Joe Flacco Named Browns Starter: Fantasy Fallout

The Cleveland Browns have officially named Joe Flacco as their Week 1 starting quarterback against the Bengals. The decision caps a quarterback competition involving Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, with injuries sidelining Pickett and limiting reps for the younger quarterbacks. Flacco earned the starting job largely by virtue of absorbing the lion’s share of first-team repetitions. At 40, he returns to Cleveland for a second stint after a spark-plug stretch in 2023 where he earned Comeback Player of the Year, followed by a less impressive 2024 with the Colts.

Flacco’s Fantasy Outlook & WR Room Impact

Joe Flacco doesn’t offer much beyond short-term streaming appeal — more of a low-end QB2 or a mop-up option in 2-QB leagues. That said, his presence grants fantasy relevance to pass catchers who benefit from his veteran feel and ability to push the ball downfield.

Leading the receiver room is Jerry Jeudy, still the top fantasy asset among Browns receivers. Behind him, Cleveland added Diontae Johnson on a one-year deal to fortify their passing attack. Cedric Tillman remains a developmental piece with upside. Depth is thin, supplemented by players like Jamari Thrash, DeAndre Carter, and rookie speedster Isaiah Bond, who brings blazing vertical threat potential.

For dynasty and redraft managers, the takeaway is clear: while the passing depth behind Jeudy and Johnson is shaky, Flacco’s steadiness makes those receivers safer than they would have been under Pickett or a rookie quarterback.

Draft Recommendation

• Joe Flacco: Only for deep leagues or superflex formats as a QB3/streamer

• Jerry Jeudy: Clear WR1 in this offense — target him with confidence

• Diontae Johnson: Solid WR2 with veteran reliability and target volume

• Cedric Tillman: Worth stashing in deeper leagues — developmental upside remains

• Isaiah Bond: Speed spike potential — watch early usage; could emerge as a deep-league wild card

• Jamari Thrash, DeAndre Carter: Low upside — bench stashes only, mainly for depth or special teams

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