Dylan Sampson Dynasty Value: Is He Too Small to Matter?

QUICK LINKS:

Sampson isn’t the flashiest RB in the 2025 class.

He’s unlikely to lead the group in production.

But you can make a case that he’s the most consistent runner of the bunch. His numbers and film reveal a high-floor RB with passing-down potential in the pros.

And that’s after just one season as Tennessee’s starter.

Might we be too optimistic on the 5’8, 200-pounder? Let's see ...

Dylan Sampson Dynasty Values

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Dylan Sampson Draft Profile

Dylan Sampson Combine Results

Sampson passed on running a 40 at the combine because of a late-season hamstring injury. He was clocked at times from 4.46-4.49 seconds at Tennessee’s pro day.

Dylan Sampson College Stats

Little Man Fills Smallish Roles

Sampson drew substantial interest out of high school, despite weighing just 175 pounds. The undersized recruit settled on Tennessee, where he’d slide into the RB3 role.

Sampson technically handled RB2 duties as a sophomore. But he saw only 2.4 carries per game behind lead back (and current Dolphin) Jaylen Wright. 

Sampson beat Wright in forced missed tackle rate (28.9% vs. 24.6%). Wright held edges in yards after contact per attempt (3.75 vs. 3.24) and yards per carry (6.0 vs. 5.7).

Wright left for the NFL in 2024, giving Sampson a path to the No. 1 job.

Sampson Does LeSean McCoy Impression

I won’t bury the lede: Sampson was excellent last season.

He ranked top-10 nationally in:

• carries
• yards
• and TDs

Sampson saw 20+ touches in nine games, including one with 31. And he didn't merely benefit from that high-end volume.

Among 31 RBs with 200+ carries, Sampson ranked: 

• third in Pro Football Focus rushing grade
• eighth in YPC
• ninth in PFF’s elusive rating
• 15th in YAC per attempt

It’s worth noting that Tennessee listed Sampson at 5’11, 201 pounds. He was 5’8, 200 pounds at the combine – so a lack of standout power isn’t surprising.

Let’s let his college HC speak on the strengths …

‘His Best Football is Still Out in Front of Him’

Here’s HC Josh Heupel, who joined the program at the same time as Sampson:

Sampson turns just 21 in September, making him one of the youngest RBs in this class. So there might be a little extra room for growth.

Now, let’s review the tape and see how it aligns with Heupel's comments …

Dylan Sampson Highlights

Games watched: Georgia (2024), Florida (2024), Alabama (2024), NC State (2024), Oklahoma (2024), Mississippi State (2024), Virginia (2023)

Hoping For a Big Play Hunter? Look Away

Only two of Sampson’s 258 carries in 2024 went for 40+ yards. One of them surfaced in the season opener vs. Chattanooga.

Is that a negative? Nah. Just some important framing for what you will (and won’t) see below.

Let’s start with a clip that perfectly reflects Sampson’s game …

Patience to set up blocks. Vision through the hole. Feet like a slalom skier. 

Runs like the 7-yarder above consistently show up on Sampson’s tape. It’s his “innate ability to find the gap … and get to the gap” that led CBS’ Mike Renner to compare Sampson with Kyren Williams and Bucky Irving.

Can Being Short Help Sampson?

Sampson isn’t a hulking back, but he maximizes his frame.

In this next clip, we see him run low to the ground through the hole. Then, he shows the awareness to contort his body to dodge another tackle – and secures extra yardage.

Sampson showed no weakness running between the tackles. According to PFF, he averaged 5.9 YPC on interior runs in 2024.

High Efficiency Points to PPR Upside

Sampson exits college with 40 catches and 21 forced missed tackles on those opportunities, per PFF.

He tallied 8.6 yards per catch and one total score. 

Encouraging numbers, albeit on a small sample. Tennessee actually ranked 121st in the nation in pass rate, per Team Rankings.

So it’s no surprise that my sample of games didn’t show too much in the receiving game. 

The play above shows the potential: Sampson breaks down a defender in space, secures the catch and slips a couple of would-be tacklers.

‘I Can Be An Asset in the Passing Game’

Sampson entered his pro day hoping to change the narrative on his skill set.

“I just didn't get much of a chance to show it [my receiving skills]," Sampson said via A to Z Sports. “But hopefully all the scouts and all the coaches out here saw that. Even though I haven't practiced it that much, that it's still natural to me. The sky's the [limit] for me in the receiver aspect.

"A lot of (NFL) teams believe that I can be an asset in the passing game, I just haven't got a chance to show it. I think a lot of teams had questions, but hopefully they're starting to see that.”

Dylan Sampson Team Fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

Najee Harris signed with the Chargers, leaving behind 299 touches.

Jaylen Warren returned to Pittsburgh but only on a one-year deal.

Former Eagle Kenneth Gainwell arrived in free agency on another one-year deal. Clearly, there's not a long-term solution here.

So, Sampson could enter the rotation in Year 1 while working behind a young and talented O-line. (We'll see whether Pittsburgh can find its long-term QB.)

Dynasty Value Conclusion: Sampson's Strengths Outweigh Concerns

Sampson sits sixth in our Rookie Model Score and sixth in our dynasty rookie RB rankings.

Solid -- especially in this loaded RB class.

But Sampson also needs to address two key questions:

• What type of workloads will he see at 200 pounds?
• Will his receiving usage see an uptick?

As always, team fit will be critical. 

Ultimately, Sampson's tape and production reflects a starting caliber back. He flashed the pro-ready vision, patience, and burst to garner selection on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

If he gets that, I like his chance of earning a fantasy-relevant role by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

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