Watson Steals First-Team Reps From Sanders in Browns QB Twist
Cleveland flipped its plan Saturday and gave Deshaun Watson all the first-team work — a QB1 ranked #226 overall on our board.
One practice doesn't move him off #226 — wait for the preseason starter call.
- Watson ranks #226 overall, QB39 on our board
- 2024: 1,148 pass yds, 5 TD, 0 INT in 7 games
- 85 PPR points across those 7 games (2024)
- Browns' first preseason game is next Saturday
- Monken had named Sanders the first-team QB pre-practice
The Browns said one thing Saturday morning and did another by the afternoon. Head coach Todd Monken told reporters before practice that Shedeur Sanders would run with the first team — then Deshaun Watson took all the first-team reps instead, according to multiple reporters on the ground.
Monken skipped his post-practice media session, but a team spokesman explained the switch by saying the coach wanted to look at Watson alongside specific personnel groupings. It's a small sample of a single practice, but it's the kind of tea-leaf reading that defines a training-camp QB battle — and this one directly touches Watson, who checks in at #226 overall (QB39) on our board.
For context on why the ranking sits that low: Watson played just seven games in 2024, throwing for 1,148 yards with 5 touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 148 rushing yards and a score. That translated to 85 PPR points on the season — not a workload you build a fantasy roster around, and a fair chunk of the reason nobody's rushing to draft him.
The Timeline That Matters
Earlier in the week, Monken pushed back on a report that both quarterbacks would get a preseason start, framing it as a simple if-then: if it's still a live competition when the games arrive, you start one and then start the other. He didn't put a date on when the competition ends. With Cleveland's preseason opener set for next Saturday, the identity of the first man up should surface early in the week.
That's the piece worth tracking. A single practice flip isn't a depth-chart decision, and Monken's own words suggest this thing is far from settled. But the preseason starter announcement is a real signal, and it's coming within days.
The Fantasy Fallout
Nothing here changes the calculus for redraft or dynasty right now — Watson at #226 is a name-recognition dart throw at best, and Sanders isn't rosterable in standard formats until he wins a job. Keep your waiver claim in your pocket until Cleveland names its Week 1 preseason starter. If Watson gets that nod, he's a deep-league stash worth a late look; if it's Sanders, revisit the dynasty angle. For now, watch and wait — don't spend anything on Saturday's practice noise.
