Top 25 Browns of 2026: Ranking Every Player Based on Impact

With Myles Garrett heading to Los Angeles, it’s going to be an interesting season for the Cleveland Browns as they search for their identity.

This season is going to be defined by the success of the plethora of young players, and their development for the future. Cleveland is looking to build for the future, while showing they can still win now.

Here are the 25 most important Cleveland Browns ranked by how much they’ll impact the 2026 season.

Low impact this season

25. Dylan Sampson

24. Teven Jenkins

23. Maliek Collins

22. Corey Bojorquez

21. Denzel Boston

Sampson is the only backup on the list, as he should see his touches heavily improve this season. He could be a primary target out of the backfield.

Jenkins and Collins will both be fighting for starting jobs this offseason. Jenkins was a solid backup guard who began to replace Wyatt Teller last season, while Collins had a breakout year on the defensive line before suffering a serious injury.

Boston will likely begin the year as the third wide receiver, but could quickly become a favorite target if he proves to be reliable in 50/50 balls.

Bojorquez could help Cleveland win some games in the field position battle.

Quality starters

20. Elgton Jenkins

19. Alex Wright

18. Emanuel McNeil-Warren

17. Andre Szmyt

16. Tytus Howard

Jenkins and Howard will be veterans on the offensive line that will determine the future of the younger players. Wright is going to have to take a big leap forward on the defensive line without Garrett.

McNeil-Warren will likely begin his rookie season in the nickel, but could steal a job as a starting safety by the end of the year. After a bad start to the year, Szmyt began to break out as a reliable kicker.

Middle of the pack

15. Ronnie Hickman

14. Jerry Jeudy

13. Quincy Williams

12. Tyson Campbell

11. KC Concepcion

Four solid players who could be in for big seasons, but will likely just be quality level starters. Hickman is a ball hawk who is getting close to the end of his contract and is looking for an extension. Campbell arrived in Cleveland last year and will have a full offseason this year.

Williams is looking to prove he can still be an All-Pro caliber player after a disappointing year with the Jets. Jeudy will look to bounce back after a disappointing year in Cleveland as he struggled with drops.

Concepcion will look to get his NFL career started the right way. Expect him to become the top wide receiver by the end of the season, but there could still be growing pains.

Need a big season

10. Quinshon Judkins

9. Zion Johnson

8. Grant Delpit

7. Mason Graham

6. Spencer Fano

Judkins needs to have a big sophomore season after failing to reach 1,000 yards and suffering a big injury last year if he’s going to be the starter moving forward.

Delpit is on a contract year and will be doing everything he can to earn an extension.

Graham and Fano are a pair of top 10 picks looking to prove why. Graham had a solid rookie year but needs to build off it, while Fano will look to become a cornerstone at left tackle in his first season.

The Browns paid a hefty price to land Johnson in the offseason, and it’ll be a big task to prove he was worth it.

The Stars

5. Harold Fannin Jr.

4. Shedeur Sanders

3. Jared Verse

2. Denzel Ward

1. Carson Schwesinger

The five guys who will contribute the most to the Browns season. Fannin was the top weapon on offense last season, and could solidify himself as a top tight end in the league with another big year.

Shedeur Sanders (assuming he beats Deshaun Watson out as the starting quarterback) will determine if the Browns will have a competent offense this season, or if they’ll be drafting next year.

Verse is going to need a monster season next year to prove he was worth trading away Garrett. He’s going to need to show consistent pressures, while winning over the locker room as a leader.

Ward is now the veteran of the defense and will try to keep the unit as a top squad. This defense is now Schwesinger’s. They will go as far as he takes them and his development will be the key to the future.

Add us as a preferred source on Google