Dillon Gabriel, selected 94th overall by the Browns, has yet to play a regular-season snap but is already at the center of a high-stakes QB dialogue in Cleveland. A cryptic preseason comment sparked chatter about his NFL readiness and rivalries with fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders, though Gabriel later clarified the target wasn’t Sanders. Cleveland immediately signaled a measured path by naming Joe Flacco as Week 1 starter against Cincinnati, placing a veteran barrier before the rookie’s first real NFL opportunities.

Sanders adds another layer to the Browns’ quarterback conversation, with debates over nepotism and opportunity shaping the narrative around this rookie class. For fantasy bettors and dynasty managers, the immediate takeaway is restraint: Gabriel’s upside hinges on Flacco’s play and the team’s willingness to deploy him in mop-up or late-season scenarios. The opening-week dynamic against Cincinnati will set the tone for how Cleveland manages its signal-callers and how fantasy value emerges from the QB room.

Cleveland anticipates Joe Flacco’s first prominent action of the preseason as the Browns wind down exhibition play, aiming to lock in the starter role he earned over a quartet of challengers—Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley. Flacco plans to take some snaps in the Aug. 23 finale against the Rams, using the appearance as a mental and strategic tune-up before Week 1 vs. Cincinnati. Injuries have kept the others limited in practice and games, with Sanders out due to an oblique issue, Gabriel hampered by a hamstring and Pickett dealing with a hamstring setback. The Browns hope this dress rehearsal helps the offense establish an identity, balance, and rhythm, particularly after Flacco’s prior Browns tenure and near-playoff push in 2023. A Week 2 trip to Baltimore looms, revisiting a franchise he spent 11 seasons with and that once yielded a Super Bowl MVP moment, a subplot that adds intrigue to Cleveland’s early-season trajectory.

Joe Flacco edged Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Tyler Huntley to Cleveland's Week 1 starter job, becoming the second-oldest quarterback in the league this season behind Aaron Rodgers. The Browns paired a veteran presence with a room packed with youth, aiming to balance leadership with upside as they lean on a run-first offense and a ceiling-limited aerial attack. Flacco’s one-year, $4 million deal signals stability for a team intent on stabilization before young signal-callers come into their own.

Flacco’s eight-game pace last season—65.3% completions, 1,761 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INT—paints him as a floor play rather than a fantasy ceiling. In two-QB formats he’s a viable QB2 or streamer if Cleveland commits to protection and play-action, but his upside hinges on health and the offense around him. The QB room behind him remains dynamic, with Gabriel and the other contenders fighting for long-term impact. The Brady and Rodgers references in the chatter underline a broader NFL trend: veteran longevity exists, but fantasy upside is schedule-driven and often limited by age.