# Is Shedeur Sanders the starting quarterback for the Browns in 2026?

**Not definitively — he's in a deadlocked competition with Deshaun Watson for the job.**

As of late May OTAs, OC Travis Switzer said neither QB has pulled ahead — both are splitting first-team reps and making equal progress learning Todd Monken's offense (from the [Shedeur Sanders page](/players/shedeur-sanders)). A May 1 report suggested Watson was leading the competition and that ownership was pushing for him to start, but that hasn't resulted in a clear winner yet.

The Browns have a crowded QB room — Watson, Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Taylen Green are all in the mix, making it one of the messier situations in the league. Until someone separates himself, Sanders is a candidate to start but far from locked in.

On *The Fantasy Headliners*, they noted the Browns spent premium draft capital on WRs KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, suggesting they're trying to build around whichever QB wins the job — but they didn't call Sanders the favorite ([hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3re3uEluco&t=138s)).

---
Answered 2026-06-05 by ChatFFB — fantasy football answers from a live news wiki.
Source: https://chatffb.com/ask/is-shedeur-sanders-the-starting-quarterback-for-the-browns-in-2026