BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns reported another wide receiver injury on Friday.
Derrick Willies, a rookie who filled in well when Rashard Higgins hurt his knee in the win over Baltimore, has a broken collarbone and will miss Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the team announced.
Willies was likely slated to be the Browns' third receiver with Higgins out. Antonio Callaway and Jarvis Landry will start.
Willies relieved Higgins on Sunday and had three catches for 61 yards, including a 39-yard catch and run that set up the Greg Joseph's game-winning field goal. The Browns felt good enough about Willies' play that they did not add a veteran receiver when they learned Higgins would miss two to four weeks with a sprained MCL.
The Browns could turn to Rod Streater, signed by the Browns after Josh Gordon was traded, or rookie Damion Ratley. Neither has a reception this season; Ratley has yet to play in a game.
The Browns also could use running back Duke Johnson in more of a running back/receiver role. Johnson's role has been reduced somewhat with the emergence of Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb.
Johnson was the Browns' player of the year in 2017 when he totaled 1,041 total yards receiving and running. This season, he has touched the ball 27 times in five games, and has 17 targets in the passing game and 17 runs.
"Duke's skill set allows us to do a lot of different things with him," Jackson said earlier in the week. "We split him out a little bit this past week, and I'm sure we will do other things with him as we go. Duke is very talented. Obviously, when he has the ball in his hands, good things happen."
Johnson's lack of touches is more a product of Hyde playing well; with Hyde starting and Chubb and Johnson used in relief, the Browns rank second in the league in rushing per game (144.8 yards).
Johnson did have three key carries for 24 yards during the winning drive against Baltimore.
