Fantasy Fallout: The Return of Deshaun Watson

With Watson’s suspension over, some fantasy managers (not all) will look to add the Browns quarterback.

Having met the terms of his NFL-imposed suspension, quarterback Deshaun Watson will be reinstated Monday and appears set to make his starting debut for the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 against his former team, the Houston Texans. Watson’s return to action will not come without controversy.

In August, Watson was handed an 11-game suspension for sexual misconduct after more than two dozen women filed lawsuits against him (nearly all of which have been settled). Even before that, he had sat out all of the 2021 season—originally holding out after demanding a trade from the Texans and then being listed as inactive for all 17 games after the sexual harassment and assault allegations began to surface. (Watson has denied all allegations against him.) The Texans traded Watson to the Browns in March.

• Browns Reveal Reinstatement Timeline

So how will fantasy managers handle Watson? Surely, plenty of fantasy enthusiasts out there don’t want any part of Watson on their roster. 

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While he hasn’t played in a regular-season game in nearly two years, he was an MVP candidate that season. Watson led the NFL in passing yards in 2020 with 4,823, throwing 33 touchdown passes and rushing for three more. He finished with the fifth-most fantasy points among QBs that season.

The Browns have already said the 27-year-old Watson will be starting. He’s been working out at the team facility and taking part in team meetings since mid-October, and began practicing with the team two weeks ago.

On Nov. 18, before Week 11 games, Watson was already appearing on rosters in 51.9% of fantasy leagues on NFL.com. As of Sunday, that number was up to 58.1%. 

Jacoby Brissett has been an adequate placeholder for Watson. He’s thrown twice as many touchdown passes than interceptions this season (12–6), but the fantasy production is nothing to write home about. He’s the QB17, averaging 237 passing yards and one touchdown pass per game. Contrast that with Watson’s 2020 season, when he averaged 301 yards and two TDs per game. 

Some believe Watson's teammates in Cleveland will see an uptick in offensive production with Watson, and not Brissett, under center. In Houston, Watson formed a dynamic duo with DeAndre Hopkins; he might do the same with Amari Cooper. And while Nick Chubb is already the RB2 this season, his numbers should get even better now that opposing defenses have more to worry about with the passing game and won’t be stacking the box quite as much.

Donovan Peoples-Jones is worth picking up if still available in your fantasy league. In 2020, after Hopkins had been traded from Houston to Arizona, Watson’s No. 1 receiver was Brandin Cooks, who caught 81 passes for 1,150 yards and six TDs. The Texans’ WR2 was Will Fuller, who finished with 53 receptions for 879 and eight scores. Peoples-Jones is entrenched as the Browns’ WR2 behind Cooper, with 593 yards and one touchdown. Assuming Watson improves the Browns’ passing attack, Peoples-Jones will benefit.