The latest as the Giants and Browns hit gameday.
Here is your Week 3 injury wrap-up as the Cleveland Browns take on the New York Giants this Sunday.
Biggest Injury Storylines
- The big news this week came on Saturday, when the Browns downgraded Jack Conklin to OUT after he had been listed as questionable again. There was hope that Conklin would be back this week, since he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, he was limited, and it sounds like a new hamstring injury is the cause for the setback.
- On the flip side, the Browns are not calling a reserve lineman up from the practice squad this week, which seems to imply that Jedrick Wills, despite being limited again in practice all week, may get the start at left tackle. Dawand Jones is banged up but was not given an injury status for the game, so he should play at right tackle again. It’s also possible that James Hudson could still start at left tackle, but that Wills would be available as a backup tackle this week.
- Cleveland will be without David Njoku again. This time, the Browns signed TE Blake Whiteheart to the roster and called up TE Geoff Swaim from the practice squad, meaning they may not plan to use OL Zak Zinter as the third tight end as much this week. Cleveland also signed RB Gary Brightwell to the roster this week, with RB Pierre Strong ruled out to injury.
- The Giants will be without third CB Nick McCloud. DE Brian Burns showed up on the injury report Friday with a groin injury. He is listed as questionable, but late-week injury additions are always notable because it means they just aggravated something. During the week, the Giants also placed K Graham Gano on IR, and have signed veteran K Greg Joseph, a former Browns kicker.
Betting Odds Impact
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Browns are 6.5 point favorites against the Giants. The line has remained static throughout the week, so injuries have not impacted it.
Fantasy Implications
- I don’t expect Jordan Akins to have a big game, but the Giants did allow 4 catches for 62 yards to TE Zac Ertz last week.
- The Giants’ rushing defense has been bad, and if Cleveland does get LT Jedrick Wills back and he plays well, that could give a little boost to the Browns’ rushing attack, which means a bump in stock for RB Jerome Ford. Ford is one of our FanDuel player prop bets this week.
