The 2024 NFL Season is rapidly approaching. The season kicks off on Thursday, September 5 and every day through Monday, September 2 we’ll be going team-by-team as we preview the new season. Be sure to come back here every afternoon as we look at a new team and get your ready for the 2024 season. We’ll cover off-season changes, the fantasy prospects, and the prediction for how the team will fare this season.

The 2023 Cleveland Browns were a fun team thanks in part to the defense and a timely veteran performance. For the second year in a row the Browns only got six games out of starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, but in 2023 it didn’t matter. The Browns’ stout defense kept them in games and veteran Joe Flacco answered the call down the stretch for a team that won 11 games and made the playoffs. Flacco even earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors, but the dream season for the Browns crashed back to reality with a Wild Card loss to the Texans. Now, with Watson back, can the team finally make a move in the crowded AFC? Let’s preview the Browns.

Off-Season Changes

Flacco departed this off-season, taking a similar position behind Anthony Richardson for the Colts. But the Browns didn’t wait long to come up with an answer, signing former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston and former Ravens’ signal caller Tyler Huntley to provide depth in the quarterback room. The Browns added running back depth with Nyhiem Hines and D’Onta Foreman, while adding linebacker depth with Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush.

In the draft, the Browns focused on the trenches. The team spent a Second-Round pick on defensive tackle Michael Hall and a Third-Round pick on guard Zak Zinter. But the biggest off-season acquisition was a trade that landed the team wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, formerly of the Denver Broncos. In four years in Denver, Jeudy caught 211 passes for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns. He gives Watson another big weapon.

Fantasy Prospects

This begins with questions at quarterback and running back. First is quarterback. Watson is the starter—his massive, guaranteed contract confirms that. But due to injuries and off-field issues, the Browns have gotten just 12 starts from Watson in two years. Can he be more available—and more successful—in in 2024? That’s the question. The Browns hedged their bets with a couple experienced backups, but the hope is Watson is available and productive. I’m cautiously optimistic, viewing him as a mid-to-low end QB2. The Browns are still a run-first team, but Watson looked solid at times in the games he played in 2023.

In the backfield, the Browns return Nick Chubb, but he’s coming off a major knee injury. He started camp on the PUP list and may be out early in the season. Jerome Ford—who led the backfield and finished as RB16 in 2023—is still around. He figures to be the lead until Chubb is ready and a contributor afterward. I have him in the RB3/4 range for the season, with Chubb ending up a high-end RB3 or RB2. Foreman is depth and insurance, while Hines figures to be more of a Special Teams presence.

Among receivers, the lead is still Amari Cooper. Cooper is an under-rated receiver who finished as WR20 in 2023. He’s still the No. 1 option and I like him as a WR2. Jeudy joins a group that includes Elijah Moore and tight end David Njoku. The tight end was solid in 2023, finishing as TE6. I still like Njoku as the No. 2 option in the passing offense, with Jeudy and Moore competing for targets and likely frustrating fantasy players at time. I don’t think either finishes higher than a WR5.

Prediction

The Browns still have a good defense and some good pieces on offense. The AFC North is a loaded division and I think all four teams could finish above .500 this season. So, where does that leave the Browns? I think they’ll win nine or 10 games and be in the mix for the playoffs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they fall just short.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.