Cleveland’s tight end room is looking wild heading into 2026 training camp, mostly because David Njoku is outta there and suddenly, all eyes are on Harold Fannin Jr. After Njoku’s departure, Fannin’s the only tight end on the roster anyone has real confidence in, and that leaves a huge question mark behind him.
Harold Fannin Jr.: The New Weapon in Cleveland’s Offense
Browns fans are absolutely buzzing about Harold Fannin Jr. this year, and for good reason. The dude had an outstanding rookie season, pulling in 731 yards receiving. Now, folks are predicting he’ll hit the 800-1,000 yard range, which, for a 6-4, 241-pound tight end at just 22 years old, feels totally within reach. Think about it: Travis Kelce has hit 800+ yards every single one of his 11 NFL seasons. Meanwhile, David Njoku, who was supposed to be this explosive receiver, only broke 800 yards once in his nine years with Cleveland. That tells you a lot about the quarterback situation, or maybe just how special Fannin’s rookie year was.
Fannin proved he’s a big-time weapon. He made some acrobatic catches and showed crazy strength to grab yards after the catch that nobody thought were even there. If there’s one thing he needs to clean up, it’s those easy drops; he’s gotta snag those consistently. Plus, improving his in-line blocking is huge for his overall game, something it took Njoku a few years to really nail down. Todd Monken’s offense will decide if Fannin stays mostly in the slot like he did as a rookie, or if he gets more blocking duties. His spot on the roster? A locked-in 100%.
The Wide-Open Battle for Backup Tight End
After Fannin, the backup tight end roles are completely up for grabs. Blake Whiteheart is one guy fighting for a spot. This 6-4, 250-pound veteran, now 26, started his journey as an undrafted free agent with the Cardinals in 2023, but he didn’t even make their roster in 2024. The Browns scooped him up, bouncing him between the practice squad in 2024 before he landed as a backup in 2025. His receiving numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping: 8 catches for 55 yards and 1 touchdown over two years. He did chip in with 10 tackles on special teams last season, which is solid. His roster odds are sitting at 40%.
Then there’s Jack Stoll, who’s more of a blocking specialist. The 6-4, 245-pound, 28-year-old was also an undrafted free agent in 2021, spending his first three years with the Eagles before bouncing around the Giants, Dolphins, and Saints. He’s not known for his hands; his highest receiving total ever was 11 catches for 123 yards back in 2022. Last year with the Saints, he started 4 games but only managed 6 catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.
The big question for Monken’s offense is how they use Fannin and who steps up to fill the blocking gap. It’s a wide-open battle behind him, and those training camp reps are gonna be everything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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