Who Should I Start? MarShawn Lloyd or Dylan Sampson

Wednesday, September 17, 2:48 PM

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) remains on Injured Reserve but is eligible to return in Week 6 against a vulnerable Bengals defense. The Packers' backfield has leaned heavily on Josh Jacobs, who has accounted for 42 of the team's 55 rushing attempts through two games. That kind of workload will be difficult to sustain, and the lack of usage for reserves Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson--each with just one carry--suggests the coaching staff isn't comfortable leaning on them in meaningful situations. Lloyd's eventual return could provide Green Bay with a much-needed spark, as his speed and big-play ability were evident during the preseason. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor Lloyd's progress, as he could quickly carve out a change-of-pace role and potentially spell Jacobs to keep him fresh.

Saturday, October 4, 10:15 AM

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson has seen his role shrink since a solid debut in Week 1. The rookie will now head to London to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. In theory, Sampson draws a decent matchup against a Minnesota defense that is allowing the 14th-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, but Cleveland has been giving almost all of the running-back work to Quinshon Judkins over the past two games, which has crushed the fantasy value of Sampson and Jerome Ford. Sampson is hard to trust in fantasy until the Browns show more of a commitment to getting him the ball, so managers should leave him on the bench in Week 5.