As the Cleveland Browns look to get back on track against a divisional rival, they will get some much-needed help in the form of one of the NFL’s best running backs, Nick Chubb. As fantasy football managers continue to tinker with their lineups as Week 8 draws near, here is the latest injury news on the star RB. Should fantasy managers start Chubb as he returns to action from his calf injury?
Nick Chubb returns to a full practice on Friday following a calf injury
That single sentence draws smiles from fantasy managers and Browns fans alike as one of the best players at the RB position makes his return against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8.
According to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Chubb was a full practice participant Friday and doesn’t have an injury designation for Sunday’s game.
Chubb was limited at practice Wednesday and Thursday after sitting out the past two games with the calf injury he sustained in Week 5. With Kareem Hunt (calf) still on injured reserve, the return of Chubb is a massive boost to the Browns’ rushing game. However, D’Ernest Johnson filled in admirably in Week 7 and will continue to serve as Cleveland’s No. 2 back. Johnson recorded 168 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in a breakout game against the Broncos.
When on the field, Chubb is one of the best the NFL has to offer
Chubb is a rare player in the modern NFL — and, for that matter, in fantasy football. With more and more teams utilizing a multiple-back approach, runners like Chubb are a rare breed. He has elite-level abilities without requiring utilization in the passing game.
Among running backs who have played in 15 or more games since 2018, Chubb is third in yards (4,080), sixth in touchdowns (32), and third in yards per game (83.3). His 5.3 average is third over that time (100 rush minimum). As for fantasy, he has finished as the RB16, RB7, and RB9, which is incredible when you factor in his limited usage in the passing game. In 2020, Chubb was the only RB inside the top 36 who had fewer than 20 targets on the season. He was still an RB1 — and he only played in 12 games.
2021 has been no different, as Chubb has been a workhorse for the Browns. In five games, Chubb has rushed 90 times for 523 yards (5.8 per carry) and 4 touchdowns while catching all 5 of his targets for an additional 35 yards. That’s not only a career-high ypc but also in per-game yardage (104.6).
Chubb was the RB8 in half-PPR scoring prior to his injury (16.1 ppg), and despite missing two weeks, he is still No. 16 among running backs.
As he returns to action, Chubb is a must-start for fantasy managers in Week 8
Without a doubt, there is some trepidation any time you plug a player returning from injury back into your fantasy lineups. That’s all the more true when the player is facing a less than favorable matchup. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a solid defense — they rank seventh in points allowed to RBs (19.42), while their rush defense ranks ninth in Football Outsiders’ DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average).
But this is Chubb we’re talking about. As long as he is in the Browns’ lineup, he should be in yours. With Hunt out and Baker Mayfield playing through an injury-riddled left shoulder, Chubb could see more than 20 carries, something he did in his previous three outings.
The strength of the Steelers’ front seven is negated by the Browns’ offensive line, which is one of the best in the NFL, especially in run blocking. They are No. 1 in rushing DVOA and No. 2 in Adjusted Line Yards.
Chubb has yet to finish a game in 2021 with fewer than 83 rushing yards, and I don’t see that changing this week. He is a locked-in RB1 that fantasy managers should relish having back in their lineups.