Who Should I Start? Blake Corum or Dylan Sampson

Thursday, July 10, 3:20 PM

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum was a popular fantasy sleeper heading into last season after being selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Michigan. However, the 24-year-old failed to make an impact, logging just 58 carries for 207 yards and failing to score a touchdown. Corum did not look explosive in his limited action, but running backs coach Ron Gould said he is looking better this offseason. "He's gotten his speed back, so his explosiveness has come back," Gould said. "We had a chance to just see that, and then his ability to come out of cuts, which is something that we saw in the junior year and part of his senior year." While this is a promising development, the team's decision to draft Auburn's Jarquez Hunter in Round 4 of this year's draft does not express much confidence in the former National Champion. Kyren Williams should retain his starting role to begin the 2025 campaign, but whoever wins the RB2 job could be a premier handcuff for fantasy football and a potential league-winner should Williams be benched or suffer a long-term injury.

Saturday, June 28, 11:38 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie fourth-round running back Dylan Sampson received work "as a running back and a receiver" during minicamp, according to RBs coach Duce Staley. Staley went on to add that Sampson "is able to go play in the slot and also he's able to go and play on third down and maybe sprinkle in a little second down." The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Dan Labbe thinks that heading into training camp, rookies Quinshon Judkins and Sampson figure to be the top two backs, with Jerome Ford serving as the primary third-down back. The 20-year-old Sampson rushed for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns (5.8 yards per carry) in 2024 at Tennessee, but he wasn't all that involved as a pass-catcher. He's a speedy back that could be worth a dart throw in deep PPR formats, but most likely he'll be an inconsistent fantasy performer unless Judkins misses time with an injury.