The Cleveland Browns may have found a steal in the 2025 NFL Draft.
While the team left its Week 1 home opener against the division rival Cincinnati Bengals with a disappointing 17-16 loss, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was a bright spot, sparking hope for his future.
Fannin Quickly Emerges as Reliable Offensive Weapon
The 2025 third-rounder led the Browns in targets against the Bengals (nine) and ended the game with seven receptions for 63 yards.
Per NFL Pro data, Fannin averaged 2.1 yards per route run, the most among eight tight ends with at least 30 routes in Week 1, while also posting a completion rate 5.7 percentage points over expected.
The Browns used Fannin in a multitude of ways, with him taking 16 snaps in the slot and six out wide. He even saw backfield alignment on four occasions, including once as a wildcat quarterback. (h/t Pro Football Focus)
Fannin's quick NFL start shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with his time in college at Bowling Green. Last season, Fannin had 117 receptions for 1,555 yards, the most by a tight end in FBS history, and 10 touchdowns.
His production wasn't strictly the byproduct of playing predominantly mid-majors. Fannin had two of his best games against power conference competition, combining for 19 receptions, 282 yards, and two touchdowns in games against Penn State and Texas A&M.
Fannin's playmaking ability led to an evolved Browns offense in Week 1. While he saw more action in the passing game than veteran tight end David Njoku, who had three receptions on six targets for 37 yards, both got significant playing time.
According to NFL Pro, Cleveland used a two-tight end set (12 personnel) on 50.7 percent of its offensive snaps, compared to 16.5 percent in 2024.
While Njoku's status beyond 2025 is uncertain, his presence this season should give the Browns exploitable matchups going forward.
Both Fannin and Njoku have the speed to beat slower linebackers and the size to go against corners. Even if defenses put their best coverage linebacker or top slot corner on one of Cleveland's two tight end options, the other should feast.
After managing just 16 points in their opener, the Browns have questions about their offense. But even with Sunday's loss, Cleveland's tight-end room appears to be a position of strength.