Deshaun Watson secured consecutive first-team reps over rookie Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland’s training camp quarterback rotation, signaling head coach Todd Monken favors the veteran. Despite Watson posting a 72.0 True Passer Rating in 2024, three straight efficient practices earned him exclusive starter work while Sanders—boasting an 81st-percentile 19.6 Breakout Age—waits on deck.
Watson is currently in the lead, but he is highly unlikely to be under center in the second half of the season. Regardless, this camp development will inevitably suppress Sanders’ superflex value. Expect this position competition to continue through the preseason games before Cleveland officially names its Week 1 starter against Jacksonville.
Cleveland Browns second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel has...
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel ...
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (concussion) has...
Rumors out of Cleveland indicate the Browns are simply not sold on Shedeur Sanders as a franchise quarterback and are fielding trade calls for the second-year QB ahead of training camp. Despite taking initial first-team minicamp reps, Sanders remains locked in a fluid depth chart battle with Deshaun Watson after averaging a paltry 11.9 Fantasy Points Per Game across eight games last season.
It is a major concern for Sanders’ dynasty lifetime value that the front office is hesitant to anchor their future to a passer who paired a 78.2 College QBR with an NFL-long 3.08-second average time to throw in 2026. Traded or not, Sanders remains a priority stash in superflex fantasy football dynasty leagues and will continue to be a polarizing QB prospect for the foreseeable future.
The propaganda campaign out of Cleveland is growing louder that Deshaun Watson will actually get the first crack at the starting job. Despite throwing for a meager 3,365 yards across 19 total games with the Browns and returning from dual Achilles tears, Todd Monken is dusting off tired offensive concepts in an attempt to salvage Watson’s career.
Unfortunately, Monken cannot ressurect peak DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. Watson’s massive contract dictates that he will temporarily suppress the rookie’s breakout momentum to open the 2026 season, but his play style is from a different era, and his arm and legs are shot.
Meanwhile, second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders lurks with a superior 90th-percentile College QBR of 78.2. Sanders is a dynasty superflex sleeper as he is the favorite to be under center in the second half as the Browns not-so-tactfully tank for Arch Manning in 2027.
Todd Monken is attempting the ultimate sports necromancy by trying to revive Deshaun Watson. The $230 million franchise anchor most recently posted a 72.4 True Passer Rating (#31) and bottom-barrel EPA per Play after single-handedly turning Cleveland into a fantasy football wasteland.
With a torn Achilles and the looming presence of Shedeur Sanders, Watson’s grip on the QB1 chair is officially looser than a pair of gas station sweatpants. While no one is expecting a 2019 Houston resurgence, at just 30 years of age, Watson has the ability to be fantasy relevant and keep Sanders’ dynasty stock suppressed all season.
The Shedeur Sanders haters, faders, and doubters have gotten the news that Shedeur Sanders will start again at home versus the 49ers this week. Sanders, in tandem with Cleveland’s stout defense delivered a win on Sunday.
Sanders passed for 209 yards and a touchdown while the Myles Garrett led defense came away with 10 sacks on Geno Smith. While there are many holes to his game, Sanders did put some good things on tape. While he isn’t in must start territory, Sanders is worth picking up in superflex redraft leagues as another victory may buy him some time as the Browns starting quarterback. When Dillon Gabriel returns healthy, expect Sanders to have to look over his shoulder for every misstep. The beauty for Sanders is that he has the vantage point of being on the field vs. holding the clipboard.
Author: Jeremiah Retzlaff (@coachretzlaff1)
Dillon Gabriel remains in concussion protocol and Shedeur Sanders will get the start. The Browns are 2-8 in a Spider-Man meme match with the 2-8 Las Vegas Raiders.
While much has been made of Sanders’ drastic fall through the NFL draft process to starting the season buried on the Browns depth chart, he now gets a chance to prove himself as a starter in the NFL. As the process has not been linear for Sanders, expect there to be volatile output facing the Raiders. Fire up the Raiders defense as a streaming play in Week 12.
Author: Jeremiah Retzlaff (@coachretzlaff1)
