Fantasy Football: One QB, RB, WR, and TE who are primed for huge Week 1 performances

TE. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Injuries derailed what was shaping up to be a fun season for Browns tight end David Njoku. Before suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 7 against the Ravens, Njoku was in the midst of a breakout season.

According to StatMuse, he averaged 4.9 receptions and 59.7 receiving yards in the first seven games of the season, amassing 34 catches for 418 yards. He exceeded 70 receiving yards in three of the first seven games and caught at least 5 passes in four games during that stretch.

High-ankle sprains have become notorious for lingering throughout the course of a season and hampering a player’s effectiveness, which seemed to be the case for Njoku. To make matters worse, he strained his knee in the Browns Week 12 game against the Bucs nearly a month later.

The Browns face the Bengals in a divisional battle that has sneaky shootout potential. The Bengals were a middle-of-the-pack team when it came to defending tight ends. Per FantasyPros’ Derek Brown, the Bengals were thirteenth in fantasy points per game allowed to the tight end position. They also allowed the seventh most receiving yards per game to tight ends.

If Deshaun Watson can regain his form from 2020 when he led the NFL in passing yards, Njoku is primed for a big Week 1 and has the potential to be one of the best late-round tight ends in fantasy football.