3 Browns players to watch in their Week 15 matchup with the Chiefs

The Cleveland Browns may be 3-10 and have been eliminated from playoff contention, but that does not necessarily mean they have nothing to play for. With a roster this expensive and full of talent, they need to carefully evaluate the players on the roster to determine who should and should not be here next season.

Cleveland faces an excellent test for this process as they will be taking on the two-time reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. This will provide the Browns the opportunity to see who can and cannot keep up with one of the best teams in the league and should result in having a much easier time in assessing the future core of their roster.

The following three players should have an eye kept on, as they could be key players for next year and beyond.

1. Jameis Winston

This one is obvious and, for that reason, is the first entry in this list. Jameis Winston has experienced extremely high highs and very low lows during his time as Cleveland's starter. This has resulted in plenty of conversations regarding his future with the Browns and whether he should remain with the team next year.

A good outing against the Chiefs could result in his time in Cleveland being extended beyond this season, while a bad one may see his time coming to an end.

Kansas City has allowed a 65.8 completion percentage and 227.6 yards per game through the air this season, which are both middle of the pack when compared to the rest of the league. While it is not the easiest matchup for Winston, it is more friendly than the 62.3 completion percentage and 218.6 yards per game allowed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

One other area to monitor is the big play, considering Winston's preference to take chances down the field. The Chiefs have allowed eight passing plays of 40 yards or more, which just so happens to be tied for the sixth-most in the league.

If Winston can catch Kansas City off guard a few times, the Browns may be more competitive in this game than most would expect, and it could even bode well for their chances of winning.

2. Nick Chubb

Nick Chubb is coming off one of his better outings since returning from last year's season-ending injury. With 48 yards on 11 carries and a long of 19, Chubb was able to show some flashes of the running back he used to be.

It's been a long way back for Chubb, and he may finally be able to be more of a contributor on the offensive side of the ball than he has for a good portion of his abbreviated season.

Read more: 2024 in Review: Browns' Defining Moments of the Year

It is going to be tough for Chubb to experience similar success against Kansas City's run defense. The Chiefs are allowing the third-fewest yards per game on the ground (88.3) and the second-fewest yards per carry (3.8).

While there is no doubting the stoutness of Kansas City's defensive front, a big factor in their impressive marks in these two areas can be tracked back to facing the fifth-fewest rushing attempts (306).

Whether some want to admit it or not, Chubb's future with this franchise beyond this season is in question. Chubb is on the wrong side of the generally accepted running back age threshold of 28 (Chubb will be 29 before the calendar year is over), suggesting that his declined performance this year is not solely due to last season's injury.

But if Chubb can defy the odds and have at least a solid outing against the Chiefs, his time in Cleveland may not be over when this season is up.

3. Elijah Moore

When it comes to wide receivers who have been more productive with Winston at quarterback, most of the attention has gone to Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, but they are not the only ones to benefit from Cleveland being forced to make a change at quarterback.

Elijah Moore has also seen his receiving numbers increase with Winston and could continue to do so against the Chiefs.

Like most others in Cleveland's pass-catching corps, it was a rough first seven games of the season for Moore. With Deshaun Watson at quarterback, Moore totaled just 22 receptions for 136 yards, with many questioning why he was on the team.

That all changed with Winston, as Moore would see his receiving numbers increase over the next six games with 31 receptions for 345 yards and one touchdown. Even though this is not as sharp as an uptick like Jeudy, Tillman, or even David Njoku, the increase in production is very noticeable and could be an indicator of future success as long as a competent quarterback is throwing him the ball.

Moore is set to become a free agent after the year, and it was widely accepted that his time in Cleveland would more than likely come to an end after the season. However, now that he is showing signs of being a productive pass-catcher, that may no longer be the case.

As everyone knows, Browns general manager Andrew Berry loves to double and triple down on players when given the chance to, even if the results aren't there yet. With Moore seemingly turning the corner, it would not be all that shocking for Cleveland to bring him back next year to see he can be a meaningful contributor for an entire season rather than half of one.

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