The Browns will he their leading receiver, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. ailable for today's game vs. Pittsburgh despite a late-week injury scare.
Fannin has been targeted by Shedeur Sanders 42 times in Sanders' five starts, and Fannin's 70 receptions this season are a franchise single-season record for a rookie. Fannin was listed as questionable after he suffered a groin injury in practice on Friday, but the Browns went through their weekend activities believing Fannin would be able to play.
Sanders, Fannin and Myles Garrett remain the primary reasons Browns fans might still be watching as their 3-12 team tries to play spoiler against a Steelers team that clinches the AFC North with a win. Garrett has 22 sacks and is just a half-sack short of the single-season record currently shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, who won't play today due to injury.
With No. 1 wide receiver D.K. Metcalf serving a two-game suspension, expect the Steelers to focus on the run and a quick pass game focused on their tight ends and running backs. That might or might not also include an extra emphasis on oiding and minimizing Garrett, which is something the Browns see almost every week. The last time Garrett didn't he at least a half-sack in a game was Week 6 in Pittsburgh, and Garrett has never sacked Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Sanders is trying to play his way into the team's future plans, and he'll he to operate today without primary running back Quinshon Judkins, who suffered a season-ending leg injury last week. Running back Dylan Sampson returns from a hand injury and figures to lead a running back committee that will also include Raheim Sanders and Trayveon Williams. Sanders has thrown six touchdown passes and eight interceptions and today faces a veteran Pittsburgh defense that wants to force turnovers on its way to clinching the division.
The Browns he Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward back from a two-game absence. Slot cornerback Myles Harden will not play today due to a shoulder injury.
Dillon Gabriel, the Browns' usual backup quarterback, is inactive today due to a shoulder injury. The Browns promoted Bailey Zappe from the practice squad to be Sanders' backup. Besides Gabriel, and Harden, the Browns' other inactives are tight end Did Njoku (knee), defensive tackle Sam Kamara (elbow), wide receiver Jamari Thrash and backup offensive linemen Jerremiah Byers and Kendrick Green.