Who Should I Start? Dylan Sampson or Mike Washington Jr.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
6.1 16.9 0.1 1.9 14.8 0.1

Dylan Sampson News

Dylan Sampson a Top Handcuff Despite Browns' Question Marks?

Sunday, August 16, 6:14 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson possesses value in redraft leagues despite his role as the backup to Quinshon Judkins. Sampson could have some standalone value as a pass-catching option behind Judkins, but more importantly, he's a top handcuff running back in fantasy football. Sampson had at least 10 carries in each of the three games that Judkins missed last year, and he was even more impactful in the passing game with 4.7 targets per game that Judkins missed. We're not very high on the Browns' offense with Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders under center, but Sampson could still become a volume-based RB2 option if Judkins were to miss time in 2026. He currently has an ADP of 162, which lines up with the 14th round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 52nd running back off the board. That's in line with the experts' opinions on Sampson, who ranks as the RB55 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.2 19.2 0.1 0.8 6.1 0.0

Mike Washington Jr. News

Mike Washington Jr. Erupts for 53-Yard Run in Debut

Friday, August 14, 4:53 PM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. flashed in his preseason debut, although the Raiders lost 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals. Washington Jr. turned six carries into 63 yards, no touchdowns, and failed to bring in his lone target on the night. A 53-yard scamper in which he followed his blocks, stayed square to the line of scrimmage, and exploded for the longest run of the night helped him get to 10.5 yards per carry in his debut. With teammate Ashton Jeanty firmly holding the RB1 spot, Washington Jr. could still have some upside in a change-of-pace role as RotoBaller ranks him at RB67 overall entering the season.


Dylan Sampson vs. Mike Washington Jr.

Still trying to decide between Sampson and Washington Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Dylan Sampson is projected to score 6.1 points this week while Mike Washington Jr. is projected to score 4.2 points.