Over a year after suffering a gruesome knee injury on Monday Night Football, Nick Chubb’s ($5,800) comeback is almost complete. While the Browns running back is unsure of when exactly he’ll suit up again, a return to practice on Wednesday is a clear sign that he’s close.
It’s perfect timing for Cleveland, currently sitting at 1-3. They enter Sunday’s game against the red-hot Commanders as 3.5-point underdogs, with the over/under at 43.5. Any bit of help, even in a limited fashion, would be huge for the NFL’s second-worst offense.
However, the news is also a boon for fantasy football. Given the perpetual state of attrition at running back, getting a proven playmaker off of the IR midseason could go a long way. Still, it’s tricky to pin down what you’re getting from Chubb. He’s a household name that managers drafted knowing they would have to be patient, but it remains to be seen how effective he’ll be playing with Deshaun Watson’s ($5,300) rudderless scoring attack. It’s not the greatest environment for any player, let alone one rehabbing ACL and MCL damage.
In his stead, backup Jerome Ford ($5,800) has been solid so far as the fantasy RB22. With that in mind, it’s hard to believe that head coach Kevin Stefanski will give Chubb full control of the backfield any time soon, if ever. There’s also the possibility that Cleveland’s losing ways continue, and the front office opts to hold their star out of action for the final weeks of the season.
On the other hand, this is still Nick freakin’ Chubb. The seventh-year veteran has been a monster since entering the league, averaging 1,268 rushing yards over his first five seasons. It’s not just a matter of volume; since 2018, he ranks fourth in yards per attempt (5.3) amongst running backs with more than 100 carries.
Can the 2024 Browns support a potentially diminished version of Chubb? The early results point to an offensive line doing a subpar job at run-blocking. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Cleveland has the second-fewest expected rush yards in football. Combined with an inability to pass the ball, and it’s impossible to feel great about this situation.
Obviously, Nick Chubb needs to be rostered in all leagues. The difficult part is determining how much of an asset he can be this season. An immediate return to RB1 status is misguided, but RB2/flex production? In spite of Cleveland’s issues, that’s reasonable for a generational talent. Savvy managers that currently roster Chubb should strike a trade for Ford, who shouldn’t cost much. Controlling the entire Browns backfield could add some much-needed certainty to one of fantasy football’s biggest questions.
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