Browns' third-down job up for grabs

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said Sunday that the team's third-down RB job is up for grabs. "Could be Nick [Chubb], could be Jerome [Ford]," Stefanski said. Chubb played just 21% of Cleveland's third-down snaps last year, ceding most of that work to RB Kareem Hunt, who's no longer on the team. Any extra third-down work Chubb picks up this season would be a bonus -- and give him an opportunity to grow his receiving production considerably. Ford, meanwhile, seems locked in as the Chubb handcuff. If he captures the majority of the third-down work, he'd have a chance at some standalone value in PPR leagues.

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski refused to give a timetable for RB Nick Chubb's return as OTAs kicked off on Monday. “I don’t know that we’ll go past today and this week at least that’s the way I’m looking at it,” Stefanski said. “I can promise you he’s working very hard early in the morning. He’s here, he’s attacking his rehab. That’s the best way I can put it. When he’s ready, he’ll be ready.” Chubb is working back from a nasty multi-ligament left knee injury that required two surgeries -- one in September and one in November. Stefanski's comments don't necessarily mean that Chubb is behind schedule in his rehab, but they're a reminder that his status for the 2024 campaign remains a major question mark. Chubb is a fairly easy avoid at his current RB27 best ball ADP. He sits 35th in our current RB rankings.

The Browns and RB Nick Chubb have agreed to a salary adjustment for 2024, the final year on his contract. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the change drops Chubb's cap hit from $15.85 million to $6.275 million -- with incentives that could bring his salary back up to $12.2 million. You could read this several different ways. It's positive that Cleveland didn't simply cut Chubb, which would have cost just $4 million in dead cap space, according to Spotrac. But Chubb's new salary knocks him to 11th among RBs in total money for 2024, behind Tony Pollard and Aaron Jones; barely ahead of Devin Singletary and Miles Sanders. Chubb no doubt believes he can achieve at least some of the performance incentives and drive that number back up. But it also appears he wasn't willing to test the open market for higher 2024 earnings. Ultimately, it's way too early for fantasy managers to know what we can expect from the veteran RB. Chubb's multi-ligament knee injury in September has required surgeries then and in November. We haven't seen much on his return timeline. The Browns, meanwhile, have added RBs D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines this offseason. Both signed small, one-year deals that don't come close to guaranteeing offensive roles. (Hines probably arrives to primarily return kicks.) But they join Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong as backfield insurance. We're staying away from Chubb at his RB27 best ball ADP, which still has him ahead of Javonte Williams, Austin Ekeler, and Zamir White, among others. The crowded depth chart behind Chubb also makes it a risky backfield for investing in backups.

Browns RB Nick Chubb underwent surgery on Tuesday, November 14 to repair his left ACL. His first surgery in late September addressed his MCL, meniscus, and medial capsule. Chubb's surgery was considered successful, and he's progressed "very well" following the initial surgery, the team said in a statement. "As previously announced, the estimated recovery time from these surgeries indicates that Nick would be able to return to play during the 2024 season." Exactly when Chubb is cleared to return remains unclear. We'll continue to track his rehab.

Browns RB Nick Chubb had surgery to repair his MCL, meniscus, and medial capsule on Friday, the team announced. But during that procedure, doctors discovered that Chubb will need a second surgery to repair his ACL. Chubb's estimated recovery timeline will have him back "at some point in the 2024 season," according to the team. It was previously reported that Chubb might not need the ACL repaired and that he'd be ready for the start of next season. It now sounds like there's a chance he misses the start of the 2024 campaign.

Initial tests on Browns RB Nick Chubb's left knee revealed only a torn MCL, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Chubb's ACL was "stretched," but doctors don't believe it's torn. They won't know for sure until they get a better look at the knee during surgery, which is expected to take place next week. If all of this is confirmed, Chubb is expected to need six to eight months of rehab. That'd have him back on the field sometime between this coming March and May. It's excellent news after what initially looked like a much more significant injury. Turning 28 in December, Chubb's dynasty value has still taken a big hit. But there's now at least a chance he provides at least another season or two of useful fantasy production.