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Postgame update: Ford finished the game with 106 rushing yards on 16 carries. He also had three catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. With Chubb’s status up in the air, Ford appears to be the main man for Cleveland going forward. He might see Pierre Strong Jr. cut into some of his touches but Ford should see significant volume going forward.
It was a tough night for Nick Chubb fantasy football managers and Cleveland Browns fans on Monday. The Browns lost their starting RB to what appears to be a serious knee injury. Given Chubb’s injury history, there’s a good chance he doesn’t play again this season. Because of that, RB Jerome Ford was thrust into the RB1 role and thrived vs. the Steelers on MNF. We go over why Ford is the top target in all fantasy football leagues on the waiver wire this week.
Fantasy football waiver wire, Week 3: Browns RB Jerome Ford
If you’re a Chubb manager, hopefully you at least picked up Ford after last week, when he had 15 carries vs. the Bengals. If not, put in the waiver wire claim and hope you have priority, because Ford is the top target for all managers. If you’re in a league that uses FAAB and you have Chubb on your roster, spend it all, to be honest. Or at least a good chunk of your budget to secure Ford. It’s a bit knee-jerky but Ford now has top-20 RB upside if he can keep this starting job. If his performance vs. the Steelers is any indication, Ford should get most of the touches moving forward and could emerge as a top fantasy back this season.
If you can’t get Ford, the next best thing might be adding free agent RB Kareem Hunt in an anticipatory move if he re-signs with the team. That’s sort of the rumor circulating after the Chubb injury. RB Leonard Fournette is also available as a free agent. Keep an eye on the news and turn your alerts on for any signings. Third-string RB Pierre Strong Jr. may even be an OK add. He scored against the Steelers on MNF. If the Browns split the backfield, Strong could get some touches along with Ford. It’s not crazy to think both backs can’t be productive if given the opportunity. Also, Cleveland’s passing offense hasn’t been good through two weeks.