Sampson (calf) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game versus the Titans, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Sampson exited in the second half of this past Sunday's loss to the 49ers due to a calf injury that left him day-to-day. After not practicing Wednesday and Thursday, he was spotted in drills at Friday's session, which was enough for the Browns to give him a chance to play Week 14. Assuming he's confirmed active ahead of Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, Sampson will join Jerome Ford as the reserve RBs behind starter Quinshon Judkins.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Still not practicing
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Sampson (calf) wasn't spotted at practice Thursday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
With back-to-back 'DNP' listings on tap, Sampson will have one more opportunity to practice ahead of Sunday's game against the Titans. If the running back is unavailable this weekend, Jerome Ford would figure to see added snaps behind starting RB Quinshon Judkins, with Raheim Sanders also on hand.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Misses practice Wednesday
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Sampson (calf) didn't practice Wednesday.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic reported Monday that coach Kevin Stefanski considered Sampson -- who was injured in Sunday's loss to the 49ers -- day-to-day ahead of Week 14 action. If Sampson is limited or out this weekend, Jerome Ford would be in line to see added snaps behind top RB Quinshon Judkins, with Raheim Sanders in reserve.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Considered day-to-day
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Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Sampson (calf) is viewed as day-to-day after being injured in Sunday's loss to the 49ers, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Sampson was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against San Francisco in the third quarter after he rushed four times for 23 yards. However, it sounds like the rookie running back avoided a serious injury. If Sampson needs to miss time, Jerome Ford would likely reassume his role as the pass-catching complement to Quinshon Judkins.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Won't return Sunday
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Sampson (calf) won't return to Sunday's game against the 49ers.
Sampson carried four times for 23 yards prior to his departure from the contest. In his absence, Jerome Ford and Raheim Sanders are available to handle backfield touches that don't go to starting RB Quinshon Judkins.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Departs Week 13 with injury
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Sampson is questionable to return to Sunday's matchup against San Francisco due to a calf injury.
Sampson's injury was announced by Cleveland in the third quarter. Prior to exiting, he rushed four times for 23 yards. If Sampson is unable to return, Jerome Ford could see more offensive snaps behind lead back Quinshon Judkins, while Malachi Corley could serve as the team's lead kick returner.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Scores 66-yard TD on screen
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Sampson rushed seven times for 23 yards while catching two of three targets for 59 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-10 win over the Raiders. He also had a 28-yard kickoff return.
Sampson scored a 66-yard touchdown on a screen pass in the fourth quarter, accounting for Shedeur Sanders' first NFL touchdown pass. Rookie second-round pick Quinshon Judkins scored two rushing touchdowns and continues to work ahead of Sampson, who was drafted two rounds later. Sampson has struggled on the ground, averaging only 2.3 yards per carry (89 yards on 38 attempts), but he has shown some upside as a pass catcher out of the backfield heading into a Week 13 home game against the 49ers.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Little work in loss
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Sampson had one carry for 19 yards, failed to catch his lone target and returned two kickoffs for 48 yards in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Ravens in Week 11.
Sampson had fewer snaps (six) than fellow backup Jerome Ford (13 snaps, one touch), but overall the recent trend has been that Sampson is Cleveland's No. 2 back for fantasy purposes. Regardless, both Ford and Sampson sit well behind Quinshon Judkins in the backfield pecking order.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Clear No. 2 back
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Sampson had two carries for minus-4 yards and caught his lone target for three yards in Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Jets in Week 10. He also had four kickoff returns for 104 yards.
The Browns' backfield clearly belongs to Quinshon Judkins, while Sampson has emerged as the No. 2 back ahead of veteran Jerome Ford. For the second consecutive game, Sampson was given more opportunities (22 snaps, three touches, three targets) than Ford (14, one, one). Cleveland has accepted its fate and is looking toward the future, which means a focus on youth for the remainder of a season. Should Judkins get injured, Sampson could earn more than just a handful of touches per game, but for now his fantasy utility is mainly limited to formats that value return yards.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Week 10 Waiver Priority List
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We hope that Quinshon Judkins (shoulder) is healthy coming off Cleveland's bye in Week 9, but he was injured in the Week 8 game against New England. Sampson had three carries for no yards and five catches for 29 yards on six targets against the Patriots, and he would likely work in tandem with Jerome Ford if Judkins were out in Week 10 at the Jets. I like Sampson better than Ford, and Sampson would be at least a flex option in all leagues if Judkins was out. Keep an eye on any news related to Judkins, but Sampson should be added for at least 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Week 9 Waiver Priority List
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Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Quinshon Judkins (shoulder) is day-to-day after getting hurt in Week 8 at New England, and the Browns have a bye in Week 9. But we'll keep an eye on what happens with Judkins, and if he's out for Week 10 at the Jets, then Sampson and Jerome Ford (17 percent rostered) could be potential flex options in all leagues. I'd lean toward Sampson over Ford, and Sampson just had five catches for 29 yards on six targets and three carries for no yards against the Patriots. Ford had no carries and one catch for minus-1 yard on two targets. It's worth it to add Sampson and Ford now, just in case Judkins can't play after the bye, and Sampson should be added in all leagues for 5-10 percent of your remaining FAB. Ford should be added for 1 percent.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Eight touches in Week 8
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Sampson gained zero rushing yards on three carries and caught five of six targets for 29 yards in Sunday's 32-13 loss to the Patriots. He added one kickoff return for 19 yards.
The eight touches on offense were Sampson's biggest volume since Week 1, before fellow rookie RB Quinshon Judkins had made his NFL debut. Sunday's increase also came in part due to the absence of Judkins, who left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Sampson's biggest contributions so far have come as a receiver, and through eight games he's managed just 51 rushing yards and 1.8 yards per carry, but a 20-133-1 line on 23 targets. The Browns are on bye in Week 9, so Judkins may not miss any further time, but if he isn't ready to return, Sampson could be the lead back -- with Jerome Ford in support -- in Week 10 against the Jets.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Preparing for larger role
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Sampson had three carries for eight yards, caught his lone target for nine yards and returned two kickoffs for 37 yards in Sunday's 31-6 win over Miami in Week 7.
Sampson was on the field for just nine snaps, but he out-touched veteran Jerome Ford, who had three touches on 13 snaps. The game provided more evidence that the rookie is taking over the No. 2 RB role from Ford. The trade deadline is two weeks away, and Sampson could be all alone behind starter Quinshon Judkins if Ford, who is in the final year of his contract, gets moved. That still may not translate into meaningful fantasy value for Sampson with Judkins dominating the backfield workload for Cleveland, but it would put him on the field more often for an offense that typically plays from behind and needs a reliable third-down back.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Adds return duties to repertoire
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Sampson rushed three times for 12 yards, caught both his targets for 12 yards and returned five kickoffs for 124 yards in Sunday's 23-9 loss to Pittsburgh.
Sampson took on his highest offensive snap share since Week 2 and also served as the Browns' primary kickoff returner. Once Quinshon Judkins established himself as the team's lead back upon making his Cleveland debut Week 2, Sampson's playing time on offense has declined steeply. He had just four touches over the last three weeks prior to Sunday's contest.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Seven snaps in loss
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Sampson had one carry for minus-4 yards and caught one of two targets for six yards in Sunday's 21-17 loss to Minnesota in Week 5.
Not much changed for Sampson with the switch from quarterback Joe Flacco to Dillon Gabriel. Sampson's seven snaps Sunday was the third consecutive game with fewer than 10 for the rookie, whose role has diminished since Quinshon Judkins entered the picture Week 2.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Remains third on depth chart
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Sampson had one carry for minus-2 yards and did not secure his lone target in Sundays 34-10 loss to Detroit in Week 4.
The Browns' backfield is securely in the hands of Quinshon Judkins, who has steadily increased his dominance since being activated in Week 2, while Jerome Ford has a tenuous hold on the No. 2 spot. Sampson has a combined 14 snaps and one target over the last two games.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Scores receiving TD in reduced role
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Sampson rushed four times for six yards and brought in all three targets for 13 yards and a touchdown in the Browns' 41-17 loss to the Ravens on Sunday.
Sampson had led the Browns' ground attack with 12 carries and had garnered 20 total touches in Week 1, but the debut of fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins in Sunday's loss altered the backfield hierarchy. Judkins ultimately recorded a game-high 10 rush attempts, but Sampson still found a way to make an impact by recording an eight-yard touchdown reception from another member of the team's 2025 draft class, Dillon Gabriel. With Judkins' workload a virtual lock to go up from this point forward, Sampson will likely be looking to displace veteran Jerome Ford for the No. 2 role.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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The Browns backfield is about to get crowded with Quinshon Judkins now signed, but hopefully Sampson and Judkins can work in tandem together moving forward. In Week 1 against the Bengals, Sampson was the best running back for Cleveland with 12 carries for 29 yards and eight catches for 64 yards on eight targets. His role in the passing game could be a constant, which helps in PPR, but he's worth adding in all leagues. Even if he's sharing touches with Judkins, Sampson could be a flex in PPR heading into Week 2 at Baltimore. He's worth adding for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Works as lead back
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Sampson rushed the ball 12 times for 29 yards in Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Bengals. He added eight receptions on eight targets for 64 yards.
Sampson was expected to serve as the change-of-pace back in Cleveland, but he took the first carry for the Browns and out-touched Jerome Ford 20-7. Sampson wasn't particularly impressive on the ground, but he was still more efficient than Ford. He ultimately made his mark as a pass catcher, however, as he led the Browns in receptions (eight) and was second in yards (64). While it was an encouraging debut for Sampson, the backfield is likely to grow more crowded with the addition of Quinshon Judkins in Week 2 against Baltimore.
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Browns' Dylan Sampson: Set for change-of-pace duties
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Sampson is expected to handle a change-of-pace role Week 1 against the Bengals on Sunday, while Jerome Ford leads Cleveland's backfield, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
Sampson, a rookie fourth-round pick, has been heavily involved alongside Ford throughout the preseason with 2025 second-rounder Quinshon Judkins still unsigned, but he's expected to be relegated to complementary change-of-pace utilization in his regular-season debut. There's a significant possibility that Sampson's involvement grows as his experience at the NFL level does, especially if he's able to impress early, though Cabot also reports that the Browns hope Judkins will report to team facilities this week. Cleveland also claimed UDFA Raheim Sanders off waivers from the Chargers, who boasts a larger frame than Ford or Sampson and could carve out a role in short-yardage situations.
