Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Lamar Jackson

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.

Sunday, December 7, 9:12 PM

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had a mediocre day as a passer in his team's Week 14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing 19 of 35 pass attempts for 219 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. However, Jackson recorded 43 rushing yards on seven attempts and scored his first rushing touchdown since Week 1. The 28-year-old missed four games in October due to a hamstring injury and hasn't quite been himself since his return, averaging under 20 rushing yards per game over his last five contests heading into Week 14. While Jackson's work through the air remained below his usual standard against Pittsburgh, fantasy managers can draw some hope from the work he did with his legs in Week 14. Even amidst his relative struggles, Jackson has explosive upside and remains a must-start fantasy quarterback heading into his Week 15 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.