Who Should I Start? Joe Flacco or Cameron Ward

Tuesday, August 5, 6:22 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday against the Carolina Panthers, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Injured QBs Kenny Pickett (hamstring) and Dillon Gabriel (hamstring) also will not play, leaving fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders to get the start despite the fact that he hasn't taken a single rep with the first-team offense during training camp. Tyler Huntley, who was signed on Tuesday, will back up Sanders on Friday night. The 40-year-old Flacco is a strong favorite to win the QB competition this summer, especially since Pickett hasn't been able to participate in team drills of late. Flacco made some noise in 2023 and helped lead the Browns to the playoffs, but the veteran gunslinger will have a short leash as the starter and will have little fantasy upside as a low-end QB2.

Wednesday, August 6, 12:52 PM

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said that rookie first-round quarterback Cam Ward and the starters will play in every preseason game. In the team's preseason opener this Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ward and the starters will get a series or two. Even before it was announced that Will Levis (shoulder) would miss all of the 2025 season, Ward, the first overall pick in this year's NFL draft, was fully expected to be the starter entering Week 1. The 23-year-old has had his ups and downs at training camp this summer, but Callahan also said that Ward has shown growth heading into his first NFL season. Ward doesn't have many options to throw to outside of receiver Calvin Ridley, and he wasn't praised for his rushing ability in the pre-draft process, so this will most likely be a learning year for the youngster from Miami. Treat him as a low-end QB2 in fantasy.