Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Harold Fannin Jr.

Monday, March 16, 5:05 AM

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has officially taken over as the team's No. 1 tight end ahead of the 2026 season. This was inevitable with David Njoku essentially vowing he'd depart this offseason, but now that free agency has started, it's official. There are no signs of Njoku wanting to come back, and the Browns haven't brought in any significant players to replace him. As a result, Fannin is entrenched atop the depth chart after a spectacular rookie season. In his first taste of NFL action in 2025, he caught 72 of 107 targets for 731 yards and six touchdowns, ranking as the overall TE6 in full-PPR leagues. He managed to put together a very productive season despite facing competition from Njoku and catching passes from an uninspiring quarterback room. Now that he has proven that he can produce amid adversity, he'll have an even more favorable outlook as the Browns' clear-cut No. 1 tight end. Plus, quarterback Shedeur Sanders should play at least a little better in his second pro season, giving Fannin increased stability week over week. The buy-low window on Fannin has closed in dynasty leagues, but given that he's just 21 years old, managers can still consider trading for him at full price. He appears to have a long, successful career ahead of him, full of rich fantasy upside.