Chubb Suffers Serious Knee Injury
Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury during Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chubb had to be carted off the field after taking a high-low hit from two Steelers players in the second quarter.
With Chubb likely out for an extended period, fantasy football managers who owned the productive running back need to pivot quickly to replace his production. The two main options on the waiver wire this week are Browns’ rookie running backs Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr.
Ford Takes Over as Lead Back
Ford took over as the lead back after Chubb’s injury on Monday night. He finished the game with 16 carries for 106 yards, along with 3 catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. The 2022 fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati showed explosiveness and versatility in his first extended NFL action.
Ford showed explosively immediately after taking over for Chubb with this huge run, with help from DeShaun Watson, he ended up down at the half yard line, and punched it in by Pierre Strong 2 plays later.
Ford also is hard to take down…
Strong Scores Touchdown
Meanwhile, Strong scored a touchdown on two carries, both carries from inside the one yard line. The 2022 fourth-rounder from South Dakota State has received praise for his speed and receiving skills.
Ford the Preferred Pickup
Based on their Week 2 performances and opportunity for touches moving forward, Ford appears to be the preferred pickup of the two. He seems locked in as the lead rusher and performed well in that role once Chubb went down.
However, Strong could still hold value, especially in PPR leagues. The Browns may opt to use both rookie backs in a committee rather than feature one guy. So Strong should get opportunities even with Ford ahead of him on the depth chart.
Target Ford, Stash Strong
In the end, Jerome Ford should be the top waiver wire priority for any fantasy manager in need of a running back. But Pierre Strong is also worth adding as a high-upside stash, particularly in deeper leagues. Both players have significant fantasy upside if Chubb remains out for an extended stretch.