Browns fire two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, retain GM

Mon Jan 5 10:07am ET
Field Level Media

Browns general manager Andrew Berry was spared but head coach Kevin Stefanski is out in Cleveland.

Franchise owner Jimmy Haslam confirmed the move Monday after the Browns ended the 2025 season with a 5-12 record.

"This was a difficult decision and today is a tough day for our organization because of the impact Kevin has had and the deep, meaningful relationships he has built across our building," said Berry, who also holds the title of executive vice president of football operations. "We have great respect for Kevin, who has led our organization through both unique and challenging circumstances over his six seasons. Over that time, he has been more than a coach but also a partner, friend and stabilizing force for our team.

"... I am disappointed that we could not accomplish more together and the collective underperformance of our group is something I own. "

Stefanski, 43, had a 45-56 record over six seasons, but said in a statement on Monday he will depart with a "sense of gratitude."

"When I arrived in January of 2020, this organization, this community and Browns fans embraced me and my family with open arms. I cannot express properly in words how good we have been treated. A sincere 'Thank You' to everyone who I have been so blessed to work for and with over these six seasons. I'd like to especially thank my coaching staff and the players who did everything that was ever asked of them. They fought through injury and adversity, while always putting the TEAM FIRST. I wish all of you nothing but success."

Haslam also voiced gratitude for Stefanski's leadership in a tenure that was disrupted months after his hire by the COVID-19 pandemic and genuine care for his personnel.

"He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization, but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary," Haslam and his wife, Dee, said in a statement Monday.

Hired in January 2020, Stefanski won 11 games in his first season and led the team to two playoff appearances and two 11-win seasons. and is one of 16 coaches in the history of the NFL Coach of the Year award (established 1957) to win it twice.

Stefanski and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Paul Brown (1951 and 1953) as the only coaches in team history to record multiple seasons with at least 11 regular-season wins.

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Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 5

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Odell Beckham Jr. Oct 7 11:10am ET
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Jalen Coker Oct 7 11:00am ET
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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (quadriceps) could be back when the team returns from its Week 5 bye. ESPN reported Wednesday that Carolina is hopeful Coker will be ready for the Week 6 trip to Philadelphia after he missed Sunday night's win over Detroit. Coker suffered the quad injury during the Panthers' Week 3 loss to Cleveland, finishing that game with two catches for 18 yards before leaving in the second half. He was able to practice on a limited basis late last week but was ultimately held out against the Lions. Coker had been one of Bryce Young's most productive targets before getting hurt, catching 18 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns through three games. With Xavier Legette on injured reserve, getting Coker back after the bye would give Carolina another established option alongside Tetairoa McMillan.

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Troy Franklin Oct 7 10:50am ET
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Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin has barely been involved this season, but Pat Bryant's ankle injury at least cracks the door open for him again. Franklin has drawn only four targets through four games, catching two for 48 yards, after finishing 2025 with 65 receptions for 709 yards and six touchdowns. Bryant is expected to miss a few weeks, so Denver will have snaps to redistribute behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. Marvin Mims Jr. is still in that mix too, which is why Franklin's opportunity is more interesting than trustworthy right now. He was not targeted at all against San Francisco in Week 4 and has yet to see more than two targets in a game this season. RotoBaller has him at WR63 for Week 5 against the Chargers, and he does not appear among its current top 85 mid-week waiver options. In deeper leagues, Franklin is a speculative stash to watch rather than someone worth chasing with meaningful waiver priority.

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Tyreek Hill Oct 7 10:40am ET
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Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill remains under NFL review as a civil case tied to his divorce moves forward in Florida. Hill's ex-wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro, testified Tuesday that he physically abused her during their marriage, and her complaint alleges eight separate incidents. Hill has denied the allegations and does not face criminal charges. Court TV reported that Vaccaro testified about one incident in which Hill grabbed at her jewelry, pushed her onto a bed, and put his hands around her neck. The NFL's Personal Conduct Policy review remains active, which could still affect Hill's availability if the league ultimately determines that a violation occurred. His agent has also been negotiating with teams as Hill works toward an NFL return, with Kansas City among those that have shown interest. RotoBaller currently recommends Hill as a stash in leagues with 14 or more teams while both his playing status and the league review remain unresolved.

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Tyson Bagent Oct 7 10:20am ET
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There is another start coming for Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent, but the opportunity matters a lot more in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. Bagent handled the Jets well enough in Week 4, completing 25 of 34 passes for a career-high 268 yards in a 23-12 win. The fantasy line was much less interesting. He did not throw a touchdown, was intercepted once and added only one rushing yard on four carries. Chicago also had little reason to ask for more with Kyle Monangai running 30 times for 146 yards and two scores. Bagent is expected to start again Sunday at Green Bay while Caleb Williams remains sidelined by a hamstring injury. RotoBaller has Bagent at QB26 for Week 5 and lists him as an add only in two-quarterback leagues. That makes him useful if a Superflex manager simply needs a starting quarterback this week, but there is not enough passing or rushing upside here to make him worth chasing in ordinary one-QB formats.

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Pat Bryant Oct 7 10:00am ET
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Jalon Daniels Oct 7 9:50am ET
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In his first NFL start, Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions, in the 17-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He also added 55 rushing yards on eight carries, finishing with 11.4 fantasy points in his first career start. With starter Baker Mayfield (thumb) not practicing ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, it appears Daniels will be the starter again for the Bucs. He goes from facing a top-12 pass defense in Green Bay to the 31st-ranked defense in Dallas. The Cowboys have also allowed the most rushing yards to quarterbacks this season, including big rushing days by Jaxson Dart (54 yards), Jayden Daniels (69 yards), and Lamar Jackson (50 yards). Daniels should be considered a high-end QB3 in Week 5, with high upside given his running ability.

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Tyler Huntley Oct 7 9:40am ET
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley could be set to start in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons. In 16 games as a starter, Huntley has completed 272 of 422 passes for 2,511 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, while adding 623 yards and four touchdowns on 121 carries. With star quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) having an outside chance to play in Week 5, Huntley appears likely to start against the Falcons. After Jackson left Week 4's 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans before the second half, Huntley completed eight of nine passes for 63 yards and rushed four times for 16 yards. He faces an Atlanta defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing yards and the 11th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. If Jackson misses Week 5 and possibly more time beyond that, Huntley could be a low-end QB2 in SuperFlex leagues.

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Jaydon Blue Oct 7 9:30am ET
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Jaydon Blue could be promoted to the active roster this week as the Eagles travel to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. After failing to make the Cowboys' 53-man roster, Blue signed with the Eagles' practice squad before the season. Although he hasn't suited up in a regular-season game yet, with Saquon Barkley (hamstring) uncertain to play and backup Tank Bigsby (core) placed on injured reserve after sports hernia surgery, Blue could be activated and play a role in Week 5. With Will Shipley potentially handling passing-down work, Blue, Dameon Pierce, and Carson Steele could each handle the majority of the workload in Week 5. While they face a tough matchup against a Jaguars defense that has allowed the fewest rushing yards to running backs in the NFL this season, Blue could be a top waiver-wire option in Week 6 if he handles the workload and Barkley misses multiple weeks.

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Kendre Miller Oct 7 9:20am ET
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Daniel Jones Oct 7 12:10am ET
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has been relatively underwhelming so far this season, ranking as the QB27 in fantasy scoring with just four touchdowns and seven interceptions. The last two games have been particularly rough, featuring two total touchdowns and five interceptions from the former first-round pick. While the box scores have been pretty ugly, we can point to wide receiver injuries as a glaring reason why Jones has underperformed. Alec Pierce (heel) was less than 100% for the first two weeks, and he has missed the Colts' last two games entirely after being placed on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Keenan Allen (groin) missed Week 4 after being ruled out before kickoff. Allen could return this week and Pierce will be eligible to play in Week 7, which means that Jones will be getting some of his top weapons back within the next few weeks. Jones can combine his rushing upside and solidified receiver room to re-assert himself as a viable QB2 in fantasy football. After all, we saw his true potential last year, when he ranked as the QB7 in fantasy scoring before tearing his Achilles. Managers will have to be a little patient as Jones waits to get his top targets back, but he's a solid bench stash in deeper leagues, especially on quarterback-needy rosters.

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Tank Bigsby Oct 7 12:00am ET
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby (core) has officially been placed on injured reserve. This move was widely expected, according to a report from NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, but the Eagles made it official on Tuesday. Bigsby picked up a core muscle injury during the final minutes of Sunday's Week 4 loss against the Los Angeles Rams. He suffered the injury while handling a larger workload (48% snap share, 14 carries, and 55 rushing yards) in the aftermath of an injury to teammate Saquon Barkley (hamstring). Landing on IR will require Bigsby to miss a minimum of four games, but Rapoport reported that the 24-year-old will undergo surgery and has a timeline closer to six weeks. With Bigsby and Barkley both sidelined, the injury-plagued Eagles will now turn to Will Shipley to lead their backfield against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5.

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Josh Cameron Oct 7 12:00am ET
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Treylon Burks Oct 6 11:50pm ET
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Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks has scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, putting him on the fantasy radar in leagues with 12+ teams. Burks saw a season-high 59% snap share in Week 4, and his bigger role was a direct result of Terry McLaurin (hamstring) being inactive. The 26-year-old was targeted three times, and although he only caught one pass, it went for a 47-yard touchdown reception. He has now scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, totaling 21.0 fantasy points in PPR leagues during that two-week span. The reception volume has been quite low, but we like his chances of having more catchable balls thrown his way with Jayden Daniels (elbow) trending toward playing in Week 5 against the New York Giants. The biggest factor for Burks' outlook is the status of McLaurin, who remains up in the air for this week. It'll be a little while before we get more clarity on McLaurin's status. In the meantime, managers in 12+ team leagues should consider adding Burks as a high-ceiling fantasy receiver.

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Isaiah Williams Oct 6 11:50pm ET
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New York Jets wide receiver Isaiah Williams has played at least 82% of the offensive snaps in each of his last three games, including a 94% snap share during Sunday's Week 4 loss against the Chicago Bears. Williams has taken on a large role as the Jets' No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson with Adonai Mitchell (finger) sidelined. Williams caught six passes back in Week 2 and found the end zone this past Sunday, giving him double-digit fantasy points in two of his last three games. His productivity has been a direct result of his larger role, so he should be viewed as a solid WR3/flex option this week if Mitchell doesn't suit up. We'll know more about Mitchell's status near the end of the week, but in the meantime, Williams should be a priority waiver wire target in 12+ team leagues because of his immediate streaming appeal.

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Efton Chism III Oct 6 11:20pm ET
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New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III has defied the odds, going from a 2025 undrafted free agent to a meaningful fantasy football contributor this season. Chism has taken on a larger role over the last few weeks with AJ Brown (ankle) on injured reserve. There isn't a clear pecking order in New England, but the 24-year-old finished fourth on the team in targets (4) and receiving yards (42) against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. He also made a spectacular touchdown catch that led to an embarrassing postgame viral moment for Bills cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson. While fantasy leagues don't reward extra points for one-handed catches, the play itself was an encouraging sign that Chism is capable of making plays on trickier targets. In other words, he can catch passes on plays where some other receivers might not be able. His big-play and touchdown upside gives him waiver wire appeal in leagues with 12+ teams heading into Week 5, especially with Brown still on IR and Mack Hollins (calf) at risk of missing time. If Hollins can't play this week, Chism could be the Patriots' No. 2 wide receiver behind Romeo Doubs.

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Michael Mayer Oct 6 10:52pm ET
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Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer caught eight passes for 82 yards on 10 targets in a close Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. That's more involvement than we've ever seen the third-year tight end have in a game where he shared the field with TE Brock Bowers. The concussion injury to Raiders WR Jalen Nailor (head) likely played a part in this, but Mayer's performance was impressive nonetheless. Las Vegas' head coach, Klint Kubiak, indicated that he'd like to get both his tight ends involved in the passing game. Mayer has excellent value for a tight end that's just seven percent rostered in Yahoo leagues, as he caught three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown last week. We could be in the midst of his breakout, in which case it would be exceedingly difficult to pick him up in a few weeks. Finding weekly productive players at the TE position is rare, especially when they were largely undrafted in fantasy leagues, so Mayer should be added in all leagues with 12 or more teams ahead of Week 5.

Darnell Washington Oct 6 10:00pm ET
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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington found the end zone for the first time this season during last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns. Washington hauled in three of his five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in the defeat. The big tight end drew an impactful penalty to set up his team to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. Not everything Washington does shows up on the box score, but he's beginning to post decent numbers now. He finished with a season-high 67 receiving yards in Week 3. He draws a juicy matchup against the Indianapolis Colts defense in Week 5. A defensive unit that has given up over 200 receiving yards to tight ends this season. Fantasy managers should consider picking up Washington in deep leagues ahead of this matchup.

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Jalen Royals Oct 6 10:00pm ET
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Deshaun Watson Oct 6 9:50pm ET
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has surprisingly been reliable through the first four games of the season. Heading into Week 5, Watson has thrown for 855 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 127 yards on 31 rushing attempts this season. Watson carries a 69.6 percent completion rate into this Week 5 matchup against the New York Jets. A defensive unit that has struggled to contain quarterbacks this season. Watson is currently the QB12 heading into this big road matchup against the Jets. Given that some teams are on bye, Watson is looking like a priority streaming appeal for this weekend while he enjoys a career resurgence.

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