DAVID NJOKU NEWS

Likely to suit up Sunday Njoku (hamstring), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional-round game against the Chiefs, is expected to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Impact Confirmation on Njoku's availability is expected to arrive around 1:35 p.m. ET, when the Browns are slated to release their inactive list 90 minutes in advance of the game's kickoff. The Browns have consistently made use of three tight ends this season, but Njoku and Harrison Bryant both took a back seat to No. 1 option Austin Hooper in the wild-card win over the Steelers. Hooper played 90 percent of the offensive snaps in the victory and tallied seven receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets, while Bryant and Njoku combined for one target and played 33 and 31 percent of the snaps, respectively.

JANUARY 17, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Questionable for Sunday Njoku (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional-round playoff game against Kansas City, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Impact Njoku, who logged back-to-back DNPs Wednesday and Thursday, returned to a limited session Friday, which gives him a chance to suit up this weekend. However, with Austin Hooper clearly the Browns' top pass-catching tight end and Harrison Bryant also in the mix, Njoku isn't a high-percentage fantasy option these days.

JANUARY 15, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

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JANUARY 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Absent again Njoku (hamstring) won't practice Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Impact Back-to-back absences suggest the tight end is in some danger of missing Sunday's game at Kansas City. It wouldn't be too big a loss for the Cleveland offense, as Njoku played only 31 percent of snaps in the team's wild-card win over Pittsburgh, catching one pass for seven yards. Austin Hooper logged 90 percent of snaps and a team-high 11 targets, while rookie Harrison Bryant got 33 percent of snaps and zero targets. Bryant would be the favorite to pick up most of Njoku's vacated snaps.

JANUARY 14, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

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JANUARY 13, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Misses Wednesday's practice Njoku (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Impact While the extent and cause of Njoku's hamstring injury is unknown, he was unable to practice Wednesday. The tight end played in the wild-card win over Pittsburgh, where he caught his lone target for seven yards.

JANUARY 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Cleveland Browns Jack Conklin, B.J. Goodson and David Njoku Miss Practice to Start the Week Browns start the week with three players not practicing, including two starters.

JANUARY 13, 2021 • 247SPORTS.COM

Reduction in targets Sunday Njoku caught his lone target for seven yards in Sunday's 48-37 wild-card win over Pittsburgh.

Impact Njoku entered the game with an uptick in usage, having been targeted nine times between Weeks 16 and 17, but he was of little significance in the game plan Sunday. The return of Harrison Bryant contributed to Njoku's reduced usage, as did quarterback Baker Mayfield's continued reliance on primary tight end Austin Hooper, who received 11 looks in the win. Njoku and the Browns head to the AFC divisional round next Sunday to play the Chiefs, whose defense ceded the 28th-most yards to opposing tight ends (59.6 YPG) during the regular season.

JANUARY 11, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Season high in targets Njoku caught two of a season-high five targets for 13 yards in Sunday's 24-22 win over the Steelers.

Impact Njoku got extra attention Sunday -- including a pair of red-zone targets -- as Harrison Bryant (reserve/COVID-19) was unavailable for duty. It's rare that Njoku is on par with starter Austin Hooper, who also was targeted five times in the game that clinched a postseason berth for Cleveland. Bryant was first deemed a close contact of a person with the virus, but further testing revealed he also contracted it, which makes his status unclear heading into the wild-card round next weekend against Pittsburgh. If Bryant's not ready to go by then, Njoku will pick up additional playing time.

JANUARY 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

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DECEMBER 29, 2020 • DAWGPOUNDDAILY.COM

Season high in receptions Njoku caught a season-high four of four targets for 26 yards in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Jets.

Impact Njoku and the rest of the tight ends carried a larger share of targets with Cleveland's top four wideouts unavailable after being placed on the COVID-19 list. The Jets shut down the Browns' vaunted running attack, forcing quarterback Baker Mayfield to throw a season-high 53 times, including 26 targeted to tight ends. The wideouts, who are considered close contacts of a teammate that tested positive for the virus, could return in time to practice and be ready for Week 17 against the Steelers.

DECEMBER 28, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

One reception Week 15 Njoku caught his lone target for 22 yards during Sunday's win over the Giants.

Impact The 24-year-old played 48 percent of the offensive snaps but didn't find much involvement in the passing game. Njoku should continue to split time at tight end with Harrison Bryant and a now-healthy Austin Hooper (neck).

DECEMBER 23, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

David Njoku secures 22-yard catch on leaping collision Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku secures 22-yard catch on leaping collision.

DECEMBER 21, 2020 • NFL.COM

Clear to face Giants Njoku (knee) is active for Sunday night's game against the Giants, Jake Trotter of ESPN.com reports.

Impact A sudden practice absence Friday placed Njoku's Week 15 status in question, but coach Kevin Stefanski alleviated concerns by subsequently stating that he expected the 24-year-old to play. Having since supported his coach's intuition by clearing the injury report in time for kickoff, Njoku will look to build on a three-catch, 45-yard Week 14 performance against the Ravens. He'll get work at the tight end position alongside Harrison Bryant and Austin Hooper, the latter of whom gained clearance to play Sunday evening after being limited during the week with a neck injury.

DECEMBER 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

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DECEMBER 19, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Taking questionable tag into Sunday The Browns list Njoku as questionable for Sunday's game against the Giants due to a knee injury, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Impact Njoku didn't appear on either of the Browns' first two Week 15 practice reports, but he was added Friday after the knee issue kept him out of the team session. Fortunately, Njoku isn't believed to be dealing with any significant setback, as head coach Kevin Stefanski said after practice that he expects the 24-year-old to suit up this weekend, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Meanwhile, top tight end Austin Hooper (neck) is also listed as questionable, so Njoku and Harrison Bryant could take on more snaps in the event Hooper is ultimately forced to miss a second straight game.

DECEMBER 18, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Has season-high targets Njoku caught three of a season-high four targets for 45 yards in Monday's 47-42 loss to Baltimore.

Impact Njoku was added to the starting lineup along with Harrison Bryant as Austin Hooper (neck) was inactive. The Browns threw more than usual Monday, and the tight end position combined for 10 targets, the most since Week 7 against Pittsburgh. When all three tight ends are healthy, a typical week has Hooper gobbling up the majority of snaps and targets. His neck injury is not considered serious, so he could return Week 15 against the Giants on Sunday night.

DECEMBER 15, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

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DECEMBER 15, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

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DECEMBER 7, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Targeted once in win Njoku caught his lone target for five yards in Sunday's 41-35 win over Tennessee.

Impact Njoku, who had one of three tight end targets Sunday, has been targeted just twice over the last four games. His involvement in the offense has taken a hit since Austin Hooper returned from an appendectomy, with Sunday's reception being his first since Week 8. The Browns face the Ravens in Week 14, an opponent that ranks 21st in yards allowed per game to tight ends, but if there's a Cleveland tight to consider, it's Hooper and not Njoku.

DECEMBER 7, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Untargeted in win Njoku played 40 snaps and was not targeted in Sunday's 27-25 win over Jacksonville.

Impact Njoku, who has not caught a pass since Week 8, went untargeted for the second time in the last three weeks. He and Harrison Bryant have become afterthoughts, combining for just three targets in the last three games while starter Austin Hooper had nine. The return of Nick Chubb has turned Cleveland into a run-heavy team and squeezed targeting opportunities for the entire tight end position group.

NOVEMBER 30, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

One target in win Njoku failed to catch his lone target in Sunday's 22-17 win over Philadelphia.

Impact Njoku had an uptick in his snap count (34, 51 percent), as he and fellow tight end Harrison Bryant (39, 58 percent) helped cover for the loss of fullback Andy Janovich, but the duo combined for only one target. For the past two games, Cleveland has run the ball nearly twice as much as it has thrown it, which has shrunk the targets for all receivers. Lead tight end Austin Hooper had seven of the eight tight-end targets in those two games. Additionally, quarterback Baker Mayfield has not thrown a touchdown pass since Week 7, so Cleveland receivers need to build up yards to have any fantasy value.

NOVEMBER 23, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Untargeted in win Njoku was not targeted in Sunday's 10-7 win over Houston.

Impact Cleveland tight ends were targeted twice on a weather-impacted day on the shores of Lake Erie, both went to lead tight end Austin Hooper. Neither Njoku nor Harrison Bryant were given any looks on a day when the Browns ran twice as much they threw the ball. The Browns' strength is running the ball, something that should continue as the weather gets colder, which could limit targets for all receivers. Njoku has just 13 targets over six games with eight catches, 102 yards and two touchdowns.

NOVEMBER 16, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Cleveland Browns News: David Njoku will finish 2020 with Browns Daily Dawg Tags bring you all the Cleveland Browns news you need to know Before the 2020 season began, the Cleveland Browns said they had pl...

NOVEMBER 4, 2020 • DAWGPOUNDDAILY.COM

Stays put at deadline Njoku, who told the Browns he would like to be traded ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, ultimately stayed put in Cleveland, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Impact Njoku first requested a trade in July before rescinding the demand in August, but he since told Cabot in October that he would be open to a change of scenery. The Browns had no intention of trading him, however, and no serious discussions with other teams occurred prior to the deadline. Instead of potentially becoming a lead tight end with another team, Njoku remains part of the three-man rotation that includes Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant. Njoku, who has missed three games with a sprained knee, has eight catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns with only one drop on the campaign.

NOVEMBER 4, 2020 • ROTOWIRE