Who Should I Start? Trey Benson or Dylan Sampson

Thursday, January 29, 6:17 PM

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) very well could have had a Year 2 breakout season in 2025 had he not injured his knee early on. Benson ended up playing in only four games in his second year in the NFL, carrying the ball 29 times for 160 yards and no touchdowns while catching 13 of 16 targets for 64 yards. Primary RB James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3. Conner is under contract for one more season, so if the 23-year-old Benson is healthy in 2026, he'll likely operate as the RB2 in the desert. Benson never had a major role behind Conner in his rookie campaign, totaling 63 rushing attempts for 291 yards and only one touchdown in 13 games played. On top of Benson's injury concerns -- he also had a major knee injury in college -- the Cardinals will have an entirely new coaching staff next season, and it's unclear what direction they'll go in at quarterback.

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.