The Cleveland Browns have designated fullback Andy Janovich to return from injured reserve on Wednesday with the intent to have him practice, potentially clearing the way for him to play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns waived fullback Johnny Stanton on Tuesday with the intent of putting him back on the practice squad if he clears waivers, which at least suggested this was the possible next move.
Janovich missed the past three games as a result of a hamstring injury. Stanton played and was integral in the Browns victory over the Denver Broncos with a few key runs for first downs as well as a touchdown reception, the first of his career.
The two fullbacks impact the offense differently with Stanton offering a little more versatility, able to run and catch passes out of the backfield at a slightly higher level while Janovich is a tremendous zone blocking fullback.
With the Browns scuffling as a running offense against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team may be inclined to utilize a decent sized dose Janovich if he's cleared to play to help get that part of their offense back on track.
The Browns are coming off an underwhelming offensive performance against the Steelers, resulting in a 15-10 loss, dropping them to 4-4. They need to be able to be more effective, consistent on offense to defeat the Bengals this week, putting them back in good shape within the division and getting more confident at the same time.
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