At long last, Quinshon Judkins is set to make his NFL debut for the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. After sitting out training camp, the preseason, and Week 1 due to off-field legal issues, the former Ole Miss and Ohio State standout has finally signed with the Browns and practiced for the first time since minicamp.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that Judkins is expected to be activated Saturday, just in time to suit up Sunday. For fantasy managers who have been stashing him and best ballers who drafted him at a serious discount, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for.
But let’s pump the brakes a little bit. Judkins has only practiced twice with the team, and while his talent is undeniable, he’s unlikely to see a full workload right away. For now, expect Judkins to mix in alongside Dylan Sampson (who impressed in Week 1) and Jerome Ford, making him more of a bench-and-watch play than an automatic start in fantasy lineups.
Let’s break down Quinshon Judkins’ Week 2 and rest of season fantasy outlook.
FINDING SOME BROWNS BACKFIELD CLARITY
Cleveland’s running back room currently feels like a dynasty rebuild that went off the rails—in a good way. We know what Jerome Ford is at this point. Dylan Sampson turned heads in Week 1, flashing as both a runner and a receiver, and even handling an eye-popping eight targets. Rocket Sanders bulldozed his way to a goal-line touchdown, but will likely be a healthy inactive as long as everyone else is healthy.
Now enter Judkins, a second-round pick with legitimate three-down upside. He’s not walking into a wide-open backfield, but he is walking into opportunity. Kevin Stefanski has long leaned on the run game to drive his offense, and he’s proven he can get multiple backs involved. If Judkins gets rolling, he could absolutely push for 14–18 touches per game as the season wears on. That’s the kind of workload that could vault him into weekly RB2 consideration.
SEC AND BIG 10 DOMINANCE
In case you forgot why Judkins was such a coveted prospect, let’s rewind the tape. At Ole Miss, he became a household name as a true freshman, ripping through the SEC with over 1,000 rushing yards. He followed that up with another 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns in year two, earning first-team All-SEC honors both seasons.
When he surprisingly hit the transfer portal, Ohio State came calling. Sharing the backfield with TreVeyon Henderson, Judkins still managed 14 touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry, flashing the violent running style that made him a draft darling. At 5’11” and 221 pounds, he’s built like a tank but runs with explosion and agility. His NFL Combine only boosted his stock further: a 4.48 40-yard dash, an 11-foot broad jump, and a 9.88 Relative Athletic Score (RAS).
Translation: this guy is a freak athlete who’s tailor-made for the pro game.
QUINSHON JUDKINS FANTASY OUTLOOK: RB2 UPSIDE
The real appeal with Judkins lies beyond Week 2. Jerome Ford doesn’t have the profile of a long-term lead back. Dylan Sampson is electric but may ultimately be best suited as a change-of-pace or passing-down specialist that could co-exist alongside Judkins. Rocket Sanders is a young role player with upside. That leaves Judkins with a wide-open path to eventually taking over this backfield if he earns Stefanski’s trust.
And let’s be real: Judkins didn’t get drafted in early in Round 2 (before TreVeyon) to sit on the bench. His three-down skill set and athletic profile scream “feature back.” It may take a few weeks of easing in, but within a few weeks, Judkins could be handling 15+ touches per game. In an offense that wants to establish the run, that workload would make him a reliable RB2 with upside for more.
The only caveat is the ongoing NFL investigation into his offseason arrest. While the legal charges have been cleared, the league could still hand down a suspension at some point. There’s no timetable, but it’s something fantasy managers need to keep in the back of their minds.
The Wolf believes Judkins’ season-long outlook, ranking him RB34 (+19 vs ECR) on his Rest of Season Big Board. Meanwhile, Sampson is just a few spots behind at RB37, showing the likely long-term value of both backs.
QUINSHON JUDKINS WEEK 2 FANTASY OUTLOOK: BE PATIENT
As exciting as it is to see Judkins finally hitting the field, fantasy managers need to temper expectations for Week 2. The Ravens’ defense may have gotten cooked by Josh Allen in Week 1, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be a soft target for a rookie running back with two practices under his belt. Realistically, it would be surprising to see Judkins log more than eight touches in his debut.
Think of Week 2 as more of a “fact-finding mission” for fantasy purposes. How many snaps does he play? Does he see early-down work or passing-down reps? Does he get a crack at goal-line opportunities, where he flourished in college? The answers to those questions will tell us how quickly Judkins can become fantasy relevant.
This week, keep Quinshon Judkins on your bench. With so little practice time and a messy backfield, his role is simply too uncertain. But don’t lose sight of the upside. His college résumé, athletic profile, and draft capital all point toward him being the most talented back in Cleveland’s stable.
By October, Judkins should be the Browns’ lead back and a fantasy difference-maker down the stretch. For now, let’s enjoy the chaos, monitor his usage closely, and remember that it’s okay to be patient in fantasy.
Keep your eyes peeled for The Wolf’s Week 2 Rankings to see exactly where Judkins and the rest of the Browns’ backfield land. Until then, Judkins is a wait-and-see option with the potential to explode into relevance sooner rather than later.
