The Browns brought back an old friend by signing quarterback Joe Flacco to a one-year, $4 million deal, which could increase to $13 million with incentives. And now the question is if Flacco will be Cleveland’s starting quarterback in 2025.
The answer to that will come after the NFL Draft. The Browns currently hold the No. 2 overall selection, and ESPN reported that Cleveland is leaning toward Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter with the pick instead of quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The Browns hosted quarterback draft prospects Jaxson Dart (Mississippi), Jalen Milroe (Alabama) and Tyler Shough (Louisville) on top 30 visits, and all three could be available at No. 33 overall in Round 2. But the longer Cleveland waits to draft a quarterback the more likely it will be that Flacco is the starter in Week 1. And that would be an amazing story.
Flacco, 40, won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 and helped lead the Browns to the playoffs. He was also a surprise Fantasy star when he started five games for Cleveland and went 4-1.
He threw for at least 300 yards in four of those games and scored at least 20.2 Fantasy points in all five outings. He averaged 25.4 Fantasy points per game during that stretch, and Kevin Stefanski should trust Flacco to run this offense.
Flacco isn’t going to be considered a starting Fantasy quarterback in one-quarterback leagues, and he’s a mid-round pick at best in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. But if he plays anywhere close to what he did in 2023 then he’ll be a waiver-wire addition during the season.
Flacco’s arrival is a boost for Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku — and potentially Hunter if he lands in Cleveland and is primarily a wide receiver. We’ll deal with Hunter later if that happens, but Njoku and Jeudy should be excited about Flacco’s arrival.
Njoku was amazing in 2023 with Flacco and scored at least 16.4 PPR points in four of his five starts. He averaged 18.2 PPR points per game over that span, and I like Njoku as a top-five Fantasy tight end in all leagues if Flacco starts. He’s worth drafting as early as Round 6.
Jeudy wasn’t with the Browns in 2023, but he took off last season in Cleveland from Week 8 on. It coincided with Amari Cooper being traded to Buffalo, but also when Jameis Winston became the starting quarterback.
Jeudy averaged 18.5 PPR points per game in his final eight outings, which included four games with at least 21.4 PPR points. We’ll see if Hunter or another receiver is added, but Flacco should allow Jeudy to operate as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. But the best part is you can draft him as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in Round 6.
Cedric Tillman, who scored at least 18.1 PPR points in the first three games after Cooper was traded, including two with Winston, would also see a boost with Flacco. But again, Tillman’s Fantasy value will change if Cleveland drafts Hunter.
I never imagined that Flacco would be potentially Fantasy relevant in 2025. But here we are, and he could be a difference maker for the Browns if he’s the starter, especially for Njoku and Jeudy.
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