Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Final Score: Steelers 23, Browns 9
Writer: Christian Otteman (@COttemanPL)
This one played out about as advertised: an offensive slog with little to no intrigue in the second half. With Joe Flacco out of town, the Cleveland offense is now Dillon Gabriel‘s to command. Gabriel was unable to lead a single touchdown-scoring drive for the Browns and looked very much the part of an uncomfortable rookie playing a divisional road game. On the polar opposite of the QB spectrum, we had veteran and former MVP Aaron Rodgers, who led the Steelers to an easy, if not uneventful, victory to take control of the AFC North.
Three Up
- Harold Fannin Jr. — Led the Browns in receptions and yards. If David Njoku misses any time, he’ll be a strong TE1 option.
- DK Metcalf — Continues to show a great connection with Aaron Rodgers and will be a threat to score every week.
- Kaleb Johnson — Hey, he actually got some touches in this one! He’s still not anywhere near fantasy relevance, though.
Two Down
- Dillon Gabriel — Looked outmatched and overwhelmed in this tough divisional matchup. His inability to push the ball downfield is a key area in which he needs to grow.
- Jerry Jeudy — Had a couple of bad drops and isn’t on the same page as Gabriel.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Dillon Gabriel: 29/52, 221 Yards
For a day with such a massive passing volume, this is a fairly empty box score for rookie Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel had trouble pushing the ball downfield, mostly moving the chains with uneventful checkdowns. Gabriel never quite looked comfortable in the pocket and took six sacks on the day while completing just over 50% of his passes. Gabriel is still a rookie surrounded by media distractions and a dysfunctional organization, so we’ll give him some time to figure things out. Next week’s matchup against the Dolphins at home should be a softer test.
Running Back
Quinshon Judkins: 12 Carries, 36 Yards | 1 Target
While the Steelers’ defense kept Gabriel under duress all day, it also did a great job of containing rookie Quinshon Judkins. Judkins has impressed early on in his career by carving up difficult rush defenses like the Lions and Packers, but he finally met his match in Pittsburgh. Judkins was often met at or behind the line of scrimmage often, breaking off a long run of only 6 yards. Judkins should still be trusted in fantasy lineups, especially in a smash spot against Miami next week.
Jerome Ford: 2 Carries, 17 Yards | 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 13 Yards
Dylan Sampson: 3 Carries, 12 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 12 Yards
Judkins is the only Browns running back worth rostering, but for the short term, it appears that Jerome Ford is the deep-league desperation flex option to own. I wouldn’t feel good starting either, but Dylan Sampson is still a fine stash in dynasty leagues.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Harold Fannin Jr.: 10 Targets, 7 Receptions, 81 Yards
A sort of breakout game for Harold Fannin Jr., who posted career highs in nearly every offensive statistic. Fannin hauled in some difficult passes and was frequently open in the middle of the field for easy gains for Gabriel. The rookie wasn’t perfect on the day, as he dropped a well-placed ball from Gabriel that would have put the team in the red zone. If David Njoku misses any time, Fannin will instantly become a weekly TE1 thanks to the anticipated increase in volume.
Jerry Jeudy: 13 Targets, 5 Receptions, 43 Yards
The good news: Jerry Jeudy led the team in targets. The bad news? Almost everything else. Jeudy was only able to bring in five of his 13 looks, with some of those targets being bad drops, while others were the fault of his quarterback delivering off-target throws. As long as Jeudy maintains this strong a target volume, he’ll have flex appeal, but it’ll be hard to trust him as a high-upside option until he starts to show a better connection with his rookie QB.
David Njoku: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards
David Njoku got a little banged up this week, suffering an injury that briefly took him out in the 2nd quarter before injuring his knee and leaving the game in the fourth. Njoku looked to remain a key part of the game plan, earning some red zone looks before leaving, so he’s still a solid start as long as he’s healthy. His status for next week’s game will be crucial for both Njoku and Fannin owners.
Gage Larvadain: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 22 Yards
Jamari Thrash: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards
Isaiah Bond: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards
Blake Whiteheart: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 0 Yards
The Browns’ ancillary pass catchers aren’t relevant fantasy options in the vast majority of your leagues. If there’s one to hang on to in super-deep leagues, it’s Isaiah Bond due to the higher target share and raw talent.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: 21/30, 235 Yards, 2 TD | 1 Carry, 1 Yard
Aaron Rodgers didn’t need to do much to guide the Steelers to a win this week. The veteran simply kept mistakes to a minimum and made high-percentage throws to keep the home team marching down the field. Rodgers also made a couple of excellent throws to DK Metcalf and Jaylen Warren, with the latter coming on a scramble on a broken play. Rodgers still has the talent and mobility to be a great NFL QB, but he’s best viewed as a Superflex QB2 than an every-week starter in single-QB formats. He’s always a solid option as a streamer in bye weeks, especially in next week’s matchup against the Bengals.
Mason Rudolph: 3 Carries, 0 Yards
Running Back
Jaylen Warren: 11 Carries, 52 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
This was Jaylen Warren‘s first game action since Week 3 after unexpectedly missing the Week 4 London game, and he picked up right where he left off as the team’s lead back. Warren got the first snaps of the game and had an efficient day on the ground, looking shifty and powerful on his carries to gain extra yardage. Warren is undoubtedly the back to own in this offense, which is great to see after Kenneth Gainwell showed out in his absence a few weeks ago. If there’s one downside, it’s that Warren wasn’t as involved in the passing game as we’d like to see. If Gainwell continues to eat third-down work from Warren, it limits his upside significantly.
Kenneth Gainwell: 6 Carries, 22 Yards | 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 14 Yards
Kenneth Gainwell didn’t find much room to run, but involvement in the passing game salvaged a decent fantasy day for those who kept him in their flex spots. As long as Gainwell maintains a role as a receiver, he will be a high-floor flex option, if not an unappealing one.
Kaleb Johnson: 6 Carries, 15 Yards
You might think that the game score means that Kaleb Johnson got his touches at the end of the game, but no! The rookie got his first carry at the end of the first quarter and broke off a nice 9-yard run, showing off the athleticism that’s buried beneath the criticism he’s received for his early-season blunders. He’s nowhere near startable status (and should probably remain on waivers), but if his usage trends up, he may be worth picking up as a stash.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
DK Metcalf: 9 Targets, 4 Receptions, 95 Yards, TD
DK Metcalf catching passes from Rodgers is the kind of combination we deserve as football fans. Metcalf had a couple of great catches at timely moments, including a touchdown reception where he had to slow down after torching a Cleveland receiver. His downfield speed and ability to make over-the-shoulder catches are perfect for a Rodgers-led offense. While he was only able to reel in four of his nine targets, he should be able to have even more prolific performances if he maintains this kind of volume. He’s an every-week starter, even if the Steelers’ offense isn’t the most explosive.
DK Metcalf last 2 games:
9 catches
221 yards
2 TDspic.twitter.com/VZAZ4UJ45F— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 12, 2025
Darnell Washington: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 62 Yards | Fumble (Recovered)
The tight end room in Pittsburgh is a nightmare, but Darnell Washington led the group in yardage in Week 6. On the first play from scrimmage, Washington had a catch-and-run for 36 yards and added two more receptions throughout the contest. One would think Washington’s size makes him an intriguing red-zone option, but he’s yet to catch a touchdown this year. No Pittsburgh TEs should be trusted in your fantasy lineups.
Jonnu Smith: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 18 Yards | 1 Carry, 10 Yards
Jonnu Smith may be the team’s most athletic tight end, but he’s a far cry from the player we saw in Miami last season.
Connor Heyward: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 12 Yards
Roman Wilson: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 12 Yards
Pat Freiermuth: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
There’s no appeal for these pass catchers, even in deep formats.