Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Caleb Williams


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
18.2 15.9 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Deshaun Watson News

Todd Monken Confident in Deshaun Watson's Downfield Passing Ability

Wednesday, September 9, 9:29 AM

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.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
24.6 22.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Caleb Williams News

Ben Johnson has More Praise for Caleb Williams

Thursday, September 3, 4:11 PM

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been liking what he has seen out of quarterback Caleb Williams as he prepares to take a step forward in his third NFL season in 2026, according to Larry Mayer of the team's official website. "I've seen a very composed person every time he steps into the building," Johnson said. "I think his teammates feel that as well. He's getting to the practice field early. He's making sure his part is taken care of. He's warmed up, he's ready to go. He stays after with the guys after practice on a regular basis. He's taking a lot of pride in his approach right now, and it trickles down to everyone around him. I think it's a great thing. He continues to grow up, and he's going to be a huge leader for us this year." The 24-year-old former first overall pick from USC has also been a more vocal leader after finishing as the QB8 in fantasy football after throwing for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in 17 regular-season starts in 2025 after taking a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie. Williams has shown a flair for the dramatic late in games, and his ability to produce off-script has been a strength of his. Despite losing receiver DJ Moore in an offseason trade, Williams still has plenty of weapons around him, and if he cleans some stuff up, he could take the next step as a passer for an up-and-coming Bears squad. Williams has plenty of appeal as a midrange to low-end QB1 in fantasy drafts for managers who wait a bit on the position.


Deshaun Watson vs. Caleb Williams

Still trying to decide between Watson and Williams? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Deshaun Watson is projected to score 18.2 points this week while Caleb Williams is projected to score 24.6 points.