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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Named Cleveland's starting quarterback
The Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback Monday, multiple sources tell NFL reporter Jordan Schultz.Watson won out in a job battle with Shedeur Sanders, after the quarterbacks alternated starts in the Browns' first two preseason contests. After an efficient showing in the preseason opener against the Bears (11-for-15 for 126 yards), Watson was unproductive over his four second-half drives in Saturday's 31-7 exhibition loss to the Bills, completing just five of 12 throws for 36 yards and an interception. The Browns were apparently encouraged enough from what they've seen from Watson over the course of training camp and the first two preseason tilts to move forward with him as their starter heading into the regular season, but he'll most likely be on a short leash. Since joining the Browns in 2022, Watson has posted a lowly 33.1 QBR while being limited to 19 total games due to injuries, including a torn right Achilles tendon and a subsequent re-rupture that kept him out for the entire 2025 season.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Starting QB decision expected Monday
Deshaun Watson will learn Monday if he or Shedeur Sanders will be named the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.The two quarterbacks have gone back and forth on reps during the preseason. Watson started the first half of Cleveland's preseason opener, but then he didn't play until after halftime when Sanders started in Saturday's 31-7 preseason loss to Buffalo. The 30-year-old has completed 16 of 27 passes for 162 yards and zero touchdowns to one interception through two exhibition game appearances. With neither quarterback obviously pulling away in the competition this preseason, it's possible that whoever is named the Week 1 starter could be on a short leash. Cleveland will open its 2026 campaign versus the Jaguars on Sunday, Sept. 13.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Poor second half Saturday
Deshaun Watson completed five of 12 passes for 36 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Saturday's 31-7 preseason loss to the Bills. He also rushed twice for 13 yards.After starting the preseason opener, Watson didn't enter Saturday's second preseason game until after halftime. Shedeur Sanders started and threw for 74 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Watson played all but one possession in the second half but failed to get anything going. Head coach Todd Monken said after the game that he will wait until Sunday to name a starter for Thursday's preseason finale against the Patriots, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. There doesn't appear to be much daylight between Watson and Sanders in the competition for the starting QB role in Cleveland.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Looks sharp in preseason opener
Deshaun Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards in Saturday's 34-10 preseason loss to the Bears. He added four rushing yards on three carries and lost a fumble.The veteran QB may have gotten a leg up on Shedeur Sanders in the battle for the Cleveland Browns' starting job. Watson played the entire first half and led his team on its only two scoring drives of the day, including one capped by a 14-yard TD run by rookie wideout KC Concepcion early in the second quarter. Watson did cost Cleveland a potential third score, however, coughing up the ball on a sack in Chicago territory. Sanders and Watson will continue their competition in next week preseason's contest against the Bills, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports, with Sanders starting and Watson playing the second half this time around. Another solid effort from Watson could be enough for coach Todd Monken to name him the Week 1 starter.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Starting preseason opener
Deshaun Watson will start Saturday's preseason game at Chicago, Kelsey Russo of the Cleveland Browns' official site reports.Coach Todd Monken relayed Wednesday that whoever starts Cleveland's preseason opener between Watson and Shedeur Sanders will play the first half, with the other entering the contest afterward. Then, the order will switch for the team's second exhibition Saturday, Aug. 22, against the Bills. Watson and Sanders have been alternating days working with the first-team offense in most practices during training camp, but Watson will get the first chance in a game to stake a claim to the No. 1 gig.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Listed as co-starter on depth chart
When the Brown' unofficial depth chart is posted later Tuesday, the top QB slot will show 'Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders,' Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.Meanwhile, Jackson notes that coach Todd Monken doesn't plan to reveal his QB plans for Saturday's preseason opener against the Bears just yet, but it's expected that whichever of the two starts that contest will give way the other in the Cleveland Browns' second exhibition tilt. The two signal-callers continue to share first-team practice reps, with Monken having yet to outline a timeline for his decision on when a Week 1 starter will be named.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Saturday starter TBD
Coach Todd Monken noted Monday that he hasn't decided whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders will start Saturday's preseason opener against the Bears, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.Whichever of the duo doesn't start Saturday's preseason opener is expected to get the starting nod in the Cleveland Browns' second preseason game, meaning this battle under center is far from settled. "As long as we're still sharing reps, it's a competition," Monken said. Throughout the summer, it has sounded like neither quarterback has been particularly sharp. After Watson handled most of the first-team reps in practice Saturday, Sanders is working with the ones Monday.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Gets first-team reps Saturday
Deshaun Watson took every starting rep in team drills during Saturday's practice, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.Shedeur Sanders was scheduled to work with the first-team offense Saturday, but he ended up splitting second-team reps with Dillon Gabriel while Watson ran with the starters. Watson made the most of the opportunity with a productive practice, when he made nice connections with Isaiah Bond and Denzel Boston during team drills. Head coach Todd Monken will use Sunday's scheduled off day to deliberate whether Watson or Sanders will start in Saturday's preseason opener against the Bears.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Continues to alternate QB reps
Coach Todd Monken noted Wednesday that Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders will continue to alternate first-team QB reps every practice until he names a starter, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.While Sanders reportedly looked sharp during Tuesday's session, per Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, Petrak indicates that Watson had his best day of camp thus far Wednesday, notably in terms of his accuracy and decision-making. With regard to a timetable for his decision on naming the Cleveland Browns' Week 1 starter, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal relays that Monken has neither solidified the order in which starts will be assigned during the preseason nor when a top option will emerge. The team's exhibition opener is Aug. 15 against the Bears.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Will start early preseason game
Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are each expected to start one of Cleveland's first two preseason contests, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.Watson and Sanders are vying for the Cleveland Browns' No. 1 QB role for the upcoming season, and the pair has been rotating first-team reps so far in camp. With neither signal-caller having separated himself in the competition to this point, how each performs during preseason contests will likely be the determining factor in who gets the Week 1 start. In fact, head coach Todd Monken is planning to start the leader of the competition in the team's third preseason game, per Wolfe, so fantasy managers may know at that point which quarterback is the more desirable option, though neither Watson nor Sanders is looking like a particularly appealing asset in leagues that deploy one starting QB.
Deshaun Watson
#4 QB / Cleveland Browns / EXP: 10YRS Height: 6-3 Weight: 223 lb Age: 30 College: Clemson Bye 11- Rost
- 5%
- Start
- 1%
- QB Rank
- NR