Pierre

Strong Jr.

In his third season as a pro, Strong rushed 26 times for 108 scoreless yards while adding 14 receptions for another 104 yards on 22 targets. The former fourth-round pick still has one more year left on the rookie deal he signed in 2022 after being drafted by the Patriots, but will likely have to battle for a roster spot in training camp, whether it’s with the Browns or somewhere else.

Backup Pierre Strong remains sidelined with a concussion. That leaves just D’Onta Foreman to man the backfield if neither is able to practice on Friday. Foreman would be a volume-based RB3 if neither back plays in Week 18 versus the Ravens.

We suspected as much after he left Week 17’s game early. Jerome Ford (ankle) also dealt with an injury last weekend, leaving D’Onta Foreman as the lone available back at one point. It feels unlikely Strong Jr. will clear protocol before Saturday. If not, he will finish the year with a 26/108/0 rushing line and a 14/104 receiving line on 22 targets. He’ll be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025.

Strong took a big hit while he already being dragged to the ground by Calais Campbell. He was eventually helped off-field by the Browns’ training staff before being escorted to the locker room. He rushed five times for 33 yards and caught 3-of-5 targets for 15 yards before exiting.

Pierre Strong will back Nick Chubb up again this week. Strong played on over half of the Browns’ snaps in Week 7 but only touched the ball four times. He is not on the fantasy radar versus the Ravens.

Strong was the backup to the returning Nick Chubb, getting four touches in the Browns’ Week 7 loss. He saw much of the backfield looks in the second half, working ahead of D’Onta Foreman, who had two carries for five yards. With Jerome Ford (hamstring) out, the Browns’ backfield is going to run through Chubb with some of Strong and Foreman. Neither of the two are fantasy relevant unless both Ford and Chubb are out.

This feels like a thinly veiled way of saying Chubb won’t step into his normal workload when he returns on Sunday against the Bengals. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the brutal nature of his injury and the time he’s spent just to get back on the field. With Jerome Ford (hamstring) listed as a DNP on Wednesday, it’s possible Pierre Strong, who led the backfield in Week 6, could work behind Chubb as the change-of-pace and/or third-down back. Fantasy managers eager to insert Chubb into their lineup should temper expectations in what could be a limited return to the field in his first game back.

Ford’s time as the lead back was winding down with Nick Chubb likely to be activated from injured reserve in the near future anyway, so fantasy managers in questionable roster situations can probably safely discard him if they need space. Week-to-week has been the new injury buzz word this week from coaches and it’s likely that Ford is set to miss at least a week, perhaps two, with the hamstring injury he suffered in the first quarter. D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong would get a crack in a committee if Chubb isn’t ready for Week 7 against the Bengals.

With Jerome Ford lost early to a hamstring injury, Strong formed a near-even committee with early-down back D’Onta Foreman. With the Browns predictably spending the afternoon in trail mode, Strong ended up winning the snaps battle. Foreman did out-touch Strong 12-10. We didn’t get any concrete updates on Ford’s status after the game. We are also waiting on Nick Chubb (knee) news. Even if both backs sit for Week 7 against the Bengals, the odds are against Strong becoming a recommended FLEX streamer.

Pierre Strong is also good to go. With the two backs likely splitting the RB2 duties behind Jerome Ford, there isn’t any fantasy value to be had with either player. Foreman has 29 carries for 93 scoreless yards this year.