The Browns pass catcher still working through protocol
The Cleveland Browns have a borderline must-win game this Sunday at home with the Jacksonville Jaguars coming to town. They may have to do it without their best pass catcher in Amari Cooper after he exited the Rams game last week with a concussion. He remains in protocol as of Thursday and Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said he still has boxes that need to be checked to clear protocol.
It seems likely that Cooper won’t play Sunday as it’s usually tough for players to clear protocol without missing a game. Though he isn’t Cooper the team did get Marquise Goodwin back on the practice field and that could help lessen the blow of missing Cooper.
It seems like Cleveland may be starting Joe Flacco again this week and Goodwin’s speed and ability to attack vertically could help the veteran quarterback. It’s all hands on deck as the season is nearly overall and the Browns are fighting and clawing to get back into the postseason.
The Browns have some hilarious omissions in the current Pro Bowl votes…
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero released the current standings in terms of Pro Bowl voting as we have just five weeks to go in the season. And to the dismay of the Cleveland Browns, there are numerous snubs left off of the list. Players like cornerback Denzel Ward and offensive tackle Dawand Jones have been cornerstones of Cleveland’s success this season as they sit at 7-5 on the year.
And yet neither are currently in the top-10 in voting at their respective positions.
The Pro Bowl has been known to be a popularity contest as memorable names tend to get the benefit of the doubt over more deserving breakout candidates. However, Ward has been there and done that before, and yet he is still left off the list at this point.
Ward and Jones are not the only ones, however. Here are six total Browns who deserve more love amongst the rest of the nation and their peers.
The Browns saw a ton of key players return to practice like Denzel Ward. However, Amari Cooper is still in the concussion protocol.
After back-to-back losses on their West Coast road trip, the Cleveland Browns are looking to get back in the win column as they return to home to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. They, for once this season, received positive injury news as multiple key contributors returned to practice after missing multiple weeks.
The Jaguars, of course, face injury issues of their own heading into this matchup as quarterback Trevor Lawrence “faces an uphill battle” to play on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium. If the Browns can find a way to even limp out of this game with a win, they will continue to control their own destiny toward a postseason slot despite their league-worst injury luck.
This is a step in the right direction as they at least get a bit healthier at the right time.
Here is the full injury report from Wednesday’s practice as the Browns prepare to rebound against the Jaguars. Here is every player who either did not practice or was limited in practice.
The Browns may be without Amari Cooper moving forward after sustaining a concussion in the loss to the Rams…
The injury news just keeps pouring on for the Cleveland Browns. Despite already being down their starting quarterback, backup quarterback, star running back, both offensive tackles, and more, they get another bout of poor injury news. After leaving the loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a head injury, wide receiver Amari Cooper has officially been diagnosed with a concussion.
Leaving in the first quarter after taking a hard hit over the middle, Cooper was ruled out the rest of the game as the teams went into the locker room for halftime. As they now get set to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, it is unlikely that Cooper clears the concussion protocol in time to suit up in this Week 14 matchup.
For the Browns, they got receivers to step up in the absence of Cooper, however. The Browns will need Elijah Moore and company to step up again in his presumed absence this week as well.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Geno Smith
334-6
4
Brock Purdy
314-9
4
Dak Prescott
299-23
3
Jalen Hurts
298-20
2
Matthew Stafford
279-(-2)
3
Running Backs
Rush
Receive
TD
Alvin Kamara
14-51
6-58
2
De’Von Achane
17-73
3-30
2
Derrick Henry
21-102
1-18
2
James Conner
25-105
2
Chuba Hubbard
2-104
2
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
DK Metcalf
6-134
3
Deebo Samuel
3-22
4-116
3
Nico Collins
9-191
1
CeeDee Lamb
2-30
12-116
1
Tyreek Hill
5-157
2
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Sam LaPorta
9-140
1
Trey McBride
8-89
1
Jake Ferguson
6-77
1
Harrison Bryant
5-49
1
Taysom Hill
13-59
2-15
1
Placekickers
XP
FG
Brandon Aubrey
3
4
Matt Gay
1
4
Lucas Havrisik
4
2
Jason Sanders
6
1
Matt Ammendola
1
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Chargers
5-1
0
Colts
6-2
1
Dolphins
3-1
1
Falcons
4-3
0
Texans
3-3
0
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Kenny Pickett – Ankle
QB Derek Carr – Concussion “plus”
WR Tank Dell – Fractured fibula
WR Marquise Brown – Heel
WR Amari Cooper – Head
WR Christian Watson – Hamstring
RB Derrick Henry – Head
RB Emari Demarco – neck
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – Ankle
RB Brian Robinson – Hamstring
TE Tyler Higbee – Concussion
Chasing Ambulances
QB Kenny Pickett – He injured his right ankle that will need a surgical procedure to fix. He is expected to miss at least a few weeks and Mitch Trubisky will replace him for this Thursday’s game against the Patriots.
QB Derek Carr – For the third time this year, Carr left the game injured. This time he was blasted when he threw the ball and suffered a concussion while also injuring his shoulder and back. The Lions Bruce Irvin was penalized for roughing the passer and Carr was carted from the field. Carr just had a concussion three weeks ago, so this a serious situation. Jameis Winston will take over until Carr returns.
WR Tank Dell – The Texans phenom fractured his fibula and will miss the rest of the season. It is a sad ending for a season that has been so bright but he should return in 2024 with no lasting problems. Noah Brown just returned after missing two games with a calf injury and should be the replacement. Brown posted two 150-yard performances in Weeks 9 and 10, so he’s already seen success in the offense. He’ll need to step up into a starting role.
WR Marquise Brown – He was already questionable heading into the game with a heel injury, and reaggravated it during the win over the Steelers. If he cannot go when they return from their Week 13 bye, Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch would share the workload.
WR Amari Cooper – He was already battling a rib injury heading into the game and was crushed by two defenders while trying to catch a pass. He is reported to have a concussion. He was already meshing well with Joe Flacco when he was hurt. There is no true replacement for Cooper who is clearly the best receiver on the team. Elijah Moore would see an uptick if Cooper remains out and he led the team with four catches for 83 yards.
WR Christian Watson – He had already scored twice on the Chiefs, but at the end of the game he went down clutching at his leg with an apparent hamstring injury. He missed three games to start the season with a hamstring issue as well, so another one is concerning. Dontayvion Wicks would become a starter if Watson remains out, but his production would be replaced by Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed.
RB Derrick Henry – Suffered a head injury expected to be a concussion. Henry has been very durable considering his career workload but hasn’t missed time with a concussion. Tyjae Spears will replace him in Miami this week if he remains out.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – The Pats’ running back suffered an ankle injury and while his X-rays were negative, the early speculation is that he may miss multiple games. An MRI will determine the severity of the sprain but it’s highly unlikely that Stevenson plays on Thursday night at the Steelers. Ezekiel Elliott entered Week 13 with a thigh injury but was active and stepped up once Stevenson left near the end of the first quarter. Elliott handled 17 carries for 52 yards and caught a team-high four passes for 40 yards.
RB Brian Robinson – The Commanders’ back was running well against the Dolphins, gaining 53 yards on seven attempts but injured his hamstring and did not return. There was no immediate speculation as to the severity of the injury or if he would miss any games. Antonio Gibson would see the bigger boost in carries and catches, and Chris Rodriguez would also bump up to being the No. 2 back if Robinson misses any time, but the Commanders enter their bye and that gives Robinson more time to heal.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
Where did all the passes go? – It’s that time of the season when passing starts to decline. There were six teams on bye this week, but it is still notable that there were only two passers that topped 300 yards – Geno Smith (334 yards) and Brock Purdy (314 yards). Bet you didn’t see that coming.
RB De’Von Achane – We can’t be certain how long he will stay healthy, but he’s back to form at least for now. After taking last week off and flopping in Week 11, Achane ran for 73 yards on 17 carries and caught three passes for 30 yards, while scoring twice. His 20 touches topped the 12 given to Raheem Mostert.
RB Austin Ekeler – The stud of 2022 just hasn’t been nearly as effective this year. He just ran for 18 yards on 14 carries and caught just two passes for nine yards. He was on the road, but the Patriots run defense has declined to being only average – until this week.
RB Ezekiel Elliott – The injury to Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to last at least a week or two. The ex-Cowboy star gets a chance to handle a workhorse load until Stevenson returns. Three of their next four games are on the road which is not ideal, nor is scoring zero points at home this week. But Elliott can help an RB-hungry fantasy team reach the playoffs.
TE Kyle Pitts – He led the Falcons in Week 13 with eight targets for four catches and 51 yards. That was versus the Jets defense. The Falcons host the Buccaneers this week for a violent shift in the quality of the secondary. He had a minor boost from the Jets taking Drake London (1-8) out of the game, but it is good to see his name atop the box core for once.
RB Tyjae Spears – Derrick Henry consumed 21 rushes for 102 yards and two scores before leaving with a head injury in the loss to the Colts. But Tyjae Spears also turned in 16 carries for 75 yards (4.7 YPC) and caught four passes for 13 yards. He ran well enough that the Titans may not be in a hurry to replace Derrick Henry next season.
WR Jonathan Mingo – The Panthers second-round rookie is picking up steam as the offense appears to intentionally involving him more while relying less on Adam Thielen. This season was over long ago and working on next year by throwing more to the younger players makes sense. Thielen is sighed through 2025 and the Panthers cannot get out of that until after next year, so Thielen still needs to be involved.
QB Joe Flacco – Compared to Dorian Thompson-Robinson or P.J. Walker, the aged Flacco looked sharp passing for 254 yards and two scores in the loss to the Rams. Amari Cooper was lost in the game, and Elijah Moore ended with 12 targets that became four catches for 83 yards to lead the Browns. Flacco needs Cooper to be healthy, but he gets a lighter time for the next two weeks at home against the Jaguars and Bears.
QB Patrick Mahomes – He’s ranked as the No. 14 fantasy quarterback and hasn’t missed any games. Eight of his last nine games did not record more than two passing scores and no games this year had him rushing in a touchdown. Over the last five games, he’s averaged 222 passing yards and 1.4 touchdowns which is pretty much the definition of an average NFL quarterback. What I’m trying to figure out is if we can say that he is a… you know,,, “average quarterback”? Can we even say that aloud? Is that even legal? I’m asking for a friend.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Deebo Samuel – You’d think visitors would be less aggressive in the City of Brotherly Love, but not so for Samuel. The 49ers Swiss Army knife caught four passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns at the Eagles, and ran for 22 yards and another score on three carries. Oh yeah, he also gained 60 yards on his two kick returns. He may have several blades, but each one can cut you.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper leaves Rams game with apparent rib injury.
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper left the Rams game during the second quarter. Cooper was injured when sandwiched between two Rams defenders on a slant route. He stayed down on the field for moments before being escorted to the medical tent. Cooper suffered a rib injury last week against the Broncos when he was speared while attempting to catch the ball. He is being evaluated for a concussion.
Cooper received X-rays on his ribs after the hit that showed no broken bones. He missed Wednesday’s practice but practiced with the team for the rest of the week. The leading Cleveland receiver is questionable to return with a shoulder injury.
The Cleveland Browns need Cooper’s talents to help revive their dead offense. The receivers have been drive killers thus far today as dropped passes have plagued a rather sharp Joe Flacco. The team is currently losing to the Rams 7-10 in the second quarter.
UPDATE: Cooper has been ruled out the rest of the game.
The Browns wide out may have avoided serious injury
Another game with the Cleveland Browns losing a major player or two to injuries as they have plagued the team all year long. Amari Cooper went down with a rib injury late in the game that also saw injuries to Myles Garrett and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
After the game, it was reported that Cooper had X-rays on his rib and that they were negative. This is good news for the Browns who can’t afford to lose Cooper to injury for an extended period of time. Though they came back negative it doesn’t mean that he is in the clear as rib injuries tend to be really difficult to play through and need time to heal.
The Browns could be in line to start their fourth different quarterback of the season if Joe Flacco plays next week with DTR potentially out. If this happens they will need Cooper to be healthy for Flacco to lean on as he establishes himself in Cleveland.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Josh Allen
339-81
4
Jalen Hurts
200-65
5
Dak Prescott
331-10
4
C.J. Stroud
304-47
3
Jordan Love
268-39
3
Running Backs
Rush Rcv
TD
Kyren Williams
16-143
6-61
2
Christian McCaffrey
19-114
5-25
2
Bijan Robinson
16-91
3-32
2
Isiah Pacheco
15-55
5-34
2
Josh Jacobs
20-110
4-15
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Tyreek Hill
9-102
1
Mike Evans
6-70
2
Rashee Rice
8-107
1
DeVonta Smith
7-106
1
Keenan Allen
14-106
0
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Pat Freiermuth
9-120
0
Tyler Higbee
5-29
2
Sam LaPorta
5-47
1
Travis Kelce
6-91
0
Gerald Everett
4-43
1
Placekickers
XP
FG
Blake Grupe
0
5
Brandon McManus
1
3
Tyler Bass
4
2
Jason Sanders
4
2
Chris Boswell
1
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Miami
7-2
1
San Francisco
6-2
0
Dallas
4-1
1
Baltimore
3-4
0
Green Bay
3-3
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB D. Thompson-Robinson – Head
QB Baker Mayfield – Ankle
WR Laviska Shenault – Ankle
WR Demario Douglas – Head
WR Rashid Shaheed – Thigh
WR Amari Cooper – Rib
WR Chris Olave – Concussion
Chasing Ambulances
QB D. Thompson-Robinson – Got blasted by a defender and left the field with a bloody lip. Was diagnosed with a concussion. So the Browns will either revert to P.J. Walker as they did in the game, or they promote Joe Flacco from the practice squad. The Browns play at the Jaguars this week.
QB Baker Mayfield – He injured his ankle and looked significant at first, but he later returned to the game. Kyle Trask replaced him in the game for a few plays. He should be good for the Panthers this week.
WR Demario Douglas – He’s been the only Patriot wideout with a shred of fantasy value and he was clotheslined on a punt return though no penalty was called. He’s believed to have a concussion but more should be known by Wednesday at the latest.
WR Rashid Shaheed – Thigh WR Chris Olave – Concussion The Saints’ receivers are in bad shape. Olave hit the ground hard on an attempted catch and was ruled out with a concussion. Shaheed injured his thigh and did not return to the game. Michael Thomas is already on IR. The Saints host the Lions this week and may have little more than A.T. Perry, Keith Kirkwood, and Taysom Hill for receivers.
WR Amari Cooper – He had his arms outstretched for a pass when a Denver defender delivered a crushing shot to his ribs. He was immediately ruled out though his X-rays were negative. The rookie Cedric Tillman was the top wideout with four catches for 55 yards. The Browns play at the Rams this week but it isn’t even certain who the quarterback will be. If Cooper misses time, assumedly Elijah Moore would see more targets but there have been no fantasy-relevant wideouts in Cleveland other than Cooper.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QB Jake Browning – The replacement for Joe Burrow threw for 227 yards and a touchdown with one interception against the Steelers. He connected with Ja’Marr Chase for 81 yards on four receptions but had no success with the rest of the receivers. The Steelers were also able to hold Joe Mixon to only eight carries for 16 yards, so the absence of Burrow is going to impact both the rushing and receiving.
WR Calvin Ridley – After disappearing for much of the season, Ridley scored on his five catches for 89 yards in the win over the Texans for his second straight game with high yardage and a touchdown. And the last two weeks have been the best performances for Trevor Lawrence.
RB Rachaad White – He popped up on the injury report on Friday as questionable with a thigh injury. Apparently, the pain motivated him because he rushed for a season-high 100 yards and caught two short passes in the loss to the Colts.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson/Ezekiel Elliott – The Pats may not win again this season, as shocking as that seems. They used both Matt Jones and Bailey Zappe in a race to who could throw the most interceptions (Jones won), but the rushing offense wasn’t a disaster. Stevenson (21-98, TD) and Elliott (9-46) were the only part of the offense that scored or gained much yardage. This week they play the Chargers which should benefit them again.
QB Tommy DeVito – He won his last two games and threw for 246 yards and three scores in Week 11. On Sunday, he passed for 191 yards and a touchdown. He also did what was thought impossible when he completed five passes to the rookie Jalin Hyatt, who gained 109 yards – the only 100-yard game by a Giants’ receiver this year.
WR Rashee Rice – The Chiefs desperately need a receiver not currently dating Taylor Swift to make a difference and Patrick Mahomes has already thrown passes to 12 wideouts. Rice has been the most consistent so far, logging around 50 yards and scoring in every other game. Versus the Raiders, he caught a season-best eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown – the first 100-yard game by a wide receiver. Justin Watson scored for the last two weeks but with minimal yardage. Week 12 was the first time it looked like the Chiefs had an actual No. 1 wideout.
WR Jakobi Meyers – While Aiden O’Connell has continued to throw to Davante Adams, he had failed to connect with Meyers for more than a few catches and minimal yardage. Against a very tough Chiefs secondary, Meyers led the Raiders with six catches for 79 yards and a score. That bodes well for when they return from their Week 13 bye to face the weak defenses of the Vikings and Chargers.
TE Pat Freiermuth – He returned from the back injury in Week 11 after spending six weeks on injured reserve but only caught one pass for seven yards at the Browns. Playing for the first time without OC Matt Canada, Freiermuth posted a career-high nine catches for 120 yards in the win over the Bengals. He only had 13 receptions on the year entering Sunday. The Bengals are weak against the position, but Freiermuth had double the production of any other receiver.
RB Keaton Mitchell – He led the Ravens in rushing with nine carries for 64 yards, plus caught both targets for 25 more yards. The Ravens are committed to their committee backfield, but Mitchell is still generating fantasy points even with the 11-touch workload. That was one more carry than Gus Edwards and three more than Justice Hill.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
RB Kyren Williams – He spent time on injured reserve with an ankle injury and the Rams said they would have him on a snap count in his first game back. That limitation ended up as 16 carries for 143 yards, plus six receptions for 61 yards with two touchdowns as the No. 1 running back for Week 12. Royce Freeman also ran for 77 yards and a score on 13 carries, so they didn’t give him a “full” workload, just one that helped his fantasy owners win their game – if they ignored what the Rams coaches said before the game.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
Check out these starts and sits in fantasy football for Week 12.
With Thanksgiving behind us, the battles in fantasy football for the final spots in the playoffs officially hit the home stretch.
Three games took place Thursday and another will take place Friday afternoon in the NFL’s first Black Friday game. No teams are on a bye, though we will be hit with another six teams getting the week off in Week 13.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
The offense stepped up in the games biggest moment
It was clear that rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was more prepared for his second start, unlike his debut against the Baltimore Ravens. He showed improvement overall for the Cleveland Browns, and the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers was good until the struggles of the second half were tough to watch. But give credit where credit is due as he stepped up in the biggest moment to lead a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, protected by the likes of guard Wyatt Teller and tackle Dawand Jones.
The offensive line had another good game and only allowed six quarterback pressures all day. It has been a different offensive line since the bye week as they continue to get the job done and help out whoever ends up playing quarterback for this team.
Kevin Stefanski’s offense has now had three different quarterbacks lead game-winning drives this season as he continues to make his case as the NFL coach of the year. Here are the top 10 performers on offense this week according to PFF.
