The New Orleans Saints need a win coming out of their bye week. It doesn’t really matter who starts at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, because the Saints’ goal won’t change.
New Orleans is 2-5, but in the NFC South Division, they’re not out of the hunt. To avoid a wholesale sell-off at the Tuesday NFL trade deadline, the Saints are in need of a victory — Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders decision for Cleveland being just one piece of the puzzle for New Orleans.
But it’ll still grab some headlines that the Saints will be facing a different QB than has started for the Browns all year.
Who is Starting QB for Browns vs. Saints?
The Browns are going to start Shedeur Sanders for the first time this season.
#Browns coach Todd Monken names QB Shedeur Sanders the starter this week, with Deshaun Watson coming back from a concussion: “I’m fired up to see him play.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 6, 2026
He relieved Watson just briefly on Sunday and completed 2-of-2 passes for a total of 2 yards. Sanders did throw an incompletion, but it didn’t count after the play was brought back for a penalty on the offense.
That was Sanders’ second appearance of the season. He had completed one pass for 0 yards earlier this season.
The polarizing QB out of Colorado played in eight games in 2025. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Sanders also ran 21 times for 169 yards and a TD in his rookie season.
Now, Sanders gets a chance at his first start this season.
Why Isn’t Deshaun Watson Starting?
The Browns got Watson back at practice on Friday, but he still hasn’t fully cleared concussion protocol.
With Sanders having done the work with the first-team for most of the week, he gets the nod.
Watson hurt his head in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers.
This is what the Browns shared with on their official website on Wednesday: “During the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Steelers, Deshaun Watson took a helmet-to-helmet hit. The ATC spotter called down to the sideline, and the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) administered a gameday concussion evaluation. Deshaun was cleared by the UNC and returned on the Browns’ next offensive series. As part of the protocol, the team’s medical staff evaluated him again postgame and Monday morning. Both times he showed no symptoms, passed his evaluations, and was cleared. On Tuesday morning, he reported to the medical staff that he began experiencing concussion symptoms Monday night and was immediately placed in the concussion protocol.”
Watson played most of Sunday’s game after the head injury, but evidently symptoms got worse, and it started the ball rolling toward a Sanders start against the Saints.
Saints Learn Shedeur Sanders Starting Decision For Browns