Week 3 at New England Patriots
In his first NFL start last Thursday at Cincinnati, Deshaun Watson did enough to get his team a win. While he completed 15-of-24 passes for 125 yards, most of his attempts were short and safe. Watson’s biggest impact in the win came with his legs, as he scored the game’s only touchdown on a 49-yard scamper just before halftime on 3rd-and-15. The rookie will continue to have his problems as he learns to play as a professional, and you can bet Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia will have all kinds of looks for him at New England this Sunday. Despite the Patriots having the second-worst defense after two weeks, go with someone else at QB in place of Watson.
Week 2 at Cincinnati Bengals
After coming in to start the second half for the ineffective Tom Savage last week in the loss to the Jaguars, Deshaun Watson was named the starting quarterback for Thursday night's contest. Watson finished his first regular season action with 102 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also had 2 carries for 16 yards. While he has a bright future, the short week and playing on the road, there has to be a better option for you to start at the quarterback position.
Fantasy Upside
NFL.com characterized Deshaun Watson as a big-game player with a winning pedigree—32-3 as college starter with a national title (and nearly two)—and extraordinary leadership skills. Watson plays his best on the biggest and brightest stages. The two-time Heisman finalist is a quick-rhythm passer adept at working the 15-yard box on hitches, slants, seams and skinny posts. Watson must improve his deep-ball accuracy, having missed the mark on several vertical throws last season.
Fantasy Downside
In a league where explosive plays are hard to come by, Watson must be able to connect on a few deep balls to force opponents to defend the entire field in the passing game. And it sounds like he'll be given time to develop. The Houston Chronicle's John McClain maintains there is no true competition at the position. Tom Savage is the starter, and he'll remain the starter until injured or proven ineffective during the regular season. So while GM Rick Smith has said Watson will compete for the job, it won't be the typical competition that entails the splitting of first-team reps with a winner announced before Week 1.
2017 Bottom Line
Watson appears to be more of a dynasty than redraft prospect at this point, but the situation bears monitoring. That said, after an impressive exhibition debut, if Watson continues to outperform Savage something could give. It's worth monitoring.
