Nick Chubb (@ WAS) – Chubb is eligible to start practicing this week after rehabbing his brutal knee injury from last year. It is likely that he won’t be able to suit up on Sunday but he could be in play next week. Either way if for some reason he is available on your waiver wire, go ahead and stash him.

Anthony Richardson (@ JAC) – Richardson had a rough outing on Sunday and picked up a hip pointer while scrambling toward the sidelines. He was able to come back in but also took a hit to the head. This is likely a pain tolerance issue for Richardson but his status is worth monitoring.

Christian Watson (@ LAR) – Watson suffered an ankle injury on Sunday that looks to be serious. No word yet on the severity but this could sideline him for multiple weeks. We should get word on Wednesday on how long he could be out.

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Houston Texans

The obvious choice is the Texans, they made it to the Divisional Round with a rookie quarterback. C.J. Stroud is now heading into his second year. The acquisition of Stefon Diggs certainly boosts the offensive firepower. If Stroud continues on this track I certainly expect Super Bowl contention.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have had an elite defense for a couple years now. The problem has been offensive production, with Deshaun Watson struggling a bit and the injury to Nick Chubb it wasn’t very good last year. This year Watson can deliver and make this team a Super Bowl caliber one. Kevin Stefanski will find a way to bring some sort of production out of Watson.

Chicago Bears

By no means is Chicago a sure-fire Super Bowl contender. I do think they have the pieces to be a serious playoff contender and even in a weak NFC conference anything can happen. Caleb Williams has all the tools needed to perform in Keenan Allen, D.J. Moore, D’Andre Swift and two stud tackles. Regarding the defensive the Bears locked down cornerback Jaylon Johnson earlier this year. 

The post Which Team is Ready to Become a Contender? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have spent a fortune to go get their guy in Deshaun Watson, and so far it hasn’t worked out. For now there is still hope, Watson has no better chance than now to rekindle the 2018 flame he had when he led the Texans to the divisional round.

The pressure is on for Watson but with that 1st ranked defense (270.2 YPG) and a healthy Nick Chubb, the turnaround in Cleveland could definitely happen.

New Orleans Saints

Maybe the most likely scenario listed, the Saints have all the pieces to make a run. After firing OC Pete Carmichael Jr. and making a complete overhaul of their offensive staff firing multiple position group coaches and even some advisors the message seems to have been made clear in New Orleans. Not enough offense.

The hiring of former 49ers passing game specialist, Klint Kubiak could provide the spark the Saints have needed badly for the past few years. In terms of the defense, Marshon Lattimore’s potential departure could be something to keep an eye on. If all goes right New Orleans could seriously make a run.

Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis has been a very under the radar team the past few years. But for a few weeks at the start of last year, everyone was paying attention. Anthony Richardson was shocking the world with his insane running ability and absolute cannon of an arm. Cam Newton comparisons were circulating and everything seemed trending upwards.

Then Richardson had season-ending shoulder surgery and just as fast as Indianapolis’ spark came, it left. With the draft coming up in a few weeks a new WR to pair with Michael Pittman Jr. would be a luxury for Richardson and potentially a deciding factor in the Colts’ season.

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Last Weeks Record 11-4

Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns

Cleveland had the worse possible thing happen last week in losing their star RB in Nick Chubb. To replace him, they picked up Kareem Hunt who has familiarity with this offense. Look for the Titans defense to shut down Deshaun Watson and Hunt at home.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 24 Cleveland 17

Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions

Detroit will have no David Montgomery in this game, and are coming off a tough loss to the Seahawks. Look for them to bounce back in this game although Atlanta is playing well at 2-0. I think Detroit’s D will be too much for Atlanta in this game, as they will force a few turnovers.

PREDICTION: Detroit 27 Atlanta 23

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

These teams are pretty even with the Saints undefeated so far. Green Bay is a tough place to play and if they can get Aaron Jones going they’ll win this game. Jordan Love needs to minimize any mistakes and the defense needs to step up.

PREDICTION: Green Bay 24 Saints 20

Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins

Denver is coming off a tough loss to the Commanders after being in control the first half. Russell Wilson has played well at times but is also still struggling. These two teams are trending in opposite directions and Miami looks awfully tough to beat. They have too many weapons and Tua Tagovailoa is playing exceptional. Denver falls to 0-3 after a dominant win by the Dolphins

PREDICTION: Dolphins 31 Broncos 17

Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings

I don’t think the Vikings are going to the Super Bowl, but I also think there better than their record. This is why I see them bouncing back in this game. They can’t just rely on Justin Jefferson, they need to get the run game going which will help set up the pass.

PREDICTION: Vikings 30 Rams 23

New England Patriots at New York Jets

New England will bounce back in this game and get their first win on the road. Zach Wilson is clearly not the answer at QB and unless the Jets defense scores 21 points, they will not win this game.

PREDICTION: Patriots 23 Jets 13

Buffalo Bills at Washington Commanders

Washington is coming off an impressive come from behind road win against the Russell Wilson led Broncos. Their defense has struggled at time especially with giving up the big play. Washington will try and take away that big play threat against Buffalo and most likely force them to run and keep things in front of them. Eric Bieniemy has experience against the Bills which should help them with play calling. I’m gonna take Washington at home by a field goal.

PREDICTION: Washington 23 Bills 20

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville bounces back this week against a young Texans team. Houston is rebuilding and trying to figure out how good CJ Stroud is.

PREDICTION: Jaguars 28 Texans 10

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore is on a roll and Lamar Jackson appears to be playing at a high level two games in. Gus Edwards has stepped up in JK Dobbins’ absence and hasn’t skipped a beat. Baltimore’s D will be too much for the Colts and so the Ravens will remain undefeated.

PREDICTION: Ravens 23 Colts 10

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

Similar to the Texans/Jaguars game, Seattle is playing a young inexperienced QB who they will try to make life difficult for. Seattle is a tough place to play for an offense. Look for the Seahawks to create turnovers and hold the Panthers to around 10 points.

PREDICTION: Seattle 24 Panthers 10

Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs haven’t looked like themselves the last few weeks and stand at 1-1. Folks are wondering if there offense is so different after their OC left this year. I think they’ll start running on all cylinders in a few games, especially when you have Patrick Mahomes at QB.

PREDICTION: Chiefs 31 Bears 13

Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals

This game could be really, really bad for the Cards who will go up against the #1 ranked defense. Even with Trevon Diggs out for the season, the pass rush is way too good. Cards need to run the ball to have any success, but even that will be tough. The Cowboys win big in this one.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 38 Cards 7

Pittsburgh Steelers at Las Vegas Raiders

When will Najee Harris break out? Will their offense take a step foward this week? These are the questions I’m asking coming into week 3 with the Raiders playing against the Steelers. The Steelers D will keep them in this game the question will be can their offense score at least two TD’s. I like the Steelers in a close one.

PREDICTION: Steelers 24 Raiders 21

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Bucanneers

The Eagles are 2-0 but if you dig deeper they haven’t played their best football. Tampa is playing well with Baker Mayfield but he could struggle in this game. The Eagles D-line is too good and will make Baker’s life miserable. I’ll take Eagles in a close one.

PREDICTION: Eagles 30 Tampa 27

LA Rams at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are struggling but as a team where too good to go to 0-3. Especially at home they should win this game. Pay attention to Joe Burrow‘s ankle as he’s battling through that. The Bengals need to get Ja’Marr Chase involved more and mix in more Joe Mixon.

PREDICTION: Bengals 28 Rams 24

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Jerome Ford

Jerome Ford filled in admirably for the Cleveland Browns after Chubb exited. He showed explosiveness and vision and was a threat in the passing game. Even though he looked the part in relief, can he handle the full-time role?

That’s tough to say as we haven’t yet seen Ford handle more than 16 carries in a game (which came on Monday night). That said, if they stay with Ford they wouldn’t have to give up any draft picks or take a hit against their cap.

Kareem Hunt

Update: Hunt has signed a one-year deal with the Browns worth up to $4 million.

Kareem Hunt is still a free agent which is somewhat surprising. Hunt is still only 28 years old and was productive in 2022 backing up Chubb. The fact that he is still available leads me to believe his asking price is too high for teams to pull the trigger. If that’s the case would he take less money to return to Cleveland?

Possibly, now that he knows he can handle the majority of the carries. Like Ford though Hunt’s most carries in a game in 2022 was 13. If Hunt was signed we would most likely see a mix of him and Ford.

Cam Akers

Cam Akers is once again in Sean McVay’s dog house and this time it looks like the Rams are ready to trade him. I like the fit here with Akers in the Browns offense and there are rumors they have interest. Akers would likely cost a mid-round draft pick and the Browns have 8 total picks next year.

I could see the Rams letting Akers go for a 5th or possibly a 6th and the Browns have two of each. Even in an up-and-down 2022 Akers had 7 rushing touchdowns and 786 rushing yards. At 24, Akers still has plenty to offer if he goes to the right situation.

The post Running Back Options for the Cleveland Browns appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Good

It’s hard to believe the running back Nick Chubb is still often overlooked as one of the league’s best. It may be due to his quiet personality and business-like work ethic. You don’t hear much from Chubb off the field but on it, he is wrecking ball terrorizing defenses. Chubb is coming off his best year in Cleveland where he ran for 1,525 yards and 13 total touchdowns. Even with Watson back, Chubb is the focal point of the Browns offense and he keeps improving every year. In a year where the running back position is front in center, Chubb has shown he is worth every penny of his $36.6 million dollar contract.

The Bad

Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper was brought in by Cleveland last year to be their #1. For the most part, Cooper impressed and was able to play in all 17 games for the Browns. Cooper needed more help this offseason and the Browns decided to take a flyer on Elijah Moore. Moore flamed out of New York after two disappointing seasons with the Jets. He will now be expected to produce in a large role for Cleveland but there a plenty of question marks on if he can.

Outside of Cooper and Moore the Browns will hope for more improvement from Donovan Peoples-Jones next season. Peoples-Jones had a career-high 839 receiving yards last year for the Browns. Still, I would’ve liked to see the Browns address the wide receiver position more last offseason. As a whole, this group is still below average and will need big years from Moore and Peoples-Jones to be competitive.

The Prediction

This is a make-or-break year for head coach Kevin Stefanski. He was recently listed on our coaches on the hot seat feature going into next season. It really all comes down to how Deshaun Watson performs in year 2. If he can recapture his old form the Browns will be competitive. I just don’t think we will see that version of Watson going forward.

2023 Record: 5-12 (4th in the Division)

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This past offseason the top 3 running backs available were all franchise tagged. In addition, Chargers running back Austin Ekeler is also not happy about his current contract situation. If it wasn’t for a recent boost in incentives, Ekeler may have been traded. It’s important to point out these details as the real value of running backs has been debated in recent years. One thing you can’t debate is that the players below all play a critical role in their teams’ success. Let’s now look closer at the top 10 running backs in the NFL today.

10. Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara had a bit of a down year that we weren’t accustomed to seeing in 2022. In fact, the entire Saints offense took a step back last year and struggled to find an identity. New Orleans hopes the new addition of Derek Carr will help solve their offensive woes and help them take a step forward. Carr will open up the field again for Kamara and the running back should bounce back. Health and off-the-field issues will be a concern for Kamara but as of now, it looks like he won’t be suspended.

2022 Stats: 1,387 all purpose yards | 4 total touchdowns

9. Joe Mixon

When healthy, Joe Mixon has put up consistent numbers throughout his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mixon is a true three-down back in one of the league’s best offenses. In 2023, he will have the backfield all to himself as Samaje Perine is now with the Broncos. You can expect another Pro Bowl caliber year from Mixon and plenty of opportunities to score.

2022 Stats: 1,255 all purpose yards | 9 total touchdowns

8. Tony Pollard

When the Dallas Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott this offseason it signaled a changing of the guard. They were now confident enough to let Tony Pollard be the feature back. Pollard has all the tools of a modern NFL running back. He will now get the chance to showcase those skills for Dallas. The only concern with Pollard is durability. Can he handle the full-time workload?

2022 Stats: 1,378 all purpose yards | 12 total touchdowns

7. Aaron Jones

For most of his career in Green Bay, Aaron Jones has had competition in the Packers backfield. That really hasn’t mattered as Jones has put up numbers regardless. Jones has always been a threat in the receiving game and in 2022 had 5 receiving touchdowns. Now with Aaron Rodgers out of the picture, Jones will be relied on more than ever.

2022 Stats: 1,516 all purpose yards | 7 total touchdowns

6. Saquon Barkley

The aforementioned Saquon Barkley will be playing with a chip on his shoulder next season. For what it’s worth, the Giants should’ve franchise tagged Daniel Jones and paid Barkley his due. It’s now unlikely that the two sides will agree on a new deal before the start of the season. The off-the-field noise won’t slow down Barkley’s production in 2023.

2022 Stats: 1,650 all purpose yards | 10 total touchdowns

5. Nick Chubb

Since his rookie season, Nick Chubb has rushed for 1000+ yards each year he has been in the league. Chubb has always been an old school type of running back who can carry the heavy load. He had 302 rushing attempts last season and is showing no signs of slowing down.

2002 Stats: 1,764 all purpose yards | 13 total touchdowns

4. Derrick Henry

Like Chubb, Derrick Henry is a between the tackles type of runner with breakaway speed. There were rumors this offseason that the Titans might try and trade Henry. Those rumors turned out to be false as Henry looks poised for another big year. No matter who the quarterback is for the Titans, Henry will be the focal point of this offense for the foreseeable future.

2022 Stats: 1,936 all purpose yards | 13 total touchdowns

3. Austin Ekeler

Austin Ekeler is one of the most versatile running backs in the NFL today. Line him up anywhere on the field and Ekeler will deliver. As we mentioned before this is likely Ekeler’s last season for the Chargers due to the contract situation. If he hits free agency expect a big payday for Ekeler.

2022 Stats: 1,637 all purpose yards | 18 total touchdowns

2. Josh Jacobs

Despite being franchise tagged this offseason, Josh Jacobs has been business as usual. Jacobs is a true professional who lets his game speak for itself. In 2022, Jacobs led the league in rushing yards, all purpose yards, yards per game and total touches. Even with a change at quarterback for the Raiders you can expect the gameplan to be the same. Keep feeding Jacobs.

2022 Stats: 2,053 all purpose yards | 12 total touchdowns

1. Christian McCaffrey

When Christian McCaffrey was traded to the San Francisco 49ers this past season it was a bit surprising. Kyle Shanahan has always deployed a running back by committee offensive system. By bringing in McCaffrey he knew he would have to rely heavily on his new star. The trade paid off as the 49ers were just 1 game away from the Super Bowl despite questions at quarterback. Now with a full offseason under his belt, McCaffrey is set for a monster year in San Francisco.

2022 Stats: 1,880 all purpose yards | 13 total touchdowns

The post Top 10 Running Backs in 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Don’t forget to check out our fantasy football rankings page for our latest player rankings.

PLAYERS TO START

WR: Garrett Wilson NYJ (Projected: 13.92 FP)

Garrett Wilson has his favorite QB back. Mike White will be starting for the Jets again and the offense will most likely flow. Garrett Wilson has been insane with Mike White as his QB. In three games, he has averaged 21+ FP which includes at least seven targets, five receptions and 78+ yards. Against a struggling Seattle defense, Garrett Wilson can have another great game.

DEF/ST: Jacksonville Jaguars JAX (Projected: 8.79 FP)

Jacksonville is playing for something and they will look to put this effort as they face the Texans in Week 17. With the playoffs so close, they will look to be dominant when they play Houston. Jacksonville’s defense has been scoring double digit points the past three weeks. With a lackluster Houston offense, Jacksonville looks primed to score double digit points again.

PLAYERS TO SIT

QB: Justin Herbert LAC (Projected: 20.36 FP)

Justin Herbert comes in to Week 17 with a clinched playoff spot. He faces a tough Rams defense that led to Nathaniel Hackett getting fired after the Denver’s Week 16 loss. Herbert has been terrible the past two weeks scoring just 16 FP combined against the Titans and Colts. It’s most likely that Justin Herbert will let us down again this week.

RB: Nick Chubb CLE (Projected: 14.64 FP)

Nick Chubb hasn’t been the same ever since Deshaun Watson became the starting QB. Ever since the QB change, Chubb hasn’t rushed in for a TD in four games. He has also not hit over 100 yards rushing which he did six times with Jacoby Brissett as QB. The Commanders did a great job limiting Christian McCafferey in their Week 16 matchup. The Washington defense will be capable of stopping the ground game of Cleveland.

TE: Darren Waller LV (Projected: 8.54 FP)

Darren Waller has been solid ever since he returned in Week 15. He has averaged 11+ FP in his return and gets a lot of YPC. The problem for Week 17 is that he faces the elite 49ers defense with Jarrett Stidham as the starting QB for this game. Las Vegas is always chaotic and we question the purpose of this move. This game can get ugly really fast so it might be best to look for another TE option.

The post Start Or Sit: Week 17 Edition appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Charlie Vakassian

Three weeks into the NFL season, and the running back situation has been unexpected and injury marred for fantasy owners and NFL teams. But there have been two constants withstanding the storm. Saquon Barkley is a man on a mission, second in the NFL in rushing yards, as well as the overall RB1 for fantasy. He looks like his old self, leading the Giants to a 2-1 record. Nick Chubb has been tearing it up as well, leading the NFL in rushing yards while being the RB2 for fantasy. In this article, we will look at the styles and stats of both players, as well as their situations for this season and beyond. In the end, we will be able to answer: who is the better player?

Skills and Stats

Saquon Barkley: 53 carries, 317 yards, 2 TDs, 15 targets, 13 catches, 91 yards (5.98 YPC)

Nick Chubb: 62 carries, 341 yards, 4 TDs, 5 targets, 4 catches, 28 yards (5.5 YPC)

Chubb has been the beneficiary of a functioning offensive line, outscoring Barkley by two touchdowns. Surprisingly, Barkley has been the more efficient runner, thanks to his big play ability. Barkley has been the better fantasy performer because he is the true bell-cow and better receiver. Chubb has Kareem Hunt taking away all the passing work.

Barkley is the undisputed 3 down back and primary weapon on a Giants team with no healthy or talented wide receivers. Daniel Jones frequently targets him for check-downs and screenplays. Barkley also has amazing big play ability, with multiple 30-plus yard runs already this season.

Chubb has the misfortune of being handicapped by Kareem Hunt, who as I said before takes all the passing game work and even vultures a few carries. The Browns also have a competent QB in Jacoby Brisset and good weapons in Amari Cooper and David Njoku.

Outlook for 2022 and Beyond

Barkley is playing under his team option for this season and has the potential to become a free agent after this year, pending trade or extension. Chubb has more security, currently playing under a 3-year extension. Barkley has more to play for this year, with the chance to earn a nice payday on the open market. He is also the younger back, only 25 years old, and looks healthy 2 years removed from his ACL injury. Chubb has more long-term security, but is older, playing into his age 27 seasons, and has an annoying handcuff in Hunt. Running backs do not age well, and Chubb is a risky play for the dynasty except for contending teams. Redraft the two are essentially equal, but dynasty Barkley takes the cake. Overall, a slight edge over the Giants star RB.

The post Saquon Barkley or Nick Chubb: who is the better RB? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Cleveland Browns bruising running back Nick Chubb has been consistently dominant in his career thus far. Chubb has registered at least 996 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns in each NFL season. Furthermore, he made three Pro Bowls in his first four seasons. The Browns star RB is also off to a superb start in 2022 — as he’s unleashed 228 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, and averaged a whopping 5.8 YPC. PFF has also given the Browns lead RB a potent 86.7 grade for his performance.

With that enunciated, there is an intriguing, grand question surrounding the Browns RB: Is Chubb a future Hall of Famer?

He undoubtedly needs to be a freak RB for at least four-five more seasons including one AP season if he wants to have a shot to land in Canton. The Browns star profile already has one more PB nod than The King (also known as Derrick Henry). Although, he doesn’t share the same top-end production as Henry, Adrian Peterson, or LaDainian Tomlinson.

Chubb could really shine if Kareem Hunt doesn’t stick around the team beyond 2022. I expect Hunt to move on from CLE and Chubb to be the face of the RB spot for a long time.

I anticipate that Chubb will be more efficient when opponents focus on Deshaun Watson (after he is coming off an 11-game suspension this season). It could be said that the Browns may have the best QB-RB duo in the back quarter of the 2022 season.

When it’s all said and done, I foresee Chubb being inducted into the Browns ring of honor. I don’t feel that he will have an unusually productive single-season performance at this stage in his career, but he could 4-5 more PB seasons and make a strong case to garner a gold jacket.

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