Marquis Brown, Keenan Allen and Quinton Johnston headline Week 1 waiver targets for rest-of-season value, with Cleveland options Cedric Tilman and Harold Fannon Jr. offering strong late-round appeal. Amari Cooper and David Njoku anchor the Browns’ pass game as they face a brutal upcoming schedule, while Darnell Mooney could fill a short-term gap if Drake London misses time. Fab strategy emphasizes volume and opportunity over hype in standard leagues.

The conversation leans toward volume over rookies in shallow formats, advising cautious fab spending on young players like Johnston unless your roster can handle a longer leash. In tight-end land, Fannon and Juwan Johnson present upside as backsides to KD’s return, while Tilman and Cooper provide solid floor plays for the Browns’ pass-heavy plans through Weeks ahead.

George Kittle’s hamstring injury elevates tight ends in the short term as waiver wires heat up. Harold Fannon’s debut role in Cleveland signals a chess-piece upgrade that could trim David Njoku’s target share, while Browns’ usage hints at two-TE sets benefiting both rookies and vets. Michael Mayer, Brenton Strange and Brock Bowers emerge as credible late-round targets in deeper rosters, with Jawan Johnson offering Saints upside. Xavier Worthy’s Chiefs exposure and Baltimore’s TE struggles add week-to-week intrigue.

Week 1’s TE landscape screams shifting priorities: play the matchups and ride the hot hands, especially in leagues with multiple tight ends. The chatter points fantasy players toward streamable options like Mayer/Strange in deeper formats and opportunistic pickups in the 2-TE stacks seen around the league. Monitor injury timelines and snap shares to time waivers and trades for week 2 and beyond.

Joe Flacco’s return to the Browns’ Week 1 starter role injects a vintage-flare into Cleveland’s fantasy upside. In a five-game stint a few years back, Flacco averaged 40+ pass attempts per game and eclipsed 320 yards on multiple occasions, delivering roughly 16 fantasy points per contest. If he holds the job, the Browns’ pass game—particularly targeting Njoku and Tilman—could surge early as the timing and risk tolerance of the offense lean into the veteran arm.

Cedric Tilman secures a larger stage as the offense reopens around Flacco, while David Njoku and Jerry Jeudy become prime targets in this reshaped air attack. Tilman’s gunslinger-adjacent style and Njoku’s steady red-zone role create a favorable floor for Browns pass-catchers, provided Flacco maintains starter duties. The Browns’ Week 1 outlook hinges on Flacco’s rhythm and the utilization of Tilman and Njoku, who could anchor fantasy lineups in this new era.

The discussion underscores lineup pivots: monitor Flacco’s status, expect Njoku to benefit from the veteran’s presence, and watch Tilman emerge as a breakout candidate if the offense stays aggressive. With Flacco under center, Cleveland’s receivers gain a tangible ceiling, especially in games that demand passing volume or when game flow leans toward air-heavy play.

Trey McBride ascends into fantasy focus as a potential TE1 candidate after a breakout effort last season that saw him lead tight ends in targets near the goal line and inside the red zone, yet finish with only two touchdowns. The Cardinals targeted him heavily in scoring positions, a trend that could carry into 2025 if QB play stabilizes and the red zone offense becomes more efficient. The episode highlights McBride’s path to sustained volume, while also noting the surrounding Arizona offense as a potential site for growth rather than a pure TD desert.

David Njoku stands out in the Browns’ passing game with a big red-zone footprint. In five Flacco starts in 2023, Njoku posted a 22.5% target share and averaged 18.2 fantasy points per game, buoyed by 5 end-zone targets. The conversation flags Njoku as a centerpiece of Cleveland’s aerial attack if the offense can sustain drive volume, presenting a compelling ceiling for fantasy managers who chase steady week-to-week points or streaming TE upside.

Joe Flacco’s role is framed as a volume driver for the Browns, with the quarterback carousel looming but a realistic floor of volume for Njoku and Amari Cooper. The discussion also touches on Ja’Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle as high-floor stars, plus CeeDee Lamb and AJ Brown anchoring elite WR rooms. A playful locker-wall moment with McBride and a Baker Mayfield cameo add color while underscoring the fantasy-vs-reality balance that drives draft strategy and weekly start decisions.