Quarterback · Cleveland Browns · Age 24 · Colorado · QB35 Half-PPR (Season 2026)
Shedeur Sanders is ranked QB35 (overall #226) for the Season of the 2026 NFL season in Half-PPR fantasy football by Hayden of The Underdog Football Show. Hayden has Shedeur Sanders ranked 12 spots lower than their Underdog ADP of 214.5, flagging this as an overvalued player.
Shedeur Sanders would do well to be a career backup
Sanders was QB37 out of 37 qualifiers in EPA per dropback and 36th in passing success rate, only ahead of his rookie teammate Dillon Gabriel. There is simply not a statistical case to be made for Sanders. It was a train wreck on a team filled with train wrecks. On tape, Sanders can throw with touch and attempts throws over the middle. While not explosive, Sanders can make the occasional throw on the run, too. In fact, his best rep was a deep shot in this scenario. Are any of these traits even to an NFL average level? I wouldn't say so. Sanders' accuracy if he hitting a target in a Pro Bowl game would be solid, but his accuracy when the bullets are flying tell another story. Removing screens, Sanders' was the worst in catchable ball rate (52%) and interceptable ball rate (5.7%). This is a productive of not playing on time and playing with indecision. The Browns ran a simple offense built around keeping things underneath, but the ball was still off target, late, or turned into a sack far too often. There was less retreating than he had in college, but it is still not at an NFL starting level. There is simply too much pocket movement, and it hurts his timing, sack avoidance, and power. His arm strength is passable for a backup, but Sanders does not have the pop on his throws that warrants dreaming of upside. He can make a guy miss on occasion as a scrambler, but for the most part, Sanders has average to below average explosiveness for the modern era. Sanders is pacing to be a fringe backup QB without much of a ceiling. His biggest warts will improve with more experience, but how far away he was from playing on time is a big concern. The Browns would be realistic if they viewed Sanders as a developmental QB2 while on his rookie contract. I'd expect Deshaun Watson's leash to be fairly long this year, just hoping he can find his way again.
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Hayden is a fantasy football analyst for The Underdog Football Show, covering 2026 fantasy football with PPR and Half-PPR rankings, ADP comparisons, and weekly start/sit analysis. Rankings are updated regularly throughout the season. Hayden's "Best Bet" designations highlight players ranked higher than their ADP consensus, while "Fade" designations flag players the ranker believes are overvalued by the market.
By Hayden · The Underdog Football Show · Updated 2026-07-06