These Cleveland Browns Players Are Poised to Breakout in 2026

The NFL season is nearly upon us and these Cleveland Browns are poised to breakout in 2026.

Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) runs with the ball against Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. (23) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Browns mandatory minicamp has now concluded, pointing us closer to the start of the 2026 NFL season.

As the weeks go by and training camp begins, let's take a look at which Browns players will breakout this season.

Quinshon Judkins

A first-round selection out of Ohio State, Quinshon Judkins' rookie campaign came to a painful close after suffering a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula in week 16 of last season against the Buffalo Bills. After finishing rehab in April, Judkins has been a full participant in OTA's, minicamp, and now looks to jump into training camp fully healthy.

Quinshon Judkins ended his rookie season with 827 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, placing him right outside the top-20 across the league in both categories. With a new coaching staff and much-improved offensive line, Judkins will look to take that next step to becoming an elite all-purpose running back in 2026.

Harold Fannin Jr.

The Browns selected Harold Fannin Jr in the third round of last year's NFL Draft after an incredible, record-setting junior season at Bowling Green. Fannin wasted no time in making a good impression at the next level. The Ohio native caught 7 passes in his very first NFL game and didn't look back from that point forward. Fannin ended his rookie season with 72 receptions, 731 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

Now, with David Njoku out of the mix, Fannin is widely expected to take the reins as the lead tight end in this Browns offense. Head Coach Todd Monken is known for utilizing many tight ends in his offense and Fannin should play a large role in this offense in 2026.

Zion Johnson

The Browns made a splash move early in the offseason, signing former Los Angeles Chargers guard Zion Johnson to a hefty 3-year, $49.5 million deal. Johnson, a former first-round pick by the Chargers in 2022, spent the first four seasons of his career with the team.

Over that span he played in all but two games and started in all but one of those games. The Boston college product will now look to silence the critics and bounce back in 2026.

Having played both left and right guard, Johnson has struggled with consistency throughout his young career. Johnson has allowed 21 sacks in his young NFL career and most recently posted a 57.0 total grade in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus.

Newly-hired offensive line coach George Warhop will have his work cut out for him, but rest-assured the Browns hired the right man for the job. It's now or never for Zion Johnson, and the Browns are making the investment early in hopes that he will show why he was a former first-round selection.