Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins is cleared for full participation in Browns' training camp, seven months after suffering a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle. He is expected to be the team's top running back this season after a promising rookie year
Judkins (ankle/fibula) is in line to be full go at the start of training camp, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Judkins, who is bouncing back from a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula that he suffered in Week 16 last season, had been able to work in team drills this spring, but the fact that the 2025 second-rounder is on track to work without restrictions in training camp positions him to maintain his role as Cleveland's clear-cut top back, a role that carries weekly fantasy utlity. In the mix to log complementary touches behind Judkins this season are Dylan Sampson, Raheim Sanders and Ahmani Marshall
by Ari Koslow | Browns Correspondent | Thu, Jul 23rd 6:01pm EDT The Browns say Quinshon Judkins will be a full-go at the start of training camp. ( Jeremy Fowler on Twitter ) Fantasy Impact: Judkins was able to practice during OTAs. He is working his way back from a fractured fibula and a broken ankle. He's in line to remain in the lead role in the Browns backfield. The Browns' QB battle is on... Also, good news for either QB -- I'm told Quinshon Judkins (ankle/fibula) will be a full go at the start of camp, building off his spring progress https://t.co/rn5Cgcbhmy Category: Injury Updates | More Quinshon Judkins : News , Rankings , Projections , Stats
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins is expected to be a full participant in training camp, marking positive progress from a season-ending ankle and leg injury. Before his injury, he accumulated 827 yards and seven touchdowns. He is projected to be the team's RB1 and is considered a low-end/midrange RB2 fantasy target
The Cleveland Browns have been mostly a disappointment for the better part of the past 25 years. The franchise has made the playoffs just three times and won just one postseason game since returning to the NFL in 1999. The Browns have had 19 seasons with double-digit losses, posted just the second 0-16 season in league history, and had so many starting quarterbacks and head coaches that it can be hard to remember them at times. This season may be another rough one with a young team led by a first-time head coach and still searching for a quarterback. If the oddsmakers are correct , and they generally are, the 2026 season could bring the number of double-digit losses to an even 20. But there will be plenty of time in the fall to talk about frustrating losses, bad quarterback play, and puzzling coaching decisions. The summer is a time for optimism as training camp brings exciting new players and a renewed hope that this year it may be different. In that spirit, here are five positives from the offseason that should fill the hearts of even the grinchiest Browns fan with a little bit of happiness. The Browns needed to do something about an underperforming wide receiver room, and general manager Andrew Berry wasted no time in selecting KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. The situation was the same for an aging and injured offensive line, so welcome to Cleveland, Spencer Fano, Austin Barber, and Parker Brailsford . Will all the moves pan out? The history of the NFL says probably not. But Berry recognized the need and used the draft to tackle the problem, so, for now, that is good enough to make the list. The new draft class joins running back Quinshon Judkins , defensive tackle Mason Graham , linebacker Carson Schwesinger , and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. from the productive 2025 class to give the Browns a promising foundation of young players to build on. If Concepcion, Boston and Fano are anywhere as good as those second-year players, the Browns should be set up nicely once they finally fix the quarterback situation. (Hopefully, as soon as 2027, because it won’t be this year.) The decision to trade defensive end Myles Garrett was understandable, even if it was still disappointing. But insisting that the Los Angeles Rams include Verse in the trade takes some of the sting out, as the Browns will see an immediate return this fall. Verse may not be a force multiplier like Garrett – no one in the NFL is – but adding the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and a player with 99 quarterback pressures in two seasons is something that several teams would have liked to do in the offseason. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz packed up his playbook and went home after the Browns made the correct choice to bypass him for the head coaching role. In his place steps Rutenberg, who will use more zone blitzes to pressure the quarterback , and with the addition of Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, more three-safety looks to keep opposing offenses guessing. There is no debating that the Browns have the worst quarterback room in the NFL . But as bad as it will be, it could have been worse if Berry had made the mistake of bringing in an aging veteran like Kirk Cousins or Geno Smith , a reclamation project like Justin Fields or Anthony Richardson, or signing a free agent like Malik Willis . None of those players, or any of the other quarterbacks who were available for very obvious reasons, were going to help or be the long-term answer the team needs. It is going to be ugly at times; what else is new, but the Browns need to take their lumps for one more season and then approach the quarterback position in the 2027 NFL Draft. What do you say, Browns fans? Are these true positives or fool’s gold? Have your say in the comments!
Welcome back to an annual tradition. We once again rank each NFL team's "triplets," otherwise known as their quarterback-running back-pass-catcher trio. It's a term that harkens back to the days of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin, who led the Dallas Cowboys to a trio of Super Bowl victories in a four-year span. And we still use the phrase today. For the most part, the rankings defer to veteran skill-position players unless it is clear that a younger player would take the top spot, and it means erring on the side of caution when it comes to injuries. For example, Fernando Mendoza checked in at quarterback for the Raiders despite expectations that Kirk Cousins would start the year under center. Mike Evans represented the 49ers' top pass catcher ahead of George Kittle , while Malik Nabers remained the top option for the Giants . This is, incredibly, our 10th year ranking triplet groups. But in case you haven't read prior versions last year (2025) or the year before that (2024) or the year before that (2023) or the year before that (2022) or the year before that (2021) or the year before that (2020) or the year before that (2019) or the year before that (2018) or the year before that (2017), here's how the crew here at CBSSports.com recently set out to rank each team's triplets: John Breech, Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani, Bryan DeArdo, Garrett Podell, R.J. White, Zach Pereles, Carter Bahns and myselt represent the decision makers. Without further ado... QB: Shedeur Sanders , RB: Quinshon Judkins , WR: Harold Fannin Jr . The Browns ranked 32nd in last year's rankings, and they check in dead last once again. Sanders was arguably the worst quarterback in the league, and it feels like this ranking is driven mostly by the expected production the Browns will get at that position because people have a pretty high opinion of Judkins despite his paltry 3.6 yards-per-carry average, and Fannin had a really nice rookie year. QB: Malik Willis , RB: De'Von Achane , WR/TE: ??? The group couldn't even come up with a pass-catcher to use for the Dolphins . Should it be Jalen Tolbert ? Tutu Atwell ? Malik Washington ? Greg Dulcich ? Rookie Chris Bell , who will likely miss a chunk of the season recovering from a knee injury? And yet, the Dolphins didn't even come in last here. That's mostly because of the respect that everyone has for Achane, who is one of the best and most explosive backs in the NFL , though Willis has his fans as well. Miami fell off 16 spots from last season, the largest drop in the league, thanks to the departures of Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill . QB: Cam Ward , RB: Tony Pollard , WR: Carnell Tate Ward's rookie season was a disaster, with horrid offensive line play and a struggling pass-catching corps undermining his performance. The Titans added a pair of wideouts in Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson , but Pollard is heading into his age-29 season, and there is little to point to in Ward's stat line that indicates that he's going to be a lot better. QB: Geno Smith , RB: Breece Hall , WR: Garrett Wilson IV The Jets fell six spots here despite replacing Justin Fields with Geno Smith. It feels like they're being punished for Smith's awful season in Las Vegas, which unfolded under horrendous circumstances in arguably the NFL's worst offensive environment. (Tennessee is the only team that has an argument for being worse.) Smith is also getting up there in age, though, so it's possible that he's just on the downslide of his career and will never get back what he had for a few years in Seattle. The Jets and the next three teams on the list were separated by a total of 0.2 points in the rankings. QB: Bryce Young , RB: Chuba Hubbard , WR: Tetairoa McMillan The Panthers moved up just one spot despite Young showing some improvement and McMillan putting together a very good debut season (70 catches for 1,014 yards and 7 touchdowns). This ranking doesn't show much faith in Young to take the next step as a passer, and tha
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The Athletic's Zac Jackson singles out Cleveland Browns second-year running back Quinshon Judkins as a breakout candidate to watch in 2026, even though he suffered a season-ending fractured fibula and dislocated ankle last December. Judkins was ahead of his rehab schedule this spring and "figures to be featured in new head coach Todd Monken's offense." The 22-year-old former second-rounder (36th overall) out of Ohio State missed all of training camp last year due to an assault charge that was eventually dropped. He made his NFL debut in Week 2 and quickly showed why the Browns consider him such a big part of their future. Judkins finished with 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 230 rushing attempts while adding 26 receptions for 171 yards as a pass-catcher in 14 starts as a rookie. He needs to be healthy and improve on passing downs, but he's surely going to see plenty of volume and will have ample opportunities to prove he's an explosive and reliable runner for Monken. Even with the Browns' questionable QB situation, Judkins is a target for fantasy managers in both dynasty/keeper leagues and redraft formats in 2026
Deshaun Watson faces a battle for the starting QB job in Cleveland against Shedeur Sanders. Watson's career has been hampered by injuries and off-field issues, and he missed the entire 2025 season. Despite low expectations and a QB32 ADP, he could offer value as a third quarterback in superflex leagues if he wins the job and stays healthy in Todd Monken's offense
The Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson is a major focus, with the starter likely to be decided after joint practices and the second preseason game. Tight end Harold Fannin is expected to have a breakout season, potentially reaching 100 catches. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins aims to build on a promising start before a leg injury derailed his season. The team also boasts a strong offensive line with new coaching and a promising outlook for first-round draft pick Spencer Fano
Chase Brown had a slow start to last year, largely due to the Joe Burrow injury that resulted in Jake Browning getting four starts. The running back averaged just 2.46 yards per carry through Week 5, but then turned it around and averaged 5.14 yards per carry after Joe Flacco took over for Browning and then Burrow returned to the field. Still, that slow start has the quick running back’s stock dropping to the point that coaches, scouts, and executives do not consider him to be among the top ten backs in the NFL, according to a survey conducted by ESPN . In his article on the survey, Jeremy Fowler shared the list of top-10 running backs and explained how it came together: Voters gave their own top 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on the number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen as well as ESPN Research. More than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed contributed to placements. Here’s the list: Bijan Robinson , Atlanta Falcons Jahmyr Gibbs , Detroit Lions Saquon Barkley , Philadelphia Eagles Christian McCaffrey , San Francisco 49ers Jonathan Taylor , Indianapolis Colts Derrick Henry , Baltimore Ravens James Cook III , Buffalo Bills De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs Breece Hall , New York Jets It’s easy to see why Brown would be left out of the top seven. And Walker is coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance. But Brown could arguably be better than Hall. Now here’s the interesting part: Brown wasn’t even included among the honorable mentions, who were Josh Jacobs ( Green Bay Packers ), Kyren Williams ( Los Angeles Rams ), and Quinshon Judkins ( Cleveland Browns ). Brown was, however, mentioned among those who also received votes, along with D’Andre Swift, Javonte Williams , Ashton Jeanty , TreVeyon Henderson , Travis Etienne Jr. , and Alvin Kamara
The Raiders 2025 draft class only has played one season, so identifying which players could or could not be replaced here is a little bit different than my previous editions. Players have either under, or over performed and plenty of players are still developing after being selected as pure developmental prospects. Ashton Jeanty is a staple of the Raiders offense, and looking back was a runningback the right pick, most likely not, but he’ll remain a focal point of the Klint Kubiak offense, beyond that we will see the rest. A fun idea I had was a re-draft, but not any re-draft that just picks the best player, I wanted to re-draft the Raiders for 2020 but use the same positions at each selection. For example in 2019 at 4th overall, while I would desperately want to take a defensive tackle, the Raiders selected EDGE Clelin Ferrell and thus they’ll stick at EDGE. A few rules: Any player can be selected, but only one’s who were available with that pick to start with, for example a busted first round pick, who still produced but not at a first round value I can’t take in round 3 or 4 I MUST take a player at the same position that was taken at that selection (QB for QB, RB for RB, etc) The overall selections remain the same, I won’t assume a trade does or doesn’t happen I plan to do a redraft for 2019 to 2025 re-draft and then my own personal “what I would do” 2026 re-draft so keep an eye on those. Round 1, 6th Overall: RB Ashton Jeanty (original pick) Original Pick: RB Ashton Jeanty You could likely make a case here for Patriots 2nd rounder TreVeyon Henderson or Browns Quinshon Judkins , but I remain with Jeanty. An underwhelming season for the rookie out of Boise State was largely in part to near historically bad offensive line play in terms of run blocking. Jeanty recorded just 975 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, with a 3.7 yards/attempt but he also added 346 yards, five touchdowns, and 55 receptions good for over 1300 career yards from scrimmage. Jeanty also ranked inside the top eight for breakaway rate, missed tackles forced, yards after contact, and explosive run rate with him ranking top 3 in both missed tackles and yards after contact. Round 2, 58th Overall: WR Kyle Williams (69th overall) Original Pick: WR Jack Bech I debated sticking with Bech or going with Noel, Chimere Dike , and Pat Bryant . Dike is an All-Pro for his pure return skills and despite 48 receptions, 423 yards, and 4 TD he’s a little limited as a receiver which gives me a bit of concern there given the reliance on straight line speed & limited route running. Broncos 3rd rounder Pat Bryant hauled in 378 yards, and a touchdown on 31 receptions, and Bech 224 yards on 20 receptions. Lastly, Noel logged 26 receptions, 292 yards, and 2 touchdowns. The 2025 draft was deep at wide receiver, but there was a stark fall off after the 39th overall selection of Luther Burden with just four of 17 receivers crossing 300 yards today. Kyle Williams was among my top receivers in the class, and the 3rd rounder hauled in 10 receptions, 209 yards, and three touchdowns with another 290 yards on 11 kick returns. It’s hard to evaluate the draft class, and Bech could turn into having a long career but his rookie season was far from expectations. Round 3, 68th Overall: CB Darien Porter (original pick) Original Pick: CB Darien Porter Like other picks on this list, it was a debate mainly down to Chiefs Nohl Williams , 49ers Upton Stout & Saints Quincy Riley. Riley and Stout both primarily play the slot, and both struggled with their ups and downs in 2025 in the run game, coverage, and volume of targets. Nohl Williams allowed a 52% reception rate, 276 yards, and a 82.9 QBR with 7 PBU and 50 tackles. Porter played roughly 200 more snaps, and the 3rd rounder logged 5 PBU, a FR, and allowed just 290 yards, 0 touchdowns, and a 79.8 QBR. Porter is older, but he’s new the position, and the 4th rounder has elite measurables with the potential to be a long term starting def
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ESPN has started releasing their Top 10 position lists for the 2026 NFL season, and started with running backs . In what should be no surprise, Eagles RB Saquon Barkley lands on the list at No. 3 overall, down from No. 1 last offseason. Jeremy Fowler makes it clear in the article that the rankings are not a future projection, or a career-inclusive award, but rather best tried to answer who the best running back in the league is right now . Despite a drop in production in 2025, the coaches, scouts, and team personnel around the league didn’t penalize Barkley for his performance that followed a 2,000-yard season when it came to voting. “I’m not going to penalize him for a terrible all-around offense last year,” a high-ranking personnel official with an NFL team said, according to ESPN . “He’s still a three-down weapon and if I needed a running back for one season I’m still taking him 1.” One NFL coordinator explained that his only criticism of Barkley is that he doesn’t always produce when everything isn’t set up perfectly, with the RB needing lanes to be completely clean — something the coordinator said dates back to Barkley’s time with the Giants. We got to see a taste of that last season with the offensive line struggled and he tried to stretch the field with fancy footwork instead of a bull-like approach. Still, no one is questioning Barkley’s ability to be a game-changer, and hopefully with changes to the offensive scheme and coaching staff, things will be more cohesive for everyone in 2026. Full Top 10 RB list: Bijan Robinson Jahmyr Gibbs Saquon Barkley Christian McCaffrey Jonathan Taylor Derrick Henry James Cook III De’Von Achane Kenneth Walker III Breece Hall Three players received honorable mention — Josh Jacobs , Kyren Williams , Quinshon Judkins — and several other players received votes, including: D’Andre Swift, Javonte Williams , Chase Brown , Ashton Jeanty , TreVeyon Henderson , Travis Etienne Jr. , Alvin Kamara
Next up on our training camp preview is the running back position. Although the top end of the depth chart didn’t see much change this offseason, there will be a battle on the back end of the depth chart, which could be a player who gets valuable reps when you consider how the Ravens utilized their backs under Todd Monken . Height: 6-0 | Weight: 221 lbs | Age: 22 Experience: 2 years | College: Ohio State Taken in the second round of last year’s draft, Quinshon Judkins , along with Harold Fannin , were the two bright spots of the Browns’ offense last year. Judkins missed much of training camp last year with his legal issue, and then missed the final two games of the season with an ankle dislocation and fractured fibula. Everything in between was an admirable rookie season for Judkins, who finished with 230 carries for 827 yards (3.6 YPC) and 7 TD to go along with 26 catches for 171 yards. He found more success in his first four games, averaging 4.82 YPC, as opposed to his final 10 games, when he averaged 3.04 YPC. With how poor the Browns’ offensive line and receivers were playing, the general sentiment was that the running backs didn’t stand much of a chance, no matter who you put back there. Judkins passed the eye test of a quality starting back, and enough of a worthy successor to Nick Chubb . Judkins isn’t a dynamic receiver, but can do the basics there. However, that also means we’re likely to see a healthy dose of Dylan Sampson in third down situations. Final Roster Odds: 100% Height: 5-8 | Weight: 200 lbs | Age: 21 Experience: 2 years | College: Tennessee When the Browns drafted two running backs last year, it was a pretty clear signal that the team was “out with the old” ( Nick Chubb , Jerome Ford ) and “in with the new.” Yes, Ford was on the roster last year as insurance, but he was not retained this offseason. As a rookie, Dylan Sampson really struggled to find running lanes behind Cleveland’s battered offensive line. He finished with 65 carries for 175 yards (2.7 YPC). As a receiver, he had 33 catches for 271 yards and 2 TD. Considering he had 8 catches for 64 yards in the season opener, I think with a better offense, there is hope he can be a solid receiving threat out of the backfield in a more competent offense. But there’s also something to be said about his one-dimensional nature, if that doesn’t improve. He, along with Judkins, also struggled in pass protection as rookies. It’ll be interesting to see if that compels Todd Monken to turn to another back when he comes to giving Judkins a breather. Final Roster Odds: 100% Height: 6-0 | Weight: 230 lbs | Age: 24 Experience: 2 years | College: South Carolina Andrew Berry acquired Raheim “Rocket” Sanders off waivers after final roster cuts last season from the Chargers . Sanders immediately got the call as a short yardage back in Week 1, having 3 carries for 3 yards and 1 TD. Then, with Judkins returning, Sanders was inactive or did not play until the final three games of the year. For the season, he had 27 carries for 92 yards (3.4 YPC) and 1 TD to go along with 3 catches for 21 yards. Here is an example of one of Sanders’ blitz pickups during that final stretch of games. It put some positive things on tape, and I thought he showed some encouraging things to indicate he can contribute on gameday. Then, it comes down to a strategic coaching decision, since he offers a similar style to Judkins, but you may want that contrasting nature between Judkins and Sampson. Final Roster Odds: 80% Height: 6-1 | Weight: 225 lbs | Age: 24 Experience: 1 year | College: Appalachian State Ahmani Marshall was the Browns undrafted free agent back last year, and he had a solid showing in preseason and training camp, running 24 times for 88 yards (3.7 YPC) and 1 TD to go along with 4 catches for 20 yards. Despite that, he was essentially a redshirt as a rookie. When the team knew they would be without Judkins, Sampson, or Ford at times, they instead turned to the likes of
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Several Cleveland Browns players are discussed in recent news, including Deshaun Watson, Roger Shoals, Jared Verse, Quinshon Judkins, and Parker Brailsford. Despite roster improvements, the Browns' starters are ranked near the bottom of the NFL by ESPN. Questions remain about the team's defensive leadership and offensive potential for the upcoming season
This article from Yahoo Sports rounds up recent news and analysis for the Cleveland Browns, covering defensive player longevity, a unique Polish festival, offensive X-factors like RB Quinshon Judkins, potential All-Pros, offensive scheme changes at tight end, rookie WR KC Concepcion's potential, and a ranking of draft picks under Andrew Berry
The Cleveland Browns have expectations of not being one of the league’s worst clubs for a second consecutive year. GM Andrew Berry worked overtime this offseason to address the weak spots and bring in new players to replace those who weren’t getting it done. Training camp is approaching, and the air will be very clear on the final 53-man roster and who is in and who is out. The focus will then be on which players will fit best at all positions. RELATED: ANALYZING HOW RB ROOM COULD SHAKE OUT There are many good-to-great players on this year’s roster, and still some problem areas. But there is one player on offense who can change the narrative and perhaps be the difference in games. While most would point to the quarterback position as being the key component to success this year, the fact is, RB Quinshon Judkins brought the Browns’ running game back to the forefront as a viable option for this offense. The running game should be the main focus going forward in Todd Monken’s offense. It will take a solid running back with Judkins and Dylan Sampson , with a dose of Rocket Sanders thrown in. The offensive line is redesigned for the run game, and guys love to run block. This does cut down on the number of passes thrown. But the passing game still needs to be successful and prevalent when called upon. The ideal situation would be for the rushing attack to consume 65%-70% of plays. Whether that becomes true for each game will be determined as the season rolls along. He is the guy who can rush 23-25 carries a game and take on that workload. The player who will be this year’s offensive “X-factor” is running back Quinshon Judkins. The offense will get back to featuring two tight end sets. That requires two exceptional bodies to man the positions. The passing game needs to be the complement and not the focus. In order to do this, the offense will require qualified pass catchers and a running back who can control the clock. Judkins had a good year before he became injured in the Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills . What happened at that point was that he was the darling of the RB room. But he suffered a dislocated ankle and also fractured his fibula. The injuries placed him on IR, thus ending his season. In-game action after Q became injured, the offense’s run game almost completely collapsed. Buffalo: Rocket Sanders, 11 carries for 42 yards, plus Shedeur Sanders ’ 4 carries for 49 yards Pittsburgh : Three runners, 21 carries for 58 yards, plus Sanders’ 4 carries for 20 yards Cincinnati : Four runners, 21 carries for 94 yards, plus Sanders’ 3 carries for 24 yards It is realized that the MVP of the offense will either become TE Harold Fannin or whoever becomes the starting quarterback. Nobody is disputing this. But it is Q who will become the juice to get the offense’s motor going. Judkins didn’t even make the NFL All-Rookie roster, and may have a problem staying healthy. He came to Cleveland as a huge playmaker, but is his health going to be an issue every season? The bonus with Judkins is that he is an outstanding pass catcher with size. He was utilized often in the passing game with 36 targets, 26 receptions for 171 yards, and 7 first-down conversions. Judkins is a willing blocker, although his technique needs improvement and more tutelage. But all of these qualities have illustrated that he is a complete player and willing to do the dirty work. In just 14 games, Judkins had 827 rushing yards on 230 carries, 50 first-down conversions, and scored 7 touchdowns. In comparison, in Nick Chubb ’s rookie season, he rushed for 996 yards on 192 carries, scored 8 TDs, and had 47 first-down conversions. The offensive line has been revamped, so this should allow each runner the ability to find holes and gaps this year. His injury last year was nasty, so how ready he’ll be to go full speed by the start of camp is merely a guess at this point. When completely healthy, the focal point of the offense will become Judkins and the run ga
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