Deshaun Watson, Browns Dealt Unfortunate Injury News

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

Deshaun Watson, Browns Dealt Unfortunate Injury News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Sep 13, 2026 2:00 PM ET

Todd Monken and the Cleveland Browns came into the 2026 NFL season with real hope their run game would finally click. Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, both entering their second years, were set to anchor that backfield behind Deshaun Watson, and Sampson flashed real promise as a rookie.

After Cleveland’s rushing attack sputtered through 2025, fixing that unit sat near the top of Monken’s priority list heading into a Week 1 matchup against Liam Coen and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Week 1 against the Jaguars has brought a rough start instead of the breakthrough Monken was hoping for. Cleveland’s offense hasn’t found any rhythm, Watson has struggled to get comfortable early, and the Browns trailed 14-0 after the first quarter with an interception already on his stat line.

Cleveland Browns running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan SampsonUSA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Now Cleveland is dealing with an injury issue in the backfield, too. The Browns have ruled Sampson out for the rest of the game with a knee injury.

He headed to the medical tent after Cleveland’s opening series and was taken to the locker room shortly after, leaving the Browns to finish the afternoon against Coen and the Jaguars without him.

Injury Update | RB Dylan Sampson has been downgraded to out https://t.co/FVJloMo9wU
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 13, 2026

Losing Sampson, even for a game, is a real blow to a backfield that leaned on him as a rookie and was counting on a bigger step in Year 2 alongside Judkins.

Sampson arrived in Cleveland as a fourth-round pick out of Tennessee, the 126th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. He appeared in 15 games as a rookie, starting twice, and finished with 65 carries for 175 yards to go with 33 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns.

That role traced back to college, where he ran for 2,492 yards and 35 touchdowns on 422 carries at Tennessee.

Dylan Sampson’s status will be a crucial update to monitor ahead of the Browns’ Week 2 trip to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 20.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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