Is Jerome Ford The Browns' Starting Running Back? Fantasy Football Outlook

The Cleveland Browns won their first game of the 2023 season and good vibes were everywhere. Could this be the season the team turned it around and became a legitimate playoff contender?

Not so fast. When Week 2 arrived and the team's arch nemesis, the Pittsburgh Steelers, rolled into town, everything came crashing down. The team not only lost the game, but they lost their running back and best player, Nick Chubb.

Is Chubb playing again in 2023? If not, who will be his replacement? Let's take a closer look.

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Is Jerome Ford The Browns' Starting Running Back?

There is no argument that Chubb was the central focus of the Cleveland offense. He was a workhorse that at times, carried the Browns on his back. On Monday night, his season came to a frightening end while driving toward the Steelers' end zone before ultimately falling awkwardly to the ground in obvious pain.

The 27-year-old is now set for season-ending knee surgery, which might not only jeopardize his career but possibly the Browns' season. So what does that mean for the team moving forward? Who is his replacement? 

After Chubb left the game, second-year running back Jerome Ford handled the bulk of the carries and certainly took advantage of his opportunity. He finished the contest with 106 yards on 16 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per rush, while adding three receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday after the game about Ford, "There's a reason we like him. There's a reason he's a big part of what we do, and obviously his role will increase."

Can Jerome Ford Lead Your Fantasy Team?

Is it just me, or does it seem like running backs are falling faster than ever before this season? Through only two weeks of the 2023 season, multiple big-name backs have suffered serious injuries. Fantasy managers are scrambling to the waiver wire faster than Usain Bolt to the finish line. 

Stefanski has already publicly stated that Ford will be the main man moving forward. However, things can change fast, as they did on Wednesday when the team signed former Brown Kareem Hunt to a one-year contract. So the question becomes, do you believe Ford will not only be given the job but that he will consistently repeat what he did on Monday night while also holding off Hunt for the lead role?

There is no way to predict the future, but it is clear the organization really likes the 2022 fifth-round draft choice and will give him every opportunity to take the job and run with it. With that said, Hunt or another free agent veteran could easily come in and steal the carries from Ford at any given time.

But with that in mind, do you really want to run to the waiver wire to pick up someone who hasn't even practiced with the team yet instead of a guy who has already been handed the keys to the Cadillac? If you are in dire need of an RB and Ford is available, sprint to the waiver wire and grab Jerome from Cleveland before it's too late.

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