Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson: Browns Quarterback Training Camp Battle

Several quarterback competitions are well underway at NFL training camps, and none could be more intriguing than Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson battling for the Browns’ starting quarterback spot.

Watson has yet to pan out in Cleveland and is entering the final season of his fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. Meanwhile, Sanders was a surprise slide in the 2025 NFL Draft and responded by starting seven games for the Browns last season.

Will Sanders take over as the Browns’ starting quarterback of the future, or will Watson finally turn in exceptional play to hold on to his QB1 spot? 

Let’s look at the latest updates surrounding Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson at the Browns’ training camp. How could either quarterback impact Cleveland’s 2026 outlook, including win totals and payouts on PrizePicks Team Picks?

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Latest Update on Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson for Browns’ Starting QB

Through four days of training camp, Sanders and Watson continue to alternate reps at practice. On the first and third days of practice, Watson ran with the projected starters. On days two and four, it was Sanders in the starting role.

Browns head coach Todd Monken stated on Wednesday, “Obviously, we will alternate them just like we did in the spring, with Deshaun and Shedeur with the ones.”

So far, it seems Shedeur may have the upper hand. Watson’s been a turnover machine through four practices, throwing 6 INTs in four days, via ESPN Cleveland. Further, Watson primarily took snaps with the second team on Saturday, and he still managed to record an alarming 3 INTs.

Meanwhile, Sanders just threw his first INT of camp, and his 4 passing TDs top Watson and Dillon Gabriel — each sporting 3 TDs. The 2025 NFL Draft pick also has the most passing attempts (91) compared to Watson (90) and Gabriel (46), and Sanders has maintained a strong 70.3% completion percentage. 

If this level of play continues, Sanders could be in line to start. PrizePicks Team Picks’ payouts currently view this as a neck-and-neck race, giving Watson a 1.78x payout to start in Week 1 compared to Sanders’ 1.81x payout. Here’s a full look at payouts for Cleveland’s Week 1 starting quarterback.

In addition to Sanders’ superior play at training camp thus far, let’s take a closer look at the second-year signal-caller’s chance to start in Week 1.

Make your Browns’ Week 1 starting quarterback prediction on PrizePicks Team Picks for a chance to earn real money!

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change. 

Shedeur Sanders in Training Camp Driver’s Seat?

Watson’s time in Cleveland has flashed in a blink of the eye. It’s already been four years, as the Browns completed the ambitious trade with the Texans ahead of the 2022 season. Over four seasons, Watson has featured in only 19 of 69 games (27.5%). 

He suffered a torn Achilles in Week 7 of the 2024 season. Later in that same season, Watson underwent a second surgery after re-rupturing his Achilles. That led to missing the entire 2025 season, opening the door for Sanders to see the field. 

We’ve all grown accustomed to Cleveland featuring a revolving door at QB, and that continued a season ago. After Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel each got a crack at starting quarterback, Sanders finally brought some stability by starting in the final seven regular season games. 

It wasn’t perfect, as Sanders finished with only 175.0 passing yards per game, 6.6 yards per passing attempt, 7 passing TDs, and 10 INTs. However, the Browns may simply seek some stability for once. Watson is entering the final season of his contract, and unless he dramatically flips his play in the 2026 season, he’s already got one foot out the door. 

PrizePicks Team Picks currently gives the Browns a 1.49x payout to reach 5+ wins and a 1.81x payout to total 6+ wins. Cleveland is likely headed for another rough season, which may lead to a high pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

With that said, it could make the most sense to get a full evaluation of Sanders in his second season, leading to a decision to roll with Shedeur or to utilize a premium pick on another QB in the 2027 draft. This, paired with Sanders outperforming Watson early in training camp, builds a formidable case for Watson to lose his QB1 job.

According to FantasyPros’ consensus fantasy football draft rankings, the QBs are viewed as 1A and 1B right now, with Watson listed as QB34 and Sanders as QB35. This is a true neck-and-neck race, but Sanders could be building a lead following a few days at the Browns’ training camp.

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Make 2026 NFL Predictions on PrizePicks

Will Shedeur Sanders continue to outperform Deshaun Watson at training camp and start for the Browns in Week 1? You can make your prediction for Cleveland’s Week 1 starting quarterback on PrizePicks Team Picks, along with other QB competitions — like the Falcons, Vikings, and Raiders!

Week 1 of the NFL season begins on September 9, but the NFL board is already open on PrizePicks Team Picks — including winner payouts for the Panthers vs. Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game on August 6. 

Users can also make NFL predictions for the upcoming 2026 season, such as the Super Bowl winner, divisional winners, and win totals, on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 36 states!

Stay locked in on Playbook for daily NFL news as the 2026 regular season approaches.