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FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

RB Strength of Schedule

Tue May 28 9:03am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Robinson setup for big season


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the running back position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to running backs last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the running backs with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the running backs that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  RB SOS  
1. Green Bay Packers 356.01
2. Houston Texans 361.46
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 361.46
4. Las Vegas Raiders 361.48
5. Seattle Seahawks 362.28
6. Buffalo Bills 363.19
7. Arizona Cardinals 363.76
8. Dallas Cowboys 363.9
9. Jacksonville Jaguars 364.51
10. Washington Commanders 364.86
11. Chicago Bears 364.89
12. Indianapolis Colts 365.41
13. San Francisco 49ers 365.86
14. New Orleans Saints 366.49
15. New York Jets 368.23
16. Detroit Lions 368.49
17. Philadelphia Eagles 369.05
18. Minnesota Vikings 369.06
19. Carolina Panthers 369.88
20. Cleveland Browns 370.34
21. Kansas City Chiefs 371.71
22. New York Giants 372.21
23. Los Angeles Chargers 373.19
24. Denver Broncos 373.32
25. Cincinnati Bengals 373.66
26. Los Angeles Rams 374.09
27. Baltimore Ravens 374.16
28. New England Patriots 375.60
29. Atlanta Falcons 376.19
30. Miami Dolphins 377.49
31. Tennessee Titans 378.2
32. Pittsburgh Steelers 378.72


The two teams with the easiest fantasy schedules for running backs are the Steelers and Titans, which is interesting because both teams could platoon running backs. The Steelers split the work between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. And the Titans are likely to use both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. All four backs could be setup for solid seasons with favorable schedules. It is always scary to take a back that might split work but seeing these positive schedules could make pulling the trigger on them a little easier come draft day. All four could be top flex plays for fantasy teams.

The Dolphins had huge success running the ball last year and could have similar solid production this season with the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs. Devon Achane is really looking good in year two. He is expected to get more work and likely lead the backfield in touches. Raheem Mostert had a career season last year and a great schedule but he carries a little more risk. He is 32 years old and now has rookie Jaylen Wright pushing him for playing time. Just something to keep in mind come draft day.

The Falcons are another team with a top-five favorable running back schedule, making Bijan Robinson a very intriguing pick this year. Robinson had a bit of a disappointing rookie season, but a new coaching staff and really favorable schedule make Robinson a huge breakout candidate. He is moving up draft rankings in a hurry and is capable of finishing first overall in fantasy running back scoring because of his skill set.

Rhamondre Stevenson is a possible rebound candidate. He was slowed by injury last year but is back healthy and with the fifth easiest schedule for running backs. Stevenson has shown in the past he can be a big-time fantasy back. Things are looking up for him this year, making him a good buy-low candidate.

The Packers had the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks but get the toughest for running backs. This isn’t great news for new back Josh Jacobs. It is hard to bet against the productive back, though. You just might want to temper expectations for him this coming year. Jacobs could have a few down weeks, especially for his standards.

The Texans signed Joe Mixon to shore up their running back spot, but he carries some concerns. He wasn’t highly productive the last few seasons besides all his scores and now gets the second toughest schedule for running backs. Plus, the Texans are likely to be a pass heavy team, which could limit his workload a little. Mixon could end up being a boom or bust player.

Tampa also has a unfavorable fantasy schedule for running backs. Rachaad White had a big season last year but padded his numbers because of all his work in the passing game. That might be a similar scenario for him, having a tough time to run with this schedule. The positive for White is he is very good in the passing game. You have to worry about his rushing totals, though.

The Raiders haven’t really settled on a starting running back, but Zamir White is likely to get first shot at the job. That is great news for his fantasy value but the not so great news is his tough fantasy schedule. This could limit the ceiling of White a little. He has risk to begin with because it isn’t 100 percent certain he wins the job. This makes him a bit of a scary pick for fantasy teams.

Kenneth Walker didn’t have quite the breakout second season many hoped but was fairly productive with his work. And the good news is Zach Charbonnet didn’t really put a big dent in his workload. The Seahawks seem happy with Walker as the lead back. The unfortunate news for Walker is he has the fifth toughest fantasy running back schedule. Walker might fail to reach his lofty expectations once again in year three.

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy running backs. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the running backs with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.

  RB PLAYOFF SOS  
1. San Francisco 49ers 291.43
2. Washington Commanders 325.2
3. Houston Texans 327.8
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 332.03
5. New York Jets 337.57
6. Cleveland Browns 340.8
7. Las Vegas Raiders 341.1
8. Miami Dolphins 348.27
9. Chicago Bears 350.37
10. Buffalo Bills 350.53
11. Arizona Cardinals 352.8
12. Dallas Cowboys 358.87
13. Detroit Lions 359.7
14. New York Giants 365.67
15. Kansas City Chiefs 366.53
16. Green Bay Packers 368.97
17. Seattle Seahawks 370.23
18. Carolina Panthers 377.15
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 378.37
20. Los Angeles Chargers 380.73
21. Jacksonville Jaguars 381
22. Baltimore Ravens 381.43
23. Cincinnati Bengals 383.50
24. Philadelphia Eagles 391.07
25. New England Patriots 397.95
26. Indianapolis Colts 398.40
27. Denver Broncos 399.53
28. Tennessee Titans 401.63
29. Los Angeles Rams 403.92
30. New Orleans Saints 406.33
31. Minnesota Vikings 407.87
32. Atlanta Falcons 422.4

 

There are two teams with a top-five favorable schedule for fantasy running backs for both the regular season and playoffs. Those teams are the Falcons and Titans. Atlanta actually has the easiest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. Robinson was looking good even before hearing this news but looks even better now. He is making a strong case to be the second running back off the board come draft day.

And Pollard and Spears are intriguing running back options with schedules that could produce big for both during the regular season and playoffs. You just have to worry about one back emerging to grab most of the work. If that happens, one of these backs could end up being a bust.

Minnesota has the second easiest playoff schedule for running backs. Aaron Jones has some injury concerns after the last few seasons, but he could be setup for a big workload with an unsettled quarterback situation in Minnesota. Jones has some good upside with his new team, especially during the playoffs.

One other team to mention for the playoff is New Orleans. Alvin Kamara isn’t getting any younger but remains the lead back and still productive. He still seems to have something left in the tank and could be a big fantasy factor for at least one more season, especially when it matters most in the playoffs. He could be a difference maker, having the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs.

Houston is the lone team in both the top five for the toughest regular season and playoff fantasy running back schedules. This is an obvious concern for Mixon. He is looking more and more like a player you might to avoid come draft day. He might have some big games along the way in this great offense, but you have to wonder about his consistency and playoff performance.

So the top rated fantasy back, Christian McCaffrey, also has the toughest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. You aren’t fading McCaffrey because of this. He is one of those rare backs that it doesn’t really matter who he plays. McCaffrey will produce. We still think he is the clear No. 1 fantasy back. He can still get it done in the playoffs.

Washington has Brian Robinson and Austin Ekekler likely splitting the work at running back, which hurts both their fantasy values. They also get the second most difficult playoff schedule for running backs. We wouldn’t reach too early for either back because of this.

The Steelers have the easiest fantasy running back schedule during the playoffs but fourth toughest for the playoffs. This is a tough one. Both backs have potential for good things, showing they can co-exist last year and produce well for fantasy teams. You just have to wonder if fading in the playoffs will make all that good work during the regular season all for nothing.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Ricky Pearsall Oct 19 4:50pm ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (chest) was activated from the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List on Saturday. While the rookie was in line to play along, the latest update makes things official. He was shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt before the start of the 2024-25 campaign, so Week 7 will mark his official debut. However, it's tough to say how much work Pearsall will receive. But even if he plays more than expected, he'll need to battle with Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel Sr., and George Kittle for targets.

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Kenneth Walker III Oct 19 4:40pm ET
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (illness) is questionable for Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. He's battling an illness, so his late addition to the injury report means there's a realistic chance he won't suit up in Week 7. The 23-year-old has played well this season, totaling 234 yards and five touchdowns off 51 carries. He's also caught 21 of his 24 targets for 136 yards. With the Seahawks losing their last three contests, the team could certainly use him. In the meantime, fantasy managers should snag Zach Charbonnet off waivers, where available. If Walker doesn't get on the field, Charbonnet is worth starting in any fantasy format.

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T.J. Hockenson Oct 19 4:30pm ET
T.J. Hockenson

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) won't play in Sunday's NFC North clash against the Detroit Lions. The 27-year-old recently returned to practice. While he's moving in the right direction regarding his return to the field, fantasy managers will need to wait a little longer. There's a chance Hockenson will be back in the lineup for the Week 8 clash with the Los Angeles Rams. However, it's more realistic to assume he'll make his 2024-25 debut for the Week 9 matchup versus the Indianapolis Colts. Of course, anything can change moving forward, so fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation. In the meantime, it will be Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver splitting starting duties, although neither man can be considered a viable fantasy option.

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Deshaun Watson Oct 19 4:13pm ET
Deshaun Watson

Dynasty | The Browns have activated running back Nick Chubb. Dynasty Analysis: Chubb will make his much-anticipated return in week seven against the Bengals. His presence will be a welcome one by a Browns team that's 1-5 and flailing miserably. Cleveland traded Amari Cooper this week and Deshaun Watson looks like an absolute shell of himself, so anything the Browns get from Chubb will be important. Dynasty managers should be cautious as his role is likely not going to be a huge one for a few weeks. Still, it will certainly be nice to see him back after last year's gruesome injury.

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Russell Wilson Oct 19 4:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Steelers are planning on starting Russell Wilson at quarterback this week. Dynasty Analysis: Wilson has worked his way back from a calf injury and will replace Justin Fields in the starting lineup. It's a curious move as Fields has the team at 4-2 and tied for first place in the AFC North. Still, the Steelers are clearly hesitant in unleashing Fields as a passer and have made their game plans extraordinarily conservative on offense. Fields is likely to play in this one and Wilson is going to have precious little time to prove he should continue to start. In short, this looks like a situation to avoid for the foreseeable future in terms of dynasty lineups.

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Aaron Rodgers Oct 19 4:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Jets are planning on Davante Adams playing at full strength this week. Dynasty Analysis: Adams was traded to the Jets this week and apparently the plane flight magically cured his injury. Dynasty managers won't complain as Adams has reportedly looked great in practice and is excited to be reunited with Aaron Rodgers. The Jets still have major problems and Adams is going to still need to build chemistry in the offense, so he should be viewed as more of a WR2 at the moment. Stay tuned.

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Patrick Mahomes Oct 19 4:00pm ET
Patrick Mahomes

The San Francisco 49ers D/ST unit faces the Kansas City Chiefs in a Week 7 Super Bowl LVIII rematch in Santa Clara on Sunday. The 49ers D has been performing well, scoring touchdowns in two of the last three games. Last week in Seattle, they collected three turnovers, one sack, and allowed 24 points. Despite the 5-0 record Kansas City's offense hasn't been super efficient, ranking 15th in points per game and 11th in yards per game. They haven't taken care of the ball particularly well either, sitting in an eight-way tie for the 9th-most turnovers lost. San Francisco's defense is healthy, and so is Kansas City's offense besides the continued absence of Rashee Rice (knee), who they lost for the season in Week 3. Despite the Chiefs' offense being not-so-scary statistically, quarterback Patrick Mahomes II has been sacked the seventh-fewest times and is unlikely to provide 49ers D/ST managers with much in the way of a points-allowed bonus. The 49ers are the 13th-ranked D/ST unit in RotoBaller's Week 7 rankings.

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Will Reichard Oct 19 3:00pm ET
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Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard remains a solid streaming option in Week 7, facing the Detroit Lions. The 23-year-old has remained perfect throughout the season, going 9-for-9 on attempts and 16-for-16 on extra-point attempts. During the first five games, Reichard has averaged 8.6 PPR points per game and made at least two field goal attempts in three games. The Alabama product has also made three attempts from over 50 yards. Facing the Detroit Lions in what is projected to be a high-scoring affair, given the projected 50.5 point total makes Reichard a safe option with solid upside on Sunday.

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Rachaad White Oct 19 2:50pm ET
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (foot) is listed as questionable for Monday's game according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. White opened the week as a limited participant during Thursday's and Friday's practice. However, the 25-year-old was able to upgrade to full participation on Saturday, which is a positive sign for his availability on Monday evening. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor White's status throughout the weekend. If White can suit up, fantasy managers should expect Tampa Bay to split opportunities between their running backs, which makes Bucky Irving and White low-end RB2s, with Sean Tucker projecting to be a flex option facing a tough Baltimore rush defense.

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Cam Akers Oct 19 2:40pm ET
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Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers could be pushed up the depth chart on Sunday if Aaron Jones (hamstring) cannot suit up. Jones is currently listed as questionable and could be a game-time decision. The Vikings traded for Akers from Houston earlier this week, which could suggest that Jones may not be able to play. In Houston, Akers saw work as the lead running back when Joe Mixon (ankle) was sidelined and tallied a modest 9.3 PPR points per game during a three-game stretch. While Ty Chandler will likely see most attempts in Jones' absence, Akers could carve out a solid workload and be a viable desperation flex option in 14+ team formats.

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Mike Evans Oct 19 2:40pm ET
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) is off the injury report and good to go for Monday's game, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The veteran wideout was held out of practice on Thursday and Friday. However, on Saturday, Evans was able to upgrade to limited participation and avoided an injury designation ahead of Monday's game. Fantasy managers should feel confident starting the 31-year-old in all formats as he will face a weak Baltimore secondary who have surrendered the 29th-most points to opposing wideouts.

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Anders Carlson Oct 19 2:30pm ET
Anders Carlson

San Francisco 49ers kicker Anders Carlson will kick off against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Santa Clara. The younger brother of Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson will be the third kicker used by the 49ers in as many games since Jake Moody (ankle) and Matthew Wright (shoulder, back) both suffered injuries attempting to make tackles. Last season, Carlson spent his rookie year as the Green Bay Packers starting kicker from beginning to end but was cut during this year's preseason. Carlson was the 23rd-most productive kicker in fantasy but led the league in misses with 13. Any decent kicker that San Francisco puts out there is likely a decent fantasy option, given the team's offensive prowess, as seen last week with journeyman Wright's three field goals and three extra points made. Anyone streaming kickers or looking for a replacement could do worse than Carlson in Week 7.

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Ty Chandler Oct 19 2:30pm ET
Ty Chandler

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler could have an increased role if No. 1 running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) cannot suit up. Jones is currently listed as questionable on the team's injury report and will likely be a game-time decision. If Jones is eventually ruled out, Chandler should be expected to be pushed to the top of the depth chart. When Jones left their previous game early, Chandler saw 14 attempts but tallied a mere 30 yards. Through the air, he caught two passes for nine yards. Facing a tough Detroit defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest PPR points to opposing running backs does lower Chandler's ceiling this weekend. However, if he is in the lead role, he is worth a look as a flex play simply for the potential volume.

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Tyler Higbee Oct 19 2:20pm ET
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Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (knee) is considered "ahead of schedule" in his recovery process, according to Cameron DaSilva of USA Today. The 31-year-old tight end suffered a torn ACL in their playoff loss to the Detroit Lions last season, but head coach Sean McVay remains optimistic about his potential return this season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Higbee's status, as he could have a chance to return later this season. For the time being, Colby Parkinson should continue to see the majority of snaps at the tight end position. Through five games this season, Parkinson has averaged 7.1 PPR points per game.

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Nyheim Hines Oct 19 2:10pm ET
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Cleveland Browns running back Nyheim Hines (knee) was not activated before their Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Scott Petrak of The Chronicle-Telegram. Hines is still recovering from his torn ACL. However, the 27-year-old did log three full practices this week, which suggests he will return in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens. Last season, Hines tallied only 36 yards on the ground with one score but caught 25 passes for 188 yards through the air. This weekend, fantasy managers should expect Nick Chubb (knee) and D'Onta Foreman to lead the backfield. When Hines does return, he should see most of his work on passing downs.

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Alvin Kamara Oct 19 1:10pm ET
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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is denying that he has requested a trade. "I ain request a trade.. so that's a lie. I'm in an orange robe on the way to Knoxville.. #WhoDat," Kamara wrote on his X account. Rumors may be swirling that Kamara is unhappy in New Orleans after five straight losses, most recently a 33-10 beatdown at the hands of the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. The 29-year-old got off to a blazing start in 2024 with 80 rushing attempts for 362 yards (4.53 yards per tote) and five rushing touchdowns in the first four weeks, adding 17 catches for 174 yards and another score. But in three games since then, he has 76 yards on 31 carries for one touchdown and has caught 17 passes for 78 yards. It hasn't helped that QB Derek Carr (oblique) has missed the last two games. Kamara should improve once Carr returns, but that may not be for another week or so.

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Mike Evans Oct 19 12:50pm ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) will be questionable to play on Monday night in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens and will be a game-time decision. Evans was listed as a non-participant in practice on both Thursday and Friday but was seen practicing on Saturday, which at least gives him a shot to play on Monday. We would expect the 31-year-old to be able to suit up against Baltimore, but it's no sure thing and it puts fantasy manages in a tough predicament with Tampa not playing until Monday this week. Hopefully, we'll get a bit more clarity on Evans' status late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, but for now, he's trending as a volatile high-end WR2 this week because of his injury. If Evans is inactive on Monday night, Chris Godwin, Sterling Shepard and rookie Jalen McMillan are likely to start in three-receiver sets.

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Treylon Burks Oct 19 12:50pm ET
Treylon Burks

According to sources, the Tennessee Titans are expected to place wide receiver Treylon Burks (knee) on Injured Reserve after he suffered a non-contact knee injury in practice this week. Moving Burks to IR would mean he would not be eligible to play for the next four weeks. The earliest Burks would be eligible to return would be for a Week 11 date against the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 17. The 24-year-old former 18th overall pick in 2022 out of Arkansas has been a bust for the Titans in two-plus seasons in the NFL. In five games this year, he's caught four of eight targets for 34 yards and no touchdowns and is well off the fantasy radar, especially after his new knee injury. In Burks' absence for the foreseeable future, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who caught a touchdown in last week's loss to the Colts, should see more run as depth behind Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd.

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Cooper Kupp Oct 19 12:40pm ET
Cooper Kupp

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler says that Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (ankle) could be a true game-time decision to play in Week 7 on Sunday versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Kupp was limited in practice all week and was listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. He has had a good week of practice and is optimistic that he'll be able to return to action, but head coach Sean McVay said the team will see how he responds over the weekend leading into Sunday's contest. The 31-year-old veteran would be a must-start fantasy wideout if he's active for Week 7, but the problem is the Rams play in the later window on Sunday, so we won't know first thing on Sunday if Kupp will be playing. Something to consider is that the Rams play again next Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings, so it's possible they will rest Kupp for one more week if they don't feel he's quite ready.

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Nick Chubb Oct 19 12:40pm ET
Nick Chubb

The Cleveland Browns announced on Saturday that they have officially activated running back Nick Chubb (knee) from Injured Reserve ahead of their Week 7 divisional contest on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns listed Chubb as questionable to play on their final injury report on Friday, but the 28-year-old is fully expected to be active this weekend. How much Chubb will see the field will be a different story, and we expect Cleveland to ease him back in since he hasn't played since Week 2 of last year, when he suffered a gruesome season-ending knee injury in which he tore multiple ligaments. Chubb will see work against Cincy, but D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. will likely spell him often, making him a volatile RB3/flex in his first game of 2024. Meanwhile, Jerome Ford (hamstring) has been ruled out, and his fantasy value has now tanked now that Chubb is back in the fold.

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