Last season, Quinshon Judkins emerged as a standout running back even on a disappointing Cleveland Browns team. Now in his second pro season, he was drafted as an RB2 in fantasy football on the basis of volume overcoming a poor offense.
After an unimpressive season opener, can he be trusted in fantasy football lineups on Sunday? Here are the details on whether you should start or sit Quinshon Judkins in Week 2.
Quinshon Judkins Start or Sit Advice for Week 2
A second-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft, Judkins broke out with 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns as the primary running back for the Browns. The offense was far from good, the trench play didn’t do him a ton of favors, and he caught just 26 passes in total for another 171 yards. Still, the then-rookie averaged 12.1 FPPG in PPR formats over his 14 appearances before a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula ended his campaign prematurely. Over the offseason, he got healthy and now finds himself poised as the lead runner for Cleveland once again.
Week 1 of the 2026 season was a forgettable outing for both Judkins and his team. He was bottled up for just 33 rushing yards on 12 carries, but caught both of his targets for 17 yards. In the end, the Browns lost in a 34-10 blowout to the Jacksonville Jaguars, though they were never expected to truly compete – and in Judkins’ defense, the opposing defense was one of the best in the NFL against the run last season.
After scoring just 7.0 fantasy points in the season opener, worry is already beginning to grow amongst managers who roster the second-year halfback. Is there hope for him to bounce back in Week 2, or does he belong on benches?
Judkins is certainly set to operate as a workhorse back this week. It’s par for the course that he gets the majority of the rushing work, but the placement of Dylan Sampson on IR means that his primary backup will also be missing the next four games at minimum. While Raheim Sanders could see some opportunity, bear in mind that Judkins just took 12 carries last week while no other back handled more than one. Game script also played a part there, but while Sanders saw three targets to Judkins’ two, it’s clear that the starter has a more valuable share of touches here.
The volume for Judkins looks great, but the matchup trends in the opposite direction. The Browns are set to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who ranked fifth in rushing yards allowed and fourth in defensive EPA/rush last season. They also allowed just 106 rushing yards to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Look at the names in the front seven – Vita Vea is an All-Pro, Calijah Kaancey and Reuben Bain Jr. are coming off the edges, and Alex Anzalone is a new face acquired in free agency. This matchup is brutal for Cleveland’s running back.
The Bottom Line
If you drafted Judkins, you probably expect him to perform as an RB2 in fantasy football. Unfortunately, this isn’t a week in which he profiles as a solid starting option. The matchup is about as bad as it gets, even before considering how rough the Browns’ offense looked last week. They tallied only 272 total yards of offense and went 1-for-8 on third downs. Deshaun Watson is expected to start once again under center despite his track record of poor play, which is as baffling a decision as any in the league these days.
For those wondering whether to start or sit Judkins this week, the answer appears pretty clear at this point. He’ll get volume, but the matchup isn’t in his favor and the scoring upside in this attack remains extremely limited. He’s firmly in sit territory, assuming you have another option at running back.
