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Browns’ Kevin Stefanski: ‘We’re not changing QBs’

Sun Oct 6 6:48pm ET
Field Level Media

The Cleveland Browns endured another dreadful offensive performance on Sunday in losing their third straight game, a 34-13 bludgeoning at the hands of the Washington Commanders.

But head coach Kevin Stefanski isn't yet entertaining the notion of a quarterback switch.

"We're not changing quarterbacks," Stefanski said following the loss. "We need to play better. I need to coach better."

The Browns (1-4) gained just 212 yards in failing to break 20 points for the fifth time in as many games.

Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson was sacked seven times, lost a fumble and managed just 125 yards through the air, throwing one garbage-time touchdown with his team trailing 34-6. Backup Jameis Winston came in briefly and completed his only pass for 16 yards.

Watson's 74.8 passer rating this season is among the worst marks in the league, while the Browns as a team have failed to reach 300 total yards in any game this season.

"The offense is going to go as far as I go," Watson said. "So, at the end of the day, we're not doing enough offensively."

During Watson's time with the Houston Texas, he faced 24 claims of sexual misconduct from women, stemming from massage sessions. All but one of the cases were settled out of court, with the last one still pending. The NFL suspended him for the first 11 games of the 2022 season and fined him $5 million.

Watson was the recipient of new allegations last month, but hasn't faced any disciplinary action as a result.

In 2022, he signed an NFL-record $230 million fully guaranteed deal with the Browns after the franchise traded for the troubled quarterback, with Cleveland restructuring that deal this offseason. Watson, 29, now has cap hits of $72.9 million in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with $172 million and $99 million in dead cap hits in those years.

Next week, the Browns have a road trip to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.

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Player Notes
Joe Flacco Oct 6 6:55pm CT
Joe Flacco

Dynasty | Colts quarterback Joe Flacco completed 33-of-44 passes for 359 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss to the Jaguars. Dynasty Analysis: It was just another day at the office for Flacco, who has made a habit of coming out of the bullpen and putting up huge games. Flacco made Deshaun Watson look pretty bad last year and his performance today didn't exactly make Anthony Richardson's early season struggles look any better. Still, it was against the Jaguars and they aren't exactly employing the Legion of Boom. Flacco will be under consideration to play again as long as Richardson sits out.

Alec Pierce Oct 6 6:55pm CT
Alec Pierce

Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce had three catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in a loss against the Jaguars. Dynasty Analysis: Pierce could have easily had two scores, but was ruled down inside the five yard line on a deep catch from Joe Flacco. Pierce has turned into a bit of a one-trick pony with the deep ball being his most effective weapon, but he certainly made the most of it today. With Joe Flacco at the helm, Pierce looks to have more fantasy appeal. We'll see what happens moving forward but Pierce looks like he's at least solidified his spot on dynasty rosters this season.

Josh Downs Oct 6 6:54pm CT
Josh Downs

Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Josh Downs had nine catches for 69 receiving yards in a loss against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Downs was solid again this week and had 12 total targets to lead the Colts. While Michael Pittman is the clear WR1 in the offense, Downs has started to finally fulfill his potential. With Joe Flacco at the helm, it seems all the Colts pass catchers simply have more value. We'll see what happens with this group when Anthony Richardson comes back but this is very positive for Downs after being very up and down throughout his career.

Jayden Daniels Oct 6 6:54pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Dynasty | Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels completed 14-of-25 passes for 238 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 82 rushing yards in a blowout win against Cleveland. Dynasty Analysis: Daniels is the real deal and may be the closest thing we've seen to Lamar Jackson since, well, Lamar Jackson. While this wasn't his best game, it may also represent a fantasy floor that's insanely high on a weekly basis. Daniels makes every routine play but also has a flair for the dramatic and looks like a true long-term QB1. If you took the plunge on Daniels this off-season, congratulations.

D.J. Moore Oct 6 6:53pm CT
D.J. Moore

Chicago Bears WR DJ Moore ended up with five receptions for a game-high 105 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers, his former team.

Fantasy Spin: Ouch. The Panthers traded Moore and several draft picks, including the 2024 No. 1 overall for QB Caleb Williams, and that combination was lethal against Carolina. After going without a score in the first three games, Moore has three touchdowns in the past two games. He is back as a solid WR3 or flex fantasy option in leagues of 12 or more teams in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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James Cook Oct 6 6:40pm CT
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed the football 20 times for 82 yards and a touchdown in the team's last-second loss to the Houston Texans. The Bills leaned on Cook as the passing offense struggled. Josh Allen completed just nine of his 30 passes. Cook's five-yard touchdown plunge midway through the third quarter was the Bills' first touchdown of the game. Cook added two receptions for 17 yards, finishing just one yard short of 100 total yards. The 25-year-old has established himself as one of Buffalo's most important players on the offensive side of the ball and will be an RB1 when the Bills face the Jets in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Oct 6 6:40pm CT
David Njoku

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) had just one catch (three targets) for 14 yards in Sunday's loss to the Commanders. The 28-year-old had been sidelined since the opener because of an ankle injury. However, there's a chance the team may be without Njoku again, with Mary Kay Cabot reporting he suffered a knee injury during the contest. It's unknown how severe the injury is. Still, it's not ideal for a player who just returned from a three-game absence. At any rate, there should be an update on Njoku's status soon. If he can't suit up in Week 6 against the Eagles, Jordan Akins, who had a touchdown in Week 5, will likely fill the void in the lineup.

From RotoBaller

Keon Coleman Oct 6 6:40pm CT
Keon Coleman

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman caught one of five targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. The rookie secured a reception on a curl route, broke a tackle, and sprinted into the endzone in the third quarter to pull the Bills within three points. Coleman missed several other targets, including one that hit him in the helmet when he wasn't looking. There was no noticeable increase in targets for the second-round pick, despite top receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) being out of the lineup. Coleman will remain a boom/bust option in Week 6 against the New York Jets.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Kincaid Oct 6 6:40pm CT
Dalton Kincaid

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid caught two passes for 34 yards in the team's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. Kincaid tied with Mack Hollins for the team lead in targets. He had a sideline catch that the refs called incomplete that could have been reviewed and just missed on a couple of more opportunities. It's a disappointing result for Kincaid, especially considering top receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) was inactive. However, Josh Allen only completed nine of 30 pass attempts on the afternoon, limiting the upside for Kincaid and the rest of the Buffalo pass-catchers. Kincaid has failed to reach 50 yards in any contest this year and is shaping up to be one of the bigger busts in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Mark Andrews Oct 6 6:30pm CT
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews finally broke his streak of goose eggs during the three-point win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The veteran caught four of his five targets for 55 yards including a 27-yard catch for his longest play of the day. While this game was a move in the right direction for Andrews, the worrisome part was that both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar were still in the mix and they both caught touchdowns. Sharing snaps with Likely was enough to drop his target share, now fantasy managers have to worry about Kolar stealing some targets away too. The biggest factor will be if the Ravens need to throw as much as they did in this game because Lamar Jackson was finally able to spread fantasy points around to more than one pass-catcher. Andrews and the Ravens will take on the Washington Commanders at home in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Josh Allen Oct 6 6:30pm CT
Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed just nine of 30 pass attempts for 131 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans. He added 54 yards on the ground on four carries. The rushing yardage helped salvage a disappointing day that saw the Buffalo offense struggle. Allen nearly hit tight end Dalton Kincaid on a couple of big plays and clearly missed his go-to option Khalil Shakir (ankle). The touchdown came on a 49-yard catch-and-run by rookie Keon Coleman in the third quarter. Allen briefly departed the game after taking a big shot and hitting his head on the ground. The medical staff cleared him and he just missed one snap. The Bills draw a matchup against the stout Jets' secondary on Monday Night Football in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

David Moore Oct 6 6:23pm CT
David Moore

Carolina Panthers WR David Moore managed two receptions for 13 yards on three targets in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears.

From TheHuddle

Rashod Bateman Oct 6 6:20pm CT
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has already tied his career-high for touchdowns in a single season after hauling in his second of the year on Sunday. During the 41-38 overtime win over the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, the fourth-year wideout caught four of his eight targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. The coaching staff hyped up Bateman's growth and hard work throughout the offseason, and so far, he's looked deserving of the positive feedback. His yards per target are currently at a career-high (10.3). and he has his second-highest catch percentage (64.3%). Zay Flowers remains the No. 1 weapon of the receiving corps, but Bateman has been a quality outlet for quarterback Lamar Jackson. He'll look to keep the good times rolling against the Washington Commanders in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Charlie Kolar Oct 6 6:10pm CT
Charlie Kolar

Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar scored the second touchdown of his career in the overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The third-stringer registered three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown on four targets. He was the second-most targeted tight end in this game with Mark Andrews getting five and Isaiah Likely getting three. Kolar normally serves as a blocking tight end in big packages, but he had a big part in the passing game in this one. He even had the longest play for the Ravens on a 55-yard catch-and-run. Fantasy managers with stock in any of the Ravens' tight ends will continue to see frustrating usage if Kolar gets thrown into the passing game more often.

From RotoBaller

Russell Wilson Oct 6 6:10pm CT
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is inactive for Sunday's meeting with the Cowboys. However, he will be available in case of an emergency. The signal-caller has made progress in his return from a calf injury. But for another week (at least), Justin Fields will remain under center. The 25-year-old got off to a slow start this season. Yet, he's coming off a stellar showing, throwing for 312 yards and accounting for three scores (one passing, two rushing) in the Week 4 loss to the Colts, making him worthy of a spot in most fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Cordarrelle Patterson Oct 6 6:03pm CT
Cordarrelle Patterson

The Pittsburgh Steelers have declared WR Roman Wilson, LB Alex Highsmith, QB Russell Wilson, OT Max Scharping, RB Jaylen Warren, TE MyCole Pruitt and RB Cordarrelle Patterson inactive for Week 5.

From TheHuddle

Adam Butler Oct 6 6:00pm CT
Adam Butler

Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (foot) won't return to Sunday's matchup with the Broncos. Vegas was fortunate to get Maxx Crosby (ankle) back for this one. However, the team lost Wilkins for the second half. The 28-year-old had a fantastic showing in his limited time on the field, ending the day with five tackles and a sack. If he can't get on the field for the Week 6 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vegas could turn to Adam Butler to fill the void.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Oct 6 5:53pm CT
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz caught four passes for 34 yards against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5. He was targeted six times during the game.

Fantasy Spin: Schultz tied his season high for receiving yards this week but has not been a big factor in any of the games this season. He should see a decent amount of targets again next week but probably will only be a possible starting option in deeper leagues.

From TheHuddle

Andy Dalton Oct 6 5:53pm CT
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers QB Andy Dalton completed 18-of-28 passes for 136 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, and he ran once for three yards before QB Bryce Young came on in mop-up duty.

Fantasy Spin: The Panthers aren't likely to switch gears and go back to Young, but you never know. If Dalton remains the starter, as expected, he remains nothing more than a low-end QB2 in most fantasy leagues of 12 or more teams. The Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6.

From TheHuddle

Isaiah Likely Oct 6 5:50pm CT
Isaiah Likely

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely was one of three tight ends to receive targets from Lamar Jackson during their 41-38 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Likely kept finding himself in the right place at the right time during Lamar Jackson scrambles. He finished the game with three receptions on three targets for 13 yards and two scores. His biggest score of the day was on the receiving end of a fantastic play by Jackson when he recovered a bobbled snap, stiff-armed a lineman, and found Likely in the back of the end zone to make it a three-point game near the end of the fourth. Moving forward, now that Charlie Kolar has been more in the mix, Likely's usage could fluctuate even more.

From RotoBaller