Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco made his team debut in Week 6, completing 31 of 45 passes for 290 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Expectations were understandably modest for the veteran, as he had limited time to prepare and faced one of the league's toughest defenses in the Green Bay Packers. While he's still without a full week of practice under his belt, Flacco should have a stronger command of the Bengals' playbook and offensive system heading into Week 7. He draws a divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season. While the matchup is appealing on paper, the uncertainty surrounding Flacco's chemistry with his new teammates and the overall understanding of Cincinnati's offense make him a risky fantasy option. Fantasy managers should avoid starting Flacco in all formats this week until he proves capable of fully replacing Joe Burrow.
Oct 16, 2025 10:12 AM EST
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco posted a solid performance in his first game as the starter for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6. After being acquired by Cincinnati from the Cleveland Browns early last week, Flacco completed 29 of 46 pass attempts for 219 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions in a difficult matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The 40-year-old will have another short week of preparation in Week 7 as Cincinnati will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Flacco's propensity for high passing volume, coupled with the Bengals' elite-level talent at the wide receiver position, gives the veteran signal-caller some fantasy appeal in two-quarterback formats.
Oct 14, 2025 9:59 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said on Wednesday that veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, whom the team acquired in a trade from the division-rival Cleveland Browns, will make his debut and start on Sunday at the Green Bay Packers in Week 6. This will now be the second time this season Flacco will go up against this Packer defense, but this time with a different team in Ohio. For the most part, Flacco has not played well enough in 2025 to be rostered in any league formats, averaging 7.9 fantasy points per game, and has no rushing upside; however, the playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, primarily Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, are much more explosive and proven in the NFL than the pass-catchers Flacco was throwing to for the Browns. Regardless, the offensive line for the Bengals is a mess, and Flacco is nothing more than a stash in superflex or two-quarterback leagues for now.
Oct 10, 2025 10:01 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, whom the team acquired in a trade from the division-rival Cleveland Browns this week, will make his debut and start on Sunday at the Green Bay Packers in Week 6, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Bengals are benching Jake Browning after he tossed three more interceptions in the Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions. Cincy plans to lean heavily on Flacco to try and keep their playoff hopes alive, with Joe Burrow (toe) potentially out for the rest of the season. Flacco will once again be in play as a low-end QB2 streamer in superflex fantasy leagues, and he should have more upside now that he'll be throwing to receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. However, the 40-year-old might not end up being much of an upgrade over Browning after he threw two touchdowns and six picks in four starts with Cleveland before being benched by rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Oct 8, 2025 1:34 PM EST
The Cincinnati Bengals acquired veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, and the team is going to "lean on him to stay alive for the playoffs," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Flacco is expected to take over for the struggling Jake Browning as the team's Joe Burrow (toe) replacement under center immediately in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers. Flacco completed 58.1% of his passes for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions in four games for Cleveland before getting benched. He should remain off the radar of fantasy managers in a difficult Week 6 matchup against Green Bay. Still, Flacco might have some season-long appeal in two-quarterback formats now that he's working with two elite wide receivers in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with the Bengals.
Oct 8, 2025 11:23 AM EST
The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to start veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers after acquiring him in a trade with the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, according to Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated. They will bench Jake Browning after another turnover-filled Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions. Joe Burrow is on Injured Reserve with turf toe and is expected to miss most, if not all, of the rest of the season. Flacco completed 58% of his 160 pass attempts for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions in four starts before being benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel. The move from Browning to Flacco probably won't be much of an upgrade for the Bengals' offense, but Flacco will surely target top wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as much as possible. Flacco is once again a low-end QB2 option in superflex leagues, albeit with a little more upside now given his upgrade in pass-catching weapons.
Oct 7, 2025 5:17 PM EST
The Cincinnati Bengals are acquiring veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. In exchange for Flacco, the Bengals will send a fifth-round pick to Cleveland and will also receive a sixth-rounder. Flacco was benched for rookie QB Dillon Gabriel in Week 5, but now he'll have another shot to start in 2025 as a replacement for the struggling Jake Browning, who has thrown six touchdowns and eight interceptions in four games (three starts) with Joe Burrow (toe) on Injured Reserve. Flacco, 40, is no stranger to turnovers himself, though, and he wasn't exactly looking great in four starts for the Browns before being benched. Flacco had gone 93-for-160 for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six picks. He'll bring a more veteran presence that will look to feed receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins down the field, but it's not much of an upgrade over Browning, if at all.
Oct 7, 2025 1:43 PM EST
Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said that veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is going to remain as the team's No. 2 QB for now, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "Just feel like Joe's gonna stay the No. 2 right now and has done a lot to prepare and be ready to go in a pinch," Rees said. Flacco was benched in favor of rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel after four weeks of rough play for the Browns. He will remain ahead of rookie fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders on the QB depth chart for now as Gabriel's backup, but as things progress this season, Sanders could leapfrog him if the coaching staff continues to like what they see from Sanders' development. In his four starts, Flacco threw for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. He has no business being rostered in fantasy leagues outside of two-QB superflex formats as bench depth.
Oct 2, 2025 12:38 PM EST
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski would not answer directly on Monday when asked if he is sticking with veteran Joe Flacco as the team's starting quarterback, according to Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. It's not about one person. There are so many things that we need to do better, and obviously, the quarterback included, but this is not about one person," Stefanski said. The 40-year-old Flacco has not looked good through four weeks, and the Browns rank tied for 30th in the NFL with 14 points a game after their blowout loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 4. Flacco has thrown six interceptions and lost two fumbles. He completed just 47.1% of his 34 pass attempts on Sunday for 184 yards, two picks, and a 39.3 passer rating. Dillon Gabriel, a third-round rookie, has played late in two blowout losses and would be next in line to start if Flacco is eventually benched. Deshaun Watson (Achilles) isn't anywhere close to returning to practice and isn't expected to play in 2025.
Sep 29, 2025 7:07 PM EST
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said, "That's not our focus," when asked about quarterback Joe Flacco's performance following the team's Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. Flacco struggled against Detroit, completing 16 of 34 pass attempts for 184 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. The 40-year-old has now thrown for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six picks through his first four games of 2025. Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel came in for Flacco in garbage time on Sunday, but attempted just one pass (an incompletion). It appears Stefanski and the Browns are not yet interested in making the switch to Gabriel or fellow rookie signal-caller, Shedeur Sanders. Flacco should remain off of fantasy radars, even in two-quarterback formats.
Sep 29, 2025 10:11 AM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco is off to a slow start in 2025, tossing just two touchdowns and four interceptions across his first three games. The veteran's leash is likely getting shorter with each lackluster showing as the Browns prepare to head on the road to face off against a hot Detroit Lions team in Week 4. Detroit does offer some hope for Flacco as their defense is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season. The Lions have been red-hot on offense this season and could jump out to an early lead, which would force the Browns to call Flacco's name often in the passing attack. That being said, his poor play thus far leaves him as a QB3 in fantasy heading into Week 4.
Sep 26, 2025 3:53 PM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco turned in another quiet performance in a 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 3. Flacco completed 21 of his 36 passes for 142 yards and one interception in the close upset win. The veteran quarterback has now thrown for just 631 yards and two touchdowns while tossing four interceptions across three contests for the Browns this season. Flacco will presumably remain the team's starter heading into a Week 4 road matchup against the Detroit Lions, but it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see rookie Dillon Gabriel under center for the team sooner rather than later.
Sep 22, 2025 4:41 PM EST
The Cleveland Browns considered starting rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel over veteran Joe Flacco against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, according to beat reporter Brad Stainbrook. The Browns reportedly appreciate the respect that Flacco has earned within the organization, but they're frustrated with his lack of mobility under center. According to Stainbrook, Flacco enters Week 3 as the starter, but he's on a short leash, and the Browns aren't opposed to playing Gabriel. It's worth noting that the next player in line is Gabriel and not fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders. This isn't necessarily a surprise, as Gabriel has higher draft capital and entered a game before Sanders did, but it's still worth noting. Fantasy managers in deeper superflex leagues may consider stashing Gabriel in case he is named the starter for Week 4.
Sep 21, 2025 10:24 AM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco will draw at least one more start under center for the Week 3 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. However, it sounds like the 40-year-old could be on a short leash. The Browns respect what Flacco brings to the roster and his veteran leadership. Although, Flacco isn't bringing great results under center at the moment. That being said, Dillon Gabriel could be making his NFL debut soon. The Browns believe Gabriel can bring a different environment to the football field than Flacco. Gabriel is able to move more with his feet and extend plays on the ground, which is something Flacco hasn't been able to do. If Flacco plays well this weekend, he could extend his time, but eventually Gabriel should take over at some point in 2025.
Sep 21, 2025 9:53 AM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco has struggled over the first two games of the 2025 season, completing 56 of his 90 pass attempts for 489 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. He might have a tough time getting untracked against a red-hot Green Bay Packers defense at home in Week 3. The Packers have been dominant on defense thus far, allowing just the 23rd-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through two games. Flacco has not played well and can't be trusted as anything more than a mid-range QB3 heading into Week 3.
Sep 19, 2025 7:47 PM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel saw his first game action in the NFL in their 41-17 Week 2 blowout at the Ravens. He completed all three of his passes for 19 yards and a touchdown. With the offense scuffling with Joe Flacco as the starter, discussions about a quarterback replacement are starting to pop up in Cleveland, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Fowler says that Cleveland's situation "bears monitoring" in response to the question of which quarterback is most in danger of being benched. While Flacco is safe for now, he compared the situation to Jacoby Brissett with the Patriots last season. Drake Maye's first NFL start came at home against the Texans in Week 6 of last season, for reference. Gabriel has operated as the No. 2 quarterback all summer and has been praised for his mobility, quick release, and overall grasp of the offense. It will likely only be a matter of weeks before Gabriel slides in as the starter in Cleveland. He makes for an intriguing upside swing to stash in redraft superflex leagues and deeper formats.
Sep 18, 2025 12:17 AM EST
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media that he's not considering a quarterback change following Sunday's Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Joe Flacco struggled in the loss, completing 25 of 45 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also took two sacks and lost a fumble. With Cleveland trailing by multiple possessions late in the game, Stefanski replaced Flacco with rookie Dillon Gabriel. In the first drive of his career, Gabriel went 3-for-3 with a passing touchdown, albeit against a defense that presumably wasn't playing at 100 percent due to the large lead. Flacco will remain the starting quarterback in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers, whose Micah Parsons-led defense has been playing quite well. Flacco can't be trusted in fantasy football next week.
Sep 14, 2025 7:49 PM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco will head on the road to take on his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, in Week 2. Flacco, who spent the first 11 years of his career with the Ravens, was busy in a Week 1 loss as he dropped back to pass 45 times in a one-point loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. While he only threw one touchdown last week, the Browns' pass-heavy approach to begin the season could lead to fantasy production for the veteran quarterback. Stopping opposing passing attacks has been a defensive liability for the Ravens over the past few years, giving Flacco a good shot at posting a productive game. That being said, he still settles in as a mid-range QB3 in fantasy with no teams on bye in Week 2.
Sep 12, 2025 9:11 PM EST
Cleveland Browns veteran quarterback Joe Flacco nearly pulled off the upset of the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday. In the 17-16 loss, Flacco went 31-for-45 for 290 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked twice for a loss of 12 yards and carried the ball twice for just six yards. The 40-year-old is really only useable in two-QB superflex leagues in fantasy, but the Browns offense could continue to air it out with rookie second-round running back Quinshon Judkins away from the team after an offseason legal matter that delayed his signing until just this past weekend. Flacco's lone touchdown toss of the game went to receiver Cedric Tillman in the third quarter. His options are limited, and the interceptions won't be going away.
Sep 8, 2025 12:18 PM EST
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco will take on the Cincinnati Bengals at home to kick off the 2025 season. The Bengals struggled against the pass last season as they allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. There isn't much expectation for the Cincinnati defense to be improved heading into the upcoming 2025 campaign, giving the veteran signal-caller a plus matchup to kick off the year. That being said, Flacco did not play well in limited starts with the Indianapolis Colts last year, and it is unclear just how much the 40-year-old has left in the tank. Flacco checks in as Rotoballer's QB30 heading into Week 1 and is not a recommended starter outside of deep two-quarterback formats.
Sep 5, 2025 8:07 PM EST