Who Should I Start? Brandon Allen or Deshaun Watson

Friday, November 22, 5:45 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that quarterback Brandon Allen will make the start on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 in place of the injured Brock Purdy (shoulder), who has been ruled out. An MRI exam on Purdy's right shoulder delivered encouraging news, so the team doesn't expect a long-term absence, but Allen will at least fill in this weekend and could have to again in Week 13 versus the Buffalo Bills. The 32-year-old will be an obvious downgrade from Purdy, and Sunday's game will be his first start in the NFL since 2021 with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 16 career games (nine starts), he's completed only 56.7% of his pass attempts for 1,611 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. Fantasy managers should downgrade all of San Fran's offensive weapons, while Allen will be a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues against the Packers.

Friday, November 22, 12:43 AM

There's an "overwhelming likelihood" that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will remain with the team in 2025, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. However, the Browns are expected to "work to put competition in the quarterback room, either through the draft or free agency," Breer said. This is an important development given that there has been significant speculation about Watson's future in Cleveland. Per Breer's understanding, Watson will be given the chance to recover from his Achilles tear and regain the starting role in Cleveland, but it won't merely be given to him as easily as it was ahead of the 2024 season. Rather, the veteran quarterback will have to get healthy and beat out competition if he has any shot at starting in Week 1 next year.