After a week of back-and-forth, Deshaun Watson is officially on the move as the Houston Texans will trade the quarterback to the Cleveland Browns.
Not only will Watson be traded for a package that includes three first-round picks, but the Browns will also hand him the most guaranteed money in NFL history with a 5-year, $230-million deal.
As expected, the trade has a ripple effect across both betting markets and fantasy football leagues.
Prior to the trade, the Browns were +4000 to win the Super Bowl at Caesars. Following, Cleveland moved all the way to +1600. Their odds to to win the AFC cut in half from +1800 to +900. They're the +180 favorite to win the NFC North, and Watson is +2000 to win the NFL MVP.
The trade not only impacts Deshaun Watson for the upcoming fantasy football season, but his new teammates will see a boost as well.
"Deshaun Watson was a top-five fantasy QB in 2018-20 and was first in fantasy points per game before getting injured in his 2017 rookie campaign. Baker Mayfield doesn't even have one top-12 finish to his name," Action Network fantasy expert Chris Raybon said.
"This is a major upgrade for Amari Cooper — who is set to be a target hog — and David Njoku," Raybon added. "It also can't hurt that Nick Chubb will now be part of a more efficient offense and have a mobile quarterback who will take some defensive attention off of him in the backfield."
The team acquired Cooper in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason and moved on from tight end Austin Hooper, opening things up for Njoku.
