Will Conklin just be available, or will he start at right tackle?
Here is your Week 6 injury wrap-up as the Cleveland Browns take on the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday.
Biggest Injury Storylines
- First, let’s get the Eagles out of the way: they are coming off the bye, and no one is ruled out of the game for them, so they are fine.
- For Cleveland, we have to go through the position-by-position rundown, starting with offense. RB Nick Chubb and RB Nyheim Hines continued to practice all week, but both are still ruled out as they look to return soon from their injuries.
- TE David Njoku left last week’s game early after he had just returned, with a knee injury. I was worried he’d be out again, especially after not practicing on Wednesday. He practiced (limited) on Thursday and Friday, though, and was not listed as questionable, so it sounds like he’ll actually be ready.
- On the offensive line, the big story is that RT Jack Conklin will be active this week for the first time since he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1 of the 2023 season. I’m hoping that means he will start at right tackle, since OT Dawand Jones has been really underperforming there. C Ethan Pocic is out this week, so OL Nick Harris will start for him. LT Jedrick Wills will make his second straight start at left tackle. Despite being banged up, RG Zak Zinter is good-to-go. Backup OT James Hudson had surgery and is out for the season.
- The other big injury news is that both of last week’s starting safeties, Grant Delpit (concussion) and Ronnie Hickman (ankle), are out. The Browns are forced to start Rodney McLeod and D’Anthony Bell in their place. Starting safeties typically play all game, but if one of those guys get hurt, Cleveland will have to cross-train with one of their other cornerbacks.
- Long snapper Charley Hughlett went on IR, and is replaced by Rex Sunahara out of Bay Village. He spent some time with the team in training camp.
Betting Odds Impact
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Browns are 9.5 point underdogs against the Eagles. Cleveland originally began the week as 8.5 point underdogs, so we saw a little bit of movement. It’s possible that Nick Chubb not being activated helped keep the spread as big as it is.
Fantasy Implications
- The Browns’ running back position remains hard to get excited about without Nick Chubb, but obviously, Jerome Ford remains the top back for fantasy purposes.
- Like last week, I said that David Njoku’s return boosts his status. He caught the first pass of the game last week, but wasn’t involved afterward and got hurt. If he can survive a full game and the offense ever clicks, he should still be a big weapon.
- If Jack Conklin actually starts and performs well, that could clean up some of the pressure...
Dawgs By Nature
