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FantasyPros Articles fantasy football takes on Deshaun Watson
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from FantasyPros Articles about Deshaun Watson.
20
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Positive
16
Negative
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All FantasyPros Articles insights about Deshaun Watson
PositiveProjectionSep 15, 2026
Watson took 5 sacks and threw an interception en route to just 10 team points and a blowout loss against the Jaguars in Week 1; the source notes that as long as Watson is the starter, the Browns are a high-end target for fantasy defenses, implying negative outlook for Watson's performance.NegativeMatchupSep 15, 2026
Since joining the Browns in 2022, Watson has taken 75 sacks and thrown 13 interceptions over 20 starts; he took five sacks and threw one interception in Week 1's 34-10 loss to Jacksonville. The source targets the Browns with streaming defenses all season, with Tampa Bay drawing Cleveland in Week 2.NegativeProjectionSep 14, 2026
Deshaun Watson threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston in the Browns' 34-10 Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, but the offensive environment in Cleveland is currently putrid and could improve once the Browns bench Watson in favor of Shedeur Sanders.NegativeRoleSep 14, 2026
Deshaun Watson is the current Browns quarterback, but the offensive environment in Cleveland is putrid and could improve once the Browns eventually bench Watson in favor of Shedeur Sanders. This uncertainty creates headwinds for Browns pass-catchers like Denzel Boston.NegativeRoleSep 14, 2026
Watson is the Browns' quarterback; as long as he is under center, it will be difficult to trust anyone on the Browns as a startable asset moving forward.NegativeRoleSep 14, 2026
Deshaun Watson is the current starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, but the offensive environment is currently putrid. The Browns are expected to eventually bench Watson in favor of Shedeur Sanders, which could improve the passing game environment for receivers like Denzel Boston.NegativeBustSep 14, 2026
Since joining the Browns in 2022, Watson has taken 75 sacks and thrown 13 interceptions over 20 starts. In Week 1, Watson took five sacks and threw one interception in the Browns' 34-10 loss to the Jaguars. The Tampa Bay defense targets the Browns with streaming defenses all season, drawing Cleveland in Week 2.NegativeProjectionSep 9, 2026
Watson won the Browns' quarterback job but his preseason play was lackluster. This could make it difficult for Cleveland to sustain drives and limit scoring opportunities for the entire offense in Week 1 against Jacksonville.NegativeRoleSep 9, 2026
Watson was handed the Browns' starter role, but the widely held belief outside the building is that it would be easier to move off him as the starter than Shedeur Sanders, which isn't exactly a ringing endorsement for a player who has been awful ever since he arrived in Cleveland. His poor play limits the Browns' passing game effectiveness, which impacts the fantasy value of the backfield.NegativeMatchupSep 8, 2026
Deshaun Watson is described as 'the worst starting QB in the league on multiple levels,' making opposing defenses viable streaming targets against the Browns in Week 1. The source expects defenses to 'feast' when facing Watson and the Browns offense.NegativeProjectionSep 8, 2026
Watson's 2024 performance was historically poor: among 40 qualifying quarterbacks, he ranked 40th in yards per attempt, 38th in success rate per dropback, 33rd in highly accurate throw rate, and 40th in fantasy points per dropback, finishing higher than QB16 in weekly scoring only once in seven games. His preseason was similarly concerning, ranking 37th in yards per attempt, 58th in aDOT, and ninth-highest in turnover-worthy play rate among 70 qualifying passers. The source expects Watson to be pummeled in Week 1 against Jacksonville's elite pass defense, which allowed the second-fewest yards per attempt, second-lowest passer rating, and second-lowest EPA per dropback in Weeks 12-18 last year.NegativeProjectionSep 8, 2026
The last time Deshaun Watson appeared in a regular season game, he was horrible. In 2024, in his seven games played, he finished higher than QB16 in weekly scoring only once. Among 40 qualifying quarterbacks that season, he ranked 40th in yards per attempt, 38th in success rate per dropback, 33rd in highly accurate throw rate, and 40th in fantasy points per dropback. This preseason was not any better for Watson; among 70 qualifying passers, he ranked 37th in yards per attempt, 58th in aDOT, and had the ninth-worst performance in another key metric.NegativeProjectionSep 5, 2026
Deshaun Watson, pegged as Cleveland's starter, averaged only 5.9 yards per attempt and 62% completion rate over his last two seasons, providing poor quarterback support for pass-catchers like Harold Fannin Jr.NegativeMatchupAug 30, 2026
Deshaun Watson under center for the Cleveland Browns is cited as a reason to be excited to stream a defense against them, implying weakness in the Browns' passing game or Watson's performance.NegativeRoleAug 29, 2026
Deshaun Watson has been announced as the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback for Week 1, per Aaron St Denis; despite controversy surrounding him, Watson has proven his talent in the past and is competent enough to produce a usable fantasy wide receiver, supporting the sleeper case for KC Concepcion.NegativeProjectionAug 20, 2026
Watson's tenure in Cleveland has been a disaster; while there's talk he could open the season as the Browns' starter, it's highly improbable he could deliver anything close to the fantasy value he provided early in his career in Houston, placing him in Tier 8 with limited upside.NegativeProjectionAug 20, 2026
Watson is a tier-8 tenth-round or beyond Superflex pick with a chance to start for at least part of the season. Deshaun Watson's tenure in Cleveland has been a disaster, but there's talk that he could open the season as the Browns' starter. It's highly improbable that Watson could deliver anything close to the fantasy value provided early in his career in Houston.NegativeProjectionAug 17, 2026
Watson played reasonably well in Cleveland's preseason game against the Bears, completing 11-of-15 throws for 126 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and three runs for 4 yards. He is competing for the starting job with Shedeur Sanders.NegativeProjectionAug 1, 2026
Watson is heading into the final year of his contract with the Browns and reportedly has a decent chance to open the season as the starter, but he was awful in 2024 when last seen; while he was a top fantasy quarterback early in his Texans career with dual run-pass value, there is only a small chance he can deliver that level of production again.PositiveProjectionNo date
Watson could be a serviceable QB3 if he wins the Browns' starting quarterback job, though he hasn't been a starting option for fantasy players since 2020 and has played in only 27.9% of games since being traded due to injury and suspension.