Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Gardner Minshew

Saturday, December 6, 9:14 PM

The Cleveland Browns are planning to keep quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) on their roster next season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. While Watson is considered unlikely to play this season as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles that required multiple surgeries, the team has expressed interest in keeping him on the roster, noting that the 30-year-old's veteran presence is valuable for their pair of rookie quarterbacks in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Another big reason Watson is expected to return is due to the fact that the Browns would have to take on a dead salary of close to $135 million if they released him before June 1 and a $53 million cap charge if he was designated as a post-June 1 cap casualty. The record for dead-cap money was set by the Denver Broncos with quarterback Russell Wilson at $85 million, which they split into two years, but releasing Watson would cost the Browns significantly more. With Watson set to return in 2026, he's expected to compete with Sanders and Gabriel for Cleveland's starting gig.

Tuesday, December 16, 2:01 PM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Gardner Minshew is in line to start the rest of the season after Patrick Mahomes (knee) suffered a torn ACL in the Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Minshew completed three of five passes for 22 yards and a game-ending interception in relief of Mahomes in the fourth quarter. The 29-year-old has been serviceable in the past as a starter, with his best season coming in 2023 with the Indianapolis Colts. He completed 62.3% of his passes for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 13 starts. Minshew most recently started for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, where he wasn't quite as effective in a worse offensive environment, throwing more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (nine) over nine starts. Minshew doesn't profile as a fantasy option in standard formats, but he has appeal in superflex leagues for a favorable Week 16 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.