The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers will meet this weekend for second place in the AFC North. In the loaded AFC, every game matters so there is a very small margin for error. The Browns will be short-handed this week, as QB Deshaun Watson has been ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will get the start from the Browns. Kickoff for the game is set for 1 E.T. from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH.
Fantasy Football analysis: Browns RBs Jerome Ford/Kareem Hunt
Jerome Ford saw his workload increase when Nick Chubb went down with a season-ending injury. This season, he’s carried the ball 124 times for 532 and two touchdowns. Last week, in their win over the Ravens, he carried the ball 17 times for 107 yards.
Kareem Hunt signed with the Browns after the Chubb injury. This season, he has 70 carries for 228 yards and six touchdowns. Last week against the Ravens, he carried the ball ten times for 32 yards.
Start or sit in Week 11 PPR leagues?
Start Ford. He is getting a pretty nice workload since Chubb went down. There have only been two times that he has carried the ball less than ten times. He has been up and down, but when he’s productive, he performs well. He also averages three targets per game out of the backfield. Opposing teams are gaining 5.6 yards per carry on the season and an average of 131 yards per game. Ford is projected to score 11.5 points in a PPR this week.
Sit Hunt. He hasn’t been very productive this season. He is averaging 3.3 yards per carry. Since coming back, he has had more than 50 yards once this season. The only thing saving him is that he has scored a touchdown in five straight games. He has caught six passes this season, so that doesn’t help you in a PPR.
Start or sit in Week 11 standard leagues?
Start Ford. He is projected to score 10.1 points in standard-scoring leagues this week. He will likely get the bulk of the carries against the Steelers this week. He hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 6, so he is due for one. The Steelers’ defense hasn’t been shut down, so there is an opportunity for him to have a big day on the ground.
Sit Hunt. He is projected to score 5.8 points in a standard this week. The yardage hasn’t been there this season. He has become a goal-line option for the Browns, but as far as an every-down back, he has not been productive. Putting him in the lineup would be a waste unless he can get you multiple touchdowns.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Jerome Ford/Kareem Hunt
If you don’t want to start either one of these guys, take a look at Steelers RB Jaylen Warren. He has been extremely productive this season and is coming off a 101-yard game last week. He has been a fantasy darling for many. He is projected to get 11.8 points in a PPR this week. Start Warren for a solid day.