The Cleveland Browns‘ offense wasn’t having any success against the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s season opener — and that was before tight end David Njoku went out with an injury in the third quarter.
What happened to Njoku in Week 1, and what’s his latest injury status?
David Njoku Injury Update
Njoku took a big hit from Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks after hauling in a 29-yard pass from Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson with 11:16 remaining in the third quarter.
Njoku entered the blue medical tent along Cleveland’s sideline for evaluation. He was later spotted trying to run along the sideline, but it didn’t go well.
Cleveland’s medical staff eventually helped Njoku leave the field and limp to the locker room.
David Njoku is headed to the locker room pic.twitter.com/utTYmP5HQX
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 8, 2024
The Browns announced that Njoku was questionable to return with an ankle injury, but he never re-entered the game.
Unfortunately, Njolu is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He’ll undergo further testing on Monday to confirm the diagnosis.
High-ankle sprains are generally considered four-to-six-week injuries. Cleveland’s bye doesn’t come until Week 10.
Over the next six weeks, the Browns will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Njoku, 28, broke out for a career-best campaign in 2023, hauling in 81 passes for 882 yards and six touchdowns. He’s under contract with Cleveland through the 2026 season.
The Browns only kept one other tight end — Jordan Akins — on their 53-man roster. They have two more TEs, Cameron Latu and Blake Whiteheart — on their practice squad.
Fantasy Implications of Njoku’s Injury
Njoku, with another injury concern, is frustrating for fantasy managers. The tight end position is thin at the best of times, so anytime you lose a potential starter, it will cause headaches. Njoku had some trouble staying healthy across the 2019 and 2020 seasons but has missed just five games in the last three seasons.
If he misses time in 2024, there is no obvious tight end option on the Browns roster to step in. Therefore, fantasy managers will need to look elsewhere. If that is the case, then Isaiah Likely will be an intriguing option on waivers this week after his monster performance on Thursday.
However, fantasy managers better be prepared to pay a high price for a player who is likely to be a very popular waiver wire target this week. If Njoku is only out for a week or two, then paying up for Likely may not be worth the investment required.