Browns RB Kareem Hunt (thigh) did not practice on Wednesday. It's the first we've heard of the issue. It's possible that this was more of a rest day for the veteran. Check back tomorrow for another update on Hunt.
CBS Sports' Josina Anderson is told that Browns QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder) will not play vs. the 49ers on Sunday. He's about three weeks removed from a bruised rotator cuff that reportedly might take up to six weeks to fully heal. If Watson is indeed out this weekend, Cleveland will start QB P.J. Walker, who has seven career starts across the past three seasons. Walker sports a 57.5% completion rate, 6.4 yards per pass attempt, and five TDs vs. 11 INTs. A Walker-led passing game has very little chance against San Francisco.
Browns RB Jerome Ford logged 9 carries for 26 yards in Week 4’s loss vs. the Ravens. It was a disappointing outing for the second-year back, but his 5 catches for 19 receiving yards helped boost him a little in half-PPR and full-PPR formats. Teammate Pierre Strong Jr. led the team with 49 rushing yards in the contest. The Browns’ offense struggled to get much going with rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center. They’re set to go on bye and will hopefully have starting QB Deshaun Watson back in Week 6.
Browns RB Jerome Ford racked up two TDs in Week 3. Entering a tough matchup with Tennessee, the second-year back mustered only 1.8 YPC on 10 attempts. But he cashed in with one goal line score – and added a downfield TD catch while split out wide. Ford will remain on the RB2/FLEX radar for a Week 4 date with Baltimore. Note that Kareem Hunt mixed in for 5 carries (3 targets) in his 2023 debut.
Browns RB Kareem Hunt will play vs. the Titans on Sunday, HC Kevin Stefanski said. “How much will be determined” by how things go during the game, he added, according to insider Mary Kay Cabot. “He’s in good shape mentally and physically." We're expecting Hunt to have just a small role behind lead back Jerome Ford, but we'll certainly be keeping a close eye on how this Nick Chubb-less backfield evolves.
The Browns are signing RB Kareem Hunt to a one-year deal worth "up to" $4 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. This move seemed likely the minute RB Nick Chubb went down with his season-ending knee injury on Monday night. Hunt spent the past four seasons with the Browns, so he's familiar with HC Kevin Stefanski's offense. It's worth noting, though, that Hunt is now 28 and is coming off an inefficient 2022 season. He averaged just 3.8 yards per carry and ranked 35th among 48 qualifiers in NFL Next Gen Stats' Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt. We're still expecting RB Jerome Ford to get the first crack at lead duties but will keep a close eye on this backfield going forward. Both Ford and Hunt are worth rostering in all fantasy leagues.
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski called Jerome Ford the team's "featured back" with Nick Chubb out for the rest of the season, according to insider Mary Kay Cabot. We'll see exactly what that means for Ford's snap rate and volume, but it's clear that he'll get the first crack at lead duties. He got off to a strong start in relief of Chubb on Monday night, ripping off 106 yards on 16 carries and catching three of four targets for 25 yards and a score. Kareem Hunt and Cam Akers are among the RBs the Browns are considering adding to the backfield, Cabot reports.
Browns RB Jerome Ford ran the ball 16 times for 106 rushing yards in Week 2’s loss vs. the Steelers. The second-year back also added 3 catches on 4 targets for 25 yards and a score as a receiver in the game. Ford performed well in relief of injured teammate Nick Chubb (knee) and will be one of the most popular additions off of the waiver wire this week. HC Kevin Stefanski confirmed after the game that Chubb will be out for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Browns RB Nick Chubb left Monday night's game in Pittsburgh on a cart after taking a shot to his left knee. ESPN declined to show replays of the injury, and Chubb could be seen denying a teammate who wanted to help him up immediately after. We'll watch for details on the injury, but it certainly doesn't look good. RB Jerome Ford entered and caught a TD pass on the ensuing play. (He then also ran in the 1-point conversion.)
Update: Chubb has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Browns RB Nick Chubb recorded 18 attempts for 106 rushing yards in Week 1's win vs. the Bengals. He also caught all 4 targets and 21 receiving yards through the air. This is yet another classic Chubb performance. Fantasy managers who drafted the veteran early got precisely what they paid for. Due to the poor weather in Cleveland, the Browns ran the ball a collective 40 times. One item to watch moving forward is the involvement of teammate Jerome Ford, a player who saw 15 carries and 36 rushing yards of his own on Sunday. We don't mention this to suggest we're concerned about Chubb's workload. But does the heavy RB2 involvement have more to do with the rainy conditions, or is this foreshadowing? We'll find out next week as the Browns travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers on Monday night primetime.
Browns RB Jerome Ford is not listed on the Week 1 injury report. He missed three weeks in August with a hamstring injury but is ready for Sunday's opener vs. the Bengals. We'll see how snaps are divvied between Ford and Pierre Strong behind lead back Nick Chubb. We're still projecting Ford as the Chubb handcuff.
Browns RB Jerome Ford returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since injuring his right hamstring back on Aug. 7. Ford still has more than a week before the Sept. 10 opener against the Bengals. He also has added competition after Cleveland traded for RB Pierre Strong. We'd still stash Ford ahead of Strong in fantasy football drafts. Both are late-round options but could present significant upside in the case of a Nick Chubb injury.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Patriots have traded RB Pierre Strong to the Browns for OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr. Cleveland has spent August thin at RB behind Nick Chubb, with Jerome Ford out nursing a hamstring injury. ESPN's Jake Trotter projected Demetric Felton as the third RB behind Chubb and Ford before this move. The trade doesn't guarantee that Strong makes the regular-season roster. But he should be a good bet to do so. Given that Ford has just eight career NFL touches on offense, it's an upside landing spot for Strong. His departure from a Patriots roster he was expected to make leaves room for at least one among Kevin Harris, Ty Montgomery, and J.J. Taylor behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott.
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski shared on Tuesday that RB Jerome Ford (hamstring) will not practice with the team this week, per beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot. This ailment has kept Ford out of practice for almost two weeks at this point. However, Stefanski added that Ford is progressing toward returning from injury and that the team is hopeful he'll be available for their season opener vs. the Bengals on September 10. Should Ford not be ready to go for Week 1, RB Demetric Felton would be in line for backup duties behind starter Nick Chubb. We'll keep an eye on this situation as more information becomes available.
Browns RB Jerome Ford's Week 1 status is in doubt after he injured his hamstring on Monday, according to insider Mary Kay Cabot. Ford seemingly had the No. 2 RB job -- and potentially a third-down role -- locked up. We'll see if this injury spurs the Browns to add to the backfield. Outside of Ford and Nick Chubb, the only other RBs on the roster are Demetric Felton, John Kelly, and Hassan Hall.
Per Browns reporter Tony Grossi, RB Jerome Ford suffered a right hamstring injury in Monday’s practice. He hobbled off the field to get checked out by team trainers. We’ll let you know when we hear about the severity.
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said Sunday that the team's third-down RB job is up for grabs. "Could be Nick [Chubb], could be Jerome [Ford]," Stefanski said. Chubb played just 21% of Cleveland's third-down snaps last year, ceding most of that work to RB Kareem Hunt, who's no longer on the team. Any extra third-down work Chubb picks up this season would be a bonus -- and give him an opportunity to grow his receiving production considerably. Ford, meanwhile, seems locked in as the Chubb handcuff. If he captures the majority of the third-down work, he'd have a chance at some standalone value in PPR leagues.
Browns GM Andrew Berry has been impressed by RB Jerome Ford's ability in the passing game. "Feel really good about Jerome Ford," Berry said. "Had a strong spring, pass protection especially. We think his receiver skills are strong." That's particularly noteworthy as the Browns look to replace RB Kareem Hunt, who averaged 3.4 targets per game over the last four seasons. We're not expecting Ford to pick up all of that work -- or be a standalone fantasy option behind a healthy Nick Chubb. But this looks like further confirmation that Ford is the Chubb handcuff, barring an addition to the Cleveland backfield.
Search
