Who Should I Start? James Conner or Quinshon Judkins

Wednesday, July 8, 8:00 AM

Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins quickly became the team's lead back in 2025 after he was selected with the 36th overall pick in the second round out of Ohio State. Judkins led the Browns' rushing attack with 230 carries for 827 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns in 14 starts while adding 26 receptions (36 targets) for 171 yards as a pass-catcher. "Runs incredibly hard, faster in the open field than you'd think. I think he's going to have a big year," an AFC executive said. Judkins was an honorable mention for ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in his top RB rankings for the 2026 season. The 22-year-old's first year in the NFL was cut short by a season-ending dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula in Week 16, but he took part in offseason workouts and should be good to go for Week 1 this fall. Judkins looked explosive in OTAs, but we'll get a better idea of his progress in training camp when the pads go on. In new head coach Todd Monken's offense, Judkins could have Year 2 breakout potential, and he'll come at the cost of a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 in fantasy drafts. Of course, the major drawback is Cleveland's less-than-ideal QB situation holding the entire offense hostage.