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Should I drop Dylan Sampson for fantasy football Week 5? Is Dylan Sampson a safe player to cut? Read the fantasy football waivers outlook.
The Browns' backfield was considered very ambiguous heading into 2025. Cleveland let Nick Chubb leave in free agency, replacing him with two rookies in the NFL Draft.
The summer didn’t offer much clarity, with one of those rookies (Quinshon Judkins) not signing his rookie contract and getting arrested before training camp. That saga allowed Dylan Sampson the summer to establish himself as a contributor to Cleveland’s backfield in 2025.
We now have a four-week sample size of data to get more clarity on Cleveland’s backfield. Given what we know now, is Sampson worth rostering in fantasy football? Let’s dive in.
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Should I Drop Dylan Sampson in Fantasy Football?
Fantasy managers who drafted Dylan Sampson early in the season did so to capitalize on the ambiguity of Cleveland’s backfield in the wake of Judkins’s arrest. The legal issue had delayed the 2025 second-round pick from signing, leaving Sampson and veteran Jerome Ford as the only two running backs heading into Week 1.
The early usage for Sampson was encouraging. The fourth-round pick struggled on the ground (12 carries for 29 yards) but looked like he would be a difference maker as a pass catcher (eight targets, eight receptions, and 64 yards). At worst, it looked like fantasy managers had potentially hit on a pass-catching back on a team that would be in negative game scripts.
Unfortunately, that optimism didn’t last long.
Judkins signed his rookie contract after Week 1 and made his 2025 debut in Week 2. Sampson still had a role in that game (four carries for six yards and three receptions for 13 yards and a touchdown), but clearly saw his role diminish. His snap share dropped from 43% in Week 1 to 23% in Week 2. That was behind both Judkins (27%) and Ford (47%) on the team.
Things have not gotten better since then. Judkins has established himself as the lead back over the last two weeks, handling 28 carries for 155 yards and a touchdown while adding four receptions for 11 yards on a 52% or higher snap share. On the other hand, Sampson has not played in more than 14% of Cleveland’s snaps since Week 2 and has just two carries for zero yards.
One thing that has been noticeable about Judkins is how rarely he is stopped on first contact.
There will be bad days behind a subpar Browns offensive line... but if they are dedicated to feeding him the ball, he will live in that RB2 range on volume alone. pic.twitter.com/Flh354MZfa
— Dan Fornek ↗️ (@fornekdf) September 30, 2025
At this point, it is safe to say that Sampson is worth dropping in all formats unless your league has extremely deep benches. He is the third option in Cleveland’s backfield behind Judkins and Ford. An injury to either player would open up a role for Sampson, but he has zero standalone value if both options are healthy.
Who Should I Pickup for Fantasy Football?
Several options on the waiver wire remain available that can elevate your fantasy team. One option is Houston Texans rookie Woody Marks (32% rostered on Yahoo). Marks has seen his role steadily increase each week, culminating in a 27.9 PPR point effort in Week 4 thanks to 17 carries for 69 yards, a touchdown, four receptions for 50 yards, and a touchdown.
Every Week 4 touch for Woody Marks https://t.co/UMvWrmT8w1 pic.twitter.com/d11Sg5t6kH
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 29, 2025
Marks will be a priority waiver addition for many this week, so be prepared to throw down a chunk of your FAAB or use a priority waiver slot to get him.
Fantasy managers looking for other additions that can have an impact (but will be less of a priority on the waiver wire) can also look to Kendre Miller (5% rostered). Miller has at least five carries in every game for the Saints this season and is coming off an 11 carry, 65 yard, one touchdown performance against the Bills. He’s still on the low end of a split with Alvin Kamara, but he’s getting consistent work.
Two deep dart throws fantasy managers can make are Cowboys’ rookie Jaydon Blue (12% rostered) or Chiefs’ rookie Brashard Smith (2% rostered). Blue has been a healthy scratch all season, but could see a role in Week 5 thanks to Miles Sanders' ankle injury. Smith has had a minor role in Kansas City’s offense but is coming off a game where he had seven touches for 36 yards and 6.6 PPR points. Both players are absolute long shots with upside.
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