This Sunday, four-time Pro Bowl RB Nick Chubb will return to the field after tearing his ACL during a Week 2 matchup against the Steelers in 2023. Chubb signed a one-year contract in the offseason for $2.2 million, remaining with the team that drafted him in 2018. Chubb is beginning his seventh year in the NFL at 28 years old.
Wednesday morning Chubb, released a statement on the Players Tribune to Cleveland Browns fans and announced that he was back.
Chubb returning to the field this Sunday is a great feel-good story, but let’s evaluate if he will make an impact in his first week back and if he is worth starting in fantasy football. During the five years that Chubb was healthy, 2018-2022, he finished as a top 15 RB in fantasy football in four of those five years. Chubb was RB6 in 2022, averaging 16.6 points per game in PPR leagues. During Week 1 of the 2023 season, Chubb totaled 16 points against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns face the Bengals this week in Cleveland. The Bengals defense allows the fifth most rushing yards per game this season while giving up 876 yards through six games. Jerome Ford has been the Browns RB1 this year but is currently dealing with a hamstring injury. So it seems Chubb will be the Browns starting RB in his first game.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has yet to detail how they will manage Chubb’s workload in his first game back from a significant injury. Unless you desperately need an RB for your fantasy team, it isn’t wise to expect a vintage Chubb performance this week. The Browns have struggled to run the ball, averaging under 100 yards per game. Cleveland has been one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL this season. Chubb is a massive upgrade over Ford and D’Onta Foreman, but until this offense proves they can put together positive games, it is hard to trust any player on this offense.
Start or Sit: Sit
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