After suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku is still sidelined and expected to miss their Week 3 matchup against the New York Giants.
The Pro Bowl tight end, however, was not placed on Injured Reserve which means the Browns expect him back earlier than Week 5. While high ankle sprains are no joke, Njoku played through severe burns to his hands and face last year and will likely tough it out earlier than the expected 4-to-6-week window.
In the meantime, the Browns will continue to turn to veteran tight end Jordan Akins while compensating for Njoku’s blocking ability with heavy personnel. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Browns routinely trotted out seven offensive linemen with Nick Harris and Zak Zinter joining the party.
In Njoku’s absence thus far, Akins has racked up 37 yards on four catches as the TE1. The Browns are throwing the ball a ton this season, so expect Akins to be involved against the Giants.
