Joe Flacco fantasy football news and podcast insights

Flacco is noted as probably the best backup quarterback the Bengals have had in a long time. Chase balled out with Flacco last year, mitigating injury risk concerns about Burrow's availability. This backup quality reduces downside for Chase if Burrow is unavailable.

NegativeRoleJul 30, 2026Fantasy Points Fantasy Football

NegativeInjuryJul 30, 202632BeatWriters

32BeatWriterson X

Bengals Camp Day 2: * Bengals dodge a bit of a bullet on Shemar Stewart. Zac Taylor says he's out "several weeks" with hyperextended left knee. Should be back "sooner than later" and "avoided major injury." * Stewart was back in the locker room with teammates Thursday, with a leg-length brace on his left leg. * Erick All Jr. announced he's "great" after surviving being hit by a three-wheel mini-truck on vacation in Greece. "It's the first time I ever got pancaked. I'm usually the hammer... Th...

Re-signed to 1-year, $6 million deal with Bengals; provides veteran backup quarterback depth.

NegativeRoleJul 28, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Projected as the backup quarterback on the Bengals' 53-man roster alongside Joe Burrow.

NegativeDepth ChartJul 27, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Projected as the Bengals' backup quarterback on the 53-man roster alongside Joe Burrow.

NegativeDepth ChartJul 27, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Flacco earned a spot on ESPN's 2026 NFL All-Backup Team and is now officially backing up Joe Burrow going into 2026. Bill Barnwell noted Flacco's 45.5 QBR over the past three years while winning games for the Browns, Colts, and Bengals, praising his strong arm, solid sack avoidance, and ability to run the offense from under center. The source describes him as 'a great short-term option' and the most experienced QB behind Burrow since Burrow was drafted in 2020, having proven he can win in Cincinnati's offense if needed.

PositiveRoleJul 25, 2026Cincy Jungle

Bill Barnwell of ESPN named Flacco to his NFL All-Backup team for the new season, citing his 45.5 QBR over the past three years while winning games for the Browns, Colts, and Bengals; Barnwell noted Flacco has a strong arm, does a solid job avoiding sacks, and can run the offense from under center, though he will throw painful interceptions.

PositiveProjectionJul 25, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Flacco is now officially backing up Joe Burrow going into 2026 after being traded mid-season to the Bengals; he is the most experienced QB behind Burrow since Burrow's 2020 draft and has demonstrated he can win in Cincinnati's offense with Ja'Marr Chase.

PositiveRoleJul 25, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Flacco's presence as Cincinnati's starting quarterback depressed Chase Brown's fantasy production. Brown was RB16 over the first two weeks with Flacco starting, averaging 13.5 PPR fantasy points per game. The Bengals retained Flacco as a high-end backup this offseason, but his starts resulted in significantly lower fantasy output for Brown compared to when Joe Burrow was under center.

NegativeRoleJul 25, 2026FantasyPros Articles

Joe Flacco's tenure with the Ravens was marked by a lack of quality wide receiver support; the team struggled to field quality receivers during the final few years of his time with Baltimore, prompting the 2018 offseason additions of John Brown and Ryan Grant.

NegativeRoleJul 24, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Joe Flacco's tenure with the Ravens in the final few years was marked by the team's historical struggle to field quality wide receivers, necessitating the 2018 offseason free agent signings of John Brown and Ryan Grant.

NegativeRoleJul 24, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Flacco won the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award with the Cleveland Browns.

NegativeProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Joe Flacco won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2023 with the Cleveland Browns.

NegativeProjectionJul 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

PositiveNewsJul 23, 2026Adam

Adamon X

Maybe it’s because I’m slowly becoming an old man but every time I watch Quarterback on @netflix I finish it enjoying the QB I was least excited to watch. After finishing the series I’m a massive Joe Flacco fan.

Joe Flacco is the source's hot take backup scenario: if Joe Burrow has to be evaluated for a concussion, stinger, or cramps in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Flacco will come in for a significant play, drive, or half and will deliver.

PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026Cincy Jungle

At age 38, Flacco exceeded all expectations after stepping in for injured Deshaun Watson in late November 2023. He led the Browns to a 4–1 record, helped clinch a playoff berth, and won Comeback Player of the Year, providing unexpected success during a turbulent season.

PositiveBreakoutJul 22, 2026Dawgs By Nature

Joe Flacco, the Bengals' backup QB, is described by the source as arguably the best thrower of footballs coming off the bench. He made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2024. After being traded to Cincinnati in October from the Browns, Flacco was rejuvenated; in his second start with the Bengals, he threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions while registering his 30th career game-winning drive in an upset of Pittsburgh. In Week 9, he became the fifth player in NFL history to throw for 470 yards and four touchdowns while scoring 40 points, though in a loss.

PositiveRoleJul 22, 2026Cincy Jungle

Delivered one of the best performances of the 2025 season in the White Bengal uniform game against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, torching them in what was described as perhaps the best win of the season.

PositiveMatchupJul 22, 2026Cincy Jungle

Joe Flacco is the Bengals' backup quarterback; the source includes a hot take that Flacco will enter the AFC Championship Game in the fourth quarter due to an injury or evaluation of Joe Burrow (stinger, cramps, or concussion) and will deliver in that critical moment.

PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Pictured in game action for the Browns against the Houston Texans on Dec 24, 2023, indicating his role as the team's quarterback during that period.

NegativeRoleJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Joe Flacco is the Bengals' backup quarterback and the source's hot take includes a scenario where Flacco would have to come in for a significant play or drive in the fourth quarter due to an injury or evaluation to Joe Burrow; the source believes Flacco will deliver in that situation.

PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Joe Flacco appeared as the Browns quarterback in a December 2023 game against the Houston Texans, indicating his role with the team during that period.

NegativeRoleJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Joe Flacco is the Bengals' backup quarterback entering 2026; the source's hot take includes a scenario where Flacco would have to come in for a significant play or drive in the fourth quarter of an AFC Championship Game against the Steelers because of something that happens to Joe Burrow (stinger, cramps, or concussion evaluation), and the source believes Flacco will deliver in that moment.

PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Pictured in game action for the Browns against the Houston Texans on Dec 24, 2023, indicating his presence as quarterback during that period.

NegativeRoleJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

The source's hot take includes a scenario where Joe Flacco will have to come in for a significant play or drive in the fourth quarter of an AFC Championship Game because of something that happens to Joe Burrow (whether a stinger, cramps, or being evaluated for a concussion), and the source believes Flacco will deliver in that moment.

PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Pictured as the Browns quarterback in December 2023 game action against the Houston Texans, indicating his role with the team during that period.

NegativeRoleJul 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

In his second start with the Bengals, Flacco threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and registered his 30th career game-winning drive in an upset of the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. In Week 9, Flacco became the fifth player in NFL history to throw for 470 yards and four touchdowns while scoring 40 points, though in a loss.

PositiveUsageJul 21, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Flacco, a former Super Bowl MVP and Comeback Player of the Year, is characterized as the best thrower of footballs coming off the bench in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2025 and was rejuvenated by a trade to Cincinnati in October after looking his age with the Browns at the start of 2025.

PositiveRoleJul 21, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Flacco, 41, is preparing for his 19th season in the NFL and second with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2026. He started six games for Cincinnati filling in for the injured Joe Burrow in 2025 and signed a one-year, $6 million deal to stay with the Bengals for the 2026 season. Last year, he shared the Cleveland Browns' quarterbacks room with then-rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for the preseason and five weeks of the regular season, winning one game in four games before being benched in favor of Gabriel ahead of Week 5.

NegativeRoleJul 17, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

PositiveNewsJul 14, 2026SleeperNFL

Joe Flacco’s Super Bowl MVP trophy 🔥

PositiveNewsJul 14, 2026SleeperNFL

Quarterback: Season 3 drops tomorrow 👀 Jayden Daniels (Commanders) Joe Flacco (Browns/Bengals) Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) Cam Ward (Titans) (📸 @Buccaneers)

PositiveValueJul 10, 2026SleeperNFL

.@BleacherReport names Bo Nix the Broncos' most promising building block entering 2026. "It may be time to give Bo Nix the ol' Joe Flacco treatment. Still, it's impossible to ignore how much better the Broncos have been since using a 1st-round pick on Nix two years ago."

PositiveNewsJun 25, 2026SleeperNFL

Who else caught this in the 'Quarterback: Season 3' trailer? They did Flacco so dirty 😭 (via @netflix)

Joe Flacco, 41, ranks 10th in all snaps by a quarterback this century and lived in an under-center system for over a decade with the Baltimore Ravens, making him perhaps the most well-equipped active player to advise on the Bengals' under-center expansion. After spending the second half of 2025 around Burrow and experiencing the greatness of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Flacco is positioned as an expert voice on how much the Bengals should go under center. He emphasized that going under center helps offensive linemen by simplifying the game and allowing them to play fast and physical without diagnosing disguises, and that early-down under-center success creates a cycle where teams play certain defensive structures, enabling the Bengals to be more explosive in the run game.

PositiveRoleJun 24, 2026NFL - The Athletic

Fill-in QB Joe Flacco put up fantasy points in 2025 when Burrow was limited to eight starts, though the defense's poor performance limited overall team success.

PositiveProjectionJun 23, 2026NBC Sports Rotoworld

Turnover-prone with a history of games where risky throws pile up; had a playoff game against Houston where turnovers resulted in a loss.

NegativeBustJun 12, 2026PlayerProfiler Fantasy Football Podcast Network

Solid backup quarterback with strong arm talent and high-level understanding of the game; can go 5-0 if needed to start 6-8 games with the right offensive coordinator.

PositiveRoleJun 12, 2026PlayerProfiler Fantasy Football Podcast Network

Flacco is placed as the headliner of the backup tier. He's a solid gunslinger who took the Browns to the playoffs and made things interesting for the Bengals, but his risky throws sometimes backfire.

PositiveRoleJun 12, 2026PlayerProfiler Fantasy Football Podcast Network

Bob Harris rates Joe Flacco (Connecticut) as a 'feel it' prospect with solid mechanics, pocket movement, and drop work; inconsistent throwing motion but accurate when on point with good arm talent and size. Harris projects that if Flacco secures a practice squad spot and develops over 2-3 years, he could become a compelling backup or journeyman starter, citing Aidan O'Connell as a recent comparable who lacked high draft capital but later got a starting audition.

PositiveSleeperApr 20, 2026Matt Waldman