Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones or Dylan Sampson

Wednesday, August 6, 5:11 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones is listed as the starting running back on the team's first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, according to Vikings beat writer Craig Peters. Jordan Mason is listed as Jones' primary backup, with Ty Chandler, Zavier Scott and Tre Stewart behind him. Jones is still the top dog in the Vikings' backfield, but the team has made it no secret that they have big plans for Mason as well. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has hinted at reducing Jones' workload in 2025 as part of a "1A/B backfield structure" that includes Mason. Goal-line and short-yardage situations could be where Mason is really used, which is concerning for Jones' fantasy ceiling as an RB2. In his first year in Minnesota, Jones had 1,138 rushing yards and five touchdowns on a career-high 255 attempts. With a smaller workload likely coming, consider him on the RB2/3 borderline.

Sunday, August 3, 2:29 PM

Cleveland Browns rookie running back Jerome Sampson is "essentially playing the 1-B role" next to veteran Jerome Ford, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. A fourth-round rookie out of Tennessee, Sampson rushed for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns in 13 games last season for the Volunteers. With second-round running back Quinshon Judkins still unsigned by the team due to a July arrest, Sampson appears to be in line for a significant role as a rookie. Ford is entering his fourth season in Cleveland, but he's never truly earned a workhorse role throughout a full season. The backfield mix for the Browns will remain a bit muddled until Judkins' legal situation gets ironed out, but it sounds like Ford and Sampson will share the workload relatively evenly while Judkins is out.