David Njoku Can Be a Fantasy Star With the Browns in 2025

The Cleveland Browns' offense currently may appear to be something of a mess. But the peculiar thing about dung heaps is that, while they may be messy, sometimes they can produce beautiful flowers. Heading into the 2025 season, tight end David Njoku may be one such bloom, and his current ADP makes him a player you should be targeting in your drafts over the next few weeks.

Click here for more 2025 Player Profiles!

DraftKings is giving ALL customers a can't-miss offer for Best Ball: Draft One, Get One! Enter a lineup in the $15 Million Best Ball Contest for just $20, and you'll score another Best Ball ticket to play FREE for a share of $15 million—giving you a second shot to win big!

Recent Production

2024 was not a banner year for the Browns in general, or Njoku specifically. But he was still able to contribute, both in real life and through a fantasy lens. Njoku played 11 games, and saw 97 targets - the second most of his career, which brought him 64 receptions, a figure he has only exceeded once. Njoku managed 505 yards at 45.9 yards per game, the second highest of his career. He also averaged 2.59 yards after catch per target, sixth-best among all qualifying tight ends. But his 5.2 yards per target average was the second lowest since entering the league in 2017.

Njoku was fair from blameless, committing seven drops according to PlayerProfiler, the most at the tight end position. But he didn’t exactly enjoy stellar quarterback play, with Njoku ranking 26th in Catchable Target Rating, with a mere 76.3% of his targets deemed catchable by PlayerProfiler. Njoku was not able to establish any real chemistry with any of the three passers who targeted him in 2024, with Deshaun Watson averaging 6.05 adjusted yards per attempt when looking for Njoku and Jameis Winston just 5.41.

These mixed results did not prevent him from performing well in fantasy circles. Njoku averaged 10.6 Half-PPR points per game in 2024, good for TE4 for the whole season (TE5 if you include Taysom Hill, but do we have to?) He has also been one of the most productive players at his position over the last three seasons. Between 2022 and 2024, Njoku ranks fourth in targets (299), fifth in receptions (203), and seventh in receiving yards (2,015). He has scored 15 touchdowns in that span, and is the TE5 in total Half-PPR formats (TE7 in points per game).

I believe we can trust him to keep the music playing, as he heads into a contract season, and one major reason for this confidence is the likely identity of the Browns' starting quarterback heading into the 2025 season.

The New Old Guy

Joe Flacco is back in town after a one-season stopover with the Indianapolis Colts. The Browns should never have let him leave after the 2023 season, and they moved to correct their error this offseason by signing him in free agency. Sources seem to believe that Flacco has the starting job to lose, and that should mean great things for Njoku.

During the past three seasons, in games that Flacco did not play, Njoku averaged 7.1 targets per game, converting these into 4.9 receptions and 45.5 yards for 8.9 Half-PPR points. When Flacco has been leading the offense, these numbers jump to 8.3, 5.5, 70.3, and 13.8. The Browns lead the NFL with 235 vacated targets from a year ago, but aside from Jerry Jeudy, they have not exactly loaded their roster with skilled competition for targets. Flacco is comfortable targeting tight ends in general and Njoku in particular, as evidenced by his 7.92 AYA when looking his way.

Prime Setting

The situation is set up for Flacco to take to the air and look for Njoku quite often. Sharp Football has the Browns with the second-hardest schedule in the league next season, meaning they will likely have to throw more than Kevin Stefanski would ideally like. Since taking over as head coach, Stefanski’s offense has the 24th highest pass rate in neutral game situations, passing 54% of the time. But when they have been down by at least seven points, this rate jumps to 64%. Still not great, but certainly an improvement. It’s noticeable that their pass rate, in the five games started by Flacco in 2023, was 64% overall.

Causes for Concern

There are, as always, reasons to check our optimism at the door for Njoku. The Browns' quarterback room is somewhat crowded at present. While Flacco might be the favourite to start the season, there is no guarantee he’ll finish it, especially if the Browns do struggle as expected. Stefanski might like to get a chance to evaluate Kenny Pickett, or rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shadeur Sanders, none of whom have any established chemistry with Njoku. The tired old myth that a tight end is a rookie quarterback’s best friend might not save his fantasy appeal.

We also cannot overlook the fact that Njoku is entering the last year of his current deal. While the contract year is seemingly undefeated, the Browns did take a step towards securing their tight end future in the draft. They spent a third-round pick on Harold Fannin out of Bowling Green, a ridiculously productive receiver in college football last year. Fannin led the entire FBS with 117 receptions and 1,555 yards in 2024, earning All-American honours in the process. With only Njoku and Jeudy for genuine company for targets (Diontae Johnson’s recent form does not make him a lock to make the 53-man roster), Fannin might be able to force his way into the lineup and the target rotation, eating into Njoku’s piece of the pie. But if we assume that Flacco wins the job, I like Njoku’s chances of seeing off Fannin for now.

Fantasy Outlook

Njoku’s current ADP makes him something of a bargain, given his recent production and chemistry with his quarterback. He is the TE12 on Underdog at the moment, quite a way off our ranking of him as the TE4. Njoku is going several rounds after Sam LaPorta, a player I like, but whose situation in his offense is not as agreeable as Njoku’s on the Browns. He also finds himself being taken after Evan Engram and Jonnu Smith, which I cannot understand.

Njoku does not have a ceiling to catapult himself into the overall TE1 discussion. But if he can stay healthy, he has more than enough to keep himself in the top-five conversation, and his current ADP makes this situation one to invest in.

The Bottom Line

• Njoku has been one of the most productive tight ends over the last three seasons, despite less-than-stellar quarterback play.

• Njoku is reunited with a quarterback who has shown a willingness to feed him the ball

• The Browns' schedule means that they should lean more on their passing game than ideally they would like.

• Njoku's ADP makes him a bargain, according to your rankings.