For most of his five NFL seasons, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb has been backed up by Kareem Hunt, who provided Cleveland with a capable backup and quality option on passing downs. Hunt’s time with the Browns has come to an end, however, leaving the club to sort through new options to line up behind one of the NFL’s best backs.
As we enter August, the three players vying for that spot are RB Jerome Ford, a fifth-round pick a season ago, Demetric Felton, who is entering his third year with the Browns, and running back John Kelly, a former selection of the Los Angeles Rams who has bounced around the NFL since 2018. With Chubb being an elite fantasy back, securing his backup would be a savvy move for fantasy owners, so it’s a good time to look at the competition and who should be targeted as Cleveland’s RB2.
Jerome Ford
Cleveland provided a pretty clear indication of who they currently view as Chubb’s backup with who was and, more importantly, who wasn’t active in the Hall of Fame Game against the New York Jets. Ford joined Chubb on the sidelines on Aug. 3, while the rest of the backs on the Browns’ roster saw time.
While Ford entered camp as the favorite to serve as RB2, the team’s desire to prioritize his health over seeing him in action suggests they know what they have. Their best efforts to keep him healthy didn’t go unpunished as Ford suffered a hamstring strain in Monday’s practice and is day to day.
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Ford played well in the preseason last year, posting 159 yards and a pair of touchdowns in two games before being held out of the finale after securing a roster spot. While Ford served as the kick returner, he played little from scrimmage as a rookie, operating behind the Chubb/Hunt tandem as well as RB D’Ernest Johnson (now with the Jacksonville Jaguars). Ford has good speed and is a capable receiver out of the backfield, which is important since that’s never been Chubb’s strong suit.
Demetric Felton
Felton is an interesting option. He was drafted in the sixth round in 2021 and has seen time as both a running back and a receiver with the Browns, which is something he did at UCLA as well. He’ll need to lean on that versatility as he’s undersized for a receiver (5-foot-9, 190 pounds) and doesn’t possess great speed. Felton led the team in rushing against the Jets with 46 yards and a TD on seven carries, and he added a pair of receptions as well.
John Kelly
Originally a sixth-round pick of the Rams in 2018, Kelly has played in parts of four NFL campaigns, though he’s actually appeared in fewer regular season games (12) than Felton (24) or Ford (13). Kelly is much closer to Chubb in terms of running style, favoring a north-south approach and delivering physicality with his 210-pound frame. Kelly logged a team-high 14 touches versus New York, turning those into 69 yards and a score.
Undrafted rookie RB Hassan Hall also saw time (five carries, 34 yards), but the Georgia Tech product looks more like a possible practice squad candidate than a serious threat for the 53-man roster.
Fantasy football outlook
With Chubb expected to shoulder a heavy load in 2023, nobody down the depth chart holds any standalone value. If you’re looking for a handcuff option to stash on your bench, Ford is the only one who looks to have a real chance to contribute. The Browns obviously like what he offers, and his skills as a receiver suggest he’ll have a role even when Chubb is healthy. Ford doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy of missing Week 1 at this time.
Of the remaining three backs, Felton seems the most likely to stick as his roots as a receiver could earn him a spot.
It’s also early enough in camp that Cleveland could still make a move to add a veteran back if they don’t like what they have beyond Chubb and Ford. Unless the second-year back struggles, such a move would likely be made with an eye on the RB3 spot.
