Jerome Ford

Ford was a pleasant surprise for Cleveland last year after Nick Chubb's season-ending knee injury, to the point that Ford might have made a case as an NFL starter at some point. Of course, if Chubb is on the roster and healthy, it's not easy to see how that would happen in 2024. On the other hand, Chubb's rehab from a multi-ligament injury looks tricky, and the Browns running backs otherwise don't seem to be on Ford's level. The 2022 fifth-round pick took 50.7 percent of Cleveland's snaps in 17 games last year, generally rotating out for short-yardage work and thus losing nine rushing touchdowns to Kareem Hunt (Ford had four rushing TDs and five receiving scores). Free-agent signing Nyheim Hines could steal valuable passing-down snaps that Hunt didn't get in 2023, but Hines is rehabbing from an ACL tear of his own and might ultimately get most of his touches on special times. Apart from Chubb, D'Onta Foreman may be the biggest threat to take snaps that went to Ford last year, though Foreman's small contract suggests he's not even a lock to make the team. It thus seems likely that Ford will maintain some fantasy value if Chubb isn't ready for Week 1, even though a true workhorse role is unlikely. Read Past Outlooks