Cedric

Tillman

The move will end Tillman’s season. He missed the last six games of the year after suffering a concussion in the snow against Pittsburgh on Thursday night in Week 12. There was a brief window where Tillman looked to be on the up this year as he started four games after the Browns traded Amari Cooper and finished with lines of 8/81/0, 7/99/2, 6/75/1, and 3/47/0 on 40 targets. Heading into the third year of his rookie contract, though, the quarterback situation in Cleveland is shaky enough to leave him as a hard-to-trust fantasy asset. The upside is there. We’ll have to see how the situation shakes out before we can recommend him in drafts.

Tillman returned to practice last week for a handful of limited sessions. He remained limited this week and is still in the league’s concussion protocol as he works his way back from the brain injury he suffered in Week 12. Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore will continue to soak up targets in his absence.

Things were trending in this direction after Tillman failed to log a full practice during the week and was listed as questionable heading into the weekend. Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore will remain the top two receivers for the Browns for at least one more week, but they will also have tight end David Njoku back on the field after he missed Week 15 due to a hamstring injury. All pass-catchers for the Browns will get downgrade with DTR under center and Jameis Winston listed as the team’s QB3.

Njoku has been dealing with a hamstring injury since suffering the injury in Week 14. He logged only one practice this week but drew a questionable tag into the weekend. Now officially active, the veteran tight end will be a valuable target for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but he’ll be hard to trust as anything more than boom-or-bust TE2. While Njoku is active, QB Jameis Winston, WR Cedric Tillman, CB Kahlef Hailassie CB Chigozie Anusiem, TE Brenden Bates, DT Shelby Harris, and DE Cameron Thomas are all inactive.

Tillman is missing his fourth straight game after suffering a concussion in Week 12. Even with Tillman out, Browns pass catchers are difficult to trust in Week 16 with Jameis Winston hitting the bench for Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Whether or not Tillman plays comes down to him clearing the concussion protocol. The second-year receiver has missed the last three games with a concussion he suffered in Week 12 and will miss a fourth-straight game if he can’t get cleared before Sunday. Even if he’s active, Tillman will be hard to trust as anything more than a WR4 with Jameis Winston back on the bench.

Tillman may need to log a full practice on Friday if he has any hopes of suiting up in Week 16 against the Bengals. If active, Tillman won’t have the same fantasy upside he enjoyed with Jameis Winston under center. The move from Winston to Dorian Thompson-Robinson is an immediate downgrade for Tillman and all Browns players and puts Tillman somewhere on the cusp of a WR3/WR4 if he is active.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that he’s hopeful Tillman can return in Week 16 against the Bengals. A limited practice on Wednesday is a step in the right direction but doesn’t guarantee he plays this week. That Tillman, who suffered a brain injury in early December, remains in the concussion protocol is a concerning sign for the second-year wideout. Even if Tillman suits up this week against the Bengals, he won’t hold much fantasy interest with Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking over at QB for Jameis Winston.

Tillman has missed three games in concussion protocol, but finally made it back to the practice field towards the end of last week. If Tillman does play he’ll cut into Jerry Jeudy’s target share. It is possible that if the Browns bench Jameis Winston, no Cleveland receiver beyond Jerry Jeudy is actually worth starting. If healthy, Tillman would be a tough start if Dorian Thompson-Robinson gets the call.

Tillman returned to practice this week but was unable to clear the league’s concussion protocol in time for Sunday’s game. With David Njoku also expected to miss Week 15, the Browns will funnel the bulk of their targets to Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore. Jeudy is pushing for a WR1 ranking this week while Moore is in the WR2 mix.