Few NFL running back groups carried more intrigue into Week 1 than the Cleveland Browns. Three rookies are vying for snaps and touches with the incumbent group as this offense attempts to remake itself. Jerome Ford figured to get a fair shot at the job, but rookies Dylan Sampson and Raheim Sanders would have a say. Oh, and Quinshon Judkins is expected to make his debut in Week 2.
So, how do we make sense of this group? Let’s get into their snap and touch counts in Week 1 to see who can lead this backfield from now on.
Snap and Touch Breakdown
Ford led the running back group with 41 snaps, a 54% share. The rookie Sampson was the runner-up with 33 snaps, a 43% share. Then Sanders, the UDFA, garnered three total snaps, a 4% share. But the tale was in how the touches were distributed, and who took over down the stretch.
Cleveland was committed to a clear outlook from the jump. Ford and Sampson more or less split touches for the first pair of drives, with neither able to create much on the ground. Sanders, a hulking 230 pounds at 6’0″, was only used as a short-yardage back. His carries came on 4th and 1 and two goal-line carries, one of which he converted.
None of the backs found much efficiency in the early going, but Sampson slowly became the bellcow. He recorded eight catches on eight targets for 64 yards, dominating passing down snaps and the all-important two/four-minute drill snaps. Those touches are extremely valuable in PPR leagues, and it led to a big day for Sampson with 14.4 PPR points on receiving alone.
Sampson’s rushing wasn’t eye-opening, as he toted the rock 12 times for 29 yards. However, Ford carried the ball six times for eight yards and Sanders was limited to I-formation duties. In comparison, Sampson’s rushing performance looks better. He ended up with 20 total touches while Ford was held to seven and Sanders three, good for a 66.7% touch share.
However, the equation becomes murkier with Judkins joining the fold next week. Will he take over the RB1 spot, or will Sampson hold him off? Can Ford get back in the equation? And will Sanders continue to soak up the goal-line touches?
Backfield Ownership Going Forward
If you’re a Sampson owner, you have to be feeling good about things. A stranglehold on the passing down touches will come in handy with Cleveland going to Baltimore as 11.5-point underdogs. That puts him squarely in flex territory and makes him a possible RB2 in full PPR leagues. Judkins was an excellent rusher in college but is not known for his receiving or pass-blocking work, which limits his upside.
I wouldn’t start Judkins in any format for this week. Facing a great defense on the road with a lot of negative game script on the cards, he’s going to need some time, and possibly more favorable matchups. But his touches early in the game will bear watching.
Don’t drop Ford just yet, but it’s looking dire. If he seems to be a clear third option behind Sampson and Judkins in this Week 2 game, you should cut bait. And on the Sanders front, if his role is strictly limited to 3rd/4th and 1 or goal-line carries, he’s nothing more than a vulture in a rough offense.
