Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Graham Mertz
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Deshaun Watson News
Saturday, March 28, 8:42 PM
The NFL Network's Mike Garafolo thinks that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is in the "pole position" to be the team's starter for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Shedeur Sanders finished his rookie season as the Browns' starter under center, but he was very inconsistent down the stretch and has plenty to prove after dropping into the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft. On the flip side, Watson, 30, missed all of last year while recovering from multiple surgeries to fix a torn Achilles tendon. Due to injury and suspension, the three-time Pro Bowler has played in just 19 games since he joined Cleveland in 2022. Watson will be competing with Sanders in training camp this summer, but there's still the possibility the Browns add another signal-caller in the draft or via trade/free agency. If Watson were to enter training camp fully healthy and win the starting job outright, he'd be a low-end QB2 with upside and plenty to prove to fantasy managers.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Graham Mertz News
Monday, August 25, 6:32 AM
Houston Texans quarterback Graham Mertz got the start in the team's preseason finale in Detroit on Sunday, and the sixth-round rookie had a very strong showing while leading his team to a 26-7 win over the Lions. With starter C.J. Stroud and primary backup Davis Mills getting the day off, Mertz completed 14 of his 16 pass attempts for an efficient 145 passing yards. He threw a touchdown to Quintez Cephus and led three scoring drives before halftime. He also added 20 rushing yards on two carries. Mertz played ahead of Kedon Slovis, who was on the Texans' practice squad last year and took over for the second half of Saturday's win. Mertz likely secured the third spot on the quarterback depth chart with his strong showing, while Slovis could be headed back to the practice squad.
Deshaun Watson vs. Graham Mertz
Still trying to decide between Watson and Mertz? 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 0.0 points this week while Graham Mertz is projected to score 0.0 points.
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