The Athletic’s Zac Jackson believes Browns QB Shedeur Sanders “might be taking the lead” over Deshaun Watson in the competition for the starting job. Sanders and Deshaun Watson have taken turns running the first-team offense, but Jackson suggested that the second-year QB has outplayed Watson so far.
What They're Saying
Here’s more from Jackson (via The Athletic).
“Monday was the fifth practice of full camp, so it was Watson's day [with the 1s]. Watson also worked with the starters on the first and third days of camp, while Sanders got the other two. Watson threw six interceptions in competitive drills over the first four days, but what looks to be a strong Browns defense recorded no interceptions on Monday. Sanders has thrown just one interception over the first five days of full camp.”
"Sanders threw the only two touchdown passes of Monday's practice, most notably a perfectly placed corner route to Gage Larvidan that ended Cleveland's first practice in full pads. Sanders, operating the No. 2 offense in a 90-second drill, started the series by getting rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston to draw a pass interference call."
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network said Monday that Sanders has been "a lot more efficient, going through his reads, [and] not holding onto the ball as long," adding that those areas will remain critical for Sanders going forward.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Don't Take the Bait
We may not get official word on Cleveland's starter until a game or two of preseason play. Even if Sanders wins the Week 1 role, it doesn't mean he'll hold the job all season.
Sanders (and Watson) remain buried in our 2026 QB rankings, limiting their appeal to superflex formats.
