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Deshaun Watson Trending Up, But Faces Tough Foe in Pittsburgh in Week 4
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has had his best two performances of the season in Weeks 2 and 3 in the Browns' wins over the Buccaneers and the Panthers and will hope to carry that into Week 4's game at home against the Steelers. Against Carolina, Watson wasn't very efficient, completing just 16-of-30 passes for 144 yards, but did throw two touchdowns without an interception and added a two-point conversion. At Tampa Bay, Watson had his most efficient game yet this season, completing 24-of-30 passes for 238 yards and two passing touchdowns. Watson found tight end Harold Fannin Jr. twice for touchdowns in the win over Carolina and in the first two contests of the season, he connected with rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston in each of the games. The emergence of the tight end Fannin Jr. will help him add to his receiving corps and broaden his target base. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is a tough matchup for Watson and the Browns as they are allowing just 192.7 net passing yards per game and have recorded two interceptions on the season. Watson should remain on the outside of start-worthy quarterbacks in fantasy in this matchup.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Deshaun Watson is Becoming Trustworthy Fantasy Option
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has posted back-to-back strong fantasy performances. One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the performance of Watson through the first few weeks of the season. Through three games, Watson has thrown for 587 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He now heads into an interesting matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in Week 4. A defensive unit that has done a nice job capitalizing on mistakes this season, but Watson has been playing mistake-free football lately. The 31-year-old is getting it done with both his arm and his legs, and is one of the more intriguing streaming options for Week 4.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Deshaun Watson Not Ready As Starting QB Even After Positive Week 2
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson rebounded from a rough Week 1 against the Jaguars and had a good statistical game against the Buccaneers in Week 2. The much-maligned quarterback was 24-for-30 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Watson is still a tough option to start at quarterback as he has a home game with the Panthers in Week 3. The Panthers defense gave up 59 points to the Chicago Bears in the opening week but rebounded to allow just three points to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. Both Watson and the Panthers defense are coming off of bounce-back efforts so it will be interesting to see what gives in Week 3. The Panthers have star defensive backs in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson along with Derrick Brown on the defensive line but will be playing without linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Nick Scott. Watson has an emerging bond with receiver Denzel Boston who has touchdowns in each of the first two games. Look for Watson to look Boston's way more in Week 3 and maybe get tight end Harold Fannin Jr. more involved. Watson tossed a TD pass to backup tight end Blake Whiteheart in Week 2. We still need to see more good performances from Watson before considering him a starting fantasy option even in deep leagues.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Deshaun Watson Makes More Sense in Superflex Leagues
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson bounced back in Week 2, completing 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns while adding 22 yards on seven carries against Tampa Bay. He is now 40-for-52 for 443 yards, three touchdowns and one interception through two games, with another 60 yards on the ground. That is enough to keep him in the waiver conversation, but mostly in formats where two quarterbacks matter. Cleveland still lists Watson as the starter ahead of Shedeur Sanders, and head coach Todd Monken praised the way he operated the offense in the second half Sunday. The fantasy ceiling is still harder to trust. RotoBaller ranks Watson 75th overall on its Week 3 waiver board and recommends him in 2QB leagues, while its FAAB column suggests only a 1% standard bid but 10-15% in Superflex. He can work as a Week 3 fill-in against Carolina, but he is not a priority pickup in one-quarterback leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Browns to Re-Evaluate Quarterback Situation for Week 3
The Cleveland Browns will re-evaluate their quarterback room ahead of Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers, according to Ian Rapoport of ESPN.com. Deshaun Watson won the starting role over Shedeur Sanders out of camp, but he had a shaky Week 1 performance with 205 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception, and five sacks as the Browns lost the opener 34-10. It's possible that Watson could strengthen his grasp on the starting job with a good performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, but if that doesn't happen, Rapoport writes that Shedeur Sanders could be the "next man up." Sanders produced iffy numbers himself as a rookie last year, totaling 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions across eight games. Even if he's not a true upgrade, he does offer a change of pace for the Browns' offense, as well as an injection of youth into a rebuilding system.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Deshaun Watson Not Worth a Fantasy Start in Week 2 Vs. Bucs
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is not a start-worthy quarterback option for fantasy teams in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Watson struggled in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and his matchup is not much better at the Buccaneers. Against the Jaguars, Watson was 16-for-22 passing for 205 yards and a touchdown with an interception. Tampa Bay limited Joe Burrow and the explosive Bengals passing attack to 245 yards passing and intercepted him one time and returned it for a touchdown. Watson should struggle against the Bucs pass defense on the road at Tampa Bay. The Bucs feature cover cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison with safeties Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. Watson could also be under pressure from Vita Vea and the Bucs defensive line. Watson is hardly worth a roster spot in most fantasy leagues and this week should not do much to change that. He is a low-end quarterback among those who will be starting in Week 2. Look beyond Watson for a fantasy quarterback in Week 2.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Browns Anticipate Deshaun Watson Starting Again in Week 2
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken told reporters on Monday that he anticipates veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson will start on Sunday at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Monken said that "there were some really good things on film" despite the Browns being blown out 34-10 in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday at the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 31-year-old completed 16 of his 22 pass attempts (72.7%) for 205 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added 38 rushing yards on six carries. Watson fumbled the ball but ended up recovering it, so he avoided any costly turnovers. His lone touchdown pass was a 46-yard deep strike to rookie receiver Denzel Boston, but it came with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter with the game already well over. Watson has plenty of arm strength and was accurate in his first NFL game since 2024, but he could have his hands full in Week 2 against a blitz-heavy Buccaneers defense, making him merely a low-end, low-upside QB2 in superflex fantasy leagues.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Deshaun Watson Hard to Trust in Week 1 Return
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will make his first regular-season start in nearly two years when the Browns visit Jacksonville on Sunday. There is not much reason for fantasy managers to take the same chance. Watson missed all of 2025 after undergoing a second surgery on his right Achilles, then had an uneven preseason after returning this summer. He opened 11-for-15 for 126 yards against Chicago before completing just five of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception against Buffalo. Jacksonville picked off 22 passes last season, so this is not an especially comfortable spot for a quarterback trying to get settled again. Cleveland also enters the opener with five new starters along the offensive line, including rookie Austin Barber replacing the injured Teven Jenkins at right guard. RotoBaller has Watson at QB32 for Week 1. He should stay on the bench in one-quarterback leagues and is only a desperation option in deeper Superflex or two-quarterback formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Taylen Green's Week 1 Role is Undecided
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said on Friday that he has not decided whether or not rookie quarterback Taylen Green will have a package of plays for Sunday's Week 1 season opener on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. Green, a sixth-round pick in April out of Arkansas, will open his first NFL season in Cleveland as the QB3 behind starter Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders, with Dillon Gabriel (back) starting on Injured Reserve. If the 23-year-old does get into Sunday's game against the Jaguars, the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder might only see a couple of snaps on offense. Green has an intriguing size/speed combination at the QB position, but in 2026, he is merely a bench stash in deep dynasty/keeper formats.
Source: 92.3 The Fan - Daryl Ruiter
Source: 92.3 The Fan - Daryl Ruiter
Todd Monken Confident in Deshaun Watson's Downfield Passing Ability
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose tenure with the Browns has been defined by suspension and injury-related layoffs, has seen his accuracy downfield decline in recent years, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Watson ranked third among 34 qualifying QBs in completion rate (58.8%) on downfield passes in 2018, according to Next Gen Stats. He led the league in passing yards in 2020. But in 2023, Watson completed only 39.3% of his downfield attempts, which would have ranked as the worst in the league if he qualified. In 2024, he completed a career-low 37.9% of his downfield attempts before tearing his Achilles, sidelining him for the final 10 games. Additionally, Watson has been less aggressive in pushing the ball down the field, which was impacted by a shoulder injury in 2023 that eventually required surgery. Although Watson was fully healthy this summer in training camp, he was inconsistent and continued to struggle to push the ball downfield in the preseason. Still, he won the starting QB job over Shedeur Sanders, and head coach Todd Monken has confidence that Watson will be able to find explosive plays down the field in his offense in 2026. "I'm confident in Deshaun and our ability to push the ball down the field, otherwise we wouldn't be starting him, Monken said.
Source: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
Source: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
Shedeur Sanders Slides Further in Dynasty Leagues
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders had a chance to carry last year's starting role into his second season. He couldn't hold onto it. Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's quarterback competition after the two traded first-team reps throughout camp, and the Browns have since confirmed Sanders will open the year as the backup. That's a rough turn for a fifth-round pick who still had plenty to prove after completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a rookie. Sanders went 3-4 across seven starts and added 169 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but Cleveland had a full summer to evaluate him and chose Watson. His dynasty value had already been slipping before the decision. RotoBaller ranked Sanders No. 207 overall in January, No. 258 in June and now has him at No. 269 in its Sept. 1 dynasty rankings. He's still only 24 and sits one injury or poor stretch from another opportunity, but dynasty managers have a lot less certainty than they did entering the offseason.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Deshaun Watson's Starting Job Doesn't Erase Preseason Concerns
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson won the starting job, but his preseason left plenty of reasons to stay cautious in fantasy. Watson looked comfortable in the opener against Chicago, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards, although he lost a fumble on a fourth-down sack. A week later, the offense went nowhere against Buffalo. Watson finished 5-for-12 for 36 yards with an interception before Cleveland shut down its starters for the preseason finale. Todd Monken still gave him the Week 1 job after evaluating the full offseason, camp, joint practices and games, so the Browns clearly saw more than the uneven game tape. Fantasy managers don't have to be as patient. Watson hasn't played a regular-season snap since tearing his Achilles in October 2024, then re-rupturing it and missing all of 2025. The job is his, but the August inconsistency did little to suggest an immediate fantasy rebound. Watson is best left to deeper Superflex formats until he shows he can string together productive games again.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dillon Gabriel's Back Injury Not Considered Serious
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken does not think that quarterback Dillon Gabriel's (back) injury is a major injury, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Monken thinks Gabriel first injured his back on a third-down run in the preseason finale last Thursday against the New England Patriots. With Gabriel opening the 2026 regular season on Injured Reserve (he will be required to miss at least the first four weeks), rookie Taylen Green and Shedeur Sanders will split scout-team reps in the next two weeks. As long as Gabriel does not suffer a setback with his back in the next couple of weeks, he should be ready to rejoin the 53-man roster for Week 5. For now, the second-year QB's injury allows the Browns to keep Green on their active roster as the QB3 behind Sanders and starter Deshaun Watson. The 25-year-old former third-rounder from Oregon failed to do much outside of short-area throws as a rookie, throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions in 10 games (six starts) before an injury opened up the starting gig for Sanders the rest of the season in 2025.
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Taylen Green Sticks in Browns' Four-QB Room
Cleveland Browns quarterback Taylen Green has made the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Daniel Oyefusi, citing Mary Kay Cabot. Cleveland is now expected to carry four quarterbacks, with Green joining Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. The sixth-round rookie didn't play in either of the Browns' first two preseason games, but he finally got his chance Thursday against New England. Green completed five of seven passes for 27 yards and did most of his damage with his legs, leading Cleveland with 66 rushing yards on eight carries. The Browns drafted the 6-foot-5 Arkansas product 182nd overall after being drawn to his size, speed and arm talent. Watson is the starter and Sanders is expected to serve as the Week 1 backup, leaving Green buried for immediate fantasy purposes. Cleveland clearly saw enough developmental upside, though, to keep him rather than risk exposing him to waivers.
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
Browns Place Dillon Gabriel on Injured Reserve
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (back) has been placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Cleveland planned to keep four quarterbacks from the preseason into the regular season, and placing Gabriel on IR will allow them to use just three roster spots on quarterbacks. Rookie Taylen Green has made the team as the third-string quarterback, but Gabriel will presumably return to the No. 3 quarterback role once he's activated from IR. With that being said, Watson is the only fantasy-relevant quarterback in Cleveland right now, as he'll get the nod to start Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns also have Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings in case Watson struggles out of the gate.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
