The Cleveland Browns named Joe Flacco their Week 1 starter, choosing the most experienced quarterback from a five-man Training Camp battle that included Kenny Pickett, Tyler Huntley, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders. Flacco’s veteran presence gives Cleveland a steadier 1st-week plan against Cincinnati, with the Bengals looming as the Week 1 foe at Huntington Bank Field. Sanders’ elevated preseason showing—two touchdown passes against the Panthers—was tempered by an injury, leaving Sanders sidelined while Huntley and Gabriel led the Week 1 dress rehearsal versus Philadelphia’s Eagles. The team has not yet announced the primary backup beyond Flacco, and the QB room remains unsettled behind him.

From a fantasy lens, Flacco’s Week 1 start could mean a more controlled passing attack, with opportunistic shots downfield tempered by veteran decision-making. Sanders remains an intriguing long-term target within Cleveland’s depth chart, while Huntley and Gabriel stay as high-upside backups whose roles could shift if injuries or attrition alter the Week 1 plan. The Browns open the season with a division rival, setting expectations for a measured opening script and early-season evaluation at quarterback and supporting cast.