Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will miss Thursday's Week 7 game against the Denver Broncos because of a shoulder injury. Case Keenum will start in his place.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced the news Wednesday.

"Case Keenum will be our starter tomorrow night and we have full confidence in him to lead us and do the things necessary to put us in position to win," Stefanski said. "Baker fought really hard to play, he's a competitor and obviously wants to be out there but just couldn't make it on a short week. We know he will continue to do everything in his power to return as quickly as possible."

Mayfield, 26, has been playing through a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury he suffered during the Week 2 win over the Houston Texans. He was briefly forced to leave the team's Week 6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals for evaluation of the non-throwing shoulder after a hit but later returned.

"Feels like s--t," he told reporters after the Cardinals game.

Mayfield opened the year without having missed any games because of injury since entering the Browns' starting lineup in Week 3 of his rookie season.

The 2018 first overall pick has completed 67.1 percent of his throws for 1,474 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions in six appearances in 2021.

Keenum, 33, gets the first crack at taking over the Cleveland offense. His last start came in 2019 with the Washington Football Team. Nick Mullens will likely be called up from the practice squad to fill the backup role.

The Browns came into the season with Super Bowl expectations after reaching the divisional round of the playoffs last year. It's hard to imagine the squad makes that type of postseason run if Mayfield isn't full strength by year's end.

The Cleveland Browns backfield will see changes after running back Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb were both ruled out for Thursday's game against the Denver Broncos. 

Let's check out the fantasy football impacts on the Browns' other rushers this week.

D'Ernest Johnson

No other members of the Browns backfield have been heavily involved this season since Chubb and Hunt combine to handle a lion's share of the snaps.

D'Ernest Johnson showed promise in 2020 when he averaged 5.0 yards per carry across 33 attempts. It's a small sample size, but he's shown a skill set similar to Chubb in attacking holes at the line of scrimmage without much wasted movement.

The 25-year-old should take over as the primary back on early downs and in short-yardage situations. That could give him the chance to score an occasional touchdown, but it would be hard to recommend him as a fantasy starter beyond this week. 

Demetric Felton

Demetric Felton could be worth a flier in PPR leagues that also reward points for return touchdowns. He's received some work on passing downs while serving as Cleveland's chief punt returner and sharing kickoff return duties with Anthony Schwartz.

Like Johnson, it's not a situation where he'll warrant a spot in fantasy lineups, but he has a path to relevance even when Chubb returns. The Browns have preferred to keep Chubb's pass-catching to a minimum.

The Cleveland Browns will be without their top two running backs Thursday night against the Denver Broncos.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Tuesday that Nick Chubb won't play on the short week because of a calf injury.

The Browns placed Kareem Hunt on injured reserve Tuesday with a calf injury, and the 26-year-old is expected to miss four to six weeks, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com's Nick Shook).

Chubb didn't play in Sunday's 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He appeared in 12 games last year.

Chubb was a Pro Bowler in each of the last two years and posted 1,067 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last season as the Browns made the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

He has followed up with 523 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 90 carries in five games this year.

Not having Hunt compounds the issues the Browns' struggling offense faces. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is planning to play Thursday despite a torn labrum in his left shoulder that was aggravated against the Cardinals.

Look for D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton to lead the running back rotation. Johnson has 11 rushing yards on three carries this season. Felton has eight receptions for 90 yards but is yet to receive a rushing attempt.

The Cleveland Browns do not fear that quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during Sunday's 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN.

Trotter noted the left shoulder injury is not expected to require surgery immediately, though the signal-caller is receiving a second opinion after undergoing an MRI on Monday.

Mayfield's status for Thursday night's game against the Denver Broncos remains unclear, but the quarterback appears to be optimistic about his chances:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Oct. 7 that the 26-year-old had a partial tear of the labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that occurred in Cleveland's 31-21 victory over the Houston Texans. He opted against surgery and continued to practice and play as normal.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported Mayfield's torn labrum is not any worse structurally following Sunday's hit.

Mayfield has thrown for 1,474 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions through six games.

Just as they did in 2020, the Browns have a strikingly balanced offense. To complement the passing game, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have combined to run for 884 yards so far.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, both Chubb (calf) and Hunt (calf) are reportedly unlikely to play Thursday night as they deal with injuries.

Should Mayfield miss time, Case Keenum will take over at quarterback. The 33-year-old threw for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2017 while playing under Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota, so perhaps the pair can form a dynamic partnership again. 

Less than a year ago, the Cleveland Browns had wrapped up their best regular season in decades.

They fought valiantly in their first playoff appearance since 2002, beating the rival Pittsburgh Steelers for their only postseason victory in the last 25 years before going down swinging against Kansas City Chiefs in the next round. 

The franchise went into the 2021 season full of hope. It was poised to build upon that 11-5 campaign and subsequent playoff exit to the team that was, at the time, the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Browns returned one of the best running back platoons in football with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, a No. 1 overall pick under center who seemed to have taken the leap in Baker Mayfield and a defense that improved significantly in the offseason, adding several complementary pieces around superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett.

Since then, the Browns have won just three games and are sitting at .500, tied for last place in the AFC North.

Injuries certainly haven't helped the cause. Jarvis Landry, a five-time Pro Bowler, has spent the last month on the IR after suffering a knee sprain. Odell Beckham Jr. began the season sidelined as he finished recovering from a torn ACL and didn't return until Week 3. He still hasn't had a chance to share the field with Landry—his former college teammate—in 2021.

Mayfield is struggling without his top wideouts. The fourth-year signal-caller has slumped out of the gate after having his best season as a pro in 2020. He's completed a respectable 67.1 percent of his passes for an average of 245.7 yards per game and six total touchdowns, but has a concerning three interceptions and three fumbles through six games. His trio of turnovers this past Sunday cost Cleveland a chance to become the first team to topple the Arizona Cardinals this season.

With Mayfield dealing with an injury of his own—a torn labrum he claimed he'd be able to play through—it's hard to envision the Browns passing game improving much. The team ranks No. 26 in passing yardage per game, is tied for No. 28 in total passing touchdowns and only three squads have allowed more sacks than Cleveland. 

It's easy to point to these ailments and lack of elite wideouts to explain Mayfield's issues, but the best quarterbacks still find a way to succeed.

In his fourth season as a starter, Tom Brady made a Pro Bowl while leading the 2004 New England Patriots to a Super Bowl with guys like David Givens, David Patten and Deion Branch serving as his top wideouts. Even Matthew Stafford carried the 2016 Detroit Lions, a team with a negative point differential and zero Pro Bowl receivers, to a playoff appearance. 

Mayfield has the pieces around him to get the job done—he just hasn't maximized his own talent or that of those surrounding him.

Things got worse for the club in Week 6, when Hunt was forced into the starting lineup after Chubb was ruled out with a calf issue. Hunt was then carted off with a calf injury of his own—of the concerning non-contact variety—and will reportedly miss at least three games while going on the IR.

While Chubb could return soon, the league's leading rushing offense is still taking a major hit, with its change-of-pace and pass-catching specialist going down for a significant stretch.

Even Cleveland's defense hasn't lived up to expectations. The team seems to be employing a break-but-don't-bend strategy at times, allowing the second-fewest yards in the league but giving up over 25 points per game, a mark that ranks a paltry 22nd going into Week 7.

The defense hasn't had much help in the form of seven offensive giveaways but has done a poor job of creating turnovers of their own. The Browns have a lowly negative-three turnover differential, coming up with just two interceptions and two fumble recoveries across six contests.

The secondary has been surprisingly weak. This was a unit that had the potential to become one of the NFL's best in 2021. While the Browns have allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for 220.7 yards per game, they have already given up 14 total passing touchdowns.

Even with the additions of safety John Johnson III on a bargain free-agent deal and rookie first-round pick Greg Newsome II—plus the return of 2019 second-round cornerback Greedy Williams following a lost sophomore year—this secondary has consistently failed to keep pass-catchers out of the end zone. The Browns are tied for the third-most receiving TDs allowed in the NFL.

After earning an elite 85.6 grade from PFF with the Rams last year, Johnson has scored an unsightly 53.4 to start his Cleveland career while giving up eight receptions on 12 targets. Newsome has been decent in the NFL—garnering a 67.3 PFF grade—but has still allowed five catches on eight targets and hasn't exactly lived up to his lofty draft position.

Even No. 1 corner Denzel Ward has fallen off, with the 2018 first-rounder conceding 18 receptions on 28 targets. If the season finished today, Ward's 66.6 PFF grade would be the lowest of his career.

The potential for this defense to get exposed will only heighten during Cleveland's upcoming schedule, which has some tough opponents on tap over the final three months of the campaign.

The Browns still must face each of their AFC North rivals twice, including back-to-back matchups with the Baltimore Ravens sandwiched around a Week 13 bye. Cleveland gets its first look at the resurgent Cincinnati Bengals this season in Week 9 and finishes out the 2021 campaign by hosting them in Week 18.

Some of the Browns' most winnable games might even end up being tougher than expected.

While they are still favored against the Broncos on Thursday Night Football, the short week comes at a terrible time. With Hunt sidelined, Chubb nursing his injuries and Landry potentially remaining on IR, the offense may have to lean on unproven backs like D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton to shoulder the load.

The situation isn't hopeless. Cleveland still has a chance to turn things around if it can get healthy for a late-season run and Mayfield can get the turnovers under control. However, the club's chances of winning its first divisional title since 1989 are rapidly slipping away.

If the Browns miss out on the playoffs with this roster, the front office needs to make major adjustments to salvage Cleveland's Super Bowl window. Whether it's swinging a blockbuster trade, hiring new coordinators or shaking up the chart, the team has options. It's not time to blow it up just yet, but changes have to be on the horizon to get this talented squad competing at a high level again. 

All stats taken from Pro Football Reference prior to Monday Night Football.

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt is set to miss multiple weeks with a calf injury, per multiple reports, leaving fantasy players scrambling to find a replacement option during the dreaded bye weeks of the NFL schedule. 

That leaves players like Seattle's Alex Collins, Washington's J.D. McKissic,  Cleveland's Demetric Felton and New England's Rhamondre Stevenson as waiver-wire targets this week. 

We'll start with Collins, who already should have been rostered this week with Chris Carson out of action. He responded by rushing 20 times for 101 yards and a score, his second week in the past three hitting double-digit fantasy points. 

And with Carson placed on injured reserve and missing at least three games, Collins will be the team's starter for the next two weeks, at least, before Seattle's Week 9 bye. 

Chances are, savvy fantasy players have already scooped him up. But if he's available, he is 100 percent your top priority this week if you need help at the running back position. You more than likely need the help with the bye weeks upon us.

Just keep an eye on his injury situation:

McKissic is another intriguing option, if only because his role isn't injury-reliant. He's already posted three double-digit scoring weeks this year, serving as the receiving back for the Washington Football Team. 

Antonio Gibson is the primary between-the-tackles option, but McKissic offers enough value in the passing game as a checkdown option for Taylor Heinicke to make him worthy of a roster spot if your running back depth is hurting. 

Then there is Felton, who should be in line to see his role increase with Hunt injured. The question is whether it will be enough of an increase to merit him fantasy consideration. 

A few things to keep in mind. One, Nick Chubb might be able to give it a go in Week 7. 

For another, even if Chubb misses Thursday's game, Felton could still find himself in a timeshare with D'Ernest Johnson. On Sunday, Johnson had one carry for two yards, while Felton had two catches for 14 yards. It's possible Felton could settle into a receiving back role, while Johnson might handle the between-the-tackles work. 

Felton is more likely to have a role than Johnson if Chubb returns, however, making him the priority on waivers. But temper your expectations. 

Finally, Stevenson appeared to settle into a complementary role in New England's backfield on Sunday behind Damien Harris, rushing five times for 23 yards and a score while catching three passes for 39 yards.

While the New England backfield is a consistent source of confusion and angst for fantasy owners, it seems as though Stevenson has moved ahead of Brandon Bolden on the depth chart. 

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt is expected to miss several weeks with a calf injury, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He added that the 26-year-old appears to be headed for injured reserve.

Hunt suffered the injury during his team's 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He entered the game as the team's No. 1 back after Nick Chubb (calf) was forced to miss the matchup.

The five-year NFL veteran has amassed 522 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 89 touches this year.

That begs the question of what the Browns will do at running back sans Hunt for the time being.

Chubb's injury isn't serious enough for Cleveland to put him on injured reserve, but a Week 7 return against the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football appears unlikely. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network provided more information Sunday:

Without Hunt, the Browns' top remaining backs are D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton. They'll likely carry the load against the Broncos on Thursday Night Football.

Neither player has seen much of the field this year. Johnson has 18 yards on four touches. Felton has been used as a pass-catcher with eight receptions for 90 yards and one touchdown.

Hunt would miss a minimum of three games if he goes on IR. If the Browns put him there before the Denver game, he'd be eligible to return Nov. 14 at the New England Patriots.

An NFL executive threw out the idea of a trade involving Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

"What if Cleveland traded Odell (Beckham) straight up for Garoppolo?" an exec asked, per Mike Sando of The Athletic.

"Would San Francisco do that? I actually don’t know how many teams would want Odell. It’s a big win for Cleveland if they can get his money off the books."

The hypothetical trade was contingent on the health of Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is reportedly playing with a partially torn labrum.

Per ESPN's Jake Trotter, Mayfield's left arm was in a sling after his team's 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday. However, Mayfield made clear he intended to play through the injury.

Beckham has struggled in his third season in Cleveland, catching just 14 passes for 203 yards and no touchdowns on 27 targets as he works his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 7 of the 2020 season.

The three-time Pro Bowler, who has five 1,000-yard seasons, inked a five-year, $90 million extension with the New York Giants in August 2018.

The Giants traded him to Cleveland in March 2019. His deal runs through the 2023 campaign.

As for Garoppolo, the 49ers decided to put their future in the hands of signal-caller Trey Lance, who they took with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2021 draft.

However, the 49ers are currently dealing with injuries on multiple fronts. Garoppolo suffered a calf injury against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4 and sat out the team's Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. San Francisco had a bye in Week 6.

It appears Jimmy G will be good to go for Sunday's matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, though.

"I mean, he's doing good," 49ers head Shanahan said on the Murph & Mac show (h/t David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone).

"We'll see when we get back [after the bye week]. I think he'll be ready to go next week when we get back. That's the plan. I know he's doing a lot better now than he was last week."

Garoppolo is expected to start versus the Colts. Lance suffered a left knee sprain against the Cardinals and is considered questionable for the Sunday night home game, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic.

We'll soon find out if the Browns, 49ers or any other team makes a blockbuster move ahead of the league's Nov. 2 trade deadline. For now, the 3-3 Browns and 2-3 49ers are looking to bounce back after disappointing starts to their seasons.