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Quinshon Judkins is entering Year 2 as the Browns’ franchise running back. After an up-and-down rookie year, should he be viewed as a weak fantasy starter?
The Browns have invested a lot of draft capital over the past 15 months in offensive playmakers. They took Judkins last year with the #36 overall pick -- the earliest they’d reached for a running back since Nick Chubb in 2018. If that’s a sign of things to come, then fantasy managers should feel good about Judkins’ 2026 prospects.
Of course, that’s not how fantasy works. Chubb played in an offense that was never bottom-10 in scoring until his final year in Cleveland (2024). In Judkins’ first year, the Browns were second-to-last in scoring, and with a chaotic QB situation, they might not be much better this year. That impacts scoring opportunities, which could cut into Judkins’ ceiling.
His RB23 ADP threads the needle between weekly fantasy starter and decent streamer. His relatively low usage in the passing game (36 targets in 14 contests) and inefficient running (3.6 yards per carry) are slight yellow flags. He needs to improve in at least one of these areas to be considered a bargain. That said, even with those limitations, he was last year’s RB26 in points per game.
In other words, he probably can’t get much worse, especially as Cleveland’s unquestioned bell cow. While 2025 fourth-rounder Dylan Sampson could push for a 1B role if he comes out strong, the Browns probably will give Judkins all he can handle, making him a good bet to outperform expectations. The bigger concern is that until this offense improves, his ceilings will be capped.
For more on this topic, listen to this podcast episode.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: How much should fantasy managers trust Browns RB Quinshon Judkins?
Continue reading...
The Browns have invested a lot of draft capital over the past 15 months in offensive playmakers. They took Judkins last year with the #36 overall pick -- the earliest they’d reached for a running back since Nick Chubb in 2018. If that’s a sign of things to come, then fantasy managers should feel good about Judkins’ 2026 prospects.
Of course, that’s not how fantasy works. Chubb played in an offense that was never bottom-10 in scoring until his final year in Cleveland (2024). In Judkins’ first year, the Browns were second-to-last in scoring, and with a chaotic QB situation, they might not be much better this year. That impacts scoring opportunities, which could cut into Judkins’ ceiling.
His RB23 ADP threads the needle between weekly fantasy starter and decent streamer. His relatively low usage in the passing game (36 targets in 14 contests) and inefficient running (3.6 yards per carry) are slight yellow flags. He needs to improve in at least one of these areas to be considered a bargain. That said, even with those limitations, he was last year’s RB26 in points per game.
In other words, he probably can’t get much worse, especially as Cleveland’s unquestioned bell cow. While 2025 fourth-rounder Dylan Sampson could push for a 1B role if he comes out strong, the Browns probably will give Judkins all he can handle, making him a good bet to outperform expectations. The bigger concern is that until this offense improves, his ceilings will be capped.
For more on this topic, listen to this podcast episode.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: How much should fantasy managers trust Browns RB Quinshon Judkins?
Continue reading...
