'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Nick Chubb's Cleveland Browns became a triage center in 2021. Seemingly every player on the offense has caught the injury bug this season.
The backfield may have it the worst, despite having two high-quality running backs and a third promising back. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt's spotty attendance has been a nightmare for the Browns' original game plan.
Luckily, one of the two running backs is nearing a return. Will Nick Chubb be available this week against the Lions?
Will Nick Chubb play on Sunday?
According to CBS Sports, Nick Chubb is over his injury, but he's fighting an illness. This may be an "out of the frying pan and into the fire" scenario, but the running back has high hopes of playing this week.
That said, as of Thursday, the running back was officially listed as "questionable." Chubb was activated on Friday and is closer to playing than he's been in quite some time.
The good news is that the extra rest granted by the illness has given the running back even more time to fortify his calf from tweaking the injury any further. Once he's back, Chubb should be an instant spark for the offense.
This would be the best-case scenario for a Browns backfield that has been practically vacant multiple times this season.
Kareem Hunt is still out for the Browns
Meanwhile, Kareem Hunt is dealing with a calf injury that many expect to have healed by now. His return has repeatedly been pushed back each week.
According to The Athletic, Hunt could return as late as Week 14, based on their predictive models.
For fantasy owners of Hunt and Chubb, their repeated absences have led to plenty of frustration as the stories have shifted on a week-by-week basis. However, injuries have permeated much of the NFL at the running back position this season.
Between Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffery, Chubb and Hunt, many are rethinking their drafting strategies for next season.
Specifically, owners may be putting less value on the running back position altogether next season. It seems that no matter where running backs are drafted by NFL teams and no matter how well they do in their first few seasons in the NFL, they fall into an injury hole by their mid-20s or sooner.
For NFL general managers, the argument for drafting running backs lower and lower makes more sense every year. If they are simply going to get hurt in a few years anyway, why spend a top pick on an asset that is only going to last for a few years in all likelihood?
