Browns QB Battle: Will Shedeur Sanders Or Deshaun Watson Set Higher Fantasy Floor
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The Cleveland Browns are one of several teams throughout the NFL with a quarterback battle to monitor during training camp. Second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders and former Pro-Bowler Deshaun Watson are each looking for an upper-hand early in camp to cement a case as QB1.
The Browns selected Sanders in the fifth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Colorado product ultimately went on to notch seven stars. He struggled at times in a vastly inconsistent offense, but managed to show tremendous flashes with his time on the field. Sanders completed just over 60% of his passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He added another 169 yards and an eighth touchdown on the ground.
Watson, on the other hand, missed the entirety of the 2025 season while recovering from a torn Achilles. He’s struggled mightily during an injury-riddled tenure in Cleveland, suiting up in just 19 games over the past four seasons. During his time with the Browns, Watson has completed 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards and 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, posting 465 rushing yards and three touchdowns as a rusher.
Either Watson or Sanders will enter the regular season headlining a solid offensive unit, joined by the likes of young contributors in Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. Let’s take a deep dive into Cleveland’s quarterback battle to determine who makes the better fantasy football case to be the starter for the 2026 season:
The Case For Shedeur Sanders
If Cleveland’s offense buys into Sanders, it could find a franchise contributor at quarterback for the long term. He flashed high-end upside at times in fantasy during his rookie campaign, especially in Week 14 against his rival Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans. He posted a QB2 finish for the week with 34.5 points, racking up a season-high 364 passing yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Sanders presents a high ceiling for Cleveland’s offense to build on for the future, though it's hard to project the potential heights of his sophomore campaign.
The Case For Deshaun Watson
Watson may not possess the physical tools he once displayed during his first four professional seasons, though the coaching staff has remained optimistic in his ability to perform this season. He likely presents a safer floor to the offense than that of Sanders, though he may not be able to manage the heights his second-year counterpart experienced last year. With minimal rushing upside at this stage of his career, Watson will be largely limited to his passing ability from a fantasy football perspective. If he can sustain confidence in the pocket, his accuracy could serve as a leg-up over Sanders.
The Verdict: Browns Should Start Shedeur Sanders In 2026
The Browns know what they have in Watson at this juncture of his NFL career, while Sanders still has some questions surrounding his ability as a long-term starter, a potential positive for his argument. I’m rolling with Sanders over Watson for the upcoming year, considering the veteran’s immense struggles throughout his Browns tenure. Sanders presents a higher ceiling than Watson, and likely has greater chemistry with his assets in Fannin, Judkins and the receiving corps led by Jerry Jeudy.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.