The Nick Chubb era of Cleveland Browns football is over, leading the Browns to rework their running back room this offseason. While Jerome Ford is the expected starter, don't be surprised if second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins becomes a huge impact player both on the field and in fantasy football.
Fantasy Pros listed Judkins as one of their possible breakout stars for fantasy football this upcoming season. Browns fans certainly hope they're right because if Judkins is excelling in the fantasy landscape, then that likely means he's doing so on the actual gridiron as well, which benefits the Browns offense.
“Quinshon Judkins has all the ingredients for a rookie breakout in 2025. Drafted 36th overall by the Browns, he’s currently listed as the No. 2 RB behind Jerome Ford but is already pushing for first-team reps. He brings a physical, downhill running style paired with a power and speed combo that produced 1,060 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns in his final season at Ohio State. With Nick Chubb no longer in the picture, Judkins is in prime position to seize the lead role and eclipse 1,000 rushing yards and 6-8 touchdowns as a rookie. His blend of toughness, burst and opportunity makes him a potential league-winning value in all formats.”
Quinshon Judkins could very well have a breakout year for Browns in 2025
Judkins wasn't the only running back the Browns drafted this year. They spent a fourth-round selection on Dylan Sampson, who is third on the depth chart as of this writing. It was a smart move for a team that finished fourth to last in total rushing yards a season ago, which felt very un-Browns-like.
This is a team that has thrived on running the ball, largely in part to having Chubb at their disposal, but losing him was obviously tough to overcome. The hope is that Judkins can come in and bring to the offense what it was missing while Chubb was out.
Ford did well in 2023 when Chubb first went down, but his 2024 numbers weren't as strong. It wouldn't be surprising if, with a strong training camp and preseason, Judkins jumped Ford on the depth chart and became the Browns' RB1. If he does, fantasy football managers should jump at the chance to start him each week.