Ford was the best running back for the Browns in 2023, and he could once again be the best running back in Cleveland in 2024 as well. Ford is worth drafting with a mid-round pick in all leagues, especially if Nick Chubb (knee) is limited in his recovery in training camp. Last year, Ford took over for Chubb in Week 2 and averaged a career-best 12.4 PPR points per game. He did that while sharing touches with Kareem Hunt, and Ford showed he can be productive in tandem. This season, Ford could share touches with Chubb or D'Onta Foreman if Chubb is limited to open the year, but the worst-case scenario for everyone in Cleveland would be if all three running backs get touches. Most likely, Ford and Chubb will be the main two options in the Browns backfield, and Ford could help Fantasy managers get off to a good start this season if Chubb is still limited. Ford has plenty of sleeper appeal in 2024.
Ford missed Thursday's practice due to a personal matter, Patrick Warren of the Browns' official site reports.
Ford is expected to return to camp Friday. With Nick Chubb (knee) on the active/physically unable to perform list and Nyheim Hines (knee) on the active/non-football injury list, Ford will be first in the running back line for drills once he's back.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Role depends on RB injuries
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Ford's preseason and regular-season roles will depend on the health statuses of his injured teammates, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
With Nick Chubb (knee) still recovering from knee surgery during the offseason, Ford handled first-team reps in spring workouts, and he likely heads into training camp as the lead back. The Browns could apply injury designations to Chubb and Nyheim Hines (knee) at the beginning of camp, which would cement Ford in the top spot for now. He could keep the job into the regular season if Chubb winds up on the reserve-PUP list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games of the schedule. Ford's role should sort itself out over the coming weeks.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Limited to 26 total yards
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Ford rushed the ball nine times for 17 yards in Saturday's 45-14 loss to the Texans. He added four receptions on four targets for 15 yards.
Ford fell slightly behind Kareem Hunt in total workload out of the backfield and lost out on touches near the goal line and as a receiver. Even when he did have the ball in his hands, he was held in check by the Texans' defense to turn in a disappointing final game of the campaign. Overall, Ford had the chance to serve as Cleveland's lead back for much of the season due to Nick Chubb (knee) being sidelined and managed an impressive nine total touchdowns with 1,132 yards from scrimmage in the regular season. Chubb's status from a health and contract perspective is ambiguous at this point, so Ford may maintain a significant role in Cleveland's offense in 2024.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Active but may not play
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Ford isn't expected to play Sunday against the Bengals, despite being in uniform for pregame warmups, Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland reports.
Ford is active for the game, but with the Browns locked in as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs, he looks to be one of several Cleveland starters who will get little or no playing time as the team prioritizes his health ahead of the wild-card round. Pierre Strong -- typically the third man on the depth chart -- was spotted working out with the first-team offense in warmups and could end up serving as Cleveland's lead back, while Kareem Hunt may stick as the No. 2 option ahead of Ford.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Full practice participant
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Ford (wrist) was a full practice participant Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Ford returned to a Week 14 contest after suffering the wrist injury and then played through it last week in a 20-17 win over the Bears. The bigger problems for his fantasy value are Cleveland's terrible injury luck on the offensive line and the reality that Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong are combining for 35-to-50 percent of the backfield work most weeks. It'll likely be the same story this Sunday at Houston.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: RBs to Sit
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Ford scored at least 11.9 PPR points in six games in a row prior to Week 15 against Chicago when he was held to eight carries for 20 yards and four catches for 11 yards on five targets. It was a bad matchup against the Bears, and this is another tough matchup against the Texans. Houston hasn't allowed a running back to score on the ground in five games in a row, and only Breece Hall caught a touchdown against the Texans in Week 14. They just dominated Derrick Henry, holding him to 16 carries for 9 yards and four catches for 1 yard on four targets. Ford also continues to split playing time with Kareem Hunt, and I would only use Ford as a flex option in most leagues in Week 16.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Still listed with wrist injury
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Ford (wrist) is listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Ford injured his wrist Week 14 against Jacksonville but returned to the game and then avoided an injury designation ahead of the Browns' Week 15 win over Chicago. He should be ready to go for Sunday's game in Houston, reprising his role as the leader of Cleveland's three-man backfield.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Held in check Sunday
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Ford carried the ball eight times for 20 yards and caught four of five targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 20-17 win over the Bears.
The second-year RB posted his lowest scrimmage yards total of the season after dealing with a wrist issue in practice during the week, but it was still enough to lead the Cleveland backfield as Kareem Hunt managed just 20 yards on eight touches. Ford remains the top fantasy option of the duo, particularly as a result of taking over primary receiving-back duties -- he's caught at least three passes in four straight games, posting a 16-89-1 line on 21 targets over that stretch in addition to his 155 rushing yards. Ford will look to rebound in Week 16 against the Texans.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Another limited session
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Ford (wrist) remained limited at practice Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Following back-to-back capped sessions, Ford probably will need to practice fully Friday in order to avoid an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Bears. The same applies to fellow RB Kareem Hunt (groin), who returned to a limited practice Thursday after logging a DNP on Wednesday.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: RBs to Start
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Ford has scored at least 11.9 PPR points in five games in a row and six of his past seven outings. He hit 14.9 PPR points in Week 13 at the Rams thanks to a 24-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco, and Ford now has seven catches for 47 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets in his past two games. His role in the passing game should matter in Week 14 against the Jaguars, who lead the NFL in most receptions allowed to running backs with 84. There have been 10 running backs with at least four catches against Jacksonville this season, including Joe Mixon and Devin Singletary with six each in the past two weeks. I hope Flacco remains the quarterback for the Browns because he should lean on Ford quite a bit as a receiver in this matchup.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Expected heavy workload
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Ford is expected to have a significant role Week 12 against the Broncos, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Cleveland's Week 12 gameplan shouldn't change much from last week -- ride the combination of Ford and Kareem Hunt while making short, manageable throws from rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. What makes the plan enticing is the Broncos' last-in-the-league run defense, which has allowed 160 yards per game. That average is partially skewed by a Week 3 loss to Miami (350 rushing yards), but even on its current four-game win streak, Denver has given up 5.3 yards per carry. Ford, who is now five weeks removed from a high-ankle sprain, could see a heavy workload in Denver.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Sleeper RBs
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Ford and Kareem Hunt will be the focal point of the Browns offense with Deshaun Watson (shoulder) now out for the season. And Ford is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues against the Steelers. He came on for an injured Nick Chubb (knee) against Pittsburgh in Week 2 and had 16 carries for 106 yards and three catches for 25 yards and a touchdown on four targets, and he comes into this game with at least 11.1 PPR points in four of his past five outings. The Steelers have allowed a running back to score at least 13.6 PPR points in four of their past five games, including three rushing touchdowns over that span. Hunt can be considered a flex option this week, and he has six rushing touchdowns in his past five games.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Tops 100 yards against Ravens
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Ford rushed the ball 17 times for 107 yards in Sunday's 33-31 win over the Ravens. He added one reception for two yards.
Ford continued to lead the Browns backfield, as he out-touched Kareem Hunt by an 18-10 margin. He recorded his second 100-yard effort of the season and also became only the second back to reach the century mark on the ground against the Ravens. Much of that came on big plays of 28 and 13 yards, though Ford averaged an impressive 6.3 yards per carry overall. Since Cleveland's bye in Week 5, Ford has topped 80 yards from scrimmage in three of five games.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Garners 25 touches in win
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Ford rushed 20 times for 44 yards and secured five of seven targets for 33 yards in the Browns' 27-0 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Ford outpaced backfield mate Kareem Hunt by six carries, and neither back was able to find much success save for Hunt's short touchdown run against what had been a fairly porous Cardinals run defense. However, Ford was able to partly make up for the inefficient day on the ground with impressive volume as a receiver, and his hefty workload dispelled any concerns about the condition of his previously gimpy ankle. Ford is likely to remain the de facto lead back in a Week 10 road divisional showdown against the Ravens.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Stays limited in practice
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Ford (ankle) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Ford is still working his way back from a right high-ankle sprain sustained in the Browns' Week 7 win over the Colts, but the injury didn't stop him from being available for this past Sunday's loss to the Seahawks, albeit in a limited capacity. After following up his nine-carry, one-catch performance in Seattle with two limited practices to begin Week 9 prep, Ford appears on track to play Sunday against the Cardinals, but it's not yet clear if he'll head into the game with an injury designation. If Ford can put in a full practice Friday, it would improve his odds of not only entering the weekend without a designation, but also reclaiming the lead role out of the Cleveland backfield from Kareem Hunt.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Volume decreases
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Ford carried the ball nine times for 37 yards in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Seahawks.
Ford was surprisingly active after suffering an ankle injury in Week 7, though he was on the wrong end of a three-way backfield split for Cleveland. The Browns were clearly monitoring his volume and saved him for the fourth quarter, when he accounted for seven of his nine carries. Ford is unlikely to get a full workload during the second half of the season, though it's realistic to expect his volume to tick back up once his ankle has some time to heal. With that in mind, monitoring his practice participation will be important leading into a Week 9 matchup against the Cardinals.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Missing from practice Thursday
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Ford (ankle) isn't participating in Thursday's practice, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
The Browns haven't officially ruled Ford out for Sunday's game against the Seahawks, but with two straight absences from practice to begin Week 8 prep, the running back looks all but guaranteed to sit out this weekend. On a positive note, the Browns remain optimistic that Ford's right high-ankle sprain will keep him out for just 1-to-2 weeks, putting him on track to avoid a stint on injured reserve, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. According to Petrak, Kareem Hunt is scheduled to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session due to a lingering thigh injury, so he'll presumably be in line to lead the backfield in Seattle while Pierre Strong works in a complementary role.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Not practicing Wednesday
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Ford (ankle) won't practice Wednesday, Jake Trotter of ESPN.com reports.
Kareem Hunt (thigh) will also sit out Wednesday's session, and with Nick Chubb (knee) done for the season and Jake Trotter of ESPN.com having already reported that Ford is expected to miss 1-to-2 weeks, it's not surprising that the Browns signed Nate McCrary and Jordan Wilkins to the practice squad this week to add healthy bodies to a depleted running back room. For now, Pierre Strong profiles as the healthiest back on Cleveland's roster, though Hunt would likely serve as the Browns' lead option Sunday in Seattle if he can overcome his own thigh injury.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Knee issue downplayed
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Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt noted Thursday that Ford's knee issue isn't a concern ahead of Sunday's game against the 49ers, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Ford was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, but it appears as though his limitations were maintenance related. That said, the Browns' top running back will need to practice fully by Friday in order to avoid a Week 6 injury designation.
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Browns' Jerome Ford: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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In non-PPR there's almost no way you can feel good about starting Ford given the matchup and his own inefficiency. In PPR you can hope for another game with five catches, which honestly isn't a stretch since he just had one against a good defense two games ago. Maybe he's good enough to start as an end-of-the-barrel RB2, but I'd feel better going with Rachaad White, Alexander Mattison or D'Onta Foreman.
