The Cleveland Browns inked Kareem Hunt to a one-year deal on Monday.
The deal makes Hunt an RFA next season and comes as a bit of a shock considering how well Nick Chubb performed for Cleveland in 2018. So, what to make of this backfield for fantasy purposes?
Nick Chubb
It’s easy to panic if you’re a Chubb owner, and why not? It appeared that this backfield would belong to Chubb solely. Chubb began 2018 as Carlos Hyde’s backup, but it was clear to see who was the more talented back even in limited touches. Once he took over in Week 7 after Hyde’s trade to Jacksonville, he became a consistent fantasy performer for owners. Chubb finished with 996 rushing yards and topped 12 PPR points in seven of his final 10 games. Sprinkled in during that stretch was a 35.9 PPR performance in Week 10 and a 27.8 performance in Week 12.
What do we expect for 2019? Hunt’s addition muddies the picture of the backfield split but there’s the imminent suspension looming for him. How long is anyone’s guess at this point, but a suspension may vary from four games to the entire season. At this point, it’s too early to make any assumptions until we learn how long the suspension will be. In the meantime, dynasty owners hold tight with Chubb and wait to see how the situation develops.
Kareem Hunt
This deal makes sense for a few reasons. John Dorsey, Cleveland’s GM, drafted Hunt while he was the GM for the Chiefs. Hunt played his college ball at Toledo, so he has Ohio ties. Signing a player of this caliber at his age to a one-year deal is a no brainer.
In Kansas City, Hunt played on all three downs. Depending on how quickly he can round into football shape following his suspension will determine his role in 2019. Chubb is still the favorite to play the majority of the snaps initially, but Hunt is quite the handcuff. At worst owners can hope the Browns utilize Hunt and Chubb similarly to how the Saints use Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. Cleveland now has two backs they can use from any down or distance, but Hunt has the edge as a receiver over Chubb.
Here’s a comparison of Chubb and Hunt over the same period via Mike Clay on Twitter:
Comparison: 2018 Nick Chubb following the Hyde trade VS 2018 Kareem Hunt pic.twitter.com/yMMFlt8WnJ
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) February 11, 2019
Hunt’s receiving numbers were considerably better but keep in mind the caliber of offense in Kansas City.
Hunt’s dynasty owners have been held waiting for a moment like this so it’s easy to continue, but seasonal players have time for things to shake out before deciding where to draft Hunt in 2019.
Duke Johnson
Duke Johnson is the biggest loser in the backfield following Hunt’s addition. Johnson was underutilized in 2018 and John Dorsey was non-committal when asked about Johnson on Monday. Duke averaged five yards per carry and nearly 10 yards per catch while receiving double-digit touches only once this season. Johnson has a lot of tread on the tires and the Browns will most likely explore the trade market this offseason.
It’s time to buy Duke Johnson in dynasty leagues. It may not take much to pry him away from owners after the Hunt news and if he is moved to another team can be a reliable fantasy option based off talent alone. One dream scenario is Cleveland trading Johnson to Tampa Bay and Bruce Arians.
The Browns backfield is crowded right now but making any decisions without knowing Hunt’s suspension would be hasty.
