Who Should I Start? Deshaun Watson or Malik Willis

Tuesday, December 23, 5:00 PM

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will not be activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list before his activation window closes, ending his 2025 season. The much-embattled Browns quarterback has not appeared in a game since tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 7 of the 2024 season. Watson struggled across seven games in 2024, completing 63.4% of his pass attempts for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Previous reports have suggested that Cleveland may look to move on from Watson at the end of the 2025 season. If that's the case, the 30-year-old will finish his three-year stint with the Browns having played 19 games with an average of 6.0 yards per pass attempt, 19 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The Browns have utilized the rookie quarterback combination of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for most of 2025, although neither has proven to be the team's unquestioned franchise quarterback for the future.

Wednesday, December 31, 9:35 AM

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (shoulder) has been spectacular stepping in for Jordan Love (concussion), who missed most of the Week 16 contest due to injury, and was ruled out for the Week 17 matchup. In the Week 17 matchup, where Willis played the whole game against the Baltimore Ravens, he completed 18 of 21 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 60 yards and scoring twice on the ground, good for 31.52 fantasy points. He was the overall QB3 on the week, and put a lot of great film on tape, and potentially played himself into a nice contract during the offseason, considering he is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this upcoming spring. Regardless, Willis' value is on the rise, and for those still competing for a Week 18 championship, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that Love is the team's starting quarterback when healthy, so Willis' starting will be contingent on Love's availability for Week 18. Willis himself also injured his shoulder in Week 17 and is listed as questionable, so something else to monitor as the Week 18 games approach. If neither quarterback can go, Clayton Tune would likely be in line to start Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings.