Who Should I Start? Jerry Jeudy or Rashod Bateman

Saturday, August 15, 6:26 AM

The Cleveland Browns open their preseason slate on Saturday in a matchup with the Bears, and while the question of who gets the first start at quarterback has already been answered, there is still much to be gleaned from the usage of a new-look receiving room. Jerry Jeudy finds himself surrounded by a dynamic group of young playmakers, but the at-times overlooked veteran could still be a bigger piece of the offense than some are expecting. Always a strong route runner, Jeudy has been most successful when playing out of the slot, but with more than 80% of his snaps coming on the outside in 2025, he caught fewer than half his targets and barely cracked 600 yards. With second-round rookie Denzel Boston drawing rave reviews for the work he's done on the perimeter, new head coach Todd Monken has the luxury of using Jeudy more creatively than his predecessors. With Deshaun Watson under center to begin the preseason, Saturday's contest could provide a glimpse of what that might look like, if even for just one series, and at RotoBaller's WR79, Jeudy has deep sleeper potential in 2026.