Shedeur Sanders is slated to start for the Cleveland Browns as they head to the Big Easy to face a struggling Saints team, coming off its bye week. 

After last week's blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, this feels like a game that could truly make or break the Browns' season. A win keeps them on track for the playoffs. But a loss would make their unexpected 5-3 start feel like a fluke that was never going to last and send what's left of the 2026 campaign into a tailspin. 

It will be up to Sanders and company to exploit a struggling Saints defense and lead the Browns to victory, along with a bounce back effort from their defense, which was scorched for 200 yards on the ground a week ago. 

Will Cleveland's playoff dream remain in focus? Or is Week 9 the beginning of the end? Here are out predictions. 

Todd Monken off of a loss has been really good this year for the Cleveland Browns. They are 2-0 this season after a loss and they have a chance to make it three. This is going to be a fun game between 2 teams that believe they can win this game. Cleveland comes back to Ohio with a 6-3 record after a nice win over the Saints.

This matchup feels like it's coming at an important inflection point of the season. Last week's blowout loss to the Steelers brought the Browns back down to earth a bit and they can now either keep their season on the tracks or let it spiral a bit. 

A matchup with the struggling Saints should serve as a needed palate cleanser, despite some turmoil around Sanders and slumping edge rusher Jared Verse. This young team has proven on multiple occasions that they can shake off a bad performance and bounce back the next week. It happens again and beat New Orleans to get to 6-3. 

Yes. As 3.5 dogs in this one, Cleveland covers and they cover with ease. Browns win this game 23-13 thanks to a solid defensive day and enough from the offense.

The line seems to move slightly to -3 for the Saints with news of Sanders starting this week for Cleveland. Either way, the Browns are underdogs in one of the toughest stadiums to play in the league, but with a win, they'll cover 24-20. 

A multi-sack game for Jared Verse

Is this the week that Jared Verse gets his first sack? I think it is and I think he gets 2 of them. The Saints struggle to run the football and the Browns are going to be in plenty of pass rush situations. Verse gets two sacks and quiets the noise around him.

Quinshon Judkins goes for 125 and 2 TDs

Everyone knows the Browns have struggled to run the football. Quinshon Judkins has yet to even register a 100-yard game this season, but the Saints have been so bad against the run, giving up 4.8 ypc on average, that Week 9 presents as a get right opportunity for him. He gets 100 and then some, plus scores twice in this game. Make sure he's in your fantasy lineup if you got him.