route. They connected on a deeper post-corner. They were especially in sync on a drive in the second quarter, one that only ended in a field goal, where Watson found Fannin four times for 8, 12, 25, and 9-yard completions.
Missed Opportunities
- Just missed adding a touchdown to his big day when he got tackled down at the 2-yard line.
Denzel Boston: 11 Targets, 6 Receptions, 37 Yards
Notes
- Boston is going to be a great possession, move-the-chains receiver. He is good at getting open outside the numbers and gets open quickly for Watson. He’s had to battle some poor ball placement leaving his catch rate lower than would be desired. He benefited from the Steelers’ usual soft cushion on receivers, but made it so he wasn’t able to get much after the catch.
Missed Opportunities
- Boston got three end-zone targets that he wasn’t able to score on. One was nearly a wildly acrobatic completion, but he wasn’t able to get both feet in bounds.
KC Concepcion: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 37 Yards
Notes
- Concepcion still plays a ton of snaps. Concepcion, Fannin, and Boston ran over 40 routes in this game, but the targets just didn’t go Concepcion’s way in this one. Fannin was open all over the field, while Boston commanded his usual outside-the-numbers role. Concepcion’s low yards per catch limits his ceiling, but does carry some double digit PPR upside, although his targets have been inconsistent week to week.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 13/25, 172 Yards, 1 INT
Notes
- Another slower day for Rodgers as the offense was led by the running back duo of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. Rodgers did was he needed to, finding Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Germie Bernard when needed to keep drives moving. He and Washington were able to connect for some big plays, opened up by the success of the run game as defenses have come to expect more blocking out of Washington.
Missed Opportunities
- One of Washington’s receptions just missed getting into the end zone by a couple yards.
- Rodgers tried to connect with DK Metcalf in the end zone twice, but both weren’t able to convert.
- Rodgers’ interception should be scored as one for DK, the ball was bobbled up off his drop to where Denzel Ward could corral it into an interception.
Running Back
Jaylen Warren: 17 Carries, 143 Yards, 1 TD | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 0 Yards
Notes
- Early in the game probably saw Warren owners shouting “Vulture!!!” as Dowdle punched in the touchdown following all of Warren’s work getting down into the red zone and even more so after Pat Freiermuth‘s tush push touchdown. However, Warren stayed effective all game, and eventually found one of his own in the second half.
- Warren’s vision really sets him apart. No matter what the play call is, and how it develops in front of him, he is able to find some grass and churn out positive yards.
- Shout out Warren’s pass protection too. He’s always up in there picking up blocks for Rodgers. He picked up one really well on one of DK’s end-zone targets he wasn’t able to bring in for the touchdown.
5️⃣1️⃣ YARDS 🚂 @Nunless2 pic.twitter.com/3d2lNSEUfv
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 1, 2026
Missed Opportunities
- Warren wasn’t given a chance to put the first two touchdowns in the end zone as they went to Dowdle and Freiermuth.
Rico Dowdle: 15 Carries, 56 Yards, 1 TD
Notes
- Little bit of touchdown vulturing, but Dowdle had yet another productive day out of the backfield. The last few weeks, he and Warren have been making plays everywhere on the field, and it looks like the team will continue to rely on the duo for as long as it keeps working. The success of the run game has helped open things up for the pass game, especially for the tight ends as they are on the field for plenty of the run plays for blocking purposes. Dowdle remains a valuable handcuff to hold and possibly a flex option if you need someone who is at least guaranteed some work week to week.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Darnell Washington: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 94 Yards
Notes
- Washington had a big day off the back of the run game. He is always out there to run block, and the pass game used that to its advantage, catching the defense thinking it was yet another run play, while Washington, somehow, manages to sneak his big body into the secondary and be open for Rodgers. They also connected when they caught the defensive backs stepping up to stop what they thought was a screen to Bernard with Washington and Freiermuth blocking for him.
BIG MAN ON THE MOVE 😤 @_Dwfootball11 pic.twitter.com/7QrUrLG0uf
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 1, 2026
Missed Opportunities
- Washington just missed the touchdown on the play shown above.
Germie Bernard: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 30 Yards
Notes
- The lower passing volume over the past few weeks limits Bernard’s upside, but still has a chance for a positive PPR day with how efficient a pass catcher he is. Over his last four weeks when he’s seen higher target volume, he has caught 76% of passes thrown his way.
- Shout out to Bernard’s run blocking. He’s always in there blocking well for Warren and Dowdle. Not that he’s been off the field much recently anyway, but his all-around quality receiver skillset will keep him on the field even if the Steelers receiver room gets fully healthy.
Pat Freiermuth: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 35 Yards | 1 Carry, 1 Yard, TD
Notes
- If we can’t get fantasy points through the air, we can always count on a Freiermuth tush push. This time, he was given the ball on the goal line and he was able to put it in for the score.
- Freiermuth and Washington played similar snap counts and had a similar amount of routes run. With the success of the run game, both have been out there to block, and the success of the run game will limit the amount of potential targets they both may see.
DK Metcalf: 6 Targets, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Notes
- There’s a couple times every game where it looks like the Steelers try to force-feed a couple targets DK’s way to try to get some momentum going with him, but it hasn’t yielded the best of results this season. Once again, by catching one of six targets, he is showing his lack of chemistry with Rodgers.
- One of Metalf’s drops deflected up in the air and resulted in an interception by Denzel Ward.
Missed Opportunities
- On one goal-line situation, Rodgers tried to connect with Metcalf on the Davante Adams fade route, but it fell incomplete.
- On the next play, the target went to Metcalf again. It appeared to either be an option route, or he and Rodgers were not on the same page as Metcalf cut in for a short slant, and Rodgers threw to the back pylon.