Royce Freeman DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Chicago Bears running back Royce Freeman has been cut by the organization on Monday. Freeman joined the Bears practice squad in mid-December after being released by the Cleveland Browns in October. The veteran back has now been cut from the practice squad on Monday. Freeman never made it to the active roster for the Bears this season. He didn't have much of a chance to see reps with D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson getting a majority of the snaps in the backfield. Freeman will look to catch on elsewhere ahead of next season.

The Cleveland Browns have signed free-agent running back Royce Freeman to their practice squad. Freeman, a seven-year veteran, was released by the Dallas Cowboys in August and now joins the Browns. A third-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, he has also played for the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Rams. Last season, Freeman appeared in 14 games with the Rams, accumulating 319 yards and two touchdowns. With Nick Chubb and Nyheim Hines sidelined, the Browns have been thin at running back, and as of Tuesday, Pierre Strong Jr. is listed as "week to week" with a hamstring injury. Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman have been handling the majority of the carries. Freeman must establish a significant role before fantasy managers consider adding him to their rosters. He could have an opportunity to contribute as soon as this Sunday against the Giants.

Dallas Cowboys running back Royce Freeman ran the ball eight times in the Cowboys preseason finale, gaining 35 yards. He was targeted once in the passing game, making a catch for a seven yard gain. Freeman's usage in the preseason essentially locked up his role as the third running back on the depth chart, behind Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle. Freeman would need injuries ahead of him in order to develop real fantasy relevance, but he's worth keeping an eye on just in case.

Dallas Cowboys running back Royce Freeman led the team in carries in a preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Freeman ran the ball seven times, gaining 32 yards with a long play of eight yards. He wasn't targeted in the passing game. Freeman tied with quarterback Trey Lance for the team lead in carries with seven, with several other backs getting five running plays each. Freeman is third at best on the depth chart for the Cowboys, behind Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle, but there certainly could be a role for him if injuries were to pop up.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that veteran running back Royce Freeman has "really impressed" early on in training camp. The Cowboys were surprised Freeman was available when they signed him to a one-year deal in April. It's a testament to Freeman so far this summer, but it probably speaks more so to how bad Dallas' backfield depth is after Tony Pollard left in free agency this summer. The 28-year-old is currently expected to complement veteran Ezekiel Elliott, with Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis battling it out for RB3 duties to begin the year. Freeman is a poor man's Elliott -- a bulky between-the-tackles runner -- and he's unlikely to see much volume in Dallas in 2024 unless injuries decimate an already thin backfield. A lot can happen between now and Week 1 with Dallas' RB situation. Freeman is likely to be left to the waiver wire to begin the year in most fantasy leagues.