# Sampson injury reshapes Browns backfield for fantasy owners

> Dylan Sampson's knee injury opens opportunities for Quinshon Judkins and Raheim Sanders in Cleveland's running back rotation.
- Title: Sampson injury reshapes Browns backfield for fantasy owners
- Summary: Dylan Sampson's knee injury opens opportunities for Quinshon Judkins and Raheim Sanders in Cleveland's running back rotation. With Sampson on IR, Quinshon…
- Keywords: dylan sampson, quinshon judkins, raheim sanders, jaleel mclaughlin, cleveland browns, knee injury, injured reserve, fantasy football, running backs, ppr leagues, sports, Sampson
- Source: Fantasy Sports On SI — https://si.com/onsi/fantasy/injuries/dylan-sampson-s-knee-injury-clears-a-path-for-quinshon-judkins-and-another-browns-fantasy-football-sleeper
- Published: 2026-09-15T20:30:33+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: dylan sampson, quinshon judkins, raheim sanders, jaleel mclaughlin, cleveland browns, knee injury, injured reserve, fantasy football, running backs, ppr leagues, sports
## Sampson lands on injured reserve
The Browns placed Dylan Sampson on IR with a knee injury and signed Jaleel McLaughlin to the 53-man roster. Sampson was expected to be the primary pass-catching back.
## Sampson loses all fantasy value
Sampson had some PPR value and handcuff appeal in deep leagues, but now he's droppable unless you have empty IR slots with no one else to stash.
## Judkins could see more targets
Quinshon Judkins played 65% of snaps in Week 1 with 12 carries and two targets. His value rises if he can get closer to four targets per game.
## Week 1 was a tough test
Judkins managed just 33 rushing yards on 2.8 yards per carry against Jacksonville's tough defense. The matchup was difficult, so there's reason for optimism ahead.

> We are optimistic about Judkins moving forward and would buy low on him if the opportunity presented itself.
## Sanders becomes the biggest winner
Raheim Sanders will benefit most from Sampson's absence. He played 35% of snaps in Week 1 and caught all three targets for 25 yards.
## Sanders is the handcuff to own
Sanders could realistically see four carries and four targets weekly. If Judkins gets hurt, Sanders would step into a near bell-cow role as the primary backup.
## Key takeaway

With Sampson on IR, Quinshon Judkins should see more passing work while Raheim Sanders becomes a valuable handcuff in deeper leagues.