Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Dillon Gabriel


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
7.3 5.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Deshaun Watson News

Deshaun Watson Lacking Consistency During Offseason Workouts

Thursday, June 18, 11:24 AM

The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that Cleveland Browns new head coach Todd Monken would have liked to have a starter already named going into training camp in late July, but he "wants and needs to see more" from both quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders this summer. Ultimately, Monken said he will play "whoever gives us the best chance to score, and I won't know that until we play." He wants to see more "consistency and confidence" from both Watson and Sanders in training camp than what he saw this spring. Jackson adds that it's safe to say that Watson "looked like the same player in his return from a year and a half away that he was before his two Achilles tendon injuries." Watson is healthy and threw downfield occasionally with confidence, but he "lacked consistency and too often threw into traffic." Jackson doesn't think there is much reason to want Watson to play unless he's "clearly their best option." The 30-year-old Watson has been a Pro Bowler three times (all before he came to Cleveland), but it appears he might have to thoroughly outplay Sanders to win the starting gig going into Week 1. Either way, this QB situation is one to ignore for fantasy managers, if at all possible. Whoever wins the starting job this summer probably will have a very short leash to begin the regular season.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.2 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Dillon Gabriel News

Dillon Gabriel Competing for Depth Role in Cleveland

Friday, June 26, 9:51 AM

Cleveland Browns second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel has "had a very nice spring," but he will enter training camp at the end of July competing for a depth role behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. After being surprisingly selected before Sanders in the third round (94th overall) last year out of the University of Oregon, Gabriel went on to appear in 10 games (six starts) while throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions on 185 pass attempts. The 25-year-old southpaw will essentially be competing for the No. 3 QB role this summer with rookie sixth-rounder Taylen Green. When healthy and in a starting role in 2025 in his rookie season, Gabriel looked mostly like an underwhelming game manager, but to be fair, he didn't have a ton of help around him on offense. Gabriel will enter his sophomore campaign completely off the redraft fantasy radar.


Deshaun Watson vs. Dillon Gabriel

Still trying to decide between Watson and Gabriel? 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 7.3 points this week while Dillon Gabriel is projected to score 1.2 points.