Deshaun Watson Fantasy Stats

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told a group of local reporters at the league meetings this week that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) has a "great chance" and a "fresh start" with new head coach Todd Monken, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. It comes a year after Haslam called the team's trade for Watson a "big swing-and-miss." The Browns gave the 30-year-old a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal back in March of 2022, and the three-time Pro Bowler has only played in 19 games for the team, completing just 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The Browns could add QB competition through the draft, but as of now, all signs are pointing to Watson having the edge over Shedeur Sanders for the starting job entering the 2026 season. Watson hasn't played in an NFL game since 2024 due to a torn Achilles that required multiple surgeries. His fantasy stock in dynasty leagues is on the rise, but nothing is set in stone, and the former first overall pick in 2017 out of Clemson has a lot to prove.

The NFL Network's Mike Garafolo thinks that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is in the "pole position" to be the team's starter for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Shedeur Sanders finished his rookie season as the Browns' starter under center, but he was very inconsistent down the stretch and has plenty to prove after dropping into the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft. On the flip side, Watson, 30, missed all of last year while recovering from multiple surgeries to fix a torn Achilles tendon. Due to injury and suspension, the three-time Pro Bowler has played in just 19 games since he joined Cleveland in 2022. Watson will be competing with Sanders in training camp this summer, but there's still the possibility the Browns add another signal-caller in the draft or via trade/free agency. If Watson were to enter training camp fully healthy and win the starting job outright, he'd be a low-end QB2 with upside and plenty to prove to fantasy managers.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) hasn't played a snap since the middle of the 2024 season, but it appears that he could get back on the fantasy football radar soon. Watson should be healthy (or at least near full health) ahead of the 2026 campaign, giving him a real chance to win the Browns' starting quarterback job. Not only does Watson have the best career stats among the Browns' quarterback room, but he also comes with the largest investment. Cleveland flipped three first-round picks for Watson, whereas Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were merely Day 2 or 3 selections. Neither Gabriel nor Sanders, both of whom started games in 2025, put together very encouraging stat lines. Watson wasn't great when he last played, either, going 1-6 with 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. However, his experience, track record, and investment likely make him the favorite to start at quarterback in Week 1, if he's healthy. With a talented, young group of skill players around him -- plus an improved offensive line in front of him -- Watson could sneakily become a fantasy option in deeper leagues. At worst, he has top-24 upside at the quarterback position in 2026.

The Cleveland Browns restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract on Friday to ease his $80.716 million salary cap charge in 2026, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Browns are converting up to $44.745 million of his $46 million base salary into a signing bonus, leaving him with the veteran minimum of $1.255 million for this year. The move is expected to free up around $36 million in cap space. Cleveland is also expected to restructure the contracts of other players, including Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward. The 30-year-old Watson is heading into the final year of the five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract that he signed back in 2022. Watson did not play at all in 2025 after having two surgeries to fix a torn Achilles he suffered in 2024. He's expected to compete for the starting QB job in 2026 with Shedeur Sanders, but the Browns are expected to bring in more competition via free agency. There's no guarantee Watson ever takes another snap with the Browns.

The Cleveland Browns "believe" that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting role ahead of the 2026 season, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Watson started throwing again this past week, and he's expected to be a real factor in the Browns' quarterback competition this summer. Watson last suited up in 2024 when he went 1-6 across seven games with 1,148 passing yards, six total touchdowns, and six turnovers. Meanwhile, Sanders is coming off a rookie season in which he tallied 1,400 passing yards, eight total touchdowns, and 11 turnovers across eight games (seven starts). Neither quarterback has played particularly strong football in the NFL recently, but nevertheless, it sounds like the Browns feel comfortable with one of those two quarterbacks being their starter next year. In fact, Wolfe adds that Cleveland wants to use one or both of its first-round picks on offensive weapons but doesn't expect to draft a quarterback in the first round.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot reports that the last two civil suits against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson have been settled with the women accusing him of sexual misconduct weeks before they were set to go to trial in February and March, according to a league source. The suits were among the 27 that were filed against Watson since 2021 by women accusing him of sexual misconduct during massage appointments. Watson was fined $5 million and suspended for 11 games in 2022 because of his actions. The 30-year-old has been a massive bust for Cleveland since signing a five-year, $230 million contract in March of 2022, and he's played in just 20 games since the start of 2022. Watson suffered multiple Achilles tears in 2024 and will merely be competing for a starting gig this summer. There's still a pretty good chance he never takes another snap as the starter in Cleveland again.

The Cleveland Browns currently expect quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) to be on the team next year, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team," general manager Andrew Berry said about Watson's status. Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October of 2024 and re-ruptured the tendon and required a second surgery on Jan. 9 of 2025. The 30-year-old veteran stayed on the Physically Unable to Perform list all season, but if he can return to full health this year, he's expected to compete for the starting QB job this summer with Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Watson will be entering the final year of his five-year, $230 million deal in 2026. He'll be a huge question mark going into next season, but despite the investment the Browns still have in him, he's not guaranteed to win the starting job.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will not be activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list before his activation window closes, ending his 2025 season. The much-embattled Browns quarterback has not appeared in a game since tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 7 of the 2024 season. Watson struggled across seven games in 2024, completing 63.4% of his pass attempts for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Previous reports have suggested that Cleveland may look to move on from Watson at the end of the 2025 season. If that's the case, the 30-year-old will finish his three-year stint with the Browns having played 19 games with an average of 6.0 yards per pass attempt, 19 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The Browns have utilized the rookie quarterback combination of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for most of 2025, although neither has proven to be the team's unquestioned franchise quarterback for the future.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski provided no updates on quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) regarding an activation to the 53-man roster. The deadline to activate Watson from the Physically Unable to Perform list is this Tuesday, and despite telling the media that a decision would be made this week, nothing appears imminent with approximately 24 hours to go. If no move is made by the deadline, Watson will be ineligible to play in the team's final two games, likely leaving rookie Shedeur Sanders as the starter for the rest of the season. The Browns will have Watson, Sanders, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel under contract heading into 2026, but with a projected top-five pick in April's draft, they will very much be in play to further address the quarterback position.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that a decision on activating quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) to the 53-man roster will be made next week, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. The deadline for the Browns to activate Watson from the Physically Unable to Perform list is next Tuesday. Watson has been ruled out for the Week 16 contest against the visiting Buffalo Bills. Even if the 30-year-old is activated from the PUP list before the Week 17 divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, rookie Shedeur Sanders is expected to remain Cleveland's starter to close out the 2025 season. If the Browns don't activate Watson by next Tuesday, he'll be ineligible for the final two games of the year. The three-time Pro Bowler's NFL future remains incredibly murky, although he's expected to stick around in Cleveland next year and compete for the starting job with Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.