The battle for the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback job was one of the biggest headlines of the offseason. The competition featured two Super Bowl champions, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, along with two rookies, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders, Gabriel, and Tyler Huntley saw action in the Browns’ preseason games, and the AFC North franchise has decided on its quarterback to start the season.
Browns Name Joe Flacco As Starter for Week 1 vs. the Bengals
ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed earlier today that the Browns have announced Flacco as their starting quarterback for the Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sources: Browns are naming Joe Flacco as their Week 1 starting quarterback vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. pic.twitter.com/XND3YQ0NrC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2025
Flacco’s selection as the Week 1 starter is not a big surprise to anyone, as he is the most experienced and accomplished quarterback on the roster.
He is unlikely to make the big mistakes the other three quarterbacks might, which will give the franchise enough time to develop the two rookies. As for Pickett, it remains to be seen what the franchise does, as the former first-round pick could be a trade candidate before the start of the season.
Flacco started five games for the Browns in the 2023-24 NFL season and went 4-1. He led Cleveland to the playoffs but didn’t play well for the Indianapolis Colts the following season.
The 40-year-old quarterback signed a one-year, $4.25 million deal with the Browns this past offseason and has an opportunity to continue his career in the NFL.
It would be a big surprise if Flacco finishes the season as the Browns’ starting quarterback because the fans will pressure the franchise into making a change quickly if he doesn’t start the season well.
Shedeur Sanders finds Kaden Davis for the TD!
CLEvsCAR on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/uH5pxPho5h— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2025
Sanders is Cleveland’s fan-favorite quarterback, and he played well in his preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers. Gabriel also looked decent in his debut against the Philadelphia Eagles, but neither quarterback is ready to start yet.
Fantasy Impact of Flacco Becoming Browns’ Starting QB
Flacco is assured of nothing long-term, but with a plus-matchup against the Bengals in a spot where weather is unlikely to impact much, this offense is at least interesting.
Flacco himself isn’t an option in any standard one-QB league, but Jerry Jeudy carries top-20 potential at the position while Cedric Tillman elevates to the “interesting DFS dart throw to be different” tier.
David Njoku is the only pass catcher to feel good about on a weekly basis, regardless of the signal-caller this season. With Flacco taking snaps, he has a chance to be a Tier 2 tight end against a Cincinnati team that he earned 24 targets across two contests against in 2024.
