BROWNS 27, STEELERS 24 — THURSDAY NIGHT FANTASY RECAP
Cleveland won 27–24 on Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining.
FANTASY WINNERS
Aaron Rodgers, Steelers
299 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
Strong fantasy production despite the loss, especially in 2-QB and superflex leagues.
The downside: Cleveland got constant pressure, sacking him five times and forcing mistakes.
Verdict: Still a viable QB2, but matchup-dependent in standard 1-QB formats.
Deshaun Watson, Browns
268 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Led the late drive that set up the winning field goal.
Serviceable, but not a major fantasy breakout.
Verdict: QB2/streamer range; better real-life finish than fantasy line.
Quinshon Judkins, Browns
Rushing touchdown
Found the end zone, but Cleveland’s rushing workload was not fully his.
Verdict: Keep starting as an RB2/flex based on touchdown potential, but do not assume workhorse usage yet.
Harold Fannin Jr., Browns
Caught a touchdown from Watson
Continued to show up in Cleveland’s passing game and is becoming a player to monitor closely at tight end.
Verdict: Worth adding in deeper leagues and TE-premium formats; viable streaming consideration if targets remain steady.
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
Caught a fourth-quarter touchdown
Helpful night for managers, particularly because Pittsburgh looked to the tight end near the goal line.
Verdict: Low-end TE1/high-end streamer, but touchdown dependence remains a concern.
Darnell Washington, Steelers
Caught a touchdown during Pittsburgh’s fourth-quarter comeback
His involvement makes Pittsburgh’s tight-end room more difficult to trust weekly.
Verdict: Deep-league stash only unless his routes and targets rise.
DK Metcalf, Steelers
Came up with a key late catch to help Pittsburgh reach scoring position.
The Steelers showed they will look his way in critical moments.
Verdict: Keep starting him as a WR2/flex, but check target totals before treating this as a major upgrade.
BACKFIELD WATCH
Cleveland used more than one back near the goal line.
Quinshon Judkins scored.
Jaleel McLaughlin also scored.
The touchdowns make Judkins the more attractive long-term option, but McLaughlin’s score confirms this is not a completely clean one-back backfield.
WAIVER/WATCH LIST
ADD OR PRIORITIZE
Harold Fannin Jr. — Tight-end upside is worth chasing if the role continues.
Browns D/ST — Five sacks and three takeaways show legitimate weekly upside against favorable opponents.
HOLD
Quinshon Judkins — RB2/flex with touchdown upside.
Aaron Rodgers — Strong superflex/2-QB option; streamer in 1-QB leagues.
Pat Freiermuth — Usable tight-end streamer, especially in touchdown-friendly matchups.
DO NOT OVERREACT
Jaleel McLaughlin — Touchdown was encouraging, but one game does not make him a weekly starter.
Darnell Washington — The TD was useful, but shared tight-end usage creates volatility.
BOTTOM LINE
Rodgers delivered the biggest fantasy performance with 299 yards and three scores, while Judkins and Fannin were Cleveland’s most useful fantasy developments. The Browns’ backfield remains somewhat split, Pittsburgh’s tight ends are difficult to project, and Cleveland’s defense continues to be a matchup-based starting option after producing five sacks and three takeaways.
