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.

Offensive environments drive fantasy production in 2025, and John Johnson weighs 32 through 17 to separate league-winners from busts. The Browns sit last with a murky QB situation and a fragile line, making every Browns pass-catcher risky. New Orleans faces QB uncertainty and a banged-up OL, a theme echoed across several low-ranked offenses where injuries and design drive volatility. Across the middle, several teams offer real upside: Miami’s skill talent remains elite, while Seattle and Green Bay show promise only if OL and backfield usage stabilize. Kansas City stands out for volume at the top end, but fantasy value hinges on the supporting cast staying healthy and efficient, especially Rashee Rice, Mahomes, and Kelce.

The piece emphasizes that upgrading from poor to efficient offenses can unlock a player’s ceiling while reducing weekly variance. It highlights breakout potential when a strong line, multiple weapons, and a productive scheme converge, even amid injuries. It also notes that great players on great offenses repeatedly win fantasy leagues, and identifies targets and traps by team context, not just raw talent. The ranking invites managers to consider offense context first, then player upside, before drafting a single name.

The Cleveland Browns open 2025 with a daunting six‑game stretch against 2024 playoff teams, and the QB puzzle remains front and center. Joe Flacco is the early starter, praised for leadership and familiarity with Kevin Stefanski’s system, but the move is pitched as a bridge, not a solution. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders have shown promise in the preseason, each delivering scoring drives and touchdowns, yet the Browns aim to test whether either can be a franchise QB before the 2026 draft class fully arrives on the scene.

The club sits on a robust draft cache (two first‑rounders in 2026, nine picks total) and a growing QB pipeline, with names like Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, Nico Iamaleava, Cade Klubnik, and LaNorris Sellers circling as future options. The article argues Cleveland should give those rookies meaningful opportunities rather than cementing a short‑term fix with Flacco, who started five games in 2023 and helped push a playoff berth.

Gabriel and Sanders flashed upside in preseason, but the learning curve from college to the NFL is steep. The Browns need to balance immediate competitiveness with long‑term quarterback development, especially as the 2026 class looms larger and the roster evolves around a potential new signal‑caller. Flacco starts now, but the window for a true, durable solution remains wide open.

Johnny Manziel weighs in on Shedeur Sanders’ path in Cleveland, praising how Sanders handles mounting expectations and the Browns’ uncertain QB path. The piece notes the shadow of past Cleveland missteps, a fanbase hungry for movement on the depth chart, and a storyline about setting Sanders up to fail—anxiety Manziel says Sanders must ignore and keep thriving. Sanders’ latest setback, an oblique strain that sidelined him in a preseason game against Philadelphia, adds a cautious tone to his timeline. For fantasy managers, Sanders’ ceiling hinges on how quickly Cleveland can trust him as the starter and how the offense is built around his skill set. If he can stay healthy and seize the job, his late-season rise could yield significant payoff in superflex and two-quarterback formats, even if his involvement early in the year is constrained by injury and learning curves. The piece frames the Browns’ environment as a high-stakes lab: progress here could redraw Cleveland’s fantasy landscape, while setbacks could keep the room in flux through the playoffs.

Manziel’s perspective acts as a counterpoint to the usual NFL chatter: patience and steady development are crucial. Sanders’ ability to stay true to what made him great, while navigating an organization with a cloud over its approach to QB depth, becomes the focal point. The preseason injury compounds the difficulty, but if Sanders returns on the path he’s shown, the upside for fantasy rosters—particularly in two-QB leagues—becomes a compelling late-season bet. The article stresses that Sanders fans crave clarity, but the smarter play for fantasy managers is to watch the timeline, health updates, and how the Browns structure usage as the season nears.