Rashee Rice faces a potential lengthy NFL suspension in 2025 after pleading guilty to two felony charges tied to a March 2024 crash. The NFL’s initial proposal reportedly called for double-digit games, but the players’ union and Rice’s representatives argue for a shorter discipline given no precedent for suspending someone for more than half a season in this scenario. A disciplinary hearing with judge Sue L. Robinson is set for Sept. 30, and Rice could be cleared to play Week 1 or suspended into the early part of the season. If no settlement is reached, Rice would be eligible for at least the Chiefs’ first four games against the Chargers, Eagles, Giants and Ravens.

That four-game window would reshape Kansas City’s early-season plan, testing the passing game without its top young wideout. Fantasy managers should monitor the status as the Chiefs lean more on other receivers and Kelce, with target shares likely to shift if Rice sits. A settlement could push the suspension to the start of the year, avoiding playoff disappointment and preserving more of Rice’s long-term value.

The Browns have cycled through quarterbacks since 1999, turning a once-stable position into a revolving door that reshaped fantasy expectations year to year. Joe Flacco being named starter for 2025 caps a long arc of uncertainty, with familiar names like Couch, Detmer, Hoyer, Mayfield, and Watson flashing peak value only in fits and bursts. For fantasy folks, the takeaway is that Cleveland’s offense often surges in spurts, then stalls as the QB carousel spins again.

Baker Mayfield stands out as the clearest high-ceiling era for fantasy in the Browns’ modern run, especially when health and supporting cast align. Deshaun Watson showed elite upside in brief windows, but suspensions and surrounding offense tempered weekly production. The longer the Browns go without a true stabilizing QB, the more weekly streaming and matchup-based decisions will define Cleveland fantasy outputs, particularly for pass-catchers and backfield work.

In practice, this history argues for a cautious but opportunistic approach: target Browns pass-catchers in favorable matchups and lean into streaming QBs when the defense slants toward them. With Flacco aboard in 2025, expect a mix of veteran steadiness and game-planned aggression that could unlock weeks of solid fantasy numbers, even if consistency remains a challenge across the season.

Cleveland handed Joe Flacco the starting job at age 40, ending a famously low-stakes QB duel as the Browns pivot to a more play-action, pocket-passer style. Flacco beat out Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders, with Deshaun Watson and Snoop Huntley lingering nearby but not altering the decision. The move comes after a 3-14 season and minimal expectations on the over/under, yet one bold take argues Cleveland could push toward nine or ten wins if the offense finally finds its rhythm under Flacco’s experience.

From a fantasy lens, Flacco’s fit in a play-action, pro-style system could unlock easier throws for the Browns’ collection of receivers while keeping Nick Chubb as a foundation. Preseason chatter centered on Sanders, but Flacco’s presence suggests a stabilized offense, potentially lifting pass-game efficiency and opening up opportunities for Cooper, DPJ, and the backfield in structured looks. If the schedule aligns and the defense remains solid, a late-season surge could be within reach for Cleveland.

Joe Flacco was named the Browns’ starting quarterback to open the 2025 season, turning the club’s four-man competition into a clear, veteran-led plan. At 40, Flacco has dominated first-team reps in camp as Kenny Pickett recovers from a hamstring injury, with Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders also receiving looks. Deshaun Watson remains on the physically unable to perform list as he rehabs an Achilles injury, likely sidelining him for most of 2025. The Week 1 assignment is a home date with Cincinnati, giving Cleveland a bridge option while evaluating its youth.

Front offices and coaches stress the need to evaluate Gabriel and Sanders early, especially with 2026 draft capital looming and first-round picks still ahead. Cleveland could, in theory, keep all four QBs on the roster, but that’s a financial stretch, and conversations will intensify as rosters tighten. The Browns have already used 2025 picks on quarterbacks and own ample 2026 draft capital, underscoring the push to determine a long-term answer sooner rather than later.

Gabriel has commanded more first-team looks than Sanders in practice, though Sanders flashed in the preseason opener with two touchdowns against Carolina. Joint practices with Philadelphia and preparation for a preseason finale versus Los Angeles contribute to the evaluation window. Flacco’s steadiness could buy time for Cleveland’s young quarterbacks to develop, especially as the schedule opens against winning teams from 2024, testing the club’s depth and fantasy upside at the position.

Joe Flacco will open Cleveland Browns seasons as the starter, a veteran lift amid a crowded quarterback competition and a not-insignificant calendar that begins with Cincinnati. The dress rehearsal against the Rams on Saturday is framed as a regular-season preview, with Flacco taking the lion’s share of first-team reps after injuries and practice splits sidelined four contenders—Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson on PUP. The Browns’ Week 1 trip to Baltimore looms, but the veteran signal-caller’s proven efficiency in 2023 (4-1, 300+ yard games) keeps fantasy intrigue alive for WRs and RBs who thrive on high-volume approach games. Flacco’s legacy—Super Bowl XLVII MVP and Comeback Player of the Year—adds a steadying floor, even as Cleveland’s offense weighs injuries, depth moves like Tyler Huntley’s addition, and a developmental path for the young guns. The broader context remains clear: Cleveland is navigating a quarterback landscape that could shape early-season fantasy outputs, with rostering implications hinging on who takes the field under center each week.