Who Should I Start? Bailey Zappe or Riley Leonard

Saturday, November 22, 1:01 PM

The Cleveland Browns have elevated quarterback Bailey Zappe from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of their Week 12 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. With quarterback Dillon Gabriel (concussion) sidelined by a concussion, Zappe will serve as Cleveland's QB2 in Week 12 behind rookie Shedeur Sanders. Across 15 career NFL games (nine starts), Zappe has completed 62.1% of his pass attempts for 2,223 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He last appeared in an NFL game with Cleveland in 2024. Gabriel is not expected to face an extended absence, so Zappe's time on the active roster could be limited to one week.

Wednesday, January 7, 1:02 PM

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard was impressive in his first career start in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Houston Texans, going 39-for-67 passing for 415 yards and two touchdowns, although he did throw three interceptions and lost a fumble. Leonard displayed second- and third-level touch and accuracy from the pocket, which was one of his biggest question marks coming into the NFL. Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan thinks it's unfair to wonder if Leonard can be the next Brock Purdy, but it's realistic to ask if he could be the team's long-term backup behind the oft-injured Daniel Jones (Achilles). Bowen believes Leonard's performance against the top defense in the league in the regular-season finale proves that he should be considered as QB insurance for the Colts if they run it back with Jones in 2026.