How Nick Chubb’s injury affects the fantasy football values of Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson

Go get D’Ernest Johnson off waivers.

Nick Chubb — the NFL’s second-leading rusher — will be out for a little while this season after an MCL injury, although the Cleveland Browns note that he’ll be back at some point this year.

For fantasy football owners, it’s huge news.

The running back position was already littered with injuries and timeshares, and now one of the dependable names on a team that runs the ball more than any other squad in the NFL will miss “weeks” in 2020.

So as we do when there are injuries like this, we examine how it affects the names involved here on the Browns, including Chubb:

Nick Chubb

It’s pretty simple here: sit him on your bench and wait. If you can get through the coming weeks with him stashed, then you’ll have him back in time to make a stretch run to the fantasy postseason. That could be huge.

Kareem Hunt

The young star was one of my favorite picks in fantasy this year because he came at a low price, yet we knew he would have a big enough role with the Browns to be valuable AND was a handcuff in case Chubb went down.

Now? You’re looking at an RB1 who could have even more volume, plus he might catch more passes. I do think the next name below will get more carries than you think. But Hunt will be a top option until Chubb comes back, and then will resume being a solid FLEX player the rest of the way.

D’Ernest Johnson

Fun fact: he’s a former AAF player for the Orlando Apollos who signed after the league folded.

Another fun fact: after Chubb went down, he amassed 13 carries for 95 yards. Now, not every opponent is going to give up yardage like the Cowboys did on Sunday — the Browns face the Colts and Steelers in the next two weeks, welp — but if he ends up with double-digit carries on a team that’s been the most effective running the ball (5.9 ypc) in the league, that’s FLEX-level return with RB2 upside. Go get him off waivers this week as your No. 1 pickup.

Dontrell Hilliard

In really deep leagues, he could be worth a look just in case either Hunt or Johnson get injured. You’d end up with a valuable handcuff if that happened.

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