Only seven of the Cleveland Browns’ 10 rookie draft picks suited up for Saturday’s preseason opener at Chicago, for various reasons. Cleveland’s top selections not only played, but boosted their respective stock significantly entering a pivotal final full week of training camp with the Buffalo Bills coming to Berea for a joint practice.
The rookies further down Cleveland’s 2026 draft board, though, are mostly trending in the wrong direction.
It’s early, but there was plenty to glean from the Browns’ ugly 34-10 loss to the Bears at Soldier Field. Here’s who’s trending up and who’s becoming a concern among Cleveland’s rookies entering Bills week.
Where every top Browns rookie stands after Week 1 of the preseason
Spencer Fano, LT
Head coach Todd Monken emphatically told reporters that Fano had pulled away from veteran Dawand Jones for the starting left tackle job. Fano’s first preseason reps showed why.
Fano was excellent in pass protection, rarely getting pushed back at the point of attack. In 13 true pass-blocking sets, he allowed no sacks, two pressures, and one QB hit, per Pro Football Focus.
It was an impressive debut considering all the moving parts that come with a first preseason game. It was also telling that Monken wanted to give quarterback Deshaun Watson the entire first half, and when he began subbing backup offensive linemen into the game after Cleveland’s second offensive series, Fano remained at left tackle as Watson’s main protector.
Verdict: Stock up
KC Concepcion, WR
If there was one star of the Browns’ preseason opener, it was Concepcion, whose speed and playmaking ability were on full display both as a punt returner and receiver. Cleveland’s best offensive play was a fly sweep that Concepcion turned into a 14-yard rushing touchdown, showing elite contact balance and instincts to keep his body off the turf and find the front pylon.
Concepcion had a quiet start to Cleveland’s offseason program, but his play style was always going to translate best in fully-padded practices and real game action. He might have been the NFL’s most impressive rookie wide receiver in Week 1 of the preseason.
Verdict: Stock soaring
Denzel Boston, WR
Boston’s offseason has been almost the opposite of Concepcion’s. He’s been the talk of spring OTAs and training camp, proving to be a mismatch for the Browns’ banged up secondary during competitive practice periods. He gave fans a glimpse of that on Saturday when he hauled in a contested catch along the sideline from Watson and gained another 5-plus yards after the catch as he bounced off Bears defenders.
The big contrast between Boston and Concepcion is that it’s going to be easier to get the later receiver his touches when the games start being played on Sundays again. Boston saw two targets against the Bears. Concepcion had four targets and a rushing attempt.
As long as Boston continues to show up when his number is called, the Browns’ wide receiver group will be in excellent shape this year.
Verdict: Stock up
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S
Browns fans want to believe that McNeil-Warren, the standout Toledo product, will be an impact contributor on defense from Day 1. The Bears game should be the first hint that some patience is required.
Cleveland is clearly still figuring out how to best deploy the tantalizing rookie, and he’ll have to show more in pass coverage to justify using three safeties on the field. Per PFF, he was torched by Bears backups on Saturday, surrendering a team-high 57 yards after the catch and a touchdown in coverage.
That’s just one analyst’s take on his performance, but McNeil-Warren played a number of his snaps in the second half on Saturday. He’s been coming on in camp and has special instincts on the football field. He just may need more time than the three Browns rookies taken ahead of him in the draft.
Verdict: Stock neutral
Austin Barber, RT
While Fano’s stock rose significantly in his preseason debut, Barber, the Browns’ third-round draft pick, had a rough outing. He was beaten badly by Chicago’s Jamree Kromah, an undrafted rookie out of James Madison, on a fourth-and-2 play that led to a Watson strip sack. Kromah applied the initial pressure and wound up recovering the fumble.
Barber also got banged up in the game, though he was able to play through it. Monken has been searching for his best offensive line combination, and Saturday may have been our first glimpse as to why Barber never really got a crack at right guard. He feels like a work in progress at this point.
Verdict: Stock down
Parker Brailsford, C
Brailsford missed Saturday’s game with a right wrist injury that has also forced him to miss the majority of training camp. His absence has allowed veteran Luke Wypler to mix in with the first unit and gain some confidence. This is looking like a redshirt year for Brailsford.
Verdict: Stock down
Justin Jefferson, LB
There are depth jobs to be had at linebacker in Cleveland, but Jefferson hasn’t been able to seriously challenge for a role on defense. He played 38 defensive snaps against Chicago and struggled in pass coverage. He was PFF’s third-worst graded Browns defender in the game.
Jefferson’s path to the 53-man roster is on special teams. He was second on the team with 13 snaps in that department on Saturday. But, per PFF, he struggled there too, ranking near the bottom of the team’s specialists with a missed tackle.
It’s becoming increasingly hard to envision a core role for Jefferson on this team.
Verdict: Stock down
Joe Royer, TE
Royer has missed the first 13 days of training camp (and counting) while tending to an undisclosed personal issue, and he didn’t make the trip to Chicago.
Cleveland’s situation at tight end behind Harold Fannin is so dire that the team could justify carrying Royer on the roster simply for his upside. But when you were the 15th overall tight end taken in the draft, you’re not guaranteed a roster spot. Royer has missed so much valuable time at this point that it’s hard to see him making the initial active roster.
Verdict: Stock down
Taylen Green, QB
Green was a healthy scratch against the Bears, and Monken hinted at that being the case again in preseason Week 2. The Browns selected Green with the very first pick of the sixth round, but his lack of meaningful reps since the team’s rookie minicamp in May is becoming a concern.
We might finally see Green take some preseason snaps in Week 3 against the Patriots, but he’s so clearly behind Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart that the practice squad may be his most likely path to sticking in Cleveland.
Verdict: Stock down
Carsen Ryan, TE
With veteran fullback Michael Burton down with an injury and Royer away from the team, Ryan had a significant opportunity to show the coaching staff that he deserves a roster spot on Saturday. The seventh-round pick played 30 total snaps on offense and another seven on special teams against the Bears.
Ryan caught one of his two targets for a six-yard gain, but his best chance at making the team is as a blocker. He seemed to hold up fine in that department. His rising stock may be more circumstance than performance at this point, but the arrow is pointing up on the BYU product.
Verdict: Stock up
Logan Fano, DE
The Browns made Logan Fano, who’s the older brother of Spencer, a priority undrafted free agent signing, landing him thanks to a $35,000 signing bonus with $310,000 in total guarantees. But the elder Fano has had a quiet start to camp, and he’s struggling to separate from fellow UDFA Khordae Sydnor.
Sydnor made the most of his opportunities on Saturday, recording a sack and two run stuffs while also faring well on special teams. The Browns' investment should keep Fano in the mix, but the pressure’s rising on him to make some plays this week against the Bills.
Verdict: Stock down
Michael Coats Jr., CB
There was some initial buzz around Coats due to his smaller size as an ideal fit at the nickelback spot, but Myles Harden locked that job down early in camp. Coats has been a surprising riser at outside cornerback, which is a glaring area of need right now for the Browns behind starters Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell.
If Coats is in a head-to-head battle with fellow UDFA Nate Evans, he just took the lead. He had a nice pass breakup on third down in Browns territory in the first half, and later made a diving interception off Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent.
Coats came out of the game with an ankle injury, but Monken expects the West Virginia product to be back on the practice field this week. That’s good news for Coats’ chances of making the team.
Verdict: Stock up
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