Jerome Ford: Fantasy Value Without Nick Chubb?
Who doesn’t love Nick Chubb? NFL fans everywhere were devastated when Chubb went down in Week Two on Monday Night against the Steelers. It was one of those injuries that you knew he was done for the year before we got the official confirmation. It’s since been confirmed that Chubb is done for the year. Of course, in fantasy football, we can only play with the cards that we’re dealt. Jerome Ford is the topic today because we all know now that he’s going to be the focal point of the Browns’ rushing attack.
In my league, Ford is already taken. If he’s not taken, you should make it a priority to go pick him up. You already know that part though. The real question is what should we expect from Ford now that he has the keys to the job?
For starters, we know the Browns are going to add a running back. That part is pretty certain. With Chubb going on IR, Cleveland has a spot to add a back. Otherwise, it’s just Ford and Pierre Strong on the roster. Maybe a reunion with Kareem Hunt makes sense. Maybe the Browns will call up Hassan Hall from the practice squad and call it a day. Regardless, I don’t expect Ford to get the pure volume that Chubb got. Someone is going to be added to the mix here.
Is Pierre Strong a threat? I actually don’t think he is. Strong looked really bad in the preseason with the Patriots, which is a big reason why they went out and signed Ezekiel Elliott. New England then traded Strong to Cleveland for swing tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. Strong also barely received work in the game after Chubb departed. Strong got two carries while Ford got 16.
Ford is going to be the guy here and I really don’t expect Strong to eat into the carries in a significant way. Ford may not get Chubb level volume, but there is no question he’s the guy here. He’s a much better talent than Strong. I have notes on Ford during his time at Cincinnati. He’s always been a powerful runner.
Never forget that Ford was recruited and attended Alabama. Strong went to South Dakota State. Pretty big difference there. If you’re going to create a Chubb replacement in a lab, Ford isn’t a bad alternative. He’s not Chubb but is built and runs in a similar way.
Also, Cleveland really believes in Ford. It was reported over the Summer that they didn’t really want to bring Hunt back because they believed Ford deserved the touches. That speaks volumes. Also, Ford could be involved in the passing game more since that’s what Hunt did a lot of for Cleveland. Don’t undersell Ford’s ability to catch. Plus, Deshaun Watson hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since he’s been back. He needs to rely on some easy completions.
I really like Ford’s chances to succeed from a fantasy perspective. This offensive line in Cleveland is very, very good and Ford is averaging 4.6 yards per carry in the early portion of 2023. The zero RB strategy wins again. If you can acquire Ford, I recommend you do so. If he’s already taken, I’d be willing to part with a valuable piece to acquire him.
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