The Cleveland Browns didn’t waste a lot of time getting their rookies involved.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger looked as good as advertised in Week 1, and defensive tackle Mason Graham held his ground against the running game.
Running back Dylan Sampson, while inefficient on the ground, was spectacular as a pass catcher.
However, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was on a tier of his own.
After watching him draw nine targets in the season opener, Nathan Jahnke of PFF predicts this could be a big year for the third-round draft pick.
“Fannin led the Cleveland Browns in targets, catching seven passes for 63 yards. Fannin played nearly as many snaps as [David] Njoku in most situations. It also seems likely that Fannin will play more as the season progresses based on how well Fannin has played this season,” Jahnke wrote.
Fannin had the third-most receiving yards on the team (63) and also had one carry for three yards.
The Bowling Green product dominated during his final season in college, so it’s not much of a surprise to see that the Browns want to make the most of his ability to pile up yards after the catch.
What was a little surprising was that it happened this early.
Njoku will continue to be the No. 1 tight end, at least on paper, yet Fannin looked more than ready to take touches and snaps away from him.
He also seemed to have a strong chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco, and with the Browns’ passing game looking better than anticipated, Fannin could be in the running to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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