Jul 14, 2026, 9:48 AM ET

When NFL teams gather for training camps at the end of the month, one of the league's most intriguing battles will be for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland. Browns veteran Deshaun Watson was thought to have an early edge in the pass-heavy setting of OTAs and minicamp, though reports from some of the later sessions seemed to indicate that second-year pro Shedeur Sanders had significantly narrowed the gap. A former first-round pick of the Houston Texans, Watson was once viewed as a rising star in the league, but his career has been derailed by character issues and a string of serious injuries, most recently missing the entirety of the 2025 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time. He has not thrown for more than 1,150 yards since 2020, and even if he wins the starting job outright, existing health concerns would only be compounded by the rigors of a full 17-game season. The Browns have done an admirable job of building around the quarterback position, spending three top-40 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on offensive line and wide receiver after hitting on rookie tight end and running back Harold Fannin Jr. and Quinshon Judkins in 2025, and Watson could gain an advantage by what he's able to provide with his legs. While not an exciting pick, the 10th-year veteran is practically free at the end of 2026 drafts, currently coming off the board as the QB32, but if he's able to win the job and stay healthy, he could add surprising value in Todd Monken's offense and is a worthwhile dart-throw as a third quarterback in superflex leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jul 13, 2026, 3:14 PM ET

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken hasn't laid out a timeline for making a decision in the quarterback battle this summer between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, only saying that the team will have a starter by Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Both Watson and Sanders split first-team reps throughout offseason workouts, but the competition will extend into padded practices in training camp and preseason games. Watson is healthy after a pair of Achilles surgeries kept him out for all of last year, but he must show that he can improve on what has been a disappointing stint in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Browns coaches have been pleased with Sanders' growth after a tough rookie season in which he held onto the ball too long. There is a case to be made for both Watson and Sanders, but if the Browns are looking more towards the long-term, Sanders makes more sense. For fantasy purposes, neither Watson nor Sanders should be taken in single-QB redraft leagues this fall, and they should be considered low-upside investments in two-QB superflex formats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi

Jul 9, 2026, 9:31 PM ET

The NFL Network's James Palmer reports that "there have been some things circulating" that the Cleveland Browns "could be moving on" from second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland now has plenty of draft capital and are expected to be in on the strong QB class in next year's NFL draft. Palmer also reports that Sanders is "making up ground" and "has closed the gap" in the quarterback competition with veteran Deshaun Watson. The belief is that the competition is close this summer in training camp, the Browns will go with Watson, who has more NFL experience and also much more invested into him by the organization. Sanders is improving in terms of his pocket presence and in going through his progressions, and he's done everything right since he fell to the fifth round in last year's draft. Accuracy is the 24-year-old's strength, but he's been more of a developmental prospect in terms of playing under center, reading defenses, and playing with anticipation. Palmer is not convinced that the Browns are set on trading Sanders because of the improvement that he's shown since joining the NFL. Neither Watson nor Sanders will carry much value in single-QB, 12-team fantasy leagues in 2026, but now might be a good time to buy low on Sanders in dynasty/keeper formats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - James Palmer

Jun 26, 2026, 1:51 PM ET

Cleveland Browns second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel has "had a very nice spring," but he will enter training camp at the end of July competing for a depth role behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. After being surprisingly selected before Sanders in the third round (94th overall) last year out of the University of Oregon, Gabriel went on to appear in 10 games (six starts) while throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions on 185 pass attempts. The 25-year-old southpaw will essentially be competing for the No. 3 QB role this summer with rookie sixth-rounder Taylen Green. When healthy and in a starting role in 2025 in his rookie season, Gabriel looked mostly like an underwhelming game manager, but to be fair, he didn't have a ton of help around him on offense. Gabriel will enter his sophomore campaign completely off the redraft fantasy radar.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot

Jun 24, 2026, 12:28 PM ET

Across eight games (seven starts) as a rookie in 2025, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 56.6% of his pass attempts for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The 24-year-old took over as the starter in Week 12 of what was already a lost season for Cleveland and flashed some upside, but largely struggled. Entering 2026, Sanders is competing with Browns veteran Deshaun Watson for the team's QB1 role. While Watson has struggled with both injuries and ineffectiveness during his time in Cleveland, early reports indicate that the veteran may be the favorite to open 2026 ahead of Sanders on the depth chart. While Sanders' short-term fantasy value may be nonexistent, he may still be worth holding onto in dynasty formats. Cleveland overhauled both its offensive line and wide receiver corps over the offseason and currently remains without a clear quarterback of the future. For rebuilding dynasty managers, Sanders could be a worthy buy-low target.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 19, 2026, 9:37 AM ET

When the Cleveland Browns selected Taylen Green in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, he became their third quarterback taken in the last two drafts. With Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders still on the roster, and veteran Deshaun Watson currently battling Sanders for the starting job, Green will presumably have the opportunity to develop behind the scenes. Still an incredibly raw prospect who went 2-9 as a starter in his final season at Arkansas, Green possesses traits rare for his (or any) position. At 6'6" and 227 pounds, he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and while the player and team have both insisted that his future is at quarterback, it isn't difficult to envision a specific package of plays designed to get him the ball in space. While it may take until 2027 or beyond to truly gain a sense of Green's fantasy viability, as RotoBaller's dynasty QB33, he is one of the most obvious stash candidates in the later rounds of rookie drafts, and in best ball formats, he adds potential value as a player who could feasibly be given a late-season opportunity that coincides with the fantasy playoffs.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 18, 2026, 3:24 PM ET

The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that Cleveland Browns new head coach Todd Monken would have liked to have a starter already named going into training camp in late July, but he "wants and needs to see more" from both quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders this summer. Ultimately, Monken said he will play "whoever gives us the best chance to score, and I won't know that until we play." He wants to see more "consistency and confidence" from both Watson and Sanders in training camp than what he saw this spring. Jackson adds that it's safe to say that Watson "looked like the same player in his return from a year and a half away that he was before his two Achilles tendon injuries." Watson is healthy and threw downfield occasionally with confidence, but he "lacked consistency and too often threw into traffic." Jackson doesn't think there is much reason to want Watson to play unless he's "clearly their best option." The 30-year-old Watson has been a Pro Bowler three times (all before he came to Cleveland), but it appears he might have to thoroughly outplay Sanders to win the starting gig going into Week 1. Either way, this QB situation is one to ignore for fantasy managers, if at all possible. Whoever wins the starting job this summer probably will have a very short leash to begin the regular season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson

Jun 12, 2026, 1:47 PM ET

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on 92.3 The Fan that "everything is on the table" with regards to quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) this year. "Honestly, the public discourse doesn't really have a factor in terms of how we think about putting together the team or Todd in terms of putting together the best lineup...that really doesn't play a factor into it," Berry said when asked how past comments about the Watson trade play into the future. Watson, who missed all of last season with a twice-torn Achilles tendon, is competing with second-year QB Shedeur Sanders for the starting job in new head coach Todd Monken's offense. Last spring, owner Jimmy Haslam said that the trade for Watson was "a big swing and a miss." The Browns have acknowledged that the trade for the 30-year-old was a disaster after they signed him to a five-year, $230 million deal in March of 2022. Watson has played in just 19 games for the team since he joined them in 2022, but all of that is history now, and Berry isn't ruling anything out, including a potential new deal for the QB as he heads into his final year under contract with the organization. For fantasy purposes, Watson will be a low-end QB2 target in superflex leagues if he wins the job over Sanders. He hasn't played a full season since 2020 with the Houston Texans, and he's completed 61% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his 19 games with Cleveland.--Keith Hernandez
Source: 92.3 The Fan

Jun 11, 2026, 10:26 AM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has not reached 1,200 passing yards or double-digit touchdowns in any season since 2020, and yet with the starting job in Todd Monken's new-look offense purportedly up for grabs, there may be life left in both his NFL and fantasy careers. Between Watson and Shedeur Sanders, whoever wins the starting quarterback role will find themselves somewhat insulated by the team's recent and heavy investments into the offensive infrastructure. After seeming to hit big on tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and running back Quinshon Judkins in the 2025 Draft, Cleveland spent four 2026 Day 1 or 2 picks on the offensive side of the ball and eight in total. When at his best, Watson possessed a rushing element absent from Sanders' game, and with Monken having spent the last three seasons with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, that could become a factor in his decision to name a starter. Still stuck at RotoBaller's dynasty WR30 with a realistic chance of reclaiming the starting job, the 30-year-old Watson is a low-cost addition who could provide usable depth to a contending superflex squad.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Jun 9, 2026, 4:18 PM ET

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said he won't name a starting quarterback coming out of mandatory minicamp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I'm not there yet," Monken said. Deshaun Watson and second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders will be splitting reps evenly during minicamp this week. The 30-year-old Watson has had a disastrous tenure with the team after signing a five-year, $230 million deal in March of 2022 due to suspension and a twice-torn Achilles tendon. The three-time Pro Bowler appears to have put his Achilles injury in the past, though, and reports this offseason suggest that Monken could be leaning toward giving Watson the reins in the starting role to begin the 2026 season. Watson certainly has the experience advantage over Sanders, who notably fell all the way to the fifth round in last year's NFL draft. Whoever wins the Browns' starting QB job will have a short leash and won't be much more than a shaky low-end QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex leagues. Monken might not tell us who his starting QB is until sometime in training camp in August.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot

May 31, 2026, 10:01 AM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was eventually named a Pro Bowler after a rookie season in which he won three of seven starts, completed fewer than 57% of his passes, and threw three more interceptions than touchdowns. While it is an accolade he'll hold for the rest of his career, it carries no weight in his ongoing competition with 2017 first-round pick Deshaun Watson. While acknowledging that Sanders has had his moments in the spring, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared on Friday his belief that Watson has a "leg up" in the competition for the Browns' starting duties in 2026. Cleveland spent five of its first six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on either offensive line or wide receiver, so whoever wins the job should find the situation more tenable than the one that churned through three different starters in 2025. While no official determination is likely until training camp, early reports haven't favored Sanders, and he's fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty QB34.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Jeremy Fowler

May 25, 2026, 12:46 PM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Taylen Green finds himself in a very crowded position group, and he only has modest draft capital after being selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, his speed could help him carve out a role in Cleveland, despite the Browns already having Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel. All of those existing quarterbacks have major question marks, and while Green won't be able to start over any of the three, his speed could get him occasional playing time in an offense led by head coach Todd Monken. Monken most recently was the offensive coordinator in Baltimore, where he worked with a similarly fast quarterback in Lamar Jackson. If Green, who ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, can prove that his speed holds value in Monken's system, he could earn a roster spot and compete for a backup role long-term. In turn, that would allow him to carve out some dynasty value as a potential handcuff behind whichever the Browns choose to roll with -- presumably Watson short-term and Sanders long-term. Green currently projects as a fourth-round pick in rookie drafts in single-quarterback dynasty leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 20, 2026, 2:03 PM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) was the first QB up in both team and individual drills on Wednesday during the team's second OTA practice, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Shedeur Sanders was second in individual drills, followed by Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green. In team drills, Gabriel was second behind Watson with the first-team offense, while Sanders mostly worked with the second team. The 30-year-old Watson looks to be fully recovered from a twice-torn Achilles tendon that kept him out for all of the 2025 campaign. He will be competing primarily with Sanders for the starting gig under center in 2026, although offseason reports have suggested that Watson is in the unofficial lead, primarily because he's made 72 starts in the NFL and is a three-time Pro Bowler. A report surfaced earlier this week that Watson and new head coach Todd Monken have hit it off, which insinuates that the Browns are leaning toward naming Watson as their starter eventually. Although Watson looked like a future star with the Houston Texans earlier in his career, he's been a massive bust in Cleveland and won't be much more than a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues if he wins the starting QB job over Sanders.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot

May 19, 2026, 3:00 PM ET

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler was told that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has "hit it off" with new head coach Todd Monken, "who's got an offensive concept, some elements that Watson has run in the past and been his best at." Although second-year QB Shedeur Sanders is the better long-term option for the Browns under center, offseason reports favoring Watson continue to emerge. The Browns aren't tipping their hand at all as to whether Watson or Sanders has the lead in the offseason QB competition, but as long as he's recovered from a twice-torn Achilles tendon that kept him on the sidelines for all of 2025, the 30-year-old Watson appears to have the current edge over Sanders. Since signing a five-year, $230 million deal with the Browns in March of 2022, Watson has only started 19 games and completed 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. However, he has the momentum with a new coaching staff and has reportedly recovered nicely from his Achilles injury suffered in 2024. In RotoBaller's 2026 QB rankings, Watson sits at No. 32, with Sanders at No. 34, so neither signal-caller will be much of an option for fantasy managers in traditional single-QB leagues in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler