Players to watch as Cleveland Browns host Chargers in Week 5

These players will be key for the Cleveland Browns against the Chargers in Week 5

We are fast approaching the Cleveland Browns game against the Los Angeles Chargers and both teams have 2-2 records. While that’s true, the Browns lost their last game to the Falcons that they probably should have won while the Chargers got back in the win column with an impressive win over the Houston Texans. Thus, this game feels like one where teams are headed in opposite directions.

For the Browns, they’ll need some good production from many players on both sides of the ball, but these next three players will need to stand out for the team to have a chance.

3 Cleveland Browns players to watch in Week 5

No. 1: David Njoku, TE

Last season when David Njoku went against the Chargers, he had the best game of his career. He caught seven passes for 149 yards which included a 71-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter of that game. Njoku is slowly becoming more of a centerpiece in this Cleveland offense. In the first two games of the season, he only caught four passes for 39 yards. but in the last two games, he’s caught 14 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown.

Jacoby Brissett has certainly tried to involve him more and that’s a good thing for the Browns’ offense. There will likely be many plays on Sunday that Njoku gets a chance to add to his good start on the season.

He already has 201 yards through four games. His best season was back in 2018 when he gathered 56 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns. Njoku is well on his way to surpassing those numbers this season if he can stay healthy.

No. 2: Greedy Williams, CB

Greedy Williams is hopeful he can return to action on Sunday after being sidelined over the last month with a hamstring injury. He’s had a history of injuries in his career but had a productive full season a year ago.

Now the Cleveland secondary is looking for a spark after they’ve had a rather rough start to the year. The group has given up multiple big pass plays so far, especially late in games. Williams had two fourth-quarter interceptions last season so maybe he’ll be able to duplicate those efforts.

The Browns have been playing rookie cornerback Martin Emerson and he’s had his share of good and bad plays. Williams might be able to provide a bit more of that veteran presence and help calm the anxiety that is coming out of the secondary.

There was a time after Williams was drafted in 2019 by Cleveland that he’d be the next defensive star opposite teammate cornerback Denzel Ward but that never came to pass. Instead, Williams lost out on the 2020 season with a serious shoulder injury.

No. 3: Amari Cooper, WR

Will Amari Cooper be able to get back to being a prime target in the offense? He had a nice stretch in weeks 2 and 3 where he went for over 100 yards receiving in each game, but then the Falcons were able to stop Cooper from doing much of anything this past week. Going from 100 yards down to only one reception for nine yards is certainly not showing consistency and this part of the offense needs to be corrected.

Brissett will likely try to target Cooper a few times early in this one. If we see that working from the start, Cooper should have a big game.

The wide receiver room got some good play by Donovan Peoples-Jones and David Bell last week when Cooper was taken out of the game, so even with Cooper’s limitations, the Browns still were able to move the ball. But, in the end, getting Cooper involved early and often would be a great sign pointing in the winning column way.

3 big storylines for the Browns against the Chargers

The Browns will look to get back on track in Week 5 against the Chargers. Here are the three big storylines heading into the game.