:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72663100/1689693149.0.jpg)
Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb was carted off the field after sustaining a bad knee injury in Week 2 on Monday Night Football vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. The injury did not look good and there’s a chance this is a serious knee injury. If that’s the case, Chubb likely won’t play the rest of the 2023 NFL season. There’s also a very good chance you selected Chubb in the first round and this could really derail your fantasy season. If that’s the case, don’t panic, let’s look at our options.
Update — The Browns fear Chubb has a season-ending injury and he’s undergoing more tests, per NFL Insider Justin Schultz.
Fantasy football impact: Nick Chubb injury
First, if you have Jerome Ford as a handcuff that’s a good sign. In Week 1, the Browns blew out the Bengals for the most part but Ford got 15 carries in the win. With Chubb sidelined, Ford should get first crack at RB1 duties.
Cleveland may bring someone in regardless, so monitor the news. If it’s a free agent it could be someone like Leonard Fournette, who remains unsigned. Kareem Hunt is also a free agent and could be brought back after this Chubb injury. So if you can pounce on one of those players it could pay off big.
Other than that, you’re going to either have to have an internal replacement at RB, but even then that may not make up for Chubb’s type of production. If you’re playing from a position of depth, striking up a trade to get a RB isn’t a bad idea. Target someone like Alvin Kamara or Jonathan Taylor. It’s a risky move with Taylor, but it could pay off if his manager has more depth after a few weeks.
Playing the waiver wire well should also pay off. There’s been plenty of injuries, so in shallow leagues with 8-10 teams it shouldn’t be difficult to find someone who can at least be an OK FLEX play. In deeper formats, there are still some RBs worth adding in PPR. Here are a few options to check out: