Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a devastating season-ending injury in the team's 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. What is the fantasy football impact of Chubb's injury?

Here's where things stand moving forward for fantasy managers.

The Fantasy Impact Of Nick Chubb's Injury

Let's call it what it is: You're going to have a tall order trying to replace Chubb's production. He's rushed for at least 996 yards and eight touchdowns in every season since he was drafted in 2018. Chubb is coming off his highest fantasy total for a single season in 2022, where he racked up 254.4 fantasy points in standard leagues. That's a lot of fantasy points, which is why he was a top-five pick for most people in their drafts.

Finding one player that can replicate those numbers is going to be a challenge, even if the Browns clearly have confidence in their new RB1 entering Week 3.

Jerome Ford's Fantasy Outlook

Ford had a stellar performance in a tough spot against the Steelers. He had 16 carries for 106 yards, and three receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown. His 69-yard run was particularly impressive. That was enough for Kevin Stefanski to name him the starting running back moving forward, which makes sense considering the lack of depth behind him. Pierre Strong Jr. had just 10 carries for the New England Patriots a season ago, and that's the current running back group for Cleveland.

Make no mistake about it: Ford is the priority pickup on the fantasy football waiver wire this week since he's a fantasy RB2 with upside. Zack Moss is a distant second. However, while Ford will have a hefty workload from the jump, will that be a short-term or long-term scenario? It all depends on who the Browns decide to add to the mix.

The Browns Have Options

Yes, the Browns are going to add someone. The question is, who will it be? Kareem Hunt, who played four seasons in Cleveland and wasn't re-signed in the offseason, is available as a free agent. So is Leonard Fournette. Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers is available in a trade. All of them are intriguing options with Chubb sidelined.

Hunt knows the offense and plays the complementary role well at this point in his career. He'd probably catch more balls than anything else, which would impact Ford's output in PPR leagues. Can Hunt be to Ford what he was to Chubb? It's possible.

Fournette was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it's not as though he put up poor numbers. He had 189 carries for 668 yards and three touchdowns in 2022, making him an attractive option at this point for a Browns' team that needs depth.

Meanwhile, Akers still has the talent to be a productive running back in the NFL, even after the Achilles' injury in 2021. He desperately needs a fresh start elsewhere given the back-and-forth nature of his relationship with the Rams, and a move to Cleveland could make sense.

Any of those three joining the roster would likely eat into Ford's production as a fantasy running back.

What Should Fantasy Managers Do?

If Chubb is on your roster, hopefully, you have a capable duo that can combine to match his scoring. If not, Ford is option A, B, and C on the waiver wire.

Otherwise, a trade proposal for a rising running back like Kyren Williams or an all-out package for another top running back is the best option.