Will Quinshon Judkins Play in Week 1? Fantasy Football Outlook and Update

Will Quinshon Judkins play for the Cleveland Browns in 2025? Will Quinshon Judkins play in Week 1? Shaun breaks down the latest Quinshon Judkins news for fantasy football.

The talented second-round pick was arrested on July 12, though the Broward County State Attorney’s Office ultimately declined to pursue charges. While the legal issue is now behind him, the incident has raised legitimate questions about Judkins’ maturity, decision-making, and overall readiness to handle the demands of professional football. For a rookie still trying to earn the trust of his organization, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

The Browns have yet to finalize Judkins’ rookie deal, a clear indication that the organization may be taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach. It is not uncommon for teams to pause negotiations in situations like this, especially when off-field concerns create uncertainty about future availability. That hesitancy, combined with a strong preseason showing from fellow rookie Dylan Sampson, only adds more pressure to Judkins’ already uncertain future in Cleveland’s crowded backfield.

With Week 1 against the Bengals quickly approaching, Judkins continues to lose valuable practice reps and game-day preparation. Every day he remains unsigned pushes him further away from carving out a meaningful role, leaving fantasy managers to wonder if Judkins will be a factor at all in 2025.

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Will Judkins Play This Season?

Judkins is the only remaining player from the 2025 draft class yet to sign his rookie contract, and there is little reason to expect progress soon. Every other second-round pick in this year’s draft secured a fully guaranteed contract, and Judkins’ agent will almost certainly hold the line for the same. In most years, this would be a straightforward negotiation, but his off-field circumstances have complicated matters significantly.

For the Browns, handing out guaranteed money to a player who could be suspended is an uncomfortable risk. General Manager Andrew Berry already has Deshaun Watson’s guaranteed contract on the books, and Judkins’ situation puts him in another tough spot. Locking in guaranteed money ties up cap resources, while dragging out negotiations keeps a high-upside talent off the field. Either way, it’s a scenario Cleveland hoped to avoid when they invested a second-round pick in the former Ohio State star.

In the meantime, Dylan Sampson continues to impress with his physicality and versatility, carving out a role behind projected starter Jerome Ford. Sampson’s emergence makes it easier for the Browns to take a hard stance with Judkins because they appear less desperate for depth. That combination of contract uncertainty, disciplinary risk, and positional competition makes it increasingly likely Judkins’ rookie campaign could be lost before it even begins. Unless there is a breakthrough soon, 2025 may turn into a developmental year rather than a productive one.

Browns RB Dylan Sampson is a STEAL in fantasy football.

He plays all 3 downs and is running with the starters.

Check out this beautiful play:

pic.twitter.com/5G4T4dCh2D

— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) August 23, 2025

Will Quinshon Judkins Play In Week 1?

With the season opener less than two weeks away, the chances of Judkins being active for the Bengals game look slim. Despite his impressive college resume, 3,785 rushing yards, and 45 rushing touchdowns across three seasons, the Browns have shown little urgency to integrate him into the offense. Instead, the coaching staff appears comfortable relying on Jerome Ford as the lead back, with Sampson sliding into a change-of-pace role.

Even in a best-case scenario, Judkins would not debut until early October, giving him time to sign, practice, and work back into football shape. But that timeline is becoming less realistic with every missed practice and preseason rep. Running backs in particular rely heavily on rhythm, timing, and offensive line familiarity, all things Judkins cannot develop while sitting out. Each day on the sideline not only delays his debut but also deepens the gap between him and the backs already on the roster.

Given these factors, it is entirely possible that Judkins’ first professional season amounts to little more than a redshirt year. For Cleveland, that would be a frustrating outcome after investing premium draft capital in him. For fantasy managers, it would mean adjusting expectations drastically.

Quinshon Judkins 2025 Fantasy Outlook

In the NFL, talent often outweighs circumstances, and Judkins certainly has plenty of it. His blend of size, vision, and burst made him one of the most productive backs in college football, and those traits should eventually translate to the next level. Still, his immediate future is clouded by both contractual and disciplinary issues, making it difficult to project his usage with confidence.

For redraft leagues, the safest strategy is to treat Judkins as a late-round flier. If he signs and eventually carves out a role, managers could be rewarded with a midseason contributor. But given the uncertainty, he’s the type of player you stash in the last couple of rounds and cut without hesitation if the situation doesn’t improve quickly. In most standard formats, he shouldn’t be drafted as anything more than a lottery ticket.

Dynasty formats are a slightly different story. Judkins’ long-term upside remains intriguing, and his draft pedigree ensures the Browns will eventually want to see what he can do. Patient managers with deeper benches should view him as a buy-low stash candidate, even if 2025 proves to be a lost year. The talent is there, but it may take time, and better decision-making off the field, before it fully shows up on Sundays.

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