Dawgs By Nature
The Cleveland Browns will be attempting to overcome a blown game to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the 2025 season, but not all is lost for the franchise as a whole. The rookie class looked good on the field and there are reasons for optimism overall. The Browns are still big underdogs heading into Week 2 despite the positives.
A look at the snap counts on offense and defense shows how much Cleveland used the rookies in Week 1, with TE Harold Fannin Jr. surprising many with his usage and production. A complete player, Fannin brought playmaking and versatility to the tight end position after a great college career at Bowling Green State University.
Just how versatile, on top of 53% of his snaps coming as an in-line blocker, Fannin lined up at basically every position a specialist can play on offense:
Not only was Fannin on the field, but he was also productive:
Fannin Jr. averaged 3.11 yards of separation on his targets, per Next Gen Stats. League average is 2.98. Fannin Jr. created more separation than any other Browns pass catcher, minimum qualifiers included (Isaiah Bond created 5.63 yards of separation on his lone target).
Selected with the third pick of the third round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Browns deployed Fannin in a way that shows that they trust the youngster. With the Baltimore Ravens S Kyle Hamilton on the schedule next week, it will be interesting to see how Cleveland’s rookie tight end is used and if he can be successful again.
