Quinshon Judkins Likely to Make NFL Debut for Browns in Week 2 vs. Ravens
Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins is on track to make his NFL debut Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.
The Browns have officially listed Judkins as questionable for the matchup in Baltimore.
“He has done a nice job,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said on Friday. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do up to this point. I do think he’s in good shape and I thought he did a nice job with this week.”
Judkins got in his first “full” practice on Thursday since the spring. He met with NFL investigators on Wednesday in New York as part of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy investigation into a July arrest. Judkins will not be charged for the alleged incident and has not been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. The NFL has stated that it does not have a timeline for resolving Judkins’ situation.
Browns right tackle Jack Conklin, who suffered an eye injury during Week 1, is also questionable. Cleveland has ruled defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. out for a second consecutive week as he continues his recovery from a knee injury he suffered last season.
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins in ‘Pivotal’ Stretch
Judkins is still playing catch-up in his bid to get on the field. He missed all of training camp and the preseason because of a contract holdout and an off-field incident. The silver lining is that he logged some work during rookie minicamp and OTAs, which gave him a solid foundation to build on.
“We’re around these guys a good chunk so you have opportunities to find ways to get install,” offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said Thursday. “Obviously for Q you know, we’ll take it day-by-day to see how he continues to progress in practice. It takes some extra work to make sure that we can catch him up after a Wednesday practice. But Thursdays and Fridays are really pivotal days throughout the week. So, finding ways to make sure that we get him the proper work to give him an opportunity moving forward.”
The Browns drafted Judkins No. 36 overall with the intention of him being their bell-cow back. Judkins was a big producer during his college career, first at Ole Miss and then at Ohio State. He rushed for 3,785 yards and 45 touchdowns over three college seasons.
Browns Quinshon Judkins to Boost Backfield
Judkins is expected to be a key piece of the Browns’ offense moving forward, with plans for him to shoulder a significant workload and help Cleveland control the clock with sustained drives.
That was sorely missing in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns mustered just 49 rushing yards, averaging 2.0 yards per carry. Their longest run went for just five yards.
Judkins will return to a backfield that already features a productive rookie in Dylan Sampson. He led the team with eight catches for 64 yards against Cincinnati and added 29 yards on 12 carries. Sampson’s versatility ensures he’ll continue to play a major role even once Judkins is in the mix.
The Browns are a 12.5-point underdog against the Ravens on the road.
Jaguars vs. Bengals Final Score Prediction for NFL Week 2 (Can the Bengals Cover?)
Two undefeated teams will face off at Paycor Stadium on Sunday and their Week 1 and their paths to 1-0 couldn’t have been more different.
The Jacksonville Jaguars dominated their season opener from start to finish and won by 16 points on the road at Bank of America Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals, on the other hand, struggled on offense despite being an offensive juggernaut last campaign and squeaked by with a one-point victory after the Cleveland Browns missed a potential game-winning field goal from 36 yards out. Now both sides will aim to improve to 2-0.
SI Betting will be sharing score predictions for every NFL game this season by using the latest odds to project likely outcomes. Here’s our betting breakdown for Sunday’s matchup between Jacksonville and Cincinnati.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread
Moneyline
Total
The books appear to be turning on the Bengals as the weekend approaches. The Bengals were -225 on the moneyline as 5.5-point favorites on DraftKings when the lines opened.
Cincinnati has struggled lately but has covered the spread in 56.1% of its games under Zac Taylor.
This year’s Jaguars did dominate the Carolina Panthers 26-10 in Week 1, but that’s not too impressive when you consider that they were facing last year’s worst scoring defense. Carolina hasn’t made any significant upgrades since giving up 31.4 points per game in 2024. Jacksonville will face another team that fielded a terrible defense last season in Week 2.
The Bengals’ defense unexpectedly powered their Week 1 win by coming up with two big second-half interceptions while its elite offense flopped. Cincinnati’s offense isn’t likely to underperform again given the weapons at its disposal, though.
The Bengals averaged 28.9 points per game at home and I can’t see Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combining for less than 60 receiving yards in a second consecutive game. Cincinnati only won three home games last season, but their average margin of victory was 13.7 points in those contests.
I’m banking on the Bengals putting together a major bounce-back performance in a convincing win.
Final Score Prediction: Bengals 28, Jaguars 21
