Deshaun Watson Cleveland Browns – Syndication Server

Will 2024 mark the start of a Deshaun Watson redemption arc?

What are the odds of a Watson rebound in 2024?

In March of 2022, the Cleveland Browns sent first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as a third-rounder in 2023, plus fourth-rounders in ’22 and 2024, to the Houston Texans in exchange for quarterback Deshaun Watson and a ’24 sixth-round pick. After two seasons, this checks in as one of the worst trades in NFL history from Cleveland’s perspective. Will things finally get better in 2024? Let’s take an early peek.

During his two years in a Browns uniform, Watson has appeared in 12 games. He served an 11-game suspension in 2022, and he missed 11 games last year due to a shoulder injury that required surgery to correct. He has been a limited participant in offseason workouts, but the expectation is he will be ready to go in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Cleveland has made some notable changes since the last time Watson took the field. Perhaps the biggest one is the hiring of new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who worked with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen during his tenure as the OC. Dorsey was named the quarterbacks coach when Allen was in his second season, and he helped shepherd his ascent to stardom before eventually taking over as the play caller in 2022.

On the field, the Browns acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos, ironically parting ways with the sixth-round selection they picked up from Houston in the Watson deal (along with a fifth-round choice). That gives Cleveland a top three of Jeudy (54-758-2 last year), Amari Cooper (72-1,250-5), and Elijah Moore (59-640-2) at receiver to go along with tight end David Njoku (81-882-6), who finally took a major step statistically last year.

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Health and contract issues could play a part in how effective Cleveland is offensively in 2024. In addition to Watson, who still isn’t throwing every day as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, running back Nick Chubb (knee) faces an uncertain future after suffering a gruesome knee injury last year. On the money side, Cooper didn’t take part in the offseason program as he enters the final year of his contract.

All those changes should lead to a more aggressive, pass-oriented offense under Dorsey, which could breathe some life into Watson, who last posted a meaningful statistical season back in 2020 — he threw for 4,823 yards, 33 TDs, and seven INTs while rushing for 444 yards and three TDs.

Fantasy football outlook

The numbers that Watson put up in 2020 bordered on elite, and it shows what he is capable of … or at least what he was capable of. Three full seasons have passed since then, during which he’s played in a dozen games with 2,217 yards passing, 14 TDs, and nine INTs.

At this stage, the veteran needs to be viewed as a borderline top-20 quarterback on draft day, though his dual-threat potential makes him one of the more intriguing backup options.

Fantasy football: Where to draft Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson

Analyzing Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s 2023 fantasy football ADP and where to target him in fantasy drafts.

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Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson has reportedly had a strong training camp as he gets ready for his 1st full season in the NFL since 2020 due to off-the-field issues which led to his exit from the Houston Texans.

Watson played 6 games last season after serving an 11-game NFL-imposed suspension. He was rusty, completing a career-low 58.2% of his passes with an average of just 6.5 yards per pass attempt. His 79.1 passer rating was also a career worst.

All indications are that Watson is back to his former self, and he could round back into elite form in his 1st full season as the starting QB in Cleveland.

The team went out in the offseason and brought in more weapons, including WR Elijah Moore, as well as WR Marquise Goodwin. Unfortunately for the latter, he is dealing with blood clots in his legs and lungs, and is on the non-football injury list. The team also has one of the deeper offensive lines in the AFC to help protect the signal caller.

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Deshaun Watson’s ADP: 68.58

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Watson has been drafted as a QB1 in preseason fantasy drafts. After shying away from him because of off-the-field issues and a looming 11-game suspension, plenty of fantasy managers are rolling the dice that Watson will be able to return to elite form.

The early returns have been good, as Watson has reportedly enjoyed a tremendous training camp, he has been crisp with his passes, he has jelled nicely with WR1 Amari Cooper, and, of course, Watson has the luxury of handing off to one of the best in the game in RB Nick Chubb. Watson is also tucked in behind a deep offensive line, which should offer plenty of protection to do his thing.

Among quarterbacks, Watson’s ADP is 9th, well behind Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert (34.97), Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields (38.22) and Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (47.24), who are just ahead of him in the 2nd tier of QB1s after the elite signal callers.

Watson’s ADP puts him just ahead of Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (72.85), Indianapolis Colts rookie QB Anthony Richardson (73.59) and Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins (78.98), rounding out the Top 12.

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Deshaun Watson’s 2022 stats

Games: 6

Passing yards: 1,102

Completions | attempts: 99 | 170

Passing touchdowns: 7

Interceptions: 5

Carries | rushing yards: 36 | 175

Rushing touchdowns: 1

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Where should you draft Watson?

Last season, Watson was only worth stashing away on benches for a potential run late in the season. However, he was very rusty, and the first couple of games were like his preseason, and a successful late-season run really never materialized for fantasy managers.

Back in 2020 with the Houston Texans, his last full NFL campaign, Watson completed a career-best 70.2% pass attempts for 4,823 yards, 33 TDs and 7 INTS, while running for 444 yards and 3 scores. The Browns would be tickled pink if he could come anywhere near approaching that type of production.

Remember, Watson is still just 27 years old, so he has plenty of tread left on the tires. It’s a matter of shaky off the rust, and all indications are that he has done just that with a full offseason of workouts under his belt. However, can fantasy managers hitch their wagons to his star? The answer is yes.

On draft day, there are 2 types of fantasy managers. There is a manager who goes for the elite passers, or Top 5 NFL signal callers, shoring up the position early in the draft. Then, there is a manager who goes with the 2nd tier of quarterbacks in the middle rounds. That’s where Watson falls in. Really, from Fields to Cousins, the fantasy values are rather interchangeable. However, Watson has elite potential, unlike some of those around him.

If you were to scoop up Watson in Round 6, or heaven forbid any earlier, then the value just isn’t there. But if you take him in Round 7 or later, he has the potential to single-handedly lead a manager to a fantasy championship if he can regain his 2020 form. If he is more like the 2022 version of himself, heaven help us all. There are less questions about him this season than last season, but pardon the pun, the jury is out on whether he is still elite or not.

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Will Deshaun Watson rebound in 2023 fantasy football?

Will we see a major rebound after two lost seasons?

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson went from being a premium fantasy football commodity to embattled in a sexual harassment scandal that cost him all of 2021 and the first 13 weeks of the ’22 season. He returned in Week 13 to look as rusty as one would expect following such a lengthy layoff, completing 12 of his 22 attempts for a mere 131 yards and an interception. It didn’t get much better from there.

No one should have been surprised by the lack of passing success over the six-game stretch last year, though Watson showed glimpses of his trademark rushing skills. We saw a small sample of his former self during the final two games of the regular season as he accounted for five touchdown throws and posted 23.6 and 23.9 fantasy points, respectively. In total, he completed a career-low 58.2 percent of his passes for 183.7 yards per game and averaged only 17.8 points in fake football. His previous career low was 24.8 points in 2018.

Fantasy football reaction: Deshaun Watson suspended 6 games

Watson’s ban clears up his fantasy football worth.

Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, and New England Patriots … Judge Sue Robinson has made her ruling, and those are the teams Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will not face in 2022 after a six-game suspension was handed down.

The NFL could file an appeal over the next three days, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. If not, this is quite possibly the best-case scenario for fantasy football purposes.

Watson’s remaining schedule includes a return to the field at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7 and return home to face the Cincinnati Bengals prior to a Week 9 bye. The second half of his schedule is slightly easier than the six games he’ll miss, but that’s not to say it’s a walk in the park with matchups against Miami, Buffalo and Tampa from Weeks 10-12, respectively, including the first two on the road. He then has trips to Houston and Cincy, followed by consecutive home stands against Baltimore and New Orleans, ending with a pair of road games vs. Washington and Pittsburgh.

Fantasy football takeaway

Between a suspect receiving corps, an unproven tight end, and a difficult slate of matchups, Watson shouldn’t be drafted as more than a fringe starter. The talent level will keep him afloat with moderate matchups, but he’s not a slam dunk against the likes of Miami, Buffalo, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Secure a strong QB1 who can get you through the first six weeks and view Watson as a component of a strong roster build rather than the centerpiece. After all, you’re probably not going to make the postseason with a poor start during his absence.

Worth the risk? The Deshaun Watson outlook

Disciplinary uncertainty creates more questions than answers.

One of the ongoing questions heading into the “slow period” of the NFL – between OTAs and the start of training camps in late July – is the ongoing saga of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has made headlines off the field for the last 14 months.

Watson sat out the entire 2021 season, which was supposed to be the first year of four-year, $160 million extension he signed with the Houston Texans. An avalanche of civil lawsuits brought against him – most by massage therapists – claiming sexual assault or misconduct. A 23rd woman joined the lawsuit against Watson at the end of May, and No. 24 is reportedly expected to file come Monday.

However, when two grand juries failed to bring back a criminal indictment, the Texans saw an opportunity to trade their besieged signal-caller, and the Browns jumped at the opportunity to acquire a franchise quarterback better than Baker Mayfield.

Houston landed three first-round picks, a third-rounder in 2023, and a fourth-rounder in 2024 in exchange for Watson. If that investment by the Browns wasn’t enough, the team immediately announced that it tore up Watson’s contract with the Texans and replaced it with a five-year, $230 million deal with every dollar guaranteed.

Both sides of this strange, unsettling saga are unprecedented. On the football side of things, fully guaranteeing contracts has rarely been something NFL franchise do willingly. Nobody has ever committed this much in terms of guaranteed money – Watson’s guarantee was $80 million more than the previous high (Buffalo QB Josh Allen). It’s a field-tilter for quarterback salaries and guarantees that could set a standard many owners will look to avoid.

The other precedent-setting issue facing the NFL is the length of Watson’s anticipated suspension. Despite sitting out all of last season, Watson not subject to league discipline. Comparisons have been made to a 2010 suspension of Ben Roethlisberger, accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old Georgia college student at a nightclub. What made his six-game suspension (reduced to four games after Roethlisberger complied with numerous league-imposed stipulations) is that there were no criminal charges filed against him. Prior to that, the league waited until the legal process was completed before handing out its own punishment. Since Roethlisberger’s case, the NFL has suspended numerous players without criminal charges being filed.

What makes this case new to the NFL is Watson having been accused by 24 different women who make the same basic claim – just to varying degrees of misconduct. The NFL’s enforcement arm has a difficult decision to make after its own independent investigation. The league is still struggling with accusations of collusion against Colin Kaepernick and the offseason revelations in a lawsuit brought by Brian Flores.

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What sort of punishment do claims made by 24 different women warrant? Major League Baseball, typically the last pro sport to be proactive, recently doubled the established suspension limit of major sports by banning Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for more than two years for allegations of sexual impropriety that also didn’t result in criminal charges.

The Browns have been taken off a lot of betting websites for wagers on the odds for Cleveland to win the AFC North, the AFC, and the Super Bowl, because everyone is waiting for the NFL to weigh on whether Watson will be suspended. It is expected that he will be, but the duration is anyone’s guess.

The suspension likely won’t be less than four games. Is six a possibility? Eight? Another full season?

All of those options are likely on the table. The uncertainty may be the reason the Browns didn’t accept a low-ball trade offer for Mayfield on draft weekend. Mayfield clearly isn’t Cleveland’s first choice – that was made painfully obvious – but he is the guy who has been the starter in Cleveland the last three years. Perhaps the fear of getting the worst-case scenario suspension for Watson is why Mayfield is still under contract with the Browns. Cleveland added veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett in free agency a day after the Watson trade news broke, likely believing Mayfield wouldn’t be this difficult to trade away.

Fantasy football outlook

Watson’s fantasy football value for 2022 will be determined once the NFL weighs in on the matter and hands down its punishment.

Whatever the NFL decides, it is certain to face criticism for not handing down a stiff enough punishment given the gravity and sheer volume of the allegations. Until the league office delivers its judgment, the fate of the 2022 Browns will continue to remain in limbo.

Should Watson even be on your radar if you’re forced to draft prior to whenever that info is known? It depends upon a number of factors, such as scoring rules, league size, draft tendencies, and more, but the easiest way to frame it is as follows: Gamble on Watson only after about Round 11, and only if you have an established starter in case he winds up missing serious time. He has gone, on average, anywhere from Round 9 to 14 in drafts we’ve been apart of so far.

We’ll definitely provide more clarity upon the league’s ruling. What we know for sure is Watson enters a run-heavy offense with a so-so cast of aerial targets. He has excelled with worse at receiver, but there’s arguably more downside than potential for a strong season, regardless of how much time he may miss.

Deshaun Watson chooses the Cleveland Browns

At long last, we know where the embattled quarterback will play.

The Cleveland Browns have won the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. At long last, we know where the embattled quarterback will play. Whether or not the NFL allows him to play all 17 games the final piece to this saga of a puzzle.

Browns and Texans still are finalizing official trade compensation for Deshaun Watson, but it is expected to include three first-round picks, a third-round pick and potentially a fifth-round pick, league sources tell ESPN.

Five picks for Watson.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2022

ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reports the Browns will pay him a fully guaranteed $230 million over five years. That’s commitment!

We last saw Watson take a snap in Week 17 of the 2020 NFL season when he led the NFL in passing yardage with 4,823 and finished fourth in fantasy points (435.6, or 27.2/game) while playing with limited talent at the skill positions. The Browns have some intriguing pieces, but it’s unfair to say we’re looking at a major upgrade in receiving options. It’s definitely an improvement, but just how much is up for debate. Either way, Watson has demonstrated the ability fewer quarterbacks bring to the table: Making everyone around him better.

Cleveland acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper from Dallas and sent veteran slot receiver Jarvis Landry packing, but the latter was more contractual than anything. Reports said at the time the Browns could opt to re-sign him. Perhaps this is the impetus to make it happen. Cooper, if healthy, has borderline WR1 potential in PPR scoring, although history points to him being a much safer No. 2 in fantasy.

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With Cooper the team’s presumed WR1 of the crop, Cleveland has an inconsistently dangerous Donovan Peoples-Jones as the next most accomplished wideout, and that’s not saying much. He has 48 career catches and five total scores over his first two seasons. But he brings size and downfield skills to the offense. There’s serious breakout potential now that Watson is under center in this rather fundamental West Coast offense.

The Browns added slot receiver Jakeem Grant in free agency, and the 5-foot-6 gadget player has yet to put it all together to suggest he’s on the verge of something useful in fantasy over 18 weeks. Without trying to pour salt into a wound, there’s no denying having Watson at quarterback will be an upgrade from Baker Mayfield — and everyone else Grant has had as his signal-caller.

Watson has former first-round pick David Njoku as the primary tight end, with third-year man Harrison Bryant also in the mix. Both get a boost, but target cannibalization could be a weekly frustration.

In the backfield, Watson has a dynamic one-two punch in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, with the latter being an excellent receiving outlet. This duo brings balance to the offense and allows for a heavy dose of play-action passing, which is a staple in the Kevin Stefanski system.

An overall stout offensive line only sweetens the deal for fantasy purposes. Cleveland still may not be done yet addressing the position in free agency, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the Browns add depth in the upcoming draft with one of it’s few remaining selections.

Watson’s biggest enemy right now will be how hard the NFL comes down on him for off-the-field issues that won’t result in criminal proceedings but still have been enough of a black eye on the NFL’s image that it’s unlikely Roger Goodell and Co. can afford to let Watson escape some level of punishment. It’s really anyone’s guess as to how many games he will be docked, so until that side of things is resolved, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Watson is a midtier QB1 if he plays at least 14 or 15 games, but if a suspension cuts his season to, say, eight or nine contests, he’ll be a much tougher quarterback to draft in fantasy football leagues. Stay tuned!