Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) is currently working his way back from an injury that cost him most of last season. The team has already placed the star back on the physically unable to perform list, which means he'll miss the first four games of the season. The hope is that Chubb would return to the field shortly after that, but that might not be the case. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the goal should be getting Chubb back by mid-season. It's worth noting that the organization did not say this, but Cabot believes it'll take Chubb longer than expected considering he tore both his ACL and MCL last season. The Browns do have Jerome Ford who proved himself to be a viable option without Chubb last season. That being said, the Browns might play it safe and ride with Chubb until he feels fully healthy to return. At the end of the day, Chubb is going to return when he's ready, so fantasy managers expecting him to suit up in Week 5 might be disappointed.

The Cleveland Brown re-signed running back D'Onta Foreman to their 53-man roster on Thursday after releasing former Pro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley, according to sources. Foreman was initially cut on Tuesday when they trimmed their roster down, but he'll now rejoin the team as RB depth behind Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. (ribs) to begin the year with both Nick Chubb (knee) and Nyheim Hines (knee) starting the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Expect Foreman and Strong work in tandem in a change-of-pace role behind Ford for at least the first four games of the 2024 season. The 28-year-old Foreman isn't going to see enough volume in Cleveland's backfield unless Ford also misses time due to injury early on, so fantasy managers in most leagues can avoid him for now. In his only year with the Chicago Bears in 2023, Foreman had 109 carries for 425 yards (3.9 yards per tote) and four TDs.

The Cleveland Browns restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract, freeing up $35.83 million in cap space. $44.79 million of Watson's 2024 base salary was converted to a signing bonus to create the extra cap space, which Cleveland now leads the league in with over $62 million. It's an interesting move by the organization, and it could mean they have their eye on a few transactions before the start of the 2024 campaign. However, that is not being reported. This season presents a prove-it year for Watson, who has struggled in just 12 game appearances over the last two seasons since being traded from the Houston Texans.

Former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe, who has plenty of starting experience in the NFL, has a deal in place to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad, according to a source. The Patriots just cut Zappe on Tuesday to get down to 53 players, and he lands on his feet quickly with the defending Super Bowl champions to give them QB depth behind Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz. Zappe, a former fourth-rounder in 2022 out of Western Kentucky, wasn't able to stick around in New England after the team drafted both Drake Maye and Joe Milton III in April. The 25-year-old played in 14 games (eight starts) in his two seasons with the Pats, going 192-for-304 (63.2%) for 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. If Zappe ends up starting for the Chiefs in 2024, they're probably unlikely to three-peat.

Cleveland Browns running back Nyheim Hines (knee), who is coming off surgery for a torn ACL, will remain on the Non-Football Injury list for the start of the 2024 regular season and will miss at least the first four games. Hines and fellow RB Nick Chubb (knee) pushed each other and made great strides during their rehab, but they both need more time and won't be available until at least a Week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders on the road. The 27-year-old Hines tore his ACL when he was hit by a jet ski last summer and missed all of the 2023 campaign. At best, he'll be a pass-catching option on third downs for the Browns when he's able to return, making him only worth a flier in deep PPR leagues that have multiple IR spots. As things stand right now, Cleveland's RB room only includes Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. after they released D'Onta Foreman on Tuesday.