To say the Cleveland Browns’ offense is a work-in-progress would be an understatement. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be fun to watch in 2026. Andrew Berry and the rest of the front office have done a fantastic job of adding young talent to the unit, especially at the skill positions.
The hope is that KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Quinshon Judkins, and Isaiah Bond can be the foundation of a solid offense for Cleveland for the next several years. Of course, they still need to find a quarterback, but there is more young talent on that side of the ball than ever.
But the Browns' best offensive player is undeniable. It’s Harold Fannin Jr., and there might not be a close second. The former Bowling Green star was amazing during his rookie season, and if it weren’t for a persistent groin injury, he could have been a Pro Bowler in the AFC. Every time the Browns called his number, he delivered.
Fannin was among the most clutch pass catchers in the NFL last season
In a recent article by Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about the best pass catchers under pressure last season. That list included several elite receivers, such as Puka Nacua, Mike Evans, and Davante Adams.
The list also included Fannin, who had the second-best passer rating when targeted under pressure in the NFL last season. Here is a snippet of what the site had to say about the young superstar tight end in Cleveland:
“Even a revolving door at quarterback couldn’t slow down the first-year tight end. Fannin broke multiple franchise rookie records catching passes from veteran Joe Flacco and a pair of fellow rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Maybe equally as impressive under the circumstances is the fact Fannin also tied for the NFL lead with 28 receptions when the defense generated pressure.”
Fannin earned 107 targets last season with the Browns, but that number should increase significantly in 2026. Todd Monken has a long history of success with tight ends, and you don’t need to look much further than what he did with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely in Baltimore.
With David Njoku off to Los Angeles to play with the Chargers, Fannin is the clear-cut TE1 on this roster going into the season. Not only that, but he is also clearly their best weapon in the passing game. Monken and the rest of the coaches on offense would be wise to funnel targets to him, especially if they can do so more down the field in 2026.
The hope is that the offensive line will take a big enough step forward so that they can get Fannin more involved down the field. And if that’s the case, there is no reason why he couldn’t surpass 1,000 receiving yards in 2026. He clearly has the talent and has proven that he can be trusted in high-leverage situations.
Look for Fannin to be given even more opportunities this season, especially with how well he performed on high-pressure downs last year.
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