Deshaun Watson
Quarterback #4
Deshaun Watson News
Deshaun Watson a Viable Quarterback Streamer to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across six games in 2026, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has completed 63.8% of his pass attempts for 1,174 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. The 31-year-old has also added some fantasy value with his legs, rushing for 196 yards on 45 attempts. After a relatively hot start to the year, Watson's production has slowed down of late. Over the last two weeks, totaled just 319 passing yards and one touchdown while leading the Cleveland offense to just 25 total points. However, the Browns have a significantly easier matchup coming up in Week 7 against the Tennessee Titans. Through six weeks, Tennessee ranks in the bottom 10 in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed (7.5). Given the matchup, Watson could be a solid quarterback streamer for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire ahead of Week 7.
Oct 20, 2026 12:47 PM EST
Deshaun Watson A Mid-Tier Starting QB For Week 6
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson returns home for a Week 6 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens after losing a road contest to the New York Jets last week. Watson was inaccurate overall against the Jets in Week 5, completing 15-of-33 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown pass to wide receiver Denzel Boston. Watson will look to build on and improve his performance from last week back at home against the Ravens. The Ravens' pass defense ranks 18th in the NFL with 223.6 passing yards allowed per game and has allowed just five passing touchdowns this season. Watson has struggled to put up QB1 numbers this season and has a completion rate of 64.2 percent this year with 1,010 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns. Watson could have trouble finding the end zone against Baltimore who has allowed just one passing touchdown per game so far this season. But Watson has at least one passing touchdown in each of his two previous home games this season. Expect another mid-tier performance from Watson as the Browns are back in Cleveland.
Oct 16, 2026 2:32 PM EST
Deshaun Watson Continues to Produce as a Viable Streaming Option
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has cooled down since the first three weeks of the season, but he still remains in the streaming conversation for fantasy football. Watson has thrown for at least one touchdown pass in every game this season, but he also has three turnovers over the last two weeks. Similarly, although he has been running the ball incredibly well, he has also found himself under extreme pressure; he took a whopping eight sacks in Week 5. It seems like for every positive factor surrounding Watson, there's also something negative to consider. That's why he remains a fringe streamer going forward. He doesn't need to be rostered in every league, but managers looking for a quarterback fill-in to overcome injuries or bye weeks should feel comfortable turning to Watson. He'll get a mediocre matchup this week in the form of the Baltimore Ravens, who most recently allowed 240 passing yards and a touchdown to Michael Penix Jr.
Oct 13, 2026 8:36 PM EST
Deshaun Watson Faces Vulnerable Jets Pass Defense
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is RotoBaller's 22nd-ranked quarterback as he takes on a New York Jets pass defense that displayed vulnerability during a loss to the Chicago Bears last week. The Jets have allowed opponents to average just 193.3 yards per game through the air this season, which is the sixth-lowest mark in the NFL. However, in Week 4 against the Bears, the Jets gave up 492 yards of total offense, including 268 yards passing to Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who completed 73.5% of his passes. Watson recorded 268 yards passing, a touchdown, and an interception, along with seven carries for 22 yards during a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.
Oct 10, 2026 7:07 AM EST
Deshaun Watson is Becoming Priority Streaming Option
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has surprisingly been reliable through the first four games of the season. Heading into Week 5, Watson has thrown for 855 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 127 yards on 31 rushing attempts this season. Watson carries a 69.6 percent completion rate into this Week 5 matchup against the New York Jets. A defensive unit that has struggled to contain quarterbacks this season. Watson is currently the QB12 heading into this big road matchup against the Jets. Given that some teams are on bye, Watson is looking like a priority streaming appeal for this weekend while he enjoys a career resurgence.
Oct 6, 2026 5:41 PM EST
Deshaun Watson Trending Up, But Faces Tough Foe in Pittsburgh Week 4
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has had his best two performances of the season in Weeks 2 and 3 in the Browns' wins over the Buccaneers and the Panthers and will hope to carry that into Week 4's game at home against the Steelers. Against Carolina, Watson wasn't very efficient, completing just 16-of-30 passes for 144 yards, but did throw two touchdowns without an interception and added a two-point conversion. At Tampa Bay, Watson had his most efficient game yet this season, completing 24-of-30 passes for 238 yards and two passing touchdowns. Watson found tight end Harold Fannin Jr. twice for touchdowns in the win over Carolina and in the first two contests of the season, he connected with rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston in each of the games. The emergence of the tight end Fannin Jr. will help him add to his receiving corps and broaden his target base. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is a tough matchup for Watson and the Browns as they are allowing just 192.7 net passing yards per game and have recorded two interceptions on the season. Watson should remain on the outside of start-worthy quarterbacks in fantasy in this matchup.
Sep 30, 2026 12:19 PM EST
Deshaun Watson is Becoming Trustworthy Fantasy Option
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has posted back-to-back strong fantasy performances. One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the performance of Watson through the first few weeks of the season. Through three games, Watson has thrown for 587 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He now heads into an interesting matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in Week 4. A defensive unit that has done a nice job capitalizing on mistakes this season, but Watson has been playing mistake-free football lately. The 31-year-old is getting it done with both his arm and his legs, and is one of the more intriguing streaming options for Week 4.
Sep 29, 2026 6:36 PM EST
Deshaun Watson Not Ready As Starting QB Even After Positive Week 2
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson rebounded from a rough Week 1 against the Jaguars and had a good statistical game against the Buccaneers in Week 2. The much-maligned quarterback was 24-for-30 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Watson is still a tough option to start at quarterback as he has a home game with the Panthers in Week 3. The Panthers defense gave up 59 points to the Chicago Bears in the opening week but rebounded to allow just three points to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. Both Watson and the Panthers defense are coming off of bounce-back efforts so it will be interesting to see what gives in Week 3. The Panthers have star defensive backs in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson along with Derrick Brown on the defensive line but will be playing without linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Nick Scott. Watson has an emerging bond with receiver Denzel Boston who has touchdowns in each of the first two games. Look for Watson to look Boston's way more in Week 3 and maybe get tight end Harold Fannin Jr. more involved. Watson tossed a TD pass to backup tight end Blake Whiteheart in Week 2. We still need to see more good performances from Watson before considering him a starting fantasy option even in deep leagues.
Sep 26, 2026 3:37 AM EST
Deshaun Watson Makes More Sense in Superflex
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson bounced back in Week 2, completing 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns while adding 22 yards on seven carries against Tampa Bay. He is now 40-for-52 for 443 yards, three touchdowns and one interception through two games, with another 60 yards on the ground. That is enough to keep him in the waiver conversation, but mostly in formats where two quarterbacks matter. Cleveland still lists Watson as the starter ahead of Shedeur Sanders, and head coach Todd Monken praised the way he operated the offense in the second half Sunday. The fantasy ceiling is still harder to trust. RotoBaller ranks Watson 75th overall on its Week 3 waiver board and recommends him in 2QB leagues, while its FAAB column suggests only a 1% standard bid but 10-15% in Superflex. He can work as a Week 3 fill-in against Carolina, but he is not a priority pickup in one-quarterback leagues.
Sep 23, 2026 8:00 AM EST
Deshaun Watson Not Worth a Fantasy Start in Week 2 Vs. Bucs
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is not a start-worthy quarterback option for fantasy teams in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Watson struggled in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and his matchup is not much better at the Buccaneers. Against the Jaguars, Watson was 16-for-22 passing for 205 yards and a touchdown with an interception. Tampa Bay limited Joe Burrow and the explosive Bengals passing attack to 245 yards passing and intercepted him one time and returned it for a touchdown. Watson should struggle against the Bucs pass defense on the road at Tampa Bay. The Bucs feature cover cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison with safeties Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. Watson could also be under pressure from Vita Vea and the Bucs defensive line. Watson is hardly worth a roster spot in most fantasy leagues and this week should not do much to change that. He is a low-end quarterback among those who will be starting in Week 2. Look beyond Watson for a fantasy quarterback in Week 2.
Sep 18, 2026 3:36 PM EST
Browns Anticipate Deshaun Watson Starting Again in Week 2
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken told reporters on Monday that he anticipates veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson will start on Sunday at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Monken said that "there were some really good things on film" despite the Browns being blown out 34-10 in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday at the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 31-year-old completed 16 of his 22 pass attempts (72.7%) for 205 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added 38 rushing yards on six carries. Watson fumbled the ball but ended up recovering it, so he avoided any costly turnovers. His lone touchdown pass was a 46-yard deep strike to rookie receiver Denzel Boston, but it came with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter with the game already well over. Watson has plenty of arm strength and was accurate in his first NFL game since 2024, but he could have his hands full in Week 2 against a blitz-heavy Buccaneers defense, making him merely a low-end, low-upside QB2 in superflex fantasy leagues.
Sep 14, 2026 10:12 AM EST
Deshaun Watson Hard to Trust in Week 1 Return
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will make his first regular-season start in nearly two years when the Browns visit Jacksonville on Sunday. There is not much reason for fantasy managers to take the same chance. Watson missed all of 2025 after undergoing a second surgery on his right Achilles, then had an uneven preseason after returning this summer. He opened 11-for-15 for 126 yards against Chicago before completing just five of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception against Buffalo. Jacksonville picked off 22 passes last season, so this is not an especially comfortable spot for a quarterback trying to get settled again. Cleveland also enters the opener with five new starters along the offensive line, including rookie Austin Barber replacing the injured Teven Jenkins at right guard. RotoBaller has Watson at QB32 for Week 1. He should stay on the bench in one-quarterback leagues and is only a desperation option in deeper Superflex or two-quarterback formats.
Sep 12, 2026 9:21 AM EST
Todd Monken Confident in Deshaun Watson's Downfield Passing Ability
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose tenure with the Browns has been defined by suspension and injury-related layoffs, has seen his accuracy downfield decline in recent years, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Watson ranked third among 34 qualifying QBs in completion rate (58.8%) on downfield passes in 2018, according to Next Gen Stats. He led the league in passing yards in 2020. But in 2023, Watson completed only 39.3% of his downfield attempts, which would have ranked as the worst in the league if he qualified. In 2024, he completed a career-low 37.9% of his downfield attempts before tearing his Achilles, sidelining him for the final 10 games. Additionally, Watson has been less aggressive in pushing the ball down the field, which was impacted by a shoulder injury in 2023 that eventually required surgery. Although Watson was fully healthy this summer in training camp, he was inconsistent and continued to struggle to push the ball downfield in the preseason. Still, he won the starting QB job over Shedeur Sanders, and head coach Todd Monken has confidence that Watson will be able to find explosive plays down the field in his offense in 2026. "I'm confident in Deshaun and our ability to push the ball down the field, otherwise we wouldn't be starting him, Monken said.
Sep 9, 2026 9:29 AM EST
Deshaun Watson's Starting Job Doesn't Erase Preseason Concerns
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson won the starting job, but his preseason left plenty of reasons to stay cautious in fantasy. Watson looked comfortable in the opener against Chicago, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards, although he lost a fumble on a fourth-down sack. A week later, the offense went nowhere against Buffalo. Watson finished 5-for-12 for 36 yards with an interception before Cleveland shut down its starters for the preseason finale. Todd Monken still gave him the Week 1 job after evaluating the full offseason, camp, joint practices and games, so the Browns clearly saw more than the uneven game tape. Fantasy managers don't have to be as patient. Watson hasn't played a regular-season snap since tearing his Achilles in October 2024, then re-rupturing it and missing all of 2025. The job is his, but the August inconsistency did little to suggest an immediate fantasy rebound. Watson is best left to deeper Superflex formats until he shows he can string together productive games again.
Sep 5, 2026 9:29 AM EST
Browns Naming Deshaun Watson as Starting Quarterback
The Cleveland Browns have named veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson as their starter for the 2026 season, according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz. Watson battled second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders throughout training camp and two-up-and-down preseason games, and with neither able to take a clear grasp on the role, head coach Todd Monken's decision did not come until late August. Watson completed only five of 12 pass attempts in the team's second preseason game on Saturday, adding an interception to his lost fumble from preseason game one, but he showed enough in practice to earn the starting job in what will be his tenth professional season. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans, Watson was acquired by the Browns in 2022, where he has gone 9-10 as a starter and most recently missed the entire 2025 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time. Watson is RotoBaller's QB32, and he will be backed up by Sanders.
Aug 24, 2026 6:14 AM EST
DeShaun Watson Criticizes Browns Fans in Postgame Press Conference
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson went 5-of-12 for 36 yards and an interception in the team's preseason loss to the Bills on Saturday, and the Cleveland faithful was not shy about assessing his performance with a chorus of boos. "I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance," Watson said of the reaction. "It's a little bit more personal than that. So, I think it's a disrespectful thing." Head coach Todd Monken had said during a pre-game radio appearance that a decision on the starting quarterback situation could come early in the week, and Watson did not help his case through either his performance or his post-game media availability. "Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. That same fan base, they cheered when I got hurt," he said. "What does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially in your home stadium, and they cheer." While Shedeur Sanders got the start and came out strong, he threw another interception of his own, as neither player has been able to truly separate in their ongoing competition. Cleveland will have one final preseason matchup with the Patriots before kicking off the regular season against the Jaguars on September 13.
Aug 23, 2026 5:29 AM EST
Deshaun Watson Functions at a "High Level" in Preseason Opener
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken was pleased with quarterback Deshaun Watson's performance in the team's preseason opener on Saturday in the 34-10 loss to the Chicago Bears, saying that he functioned at a "high level," per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Monken said the QB competition between Watson and second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders will continue for at least another week, and Jackson writes that "it's hard to imagine much changed Saturday in what was a predictably uneven first performance in a game setting for both QBs." The 30-year-old Watson went 11-for-15 passing for 126 yards, adding four rushing yards on three carries while losing a fumble. It was Watson's first game action since October of 2024 due to a torn right Achilles tendon. Almost all of Watson's yardage on Saturday came on short throws, and his most impressive work came while converting a first-and-25 with three straight completions. Sanders finished his outing going 6-for-11 passing for 79 yards and an interception. If Watson is solid in joint practices with the Buffalo Bills this week and in the second preseason game, he could be named the starter by Monken.
Aug 16, 2026 7:30 AM EST
Deshaun Watson Sharp in Season Debut
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson looked sharp under center during Saturday's preseason matchup against the Chicago Bears. The veteran quarterback got the first chance to start and made the most of his opportunity. Watson completed 11-of-15 passing attempts for 126 yards during the 34-10 defeat. He played the entire first half and led his team to its only two scoring drives of the game. Watson did lose a fumble on a sack in Chicago territory, but it was mostly a solid day for Watson. Both Watson and Shedeur Sanders should continue to compete for the starting gig throughout the preseason. Watson outplayed Sanders in the first preseason game, but there are still two more to go
Aug 15, 2026 6:16 PM EST
Deshaun Watson to Start Browns' First Preseason Game
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken informed the QBs on Wednesday afternoon that quarterback Deshaun Watson will start the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Monken plans to start Shedeur Sanders in the team's second preseason game at home against the Buffalo Bills next Saturday. While Watson starting the team's first preseason game could mean he's in the lead over Sanders in Cleveland's QB competition this summer, it also might mean absolutely nothing. Watson and Sanders have been splitting first-team work during training camp, with no clear leader having emerged yet. How the two signal-callers perform in preseason action could be the deciding factor for who will start in Week 1 of the regular season in September. Regardless of who wins the competition for the Browns' starting QB job, they should be avoided in all single-QB formats and considered a low-end QB2 with limited upside and a short leash in two-QB superflex formats.
Aug 12, 2026 2:39 PM EST
Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders Listed With "OR" on Depth Chart
The Cleveland Browns still haven't picked a starting quarterback. According to Zac Jackson, the team's unofficial depth chart will list Deshaun Watson "OR" Shedeur Sanders at the top of the position when it is released Tuesday. Sanders took all of the first-team reps Monday, but Cleveland has bounced those opportunities between the two quarterbacks throughout training camp. Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season, finishing the year with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Watson is trying to win the job after missing all of 2025 while recovering from a re-ruptured right Achilles. He returned for the full offseason program and has been competing throughout camp. The "OR" designation doesn't tell us who will ultimately start Week 1, but it makes one thing pretty clear: this race is still open. Until the Browns settle it, neither quarterback carries enough job security to be trusted in standard one-quarterback fantasy leagues.
Aug 11, 2026 11:18 AM EST
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