Who Should I Start? Dylan Sampson or Brashard Smith

Wednesday, February 11, 9:49 AM

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson spent most of his rookie season as the team's primary receiving back, but following a late-season injury to fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins, he was given the opportunity to serve as Cleveland's lead back for the final two games of 2025. Unfortunately, playing behind an offensive line that struggled throughout the year to open running lanes or keep a revolving door of quarterbacks off the ground, he finished those two games with only 59 yards on 21 carries. With Judkins' status uncertain for the beginning of 2026, Sampson will likely get first crack at primary duties yet again, but unless Cleveland is able to drastically overhaul their offensive line in year one under new head coach Todd Monken, the bulk of his value will still come through his passing work. Sampson will look to improve on his 33 receptions as a rookie, but given his current surroundings, he is not a player who needs to be aggressively pursued.

Monday, February 16, 5:28 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith could have the opportunity to take on an expanded role during the 2026 season. Smith was buried in a depth role for most of his rookie season in 2025, especially with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt leading the backfield. However, the Chiefs' running back dynamic could change in 2026. Both Pacheco and Hunt are free agents this offseason, and it's unclear whether either of them will re-sign. If only one or neither of them returns next season, Smith will have a path to a larger workload. He had a modest 323 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this past year, so he certainly hasn't proven himself ready for a lead-back role. However, he could share the backfield with someone like Pacheco or another mid-range, experienced back. Either way, Smith is absolutely trending upward ahead of the 2026 season. He's an intriguing buy in dynasty leagues, especially if his current fantasy manager has already grown impatient.