CBS Sports rolled out its 2026 Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year rankings this week as the regular season officially arrives, and one Browns name stood out among the sleeper candidates. Analyst Josh Edwards pointed to running backs Jeremiyah Love and Rueben Bain Jr. as the respective favorites for Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he also carved out space to highlight a longer shot from Cleveland’s receiving corps. KC Concepcion, the Browns rookie wide receiver, was listed at plus 1800 odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Edwards explained his reasoning for including Concepcion as a sleeper.
“KC Concepcion touched the ball on five of his 24 preseason snaps. Jerry Jeudy is a bigger name, and Denzel Boston has garnered the most buzz among Browns pass catchers this preseason, but Concepcion profiles as a high volume target in Todd Monken’s system. With Monken as the Ravens offensive coordinator last season, 53.4% of Zay Flowers’ targets were within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, according to TruMedia,” Edwards wrote.
The comparison to Zay Flowers is the most interesting piece of Edwards’ case. Monken spent last season as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator before taking over as Cleveland’s head coach, and the tendencies he showed with the Ravens offer a blueprint for how he could use a speedy receiver like Concepcion. More than half of Flowers’ targets came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage under Monken. Concepcion, known for his ability to create after the catch, fits that same mold, and Monken could look to replicate that usage pattern in Cleveland this season.
Concepcion’s preseason usage was admittedly limited, touching the ball on just 5 of his 24 snaps, a number that speaks more to a crowded receiver room than any lack of confidence from the coaching staff. Jerry Jeudy remains the clear top target in that group, and Denzel Boston has generated buzz of his own this preseason as a second-round pick, but neither profile matches the type of role Monken carved out for Flowers in Baltimore.
Browns fans could see Concepcion carve out a meaningful role far sooner than his current odds might suggest.
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