Harold Fannin Jr. Could Be the Key to Browns Upsetting Steelers on Thursday Night

When the Cleveland Browns are clicking, they look like a competitive football team.

And with the AFC North standings remaining tight, they'll need to be locked and loaded on Thursday night.

From Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the Browns will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Oct. 1, for a Thursday Night Football clash. The two AFC North rivals will meet for the first time this season, with both teams entering the matchup at 2-1. With the division standings still tightly contested, the result could have major implications moving forward.

Fortunately, the Browns are looking better and better by the week, giving them a good chance to establish some early momentum at home.

The offense posted just 10 points in Week 1, but bounced back with 23 and 21 points in back-to-back wins.

#Browns Harold Fannin Jr. catching footballs and tennis balls in warmups on Tues of #Steelers week: pic.twitter.com/PW3KrqfZo8
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 29, 2026

Speaking on the team's offensive rhythm, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. said the group is really starting to establish its identity.

"[The offense is] coming along," the second-year tight end said. "Just continue finding our identity and things like that like what works for us. It's just week by week. At the end of the day, whatever it takes to win. Whatever. We gotta do it. Whether it's running, passing—we're gonna figure it out."

Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson has thrown for 587 yards, five touchdowns and one interception on 82 passing attempts. He has completed 68.3% of his passes.

Cleveland Browns, Harold Fannin Jr. — Sep 20, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison (21) and linebacker YaYa Diaby (0) tackle Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On the receiving end of Watson's throws, Fannin Jr. has amassed 14 receptions for 126 yards and two scores. He found the end zone twice in the Browns' win this past weekend against the Carolina Panthers.

After a pretty lackluster Week 1 showing against the Jaguars, Fannin Jr. and the offense have turned a corner.

If they can keep this up, there is a really realistic chance the Browns stun the Steelers during a prime-time matchup.

After a huge game in the home opener, Cleveland has to get Harold Fannin Jr the ball vs Pittsburgh

His last two games vs the Steelers
-9 catches
-111yds (12.33yds per catch)
-45 YAC
-1 TD

Always feed the hot hand pic.twitter.com/FLgOPhz5Sg
— Mac🦬 (@tha_buffalo) September 30, 2026

In his rookie season, the Browns' TE1 was dominant against the Steelers, posting nine catches, 111 yards and one touchdown across two showings. He averaged 12.33 yards per catch and had 45 yards after the catch, making him a reliable chunk-play target for the offense.

While that attention came from rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, getting a more experienced arm in Watson this Thursday will give him a chance to grow those numbers even more.

Harold Fannin Jr. 72 REC, 731 YDS, 7 Total TDs Rookie Season Highlights.pic.twitter.com/pPB5dWyD1S
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) February 28, 2026

The 31-year-old signal caller has targeted Fannin Jr. an awful lot the last two weeks, and with how well it worked against Carolina, it would be shocking to see him lay off the 6-foot-4, 241-pounder.

As the offense continues to become more and more comfortable by the week, Watson and Fannin Jr. will look to continue growing their connection.

They'll have a chance to hit the gridiron on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. EST against the Steelers.

Add us as a preferred source on Google