Deshaun Watson was named QB1 of the Browns over Shedeur Sanders. So, which Cleveland players can be fantasy football viable?
The most closely contested quarterback competition in the NFL has been settled. Deshaun Watson was named the Week 1 starter for the Cleveland Browns over Shedeur Sanders. This decision comes despite Watson’s recent comments disrespecting Cleveland’s fanbase.
Watson has three Pro Bowl nods to his name, but he has next-to-no success since 2020. The quarterback was traded to Cleveland in 2022 and was handed the largest contract in NFL history. Off-the-field issues, on-field struggles, and recurring injury problems have resulted in both the trade and the contract being looked upon among the worst in NFL history. Still, the Browns are hoping for a bounce-back season from the signal caller with a cap hit of over $40 million this season.
Sanders is entering his second season. He was once viewed as a potential number one pick, but he fell to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders had ups and downs as a rookie, and he finished the season with 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. The Colorado product will now hope to overtake Watson sometime during, not before, the regular season.
With Watson officially set to start the year under center, there is more clarity surrounding the Browns’ offense when it comes to fantasy football. Cleveland prioritized adding playmakers to their offense over the offseason, but who will be fantasy viable with Watson as the team’s quarterback?
Browns’ fantasy football threats
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Watson and Sanders are two very different quarterbacks. Even during his prime, Watson was more of a game manager who would methodically orchestrate long drives. At his best, that resulted in a 4,825-yard season, but Watson has never been the same since he did that in 2020. Sanders, meanwhile, is more willing to take risks. While that creates more big plays deep down the field, his tendency to hold onto the ball and try to create magic happen also leads to a lot of sacks, interceptions, and mistakes.
In fantasy football, this high-risk, high-reward style is usually more beneficial to fantasy managers than a low-risk style of play is. Therefore, Cleveland’s receiving threats saw their value tank with the announcement of Watson as QB1. The Browns drafted KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the first and second rounds, respectively. However, drafting either in fantasy can be viewed as a risk. For starters, rookies often get off to slow starts regardless, but Watson’s presence limits both players’ ceilings.
Concepcion certainly has the higher ceiling this year, though. The rookie from Texas A&M thrives in yards after catch situations, so he won’t need an overly high volume of targets in order to gain yardage. Boston, meanwhile, is a big-bodied possession receiver who can rack up the touchdowns, but there might not be a lot of scoring going on in Cleveland’s offense this year. Concepcion has an average draft position of 139.5 and is WR50, whereas Boston is WR57 and has an ADP of 169.5, according to FantasyPros.com.
Besides the rookies, the Browns have some established pass catchers on their roster, too. Jerry Jeudy is one of the NFL’s best route runners, but he has never quite lived up to his potential, and that is especially true in fantasy leagues. With more competition for targets, FantasyPros.com’s WR58 doesn’t have a great outlook for this year. There are a lot of believers in Harold Fannin Jr., however.
The tight end can line up all over the field and broke out for the Browns last season. Fannin had 72 catches for 731 yards last season, and many expect improvement this year, which is why he is listed as TE6. However, buyers should beware when it comes to the second-year player. Cleveland’s offense is unlikely to be consistent, and that extends to their tight end, so it is safe to say that Fannin is being overdrafted with an ADP of 65.5.
It is tough to say which quarterback would better cater to Fannin’s skill set. Many tight ends operate as security blankets for game managers, so Fannin does have loads of potential with a conservative passer like Watson, but Fannin also isn’t your average inline tight end. His ability to play outside would be better enhanced by Sanders.
All of this is to say that the best fantasy football bet in Cleveland is not a pass catcher, but running back Quinshon Judkins. As a rookie, Judkins had 827 yards and seven touchdowns through 14 games, but those numbers can be expected to skyrocket this season. Regardless of whether Watson remains under center, if Sanders takes over the job, or if Taylen Green or Dillon Gabriel see the field at some point, the Browns are going to rely on their rushing attack, and the 22nd-ranked RB could be in for a big year in which he outplays his draft range.
The most closely contested quarterback competition in the NFL has been settled. Deshaun Watson was named the Week 1 starter for the Cleveland Browns over Shedeur Sanders. This decision comes despite Watson’s recent comments disrespecting Cleveland’s fanbase. Watson has three Pro Bowl nods to his name, but he has next-to-no success since 2020.
