The Cleveland Browns have had a tough go of things through five weeks of the 2025 NFL season. Their logjam at quarterback hasn’t worked out as well as they might have hoped, with their starter to begin the year already on a different roster. Now with rookie Dillon Gabriel donning the QB1 hat, the team would have wanted to put the best possible supporting cast around him.
Unfortunately, as the weeks go by, that situation might be getting more complicated for the organization. As they faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a divisional matchup, they seemed to have lost one of their biggest contributors on the offensive side of the football in David Njoku.
What Happened to David Njoku?
Near the end of the first half, the Steelers held a comfortable 9-0 lead over Cleveland. Trying to mount a comeback, the Browns were starting to move the ball downfield. Unfortunately, their success came at a cost.
Making a tough catch in the air, Njoku collided with two separate defenders, landing in a heap on the field.
David Njoku #browns
Left knee hyperextends, not a crazy amount but does hyperextend. Hip also being forced into external rotation which could put some stress on the LCL/posterolateral corner, ankle rolls too.
Not a major excursion so hopefully no major injury but is concerning pic.twitter.com/g9qcGhOLc1
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) October 12, 2025
Even though he was able to hold on to the ball, it came at a cost, as fans speculated that he may have a hyperextended left knee. He immediately headed to the medical blue tent, staying there for a while.
However, it doesn’t look like the situation was too severe, as he was back in the game less than five minutes later. His presence remains vital for the Browns, especially if they want to have any shot of mounting a comeback.
A first-round pick in 2017, Njoku has spent the entirety of his career with Cleveland. But it wasn’t till an explosion in 2023, which earned him a Pro Bowl nod, that he truly cemented himself as an elite talent.
Unfortunately, as the night progressed, the situation only got worse for Njoku. While he was valiantly able to return earlier in the night, he once again seemed to tweak the same leg, and left the game immediately.
David Njoku #browns
Injured again, favoring the left leg. The first video is the most recent play, second video is from earlier this game when his left knee hyperextends a little. Nothing obvious from the most recent play but possible still lingering issue from the second vid pic.twitter.com/VJ5UEKe5xa
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) October 12, 2025
Soon after, the Browns confirmed that he was officially questionable to return. However, with the scoreboard reading 23-6 in the fourth quarter, chances weren’t high that Cleveland would be sending him back into the game.
Njoku’s Injury’s Fantasy Outlook
Njoku had been producing a little better with Dillon Gabriel, but still hasn’t quite been returning the fantasy value that managers expected when they drafted him. If Njoku can’t return, the Browns will have no choice but to feature rookie Harold Fannin Jr. a bit more.
Fannin caught his first career touchdown last week and already had fringe fantasy value. There’s streaming appeal here if Njoku is out for an extended period of time.
