Who Should I Start? Dillon Gabriel or C.J. Stroud

Saturday, August 30, 7:40 PM

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel has "gained a lot of trust from the coaching staff just in terms of how he worked, and we feel good about it," assistant general manager Glenn Cook said. After setting a college football record with 63 starts over six seasons divided among Central Florida, Oklahoma, and Oregon, the third-round pick impressed the Browns' coaches enough to beat out fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders and now-Las Vegas Raider Kenny Pickett for the backup QB job. The new role doesn't faze Gabriel, who told Zac Jackson of The Athletic: "It's not daunting. I have ultimate confidence in myself and who I am." Gabriel looked decent in two preseason games, going 25-for-37 for 272 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him starting at some point in 2025. The only real roadblock is 40-year-old starter Joe Flacco, a stopgap who has played in nine or fewer games in seven straight seasons.

Friday, August 29, 9:57 PM

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Houston Texans have been "encouraged with the new group that is charged with protecting quarterback C.J. Stroud." Houston traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders during the offseason. Fortunately, Aireontae Ersery "has gotten off to a strong start to pace" the team's revamped protection unit. Houston's offensive line was among the worst in the National Football League in 2024. While the latest update from Howe is encouraging, things must change drastically or Stroud could continue to suffer. The signal-caller took a step back in his sophomore campaign, finishing by throwing for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 picks. He also failed to find the end zone on the run after doing so three times in 2023. With that said, wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) isn't expected back anytime soon, and Stefon Diggs is now a New England Patriot. As a result, Stroud may not be the safest fantasy quarterback compared to some, although he is still worth starting in most formats, assuming his production doesn't decrease even more moving forward. .