The Quinshon Judkins contract saga finally came to a close before Week 1, with the rookie running back signing his fully guaranteed rookie contract. There are still steps before he can hit the field (namely, an NFL review of his legal situation), but this was a big hurdle that has been cleared.
With Judkins under contract, we can finally look at the Cleveland Browns’ backfield to determine which player has the most appeal in fantasy in 2025. Which Browns’ running back is the RB1? Read below to find out.
What Is the Cleveland Browns’ Current Backfield Situation?
The Browns’ backfield was always set to change in 2025. Cleveland let long-time starter Nick Chubb leave in free agency, replacing him through the NFL Draft with a second-round pick (Judkins) and a fourth-round pick (Dylan Sampson). It was assumed that the rookies would battle veteran Jerome Ford to establish a backfield hierarchy throughout the summer.
Unfortunately, that plan did not come to fruition.
Judkins was entering training camp in a contract dispute with Cleveland before being arrested in Florida due to an accusation of domestic violence. The arrest delayed his signing throughout training camp.
Ultimately, Judkins was not charged, freeing the running back to sign his fully guaranteed contract right before Week 1. The NFL is still investigating the matter, and Judkins can still be suspended, but at least he can start practicing with the team and preparing to play. He is on a roster exemption (meaning the team doesn’t need to cut a player to add him to the roster) for two weeks. He cannot play in a game until that exemption is lifted.
Both Sampson and Ford got opportunities to earn larger roles in his absence. The result was an underwhelming time share between Sampson (four carries for nine yards and one reception for 14 yards) and Ford (two carries for 14 yards and two receptions for five yards).
Judkins won’t be on the field for Week 1 since he signed his contract the day before the season started, meaning Sampson and Ford will split the backfield. Technically, Judkins could find his way onto the active roster by Week 2, depending on how quickly he can get into game shape and show an understanding of the playbook. There is also the looming threat of a suspension that will hang over him throughout the season.
Will Jerome Ford, Dylan Sampson, or Quinshon Judkins Be the Long-Term RB1 in Cleveland?
Plenty of data points still need to be settled regarding Judkins. We still don’t know if the NFL will suspend him or how many games he will miss, and we don’t know when he will be ready to take the field.
That said, Judkins needs to be rostered in all formats. Given his talent and draft capital, he’s worth rostering while the process plays out. Until he sets foot on the field, both Sampson (early down rusher with speed) and Ford (pass game and hurry-up back) have FLEX appeal.
Ultimately, this backfield is tabbed for Judkins, who can be a workhorse-level running back on the field. The second round rookie averaged 246.3 carries, 19.7 receptions, and 1,409 all-purpose yards in his three college seasons at Ole Miss and Ohio State. There is no question that he is the most gifted of the three options in the backfield.
Quinshon Judkins showing off the 4.4 speed. pic.twitter.com/xlfKduiXXN
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) March 17, 2025
Judkins has the most long-term appeal in fantasy (suspension pending) in 2025. When he is officially activated, it feels like Ford will be the back who will be the “odd man out.” We have seen Ford be a Flex-level player in fantasy (12.4 PPR points per game in 2023 and 9.6 PPG in 2024), but he lacks the explosiveness of both Judkins and Sampson.
