Ian Hartitz backed Jerome Ford as the most reliable piece of the Browns backfield. Ford averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry in 2024 and ranked near the top of NFL NextGen’s rushing yards over expected board. Hartitz likes that Ford can catch passes and already understands Stefanski’s system, giving him an edge over rookie Dylan Samson. He admitted Cleveland will keep a committee, but with Quinshaw Judkins facing a possible season-long absence Hartitz projects Ford to remain the touch leader and a weekly RB2/3 who is still priced outside the top-100 picks.

Jake Ciely said Jerome Ford is the Cleveland back to target right now. Every time Ford has logged at least ten carries over the past two seasons he has produced double-digit fantasy points, yet drafters continue to ignore him. Ciely noted the rest of the depth chart is a mess: Nick Chubb is recovering from a December foot fracture, and rookie Quinshaw Judkins could miss the entire season while his legal case drags on. With no clear receiving threat behind him and Kevin Stefanski historically willing to ride the hot hand, Ciely believes Ford could open 2025 handling 12-15 touches and settle in as a sneaky RB2/FLEX at a discount.

JJ Zachariason said Jerome Ford is still a screaming value on DraftKings at a 170 ADP despite Kevin Stefanski publicly calling him the presumptive starter while Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned. Ford typically lasts two-plus rounds after rookie Dylan Samson (147 ADP) even though Samson was a Day-3 pick, profiles as an early-down grinder, and could see his role evaporate whenever Judkins eventually reports. JJ expects Cleveland to play from behind often, giving Ford a reliable pass-catching floor and immediate, front-loaded touch share—perfect for hero or zero-RB best-ball builds where he’s "just staring at me in Round 15."

JJ Zachariason urged drafters to keep scooping Jerome Ford in the 15th-17th rounds on DraftKings best-ball contests. He noted that Quinshon Judkins still has no contract as of July 29, and Kevin Stefanski publicly called Ford the starter. Ford already owned Cleveland’s two-minute and long-down-and-distance snaps in 2023, so an early-season pass-catching role is almost guaranteed while the Browns project for frequent negative game scripts. Despite that, Ford’s ADP sits 23 spots behind rookie Dylan Samson (170 vs 147 overall), even though Samson was a Day-3 pick and would lose high-value touches the instant Judkins signs. Zachariason is building zero-RB and hero-RB structures around Ford’s bankable receiving volume and front-loaded workload, calling him “a dart that just keeps staring me in the face.”

Hayden Winks said drafters can treat Jerome Ford as an inexpensive bridge starter. Winks projects that once training-camp dust settles we could "be doing running-back rankings in Week 1 and he’s RB29," a finish that would smash his current double-digit-round cost. The logic: if rookie Dylan Samson fails to impress early or sits behind Ford while Quinshon Judkins moves to the Commissioner’s Exempt List, Kevin Stefanski will lean on the veteran for early-down and goal-line work. That workload–plus Cleveland’s run-heavy tendencies and one of the league’s top offensive lines–gives Ford playable weekly volume in builds that punted RB early. Winks advised best-ball drafters to keep Ford in their late-round queue because "it’s not nothing" to buy a potential week-one RB2 for pennies.

Kerrane dismissed the idea of drafting Jerome Ford anywhere near his late-13th-round ADP, arguing the Browns’ No. 2 offers little playoff juice. Ford averaged just 3.9 yards per carry last season and ceded most red-zone snaps to Kareem Hunt, and Cleveland has hinted they may replace Nick Chubb with a power back rather than elevate Ford if Chubb isn’t 100% by December. Kerrane said he’s fine taking Ford at the very end of drafts for bye-week filler but sees no reason to ‘reach’ when higher-leverage handcuffs with clearer takeover paths—such as Ray Davis or Tyjae Spears—are available in the same range.

Pat Kerrane downgraded Jerome Ford to 159th overall, calling him "okay at cost" but ultimately a low-upside pick. Kerrane said Ford’s appeal is almost entirely front-loaded—9.7 projected Underdog points per week while Quinshon Judkins serves an expected suspension—but he sees "absolutely zero percent chance of a breakout." Once Judkins or Dylan Samson proves capable, Ford likely slips back into a committee role with little chance to hold the job long-term. Kerrane prefers shooting for ceiling in the same draft window, naming Miles Sanders (still going 10 spots later) and rookie swing plays like Braylon Allen as better bets to hold season-long value. Ford is fine for Zero-RB teams desperate for Week-3 points, but Kerrane warned most rosters should bypass a player whose pathway ends once Cleveland’s rookies get up to speed.

Because Winks expects Judkins to miss at least September, he pushed Jerome Ford into the 150 range alongside rookie Dylan Samson. Ford’s thicker frame and NFL experience make him the favorite for early-down carries in Week 1. Winks cautioned that the production may be ugly behind the Browns’ rebuilt line, but cheap volume is still valuable, especially in best-ball tournaments where survive-and-advance rules reward early points.

Erik Beimfohr quietly bumped Jerome Ford up his Best Ball board, noting the veteran becomes the Browns' default Week 1 starter if Quinshon Judkins’ contract/legal mess drags on and Dylan Sampson needs time to acclimate. Cleveland forced Ford to take a pay cut but has leaned on him for heavy workloads before, so coaching trust is already banked. Beimfohr views Ford as a cheap floor play who could deliver usable early-season spike weeks while the rookie situation sorts itself out.

JSU said Jerome Ford is the Browns back to click in the final rounds of DraftKings best-ball drafts. He expects Cleveland to open 2025 in a three-man committee with rookie Quinshon Judkins and fellow late-round flyer Samson Evans, but noted the off-field incident hanging over Judkins could trigger a 4-6 game suspension that vaults Ford into an every-down role. Even without a ban, JSU thinks at least one of the cheap veterans will matter because Kevin Stefanski has historically leaned on multiple backs (Browns RB2s have averaged 148 touches the last three seasons). If the rookie misses time, Ford’s current 170-plus ADP could jump inside the top-110, giving drafters an easy portfolio win.

Peter Overzet said Jerome Ford is now squarely in the Justice Hill bucket—a low-ceiling, high-utility option for Zero RB rooms that need 6-8 opening-week points while rookie backs get up to speed. Ford’s ADP has slipped to rounds 16-18 despite being drafted in every Big Board contest earlier this spring, and Overzet believes the Judkins uncertainty marginally improves Ford’s early-season touch projection. Because Cleveland could lean on the veteran while the rookies acclimate, Overzet is comfortable using Ford as a safety-net pick in Eliminator or BBM formats where he shores up fragile builds without sacrificing late-round upside elsewhere.

David Kitchen said Jerome Ford becomes an automatic 18th-round pick the moment Quinshawn Judkins shows any sign of missing time. Ford would vault to clear-cut early-season starter on a Browns offense that fed its lead back 22 touches per game last year. Kitchen noted that late-June drafts are still treating Ford like a pure handcuff, so you can pre-empt the market by scooping him before camp reports turn into blaring push notifications. He views the move as a near-free lottery ticket: if Judkins’ ankle lingers, Ford’s ADP jumps 40 spots overnight and you’ve banked instant closing-line value plus RB2 production.

Pat Kerrane said drafters should stop treating Jerome Ford as a contingency prize for Quinshon Judkins news and start recognizing the Browns have already demoted him to break-glass depth. Cleveland forced Ford to accept a pay cut and then spent two draft picks on rookies, telegraphing that they do not want him anywhere near a lead-back role. Kerrane framed Ford as a low-end RB2 or high-end RB3 who ‘rarely hits’ when DFS players chase him and could easily score zero if Judkins escapes suspension. His board has Ford sneaking into the early-200s ADP range—viable as an 18th-round sprinkle but never as a proactive target.

Pete Overzet cautioned managers against vaulting Jerome Ford up the draft board simply because drafters assume Judkins will be suspended. Ford’s appeal is almost entirely ‘projectable volume’, yet that volume is guesswork unless the league actually rules on Judkins – something Overzet doubts will happen in time to dent 2024 production. He added that Ford may not even be good enough to command a full workload if the rookie is available. Reaching for Ford on the basis of hypothetical touches, Overzet argued, is a classic minus-EV move in best ball.

Best Ball Guy softened his earlier Samson-over-Ford stance and said Ford is suddenly the sharper pick on Underdog’s half-PPR scoring. Ford’s heavier frame projects as the clear goal-line hammer while Quinshon Judkins’ legal cloud lingers and Dylan Samson is earmarked for perimeter touches. The tout noted that in a format where receptions are only 0.5 points, each short TD is worth as much as two Samson catches. He still loves Samson’s break-away 10-yard split and the coaching staff experimenting with him in the slot, but argued that upside is better captured on full-PPR sites (DraftKings, Drafters) or on rosters that already secured early-round power backs. If your build needs bankable red-zone work, Ford’s path to 6-10 touchdowns makes him “finally draftable again,” whereas Samson remains the higher-variance, mystery-box swing.

JSU called Jerome Ford a screaming value in the back half of drafts. Ford is entering a contract year, and JSU believes that "playing for his next deal" means he will gut through minor injuries and push for every snap. Although Cleveland drafted Quinshon Judkins and Jaylen Sampson, JSU views those picks as future planning rather than immediate threats. Until the rookies prove themselves, Ford projects for early-down work plus the passing-down role that produced 44 catches last season. At an ADP outside the top-170, JSU thinks Ford can deliver low-end RB2 numbers early and hold trade value when injuries inevitably strike other backfields.

Cody Woodman advised fading Jerome Ford after the Browns forced him to take a pay cut on his rookie deal—something he called "basically unheard of and a clear signal they’re ready to move on." Cleveland’s front office reportedly told Ford to restructure or be released, a scenario that screams lack of confidence. Cody added that Ford averaged just 0.18 missed tackles forced per carry (RB53) and ranked 48th in success rate, metrics that make it unlikely he ever pushes for a true committee role behind Nick Chubb. Unless Ford lands on a more RB-friendly depth chart, Woodman believes his current Round-15 ADP is dead money.

Davis Mattek said Jerome Ford is only a short-term Band-Aid for Zero-RB drafters. He reminded listeners that Cleveland scored just eight rushing touchdowns last year—second-worst in the league—and projects the offense to be even shakier in 2024 with a revolving door at quarterback (Mattek would lay even money on four QBs logging snaps). Ford probably begins the year as the passing-down back, but Mattek expects the backfield to devolve into a three-man rotation by Week 11 once Nick Chubb inches back and the team sprinkles in D’Onta Foreman or a rookie. With TD equity capped and touches destined to splinter, Mattek is fading Ford outside of pure early-season points chases and is not touching depth-chart mate “Samson” at all until prices crater.

Mike Wright said Jerome Ford’s reworked deal all but guarantees him a roster spot and makes him a late-round target in season-long leagues. Ford’s salary drops but is now fully guaranteed at $1.75 million, and with Nick Chubb officially gone, Wright expects a two-man backfield featuring rookie Quinshon Judkins and Ford. The Browns drafted no other runners and kept their wide-zone scheme under new OC Ken Dorsey, a system in which Ford averaged 4.5 yards per carry last year. Wright projects a 45-to-50 percent share of the rushes for Ford and sees flex usability, especially during bye weeks or in zero-RB builds.

Billy Jones advised letting Jerome Ford continue to slide rather than guessing on Cleveland’s murky RB2 hierarchy. Ford took a pay-cut to stick on the roster, but rookies Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Samson are both legitimate threats for early-down carries. That uncertainty has already pushed Ford 15-20 picks lower since BBM6 opened, and Jones expects more downside because many of the remaining clicks come from auto-drafters blindly following stale ADP. He plans to wait for preseason coach speak before taking any shares, arguing that missing a small discount now is far better than buying before the true floor is in.

Erik Beimfohr warned drafters to stop treating Jerome Ford as a safe floor play now that Cleveland spent a second-round pick on Quinshon Judkins and a mid-round pick on Dylan Samson. Beimfohr believes the organization just showed its hand: Ford is insurance, not the future. He expects Judkins to seize early-down work immediately and thinks Samson could leapfrog Ford by camp, leaving Ford as a P. Ryan-style passing-down specialist at best. The veteran averaged only 3.8 YPC on 214 carries last year, so there is no production-based argument to keep him on the field. Beimfohr is drafting as if Ford will open 2025 as the Browns’ clear RB3, making him a near auto-fade in Best Ball unless late-summer depth charts flip the narrative.