The Cleveland Browns are facing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, and while Myles Garrett chases the sack record and Shedeur Sanders eyes a chance to start in 2026, the offense is being dealt a tough blow.
Not only did Quinshon Judkins break his leg in Week 16, but the Browns are likely going to be very thin at tight end. David Njoku is out, and as ESPN's Adam Schefter explained, Harold Fannin Jr. Got injured at practice and is now questionable.
Amid those two injuries and potential absences, the Browns' tight end depth chart comes into question. Whether it's Browns fans or fantasy football managers, the new-look Browns tight end room is vastly different than when it's at full strength.
How Browns' TE depth chart looks amid David Njoku Harold Fannin Jr. Injuries
Other than Fannin and Njoku, there are two other tight ends on the roster, one of whom is also dealing with an injury. Blake Whiteheart is healthy and would likely be the starter, while Brendan Bates is a bit banged up with an ankle injury.
Bates has two catches for 23 yards this season, but with the Houston Texans. With the Browns, Bates has yet to make a catch. Whiteheart has two catches of his own, but both came in Cleveland and totaled just four yards.
With Njoku out, and Fannin potentially joining him, and with Bates questionable, the Browns are likely to call up a tight end from the practice squad.
One of Cade Prieskorn or Sal Cannella could be called up by the Browns. Prieskorn is a 26-year-old tight end who has bounced around the NFL this season as an UDFA.
More: Browns get devastating injury news on rookie RB Quinshon Judkins
He initially joined the Detroit Lions roster, then the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before signing with the Browns' practice squad.
Now, he could finally get a chance to suit up for his first NFL game. Canella is also in a similar boat, as he could make his NFL debut this weekend if he were to be called up by the Browns for gameday.
Canella's bounced around the NFL and the XFL, UFL, and USFL in recent years. But this season, he signed with the Browns' practice squad and might finally get a chance in the NFL.
If Fannin is out, the Browns' tight end room will be significantly worse off than it was at times this season. Both top tight ends would be out, and the backups would come in with very limited NFL experience.
It's not a deep depth chart of NFL talent, but a lot of young or inexperienced players could get a chance to prove their worth this weekend against the Steelers.
More Browns News:
- Myles Garrett sacks tracker: Updated 2025 total for Browns star amid chase for NFL single-season record
- Browns' Shedeur Sanders is under pressure more than any QB since 2009
- Browns' Shedeur Sanders had a near-identical game to Bills' Josh Allen in Week 16
- Injured Browns offensive line falters as Bills pressure Shedeur Sanders late
- Myles Garrett still chasing sack record after close loss to Bills
- How Myles Garrett nearly tied NFL sack record: Why Alex Wright split Josh Allen takedown with Browns star