Ex-Patriots Trade Piece Lands On Fantasy Radar After Notable Injury News
Pierre Strong Jr. is a viable waiver-wire target before Week 8
The Cleveland Browns probably didn’t envision when they acquired Pierre Strong Jr. from the New England Patriots back in August that he’d sit near the top of the running back depth chart come Week 8.
Yet, that’s the situation Cleveland finds itself in after starter Nick Chubb suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 and backup Jerome Ford suffered an ankle sprain in Week 7.
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Ford reportedly is expected to miss one to two weeks after limping off the field Sunday in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s thrilling win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. His absence seemingly opens the door for Strong and Kareem Hunt to garner heavier workloads this Sunday when the Browns visit the Seattle Seahawks. As such, both Strong and Hunt should be on fantasy football radars as potential waiver-wire pickups.
Hunt, 28, is a seven-year veteran who’s in his fifth season with the Browns. He obviously knows the system well and is a viable plug-and-play starter for Cleveland, even if he doesn’t necessarily provide the dynamic production we’ve seen at various points in his NFL career.
The problem? Hunt has popped up on the injury report frequently this season, so it’s probably unrealistic to expect him to assume a bell-cow role for however long Ford is sidelined. That could pave the way for Strong, a fourth-round draft pick of New England in 2022, to see an uptick in usage.
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Strong played a career-high 23 snaps (31 percent of offensive plays) in Week 7, an increase that began even before Ford went down with his injury. It wasn’t a jaw-dropping performance, with Strong totaling just eight rushes for 25 yards, but he’s been serviceable in reserve duty this season.
Even if Hunt receives the majority of the carries against Seattle, which boasts a stout run defense, Strong could see double-digit touches. And that’s enough to warrant fantasy consideration in deeper leagues or if you’re in a real bind at the running back position, as many owners probably are this time of year.
The Patriots traded Strong, a South Dakota State product, to the Browns before the season for offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatly Jr. New England recently placed Wheatley on injured reserve.
