Key Cleveland Browns Playmaker Lands Grim Fantasy Football Outlook

There is a feeling that this Cleveland Browns playmaker may be getting too much hype in Fantasy Football.

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (34) runs the ball against the New York Jets during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

All eyes are on Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford, as the third-year playmaker is about to receive a significant opportunity over the first several weeks of the 2024 NFL season.

But just how much value does Ford actually have in Fantasy Football?

With Nick Chubb starting the year on the PUP list and D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. clearly behind Ford on the depth chart, many feel that the Browns halfback is a terrific sleeper option.

However, Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport has thrown a wet blanket on the Ford hype.

While Davenport acknowledges that Ford could be an affordable RB2 option early on in the season, he isn't crazy about his ceiling.

"Also, while Ford surpassed 1,100 total yards last year, he averaged just 4.0 yards per carry despite rushing behind arguably the league's best line. He's an average talent—at best," Davenport wrote. "Strong and Foreman are going to figure into things, and the Browns could always add another back."

Davenport added that Ford's fantasy value "likely carries an expiration date" due to the fact that Chubb becomes eligible to return in Week 5.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Chubb retakes the field after four games, and even if he does, the jury is out on whether or not he will be the same after suffering a devastating knee injury last year.

But, Davenport merely feels that there are better options than Ford, and that the idea of selecting Ford ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris—which happened in Davenport's league—is nonsense.

We'll see if Ford can prove Davenport wrong this season.

Cleveland will host the Dallas Cowboys in its season opener next Sunday.