Every team has a player its quarterback looks for when a game is on the line. That player does not always lead the team in targets or get the most attention, but he keeps showing up in the biggest moments. Over time, those moments build a reputation around the league. One former NFL safety believes the Browns have found that player.
Ryan Clark broke down Cleveland’s win over the Tennessee Titans and believes Harold Fannin Jr. is a player who keeps standing out.
“The player that stands out to me is Harold Fannin Jr. Remember, he’s the one that flows with Deshaun Watson and makes the play against the Carolina Panthers for the touchdown. Late in this game, you find Harold Fannin Jr. again in the middle of the field, and it’s a catch-and-run that puts you into field goal range,” Clark said.
The Cleveland Browns lead the AFC North, & @OfficialCrowder is ready to PARTY with them!
This team is built on Todd Monken’s toughness, a playmaking defense, & a quarterback in Deshaun Watson who’s building confidence in that locker room week after week.
There’s still plenty… pic.twitter.com/3UknV1bkFZ
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 27, 2026
The 2 plays he highlighted show why Fannin has become so important. Against Carolina, he caught a 14-yard touchdown from Watson with 1:48 left to give the Browns a lead they never gave back. Against Tennessee, with the game tied at 24, he caught a short pass that came in behind him at midfield and turned it into a long gain to the Titans’ 18, setting up Andre Szmyt’s game-winning field goal.
Those are 2 of the 5 game-winning drives Watson has led this season, and Fannin has been at the center of both. That says a lot about the trust between them.
Fannin finished Sunday with 6 catches for 91 yards, and he gives Watson a reliable option between rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston on the outside. When defenses focus on those 2, as the Titans did on the game-winning drive, Fannin is often the one who comes open.
The Steelers have already seen what he can do. Fannin caught a 2-yard touchdown in the first meeting, and Pittsburgh will have to account for him Sunday with 1st place in the AFC North on the line. If the game comes down to the final drive again, Clark knows exactly where Watson will look.
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