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Update, Oct 13 — Watson has been ruled OUT ahead of Sunday’s game against the 49ers. PJ Walker is expected to start.
#Browns Deshaun Watson did not practice today.
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) October 13, 2023
Update, Oct. 12 — CBS Sports Josina Anderson has reported that Deshaun Watson will miss Sunday’s game against the 49ers. This lines up with the quarterback not practicing on Wednesday or Thursday.
Update, Oct. 12 — Watson is not practicing once again on Thursday. It’s looking likely that we’ll see P.J. Walker against the 49ers this week.
Deshaun Watson still not practicing and is looking unlikely he plays Sunday #Browns
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) October 12, 2023
Update, Oct. 11 — Watson will not practice on Wednesday due to his rotator cuff contusion. He is still considered day-to-day and has time to get back to practice this week before Sunday’s game against the 49ers.
#Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) will not practice today.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 11, 2023
Update, Oct 10 — Watson has been diagnosed with a rotator cuff contusion. He is considered day-to-day ahead of Week 6’s divisional matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
#Browns QB Deshaun Watson remains day-to-day with what sources say is a rotator cuff contusion.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 10, 2023
After a surprise scratch in Week 4, Watson spent the bye resting and rehabbing. He didn’t practice Monday, but did some throwing. Status TBD for Sunday’s game vs. the #49ers. pic.twitter.com/tREXg6r83U
Update, Oct. 9 — Head coach Kevin Stefanski didnt sound optimistic about Watson’s status, but didn’t say much other than he is day-to day.
#Browns Kevin Stefanski declined a chance to say he's optimistic that Deshaun Watson will face the #49ers on Sunday: "He's day to day, working hard, getting better"
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 9, 2023
The Cleveland Browns are coming off their Week 5 bye, which followed a bad 24-3 loss to division rival Baltimore. The Browns were without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson in that loss, and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson was ineffective.
Watson was dealing with a shoulder injury, but was reportedly cleared to play if he could, but he couldn’t and decided to take the bye week to get back to 100% Unfortunately, it appears he is not 100% coming out of the bye, as he was not practicing. Watson was working inside, but who knows exactly what that means.
QBs Dorian Thompson-Robinson and PJ Walker handled all the reps with Deshaun Watson working inside Monday #Browns pic.twitter.com/yQVQiJUx1c
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) October 9, 2023
Fantasy football implications for Week 6
There is still a good chance that Watson can get back to practicing this week and get ready for a tough matchup with the 49ers, but if not, we would likely see Thompson-Robinson again. The 49ers would be an extremely tough matchup for the rookie and would likely mean we downgrade their fantasy players even more than usual.