Jerome Ford's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (personal) reportedly missed practice on Thursday due to a personal matter. Patrick Warren of clevelandbrowns.com reports that Ford is expected back at practice on Friday as he only needed to tend to the matter on Thursday. The 24-year-old projects to be the starter with Nick Chubb (knee) still on the PUP list and recovering from his gruesome injury last season. The good news for fantasy managers is this is just a temporary absence and Ford should be back on the field taking first-team snaps.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford enters 2024 with a chance to sit atop the depth chart, but his exact role will depend on the status of Nick Chubb (knee) and Nyheim Hines (knee), according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Both injured running backs are recovering from ACL tears, with Chubb working his way back from a gruesome knee injury sustained during a carry near the goal line last season and Hines dealing with the effects of a terrible jet ski accident last summer. Jackson notes that Ford could open the year as the Browns' No. 1 running back if he has a strong training camp and Chubb isn't cleared by Week 1; as of now, a Week 1 return would seem unlikely for Chubb, who also tore his MCL and meniscus on the same play. On the other hand, if Chubb progresses faster than expected, Ford could find himself competing for the backup role with the likes of Hines and D'Onta Foreman. This lack of clarity poses a challenge for fantasy managers trying to finalize their draft strategy. However, given the severity of Chubb's injury, it seems unlikely that he'll play in the season opener, and even if he does, he'll probably have a reduced role. Therefore, Ford should have enough early-season volume to make him a solid RB3/FLEX option for the first few weeks of the campaign (and perhaps even after Chubb returns). His ADP of 115 gives him a 10th-round price tag and slots him in as the 38th running back off the board in redraft leagues.

In a media availability this week, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke on the team's current running back situation. "I think Jerome [Ford] has done a nice job. He had some really, really, really big moments for our football team and he made big plays for us when we needed it." Stefanski said. "So, excited about that." Cleveland appears to have a crowded running back room heading into 2024, as Nick Chubb (knee), Ford, and D'Onta Foreman have all had their moments over the last two seasons. Of course, Chubb is recovering from a major knee injury that he suffered in Week 2 of last season, so he could be eased into action to begin the new campaign. "With Nick [Chubb], obviously, we'll continue to let him rehab, and when he's ready and the doctors tell me he's ready, he goes." Stefanski said," Until then, we like the guys we have." There will be plenty of updates on this situation as we inch closer to fantasy football season, but for now, his comments regarding Ford are promising. The Cincinnati product rushed 204 times for 813 yards and four touchdowns last year to go along with 44 receptions for 319 yards and five scores. Regardless of Chubb's status, Ford should at least be involved in the receiving game in his third NFL season.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford carried the ball nine times for 17 yards and added four catches for 15 yards in a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Ford was quiet in his first playoff game as the Browns fell behind 24-14 at halftime and had to shift to a pass-first approach in the second half. Ford turned in a solid effort as Cleveland's lead back after the team lost Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Chubb is likely to be back at some point early in the 2024 season but Ford has certainly earned himself a role as the No. 2 running back in Cleveland moving forward. With Chubb set to become a free-agent after next season, Ford remains an interesting long-term asset in dynasty formats.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford should be well-rested after he handled just five touches in a Week 18 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The second-year running back will now head on the road to take on the Houston Texans in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Ford draws a difficult matchup this weekend as the Texans allowed just the 19th-most fantasy points per game to running backs in the regular season. That being said, Ford has been active in Cleveland's passing game, so he should be a decent fantasy options in full PPR sites. Ford is on the board as a top-12 fantasy running back in DFS this weekend.