Who Should I Start? Brian Robinson Jr. or Dylan Sampson

Saturday, September 6, 5:26 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. is expected to suit up Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Acquired in a late-August trade from Washington, Robinson was brought in to solidify the RB2 role behind Christian McCaffrey. With McCaffrey dealing with a calf issue, Robinson could see an expanded workload, even though he hasn't had many first-team practice reps. The Seahawks' run defense was middle-of-the-pack last season, creating a decent opportunity if Robinson gets touches. Still, his fantasy outlook is tied directly to McCaffrey's status; Robinson will likely be relegated to a depth role. For now, he's best left on the bench, particularly as a handcuff option for McCaffrey managers.

Sunday, September 7, 6:04 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson rushed for 29 yards on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was much more productive and efficient through the air, catching all eight of his targets for 64 receiving yards. He finished with 16.9 points in PPR leagues, and he was still solid in half-PPR or standard formats thanks to his 93 total yards against the Bengals. Cleveland experimented with three different running backs on Sunday, but Sampson was far more efficient than Jerome Ford and Raheim Sanders. As a result, the rookie likely enters Week 2 as the Browns' No. 1 running back. However, he will face added competition next week when Quinshon Judkins makes his NFL debut. Judkins will likely be phased into the offense so that he has time to get acclimated, which means that he's not a major threat to Sampson's role right away. However, as the season goes on, expect the two rookies to provide each other with healthy competition on a weekly basis.