DylanSampson

News: 1 day agoSampson carried the ball four times for six yards and caught both his targets for 43 yards in Saturday's 34-10 preseason loss to the Bears.

Spin: The second-year running back ended up leading Cleveland in receiving yards on the day, with his 43-yard reception from Deshaun Watson in the second quarter setting up the team's only TD. Sampson is firmly behind Quinshon Judkins on the backfield depth chart, but the 2025 fourth-round pick should still have a role on passing downs after posting a 33-271-2 line on 40 targets over 15 regular-season games as a rookie.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Sampson is back for Year 2 in Cleveland after an underwhelming rookie campaign in which he struggled on a small sample of work as a rusher (his 2.69 yards per carry was dead last among 65 qualified backs), but was a contributor in the passing game (23rd among RBs with 33 receptions). Sampson was a young rookie (he doesn't turn 22 until September), so there's still some room for growth, and he's positioned for a larger role behind Quinshon Judkins with Jerome Ford no longer on the roster. Expect Sampson to see some change-of-pace carries and a moderate pass-catching role in 2026. He'll land on the flex radar only if Judkins misses time.