At the start of the 2026 season, the Cleveland Browns had two skill position players firmly on the fantasy football radar in running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
It might be time to add rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston to that list, but for the most part, this Browns offense under Todd Monken is one to fade most weeks in fantasy.
Cleveland will kick off Week 4 with a home Thursday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and fantasy points in that matchup could be tough to come by. The projected point total for the game has been set at around 38 total points.
AFC North matchups tend to be ugly, and Browns-Steelers on Thursday likely won’t be the exception to that rule. Both teams are 2-1 while ranking among the NFL’s bottom eight teams in average points per game.
The two Browns matchups for fantasy managers to target in this one are crystal clear, but there are a few landmines that should definitely be avoided.
Harold Fannin Jr. and the Browns defense headline Cleveland's best Week 4 fantasy plays
Harold Fannin Jr. - TE
Quarterback Deshaun Watson was pressured on 54% of his dropbacks in Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers, which often left him running for his life and making plays on the run. More often than not, when a play breaks down, Watson is finding the instinctive Fannin as a safety net.
Fannin has seen 15 targets over the Browns’ past two games and just scored two touchdowns against the Panthers.
The Steelers seem like a tough matchup against tight ends on paper, as they blanked Kyle Pitts in Week 1 and limited Hunter Henry to three catches for 40 scoreless yards in Week 2. Joe Burrow found Mike Gesicki for 37 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh on Sunday, and there should be points to be had on Thursday night.
Watson’s propensity to extend plays against the Steelers’ zone-heavy scheme should lead to plenty of opportunity for Fannin in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field.
Verdict: Start Fannin with confidence.
Cleveland Browns DST
The Browns defense feels like one of the savviest waiver pickups of the week. Thursday’s matchup with the 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers at home is extremely favorable, and the Browns get the New York Jets in Week 5 off a mini bye week.
Cleveland just shut down a good Carolina passing game without starting cornerback Tyson Campbell. Monken told reporters on Tuesday that he believes Campbell has a good chance to play.
The Steelers are expected to be without running back Rico Dowdle in this game, and Rodgers and the passing game was atrocious while facing constant pressure against the Patriots on the road in Week 2. The Browns should be able to spin the dial and keep this Steelers offense in a box on Thursday night.
Verdict: Cleveland’s defense is a top-10 fantasy play this week and probably will be again in Week 5 against Geno Smith.
Quinshon Judkins - RB
The Browns’ rushing attack improved against the Panthers’ 32nd-ranked defense, but it still left plenty to be desired. Judkins finished with 70 scoreless rushing yards on 18 attempts.
Judkins’ breakout game is likely coming, but Thursday doesn’t feel like the spot. Pittsburgh can be susceptible to running backs in the passing game, but Judkins hasn’t been much of a factor in that area. He has nine catches on nine targets for 53 total yards in three games.
The Steelers’ front held Falcons superstar Bijan Robinson to 83 scoreless yards on 21 attempts in Week 1. They just held the Bengals’ Chase Brown to 61 scoreless yards on 13 carries.
Verdict: Judkins will be a touchdown-dependent flex play who’s probably better left on the bench against the Steelers. Cleveland’s whole operation, starting with the offensive line, has been poor, and it’s hard to see it coming alive against Cam Heyward and company.
Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion - WRs
Watson has been better than expected, especially over the Browns’ last two games, but he’s still not threatening teams deep. That makes Pittsburgh a tough matchup, as the Steelers are going to sit in a zone with eyes on the quarterback and rally to the dink-and-dunk passing game.
Boston and Concepcion are awesome receivers who should be slam-dunk fantasy assets at some point. But Watson only completed four passes to wide receivers in Week 3 — and that was with Concepcion seeing nine targets.
Verdict: Avoid all Browns pass catchers outside of Fannin against the Steelers.
Deshaun Watson - QB
Is it time to fire up the fantasy QB12 in Week 4?
Absolutely not.
Watson’s legs have been a factor. His 105 rushing yards rank third among quarterbacks behind Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Caleb Williams. He’s also not turning the football over, which is keeping the Browns in games.
But although Watson has led a pair of game-winning touchdown drives in consecutive weeks, and the Steelers just got shredded by Joe Burrow for 282 yards and three touchdowns, this isn’t the week to take a dart throw on Watson in season-long formats.
The Browns’ offense has struggled more often than not. It ranks 28th in passing, 29th in rushing, and is among the league leaders in penalties. Nothing about facing the Steelers makes this matchup enticing.
Verdict: Sit in all formats outside of same-game formats.
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