Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. makes case for Offensive Rookie of the Year

Cleveland Browns tight Harold Fannin Jr.'s rookie campaign finished in frustrating fashion.

The breakout third-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft was ruled out for the final game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals due to an injury he suffered and continued to aggravate for the last few weeks. Before this occurrence, Fannin Jr. had been reliable, suiting up for all 16 other outings for the Browns this season.

He was dominant, hauling in 72 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns on 107 targets, all of which ended up being team-highs, even with missing that season finale. He also recorded a 41.1% receiving success rate and 67.3% successful catch rate.

Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, the rookie broke the franchise record for rookie receptions, stamping his name in Cleveland history.

The impressive thing was that he wasn't just a team-leader, he was one of the top receivers in the NFL. His 72 catches placed him second among all rookies this season, ahead of stars like Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers, Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Colston Loveland from the Chicago Bears.

The only one above Fannin Jr. was Tyler Warren with 76 receptions from the Indianapolis Colts.

Browns TE Harold Fannin Jr. finished with the 2nd-most receptions among all rookies this season.

76 - Tyler Warren
72 - Harold Fannin Jr. 🌟
70 - Tetairoa McMillan
63 - Emeka Egbuka
58 - Colston Loveland

It’s worth noting that Fannin is the ONLY player in the top-5 who was NOT… pic.twitter.com/0yLYKGqmrn
— The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast (@thedawgspodcast) January 6, 2026

Fannin proves to be draft steal for Browns

Everyone within the top five was taken way before the tight end out of Bowling Green State University. McMillan was taken No. 8 overall, with Loveland, Warren and Egbuka all following at the No. 10, No. 14 and No. 19 spots, respectively.

To see Fannin Jr. do what he did with three different quarterbacks throwing his way was impressive. The rookie was thrust into a bigger role too mid-season when veteran pass catcher David Njoku went down with multiple injuries. He ended up playing in just 12 games on the season, making 33 catches.

Fannin Jr.'s most impactful game came just a few weeks ago in early December against the Tennessee Titans. While the Browns did end up falling by two points, 31-29, he single-handedly nearly brought Cleveland back to pull off the win. He caught eight passes for 114 yards and one touchdown, catching his one score in a clutch spot with a defender draped in front of him.

He's shown that he can be one of the top pass catchers in the league in due time, and as long as he continues to grow and improve, he's going to become a Cleveland staple.

The Browns' offseason has begun as other teams across the league start to prepare for the NFL Playoffs. The hope is that with a strong offseason, the Browns, who were last in the playoffs back in the 2023 season, can return to such success under a new head coach and system in place.

Fannin Jr. will certainly be a part of the future of the team, with a lot of offensive success being laid on his shoulders and how he can continue to improve.