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Dylan Sampson's Receiving Role Makes Him Worth Adding
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson rushed eight times for 21 yards in Sunday's 23-22 overtime loss to New Orleans. He also caught three of six targets for 27 yards, continuing to see steady involvement in the passing game. Since returning from injured reserve in Week 7, Sampson has caught 12 passes for 121 yards across three games. He received a season-high eight carries Sunday, although Quinshon Judkins remains Cleveland's primary rushing option. Sampson's six targets tied for second on the team, giving him some value in PPR formats even without a large rushing workload. Sampson is worth considering in 12-team PPR leagues ahead of Cleveland's Week 10 matchup against Houston.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Sampson's Receiving Role Offers PPR Flex Appeal Against Saints
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson faces a New Orleans Saints defense surrendering 139.4 rushing yards per game, but most of that matchup benefit belongs to early-down runner Quinshon Judkins. Sampson's opportunity comes through the passing game. He caught six of eight targets for 62 yards in Cleveland's Week 8 loss to Pittsburgh, playing 39 offensive snaps (56%) while Judkins carried 11 times and Sampson only once. That workload came as the Browns trailed, so the snap advantage should not be mistaken for a takeover. Since returning from injured reserve in Week 7, Sampson has nine catches for 94 yards and seven carries for 52 yards. The Saints were off in Week 8; in their previous game, Pittsburgh backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle combined for nine catches and 81 receiving yards, highlighting the clearest route to useful production for Sampson. Shedeur Sanders is making his first start of the season, adding uncertainty to Cleveland's passing volume and checkdown opportunities. Sampson is absent from Friday's final injury report, and RotoBaller's updated Week 9 PPR rankings list him RB35. He's a fringe PPR flex, not a dependable starter.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Quinshon Judkins Looks Like an RB1 Against Saints
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins is a good start in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints and should end the week as an RB1. Judkins should rebound on the road at New Orleans after a tough Week 8 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. At Pittsburgh, Judkins managed just 25 yards on 11 carries as he was stymied in the run game. He did add two catches for 24 yards in the passing game. It was a difficult game for Judkins and the Browns offense, but he carries a much better matchup in Week 9 despite it being a road game. The Saints rank No. 29 in the NFL against the run, giving up 139.4 rushing yards per game. They have allowed 11 rushing touchdowns this season. With Judkins acting as the lead back for the Browns, he should be able to manage a nice rushing output in Week 9 against a generous rush defense. Backup running back Dylan Sampson is back active for the Browns and was involved in the passing game at Pittsburgh last week, but had just one carry. Judkins should remain as the main ball-carrier and has the potential for a big week against a bottom-half rush NFL rush defense.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Dylan Sampson Offers PPR Value Without Lead-Back Workload
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson is worth targeting in 12-team PPR leagues, although his fantasy appeal comes primarily from receiving opportunities rather than rushing volume. RotoBaller lists him at 17% rostered, and he has caught nine of 11 targets for 94 yards in two games since returning from injured reserve. Sunday's 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers highlighted the distinction between Sampson's role and Quinshon Judkins' responsibilities. Sampson played 39 offensive snaps (56%) and caught six passes for 62 yards, but received only one carry. Judkins, meanwhile, handled 11 rushing attempts despite playing fewer snaps (27, 39%). Cleveland spent much of the afternoon trailing, which contributed to Sampson's increased involvement in the passing game. He has also rushed seven times for 52 yards since returning, providing some additional production beyond his receiving work. Sampson offers immediate PPR flex potential and valuable backfield insurance, but his workload against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 will depend heavily on game script.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Quinshon Judkins Loses Receiving Work in Rough Week 8 Showing
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins was one of many players on his team to disappoint in Week 8, recording just 49 yards from scrimmage on 13 touches in Cleveland's 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Judkins came into the game off his best performance of the season, logging 104 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 18 touches against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. However, the Browns fell behind early on Sunday against Pittsburgh, leading to a pass-heavy game script. As a result, Cleveland leaned heavily on top pass-catching back Dylan Sampson, who hauled in six catches for 62 yards on eight targets. With Sampson in the mix in the Cleveland backfield, Judkins' fantasy floor is low in games where the Browns are forced to turn to the air.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Dylan Sampson Merely a RB Handcuff as Browns Face Steelers
In his first game back from Injured Reserve due to a knee injury in the Week 7 win over the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson played 46% of the offensive snaps and had six carries for 45 yards (7.5 yards per attempt) and caught all three of his targets for 32 yards as a receiver. It was an extremely efficient showing, but Sampson's lack of volume as the change-of-pace option behind starter Quinshon Judkins will make him hard to trust as a deep-league RB3/flex option in PPR formats in the team's difficult road matchup in Week 8 on Sunday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have allowed only 17.7 half-PPR fantasy points to the running back position per game this year through the first seven weeks of the season. The 22-year-old Sampson was on Cleveland's injury report this week with the knee injury that he continues to manage, but he was fully cleared on Friday and will suit up behind Judkins again on Sunday. His efficiency was nice last weekend against the Titans, but fantasy managers should not count on that repeating itself on Sunday in the Steel City. Sampson is ranked as the No. 41 fantasy RB at RotoBaller in Week 8.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Quinshon Judkins Holds Good Value in Week 8
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins is coming off of his best fantasy game in Week 7 against the Titans when he rushed 17 times for 96 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Judkins shredded the Titans defense for 5.6 yards per carry and capitalized with multiple rushing touchdowns for the first time this season. Week 8's matchup against the Steelers should be a tough one for Judkins who will look to carry his momentum into Pittsburgh. The Steelers rank No. 7 in rush defense, allowing just 91.0 rushing yards per game with just four rushing touchdowns allowed all season. Judkins performed pretty well in the first matchup between the Browns and Steelers, rushing 17 times for 53 yards and a rushing touchdown and catching six passes for 43 receiving yards. Despite Judkins' tough matchup on the road, he holds good fantasy value and should be able to post some solid returns this week. Start Judkins with confidence as a high-end RB2.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Quinshon Judkins Proves Capable of Producing Big Results
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins has recently emerged as a top "riser" in fantasy football rankings. Judkins enjoyed an enormous performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 as he tallied 17 carries, 96 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. This was a big step in the right direction for Judkins, who had previously taken somewhat of a backseat with fewer than 10 PPR points in four of his first five games this year. The 27-year-old had 18 touches in his last game, so we're intrigued by the volume, although we would like to see him start playing more than 60% of the snaps. For context, he played just 53% in Week 7. A Week 8 matchup against the Steelers could be tricky, but for the most part, Judkins has a very intriguing rest-of-season outlook now that he has shown a high volume of playing time and efficiency, often in the same game.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Sampson is Quickly Gaining Value
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson made his return to the field during the Week 7 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. He made his return after missing the last five games due to a knee injury. Sampson rushed the ball six times for 45 yards and hauled in all three of his targets for 32 additional yards in the win over the Titans. The 22-year-old is clearly the No. 2 back in Cleveland, but he has shown that he can be a solid contributor when healthy. The expectation is that his role will continue to grow as long as he keeps playing like this every week. Sampson is looking like an interesting stash option in 12-team formats ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Quinshon Judkins Finds End Zone Twice as Efficiency Rebounds
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins remains a viable RB2 heading into a Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers after returning from his Week 6 absence (due to an ankle injury) with 96 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in Sunday's 27-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans. After averaging just 3.0 yards per carry and scoring once through his first five appearances, he averaged 5.6 yards per attempt against Tennessee. His season-long 30-yard run set up a five-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and he added a six-yard score before halftime. Judkins also caught his only target for eight yards, finishing with 104 scrimmage yards and 23.4 PPR fantasy points. Dylan Sampson returned from injured reserve and contributed 45 rushing yards on six carries, along with two receptions for 24 yards. However, Judkins handled 17 of the duo's 23 rushing attempts and both of Cleveland's running back touchdowns, reinforcing his role as the primary early-down and goal-line option.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Sampson Active for Week 7 Against Titans
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (knee) is active for Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, but his immediate fantasy appeal is limited to bench-stash duty in deeper PPR leagues, where his receiving ability helps. Sampson returns after missing five consecutive games with a knee injury suffered in Cleveland's season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The second-year back was activated from injured reserve Saturday after practicing in full Friday. He caught 33 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, giving him a potential passing-game role behind Quinshon Judkins (ankle), who is also available after missing Week 6. With Judkins remaining Cleveland's lead back, that role stays secondary.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Dylan Sampson a Waiver Pickup After IR Activation
The Cleveland Browns activated running back Dylan Sampson (knee) from Injured Reserve on Saturday, and he will make his return on Sunday in the team's Week 7 game against the Tennessee Titans after a five-game absence due to a knee injury, according to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. Quinshon Judkins is returning this weekend as well from a one-game absence due to an ankle injury, so Cleveland's backfield is returning to full health after they were forced to rely on Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime in their Week 6 win over the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. While the 22-year-old Sampson will not be a recommended starting fantasy RB this weekend in his return from IR, he will be in play as a waiver-wire consideration now that he is healthy, at least as a handcuff for Judkins' managers. The former fourth-rounder from Tennessee had 65 carries for 175 yards and no touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie in 2025, adding 33 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns on 40 targets through the air. Sampson's abilities as a pass-catcher make him a more attractive RB stash in point-per-reception formats. He is rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
Source: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
Not Enough Production to Go Around for Dylan Sampson
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (knee) is listed as questionable for Week 7 against the Tennessee Titans, and he appears unlikely to carve out a significant fantasy role in his immediate return from injured reserve. The Browns' rushing attack has still experienced a variety of growing pains this season, and there likely aren't enough carries or rushing yards to go around for both Sampson and Quinshon Judkins to contribute as top-36 running backs in fantasy football. Judkins remains the undisputed No. 1 option on the ground in Cleveland, so Sampson should be the odd man out from a fantasy perspective. While he does offer unparalleled pass-catching upside for the Browns, the 22-year-old faces plenty of uncertainty about his volume and the value of the touches that he earns. He should be avoided in all fantasy football leagues this week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Quinshon Judkins Has Good Matchup In Week 7 Return
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins has a good matchup in his return to the field in Week 7 against the Tennessee Titans, who rank in the bottom third of the league in rushing defense. Judkins missed Week 6 with an ankle injury and has a nice matchup with Tennessee, which allows 122.5 rushing yards per game which ranks No. 21 in the NFL and has given up six rushing touchdowns. Judkins, the Ohio State product, has not had an overwhelming start to the season with just 3.0 yards per rush and one rushing touchdown on the season. But he has carried the ball at least 12 times in each game he has played, and he has at least two catches in the passing game in each game with a game-high of six receptions against Pittsburgh in Week 4. The likely return of Dylan Sampson (questionable) could mean that Judkins loses out on some carries, but his good matchup and his involvement in the passing game make him a solid start in Week 7.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Dylan Sampson Questionable but Expected to Play in Week 7
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (knee) is questionable for Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Head coach Todd Monken is optimistic about Sampson's availability after the second-year back missed five consecutive games with a knee injury suffered in the season opener. Sampson returned to practice last week and was limited Wednesday and Thursday, but has not yet been activated from injured reserve. If cleared, he could contribute as a pass-catching complement to Quinshon Judkins (ankle), who is set to return after missing Week 6. Sampson caught 33 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, although his uncertain initial workload makes him a deep-league PPR stash rather than a Week 7 starting option.
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
