Joe Flacco Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase dominated the Steelers on Thursday night, hauling in 16 of 23 targets for 161 yards and a score. The 16 catches set a new Bengals single-game record. The 23 targets were a career-high for Chase. This one was baffling from the Steelers side. The defense consistently left Chase singled up in man coverage, leading to easy completions on slants, crossers, and outs. Chase is awesome -- but it was simply too easy in this one. His TD came on one of his more difficult grabs of the night on a fade to the back left corner of the end zone. That came just one play after he failed to corral a pass in the paint. Chase also drew 14 and four-yard pass interference penalties on an overmatched Steelers secondary.

The Bengals are acquiring QB Joe Flacco from the Browns for a swap of late-round picks, according to multiple reports.

Update: ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Bengals "would like" Flacco to start this weekend's game vs. the Packers. "The veteran Flacco is expected to be a quick learner," Schefter adds. We'll keep an eye on the situation, but we'll project Flacco to get the start for now.

The Browns are expected to start QB Dillon Gabriel vs. the Vikings this weekend, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. QB Joe Flacco has been worse than expected through four weeks, ranking dead last among 33 qualifying QBs in completion rate (58.1%), yards per attempt (5.1), and passer rating (60.3). The Browns are averaging 14 points per game -- ahead of only the Titans.

Browns QB Joe Flacco stunk in Sunday's loss at Detroit. He went just 16-of-34 passing with no TDs and a pair of INTs. One came on a legitimately nice catch by Lions CB D.J. Reed after WR Jerry Jeudy went down near the sideline. The other looked like a ball that volunteered to sacrifice itself, floating well beyond anyone wearing the same color as the aged QB. Flacco also took three sacks and lost a fumble. His 184 yards marked a third straight game south of 200. Flacco has also finished three straight games short of 59% completion rates, totaled 6 INTs across his four outings, and decreased his passer rating every week:

• 75.2
• 65.0
• 55.6
• 39.3

The Browns have named QB Joe Flacco their starter to open the season. He beat out Kenny Pickett for the job, while rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were never serious threats. Flacco’s presence should be a boost for the Browns’ WRs and TEs compared with the alternatives.

Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring on Saturday and will be sitting out of training camp for at least a few days. Pickett appears to be the leader in the Browns' QB competition, but the injury will mean more reps for veteran QB Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

"His first two days have been stellar." That's what Browns QBs coach Bill Musgrave said Friday about QB Kenny Pickett, according to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. Pickett is competing with Joe Flacco (and maybe the rookies) for the Cleveland starting job. Pickett, Flacco, and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel have received first-team reps so far, though Oyefusi says Pickett has "received a large share" of those reps. That included Pickett taking all first-team reps in Day 1's 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, though HC Kevin Stefanski cautioned not to overrate that.

The Browns and QB Joe Flacco agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal, his agent tells ESPN's Adam Schefter. Flacco can earn as much as $13 million with incentives. Flacco returns to Cleveland, where he won Comeback Player of the Year in 2023. He averaged 323 yards across five games that year, tossing 13 TDs vs. eight INTs in a pass-heavy attack. Flacco made six starts with seven total appearances for the Colts last season, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt with 12 TDs and seven INTs. He turned 40 in January.

Colts GM Chris Ballard reiterated this week that his team will seek competition for QB Anthony Richardson ahead of the 2025 season. Richardson, of course, opened his second season as Indy's starter, got benched for Joe Flacco, returned to the lineup, and then missed the final two games with a back injury. Indy now seems poised to add stronger competition than Flacco this offseason.