Can Deshaun Watson Regain Fantasy Football Relevance In 2023?
Remember the days when Deshaun Watson was one of the five Quarterback you simply had to have for your fantasy football league? From 2018-2020, Watson finished fifth in PPR leagues with over 330 points in each season. We all know what happens next, so we are going to skirt right past it. Watson would struggle in his six games with the Cleveland Browns last season but did manage two top-ten finishes in the last two weeks of the season. With a full training camp under his belt in 2023, can Watson find some form of his former self? Let’s talk about it.
The two biggest areas of concern Watson displayed last season were his timing and accuracy. Of course, this was to be expected since he basically didn’t play football for right at two years. Watson had four games under a 62 percent completion percentage, ranking him in the bottom third of the league. This would be a major part of why Cleveland struggled to a 3-3 finish while Watson was the starter. The offense would struggle as a whole, getting over 20 points just three times during this stretch of games.
We can’t forget that Deshaun Watson did in fact miss over two years of playing time. He hadn’t gone through a full training camp with this roster up to that point. I believe that with a full camp under his belt, he should vastly improve his game. Watson is a career 67 percent passer and has shown an ability to get touchdowns on the ground. He also has a bonafide WR1 in Amari Cooper and one of the best backs in football with Nick Chubb, who is dedicating this season to the late Jim Brown. This offensive line is solid as well, which means he should have some time in the pocket to cook.
Deshaun Watson is currently QB9 with an ADP of 20.4 and an average auction value ranging from $11 up to as high as $16. I think he is appropriately ranked but I would be cautious of taking him before someone like Trevor Lawrence, who is QB8. Watson should have a bounce-back year in fantasy leagues in 2023 and would be well worth the investment in auction leagues. Look for Watson to potentially sneak back towards the top-five ranking he is familiar worth (at least I hope so, as a Dynasty owner).
