The Deshaun Watson injury saga appears to be nearing its conclusion. Despite a series of setbacks since week 4, there’s growing optimism that he’s fully recovered from the shoulder injury that sidelined him. Browns’ head coach, Kevin Stefanski, unequivocally named Watson as the starter for week 9.

In past weeks, Watson either practiced and was later ruled out or played briefly before being knocked out. However, this week signals a notable shift, as Watson seems more recovered, displaying improved throwing in practice reminiscent of his preseason performance. His injury seems like a thing of the past, and his receiving teammates eagerly anticipate his return.

While Watson’s passing performance this year hasn’t been exceptional, the replacements, PJ Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, have been notably inferior. Although the upcoming match against the Cardinals isn’t particularly challenging, the Cardinals have recently limited opposing QB fantasy points. Looking forward, the return of Watson bodes well for the Browns players, but caution is advised for fantasy managers in his first week back. Given the limited player pool due to byes and injuries, only Amari Cooper instills some confidence among Browns pass catchers, having performed well in previous full games with Watson. Elijah Moore and David Njoku have yet to yield significant results, lacking touchdowns or surpassing 50 yards with Watson in the lineup.

If necessary, start Cooper, while benching all other wide receivers. As for tight ends, considering the current market, Njoku isn’t the worst choice but far from the optimal one.