There isn’t a lot of hype around the Cleveland Browns for fantasy football right now. With the quarterback situation in flux and the team resetting for the future, the offense is not ripe for production.  Through the mess that currently is the Browns’ running back room, a beautiful hidden gem may be sitting in plain sight. With Quinshon Judkins throwing a major wrench in the team’s game plan, Dylan Sampson could quickly become one of the best values in fantasy football.

It was expected that the Browns would return to a ground-and-pound approach to the offense as the quarterback situation settles. Whether it would be a veteran like Joe Flacco or a rookie like Shedeur Sanders, leaning on the run game between rookies Judkins, Sampson, and incumbent Jerome Ford seems like the best path for the team. This approach is something the team was forced to abandon to accommodate Deshaun Watson, but with that no longer being the case, head coach and offensive mind Kevin Stefanski can once again play the way he wants.

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Then, Judkins got into trouble. Between his open domestic violence case and the series of fellow second-rounders who had gone until the last minute without signing a deal, Judkins remains without his, and his status to start the season remains unknown.  As training camp gets underway, this will open the door for Sampson to take the lead role. Jerome Ford will likely get first-team snaps, but a competition should trend positively for Sampson.

Sampson was frequently considered a top-six or so running back in a class stacked at the position, and with such fell to the fourth round. His pairing with Judkins seemed like an excellent combination of play styles, but should Judkins miss some time, Sampson should be in a position for a workhorse role. Currently at RB54 per FantasyPros.com, he’s going in the range as other true backups like former Brown Nick Chubb, and just ahead of Ford. That makes him essentially free in drafts, a late-round flyer, or even a free agent to start the year.

Sampson was likely undervalued previously, with most of the hype focused on Judkins. In reality, he, too, was going to see plenty of work and possibly even a passing-down role. Now, at minimum, he’s a strong handcuff who may return excellent early-season results. It’s quite possible he can work into a larger role with this new opportunity and become one of fantasy’s best values.

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns RB Dylan Sampson an excellent fantasy football value pick