The Fantasy Football Impact Of Kareem Hunt’s Trade Demand

Will the Cleveland Browns be without Kareem Hunt for the upcoming season?

Last week, it was revealed that Hunt has asked to be moved from the Browns after he was unable to reach a contract extension in the offseason.

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Browns React to Running Back Kareem Hunt’s Reported Trade Requesthttps://t.co/Djnds3qBv7

— SideAction (@SideActionHQ) August 8, 2022

Unfortunately, Kareem Hunt’s timing on his decision is likely causing issues for the Browns, who have undoubtedly been operating under the assumption that they’ll have both Hunt and Nick Chubb at their disposal. But it’s also causing issues for another demographic: fantasy football players.

With fantasy drafts beginning to take place all over the country, players are suddenly wondering how the situation in Cleveland will affect both Hunt and Chubb.

Per ESPN’s fantasy rankings, Chubb is currently the #13 ranked RB, with Hunt checking in at #31.

Check out the full rankings for a normal PPR league below:

Rank, Player		Karabell	Yates	Cockcroft	Clay	Moody	AVG
1. Jonathan Taylor, Ind		1	1	1	1	1	1.0
2. Christian McCaffrey, Car		6	2	2	2	2	2.8
3. Austin Ekeler, LAC		2	3	3	3	3	2.8
4. Derrick Henry, Ten		3	4	4	4	6	4.2
5. Najee Harris, PitQ		5	5	6	5	4	5.0
6. Dalvin Cook, Min		4	6	5	6	5	5.2
7. Joe Mixon, Cin		7	8	8	7	9	7.8
8. D’Andre Swift, Det		10	9	10	8	8	9.0
9. Alvin Kamara, NO		8	7	11	10	11	9.4
10. Leonard Fournette, TB		13	10	7	9	12	10.2
11. Javonte Williams, Den		9	12	9	11	13	10.8
12. Aaron Jones, GB		12	11	12	13	7	11.0
13. Nick Chubb, Cle		11	13	13	17	15	13.8
14. James Conner, Ari		15	15	18	12	14	14.8
15. Cam Akers, LAR		16	14	16	14	18	15.6
16. David Montgomery, Chi		17	16	14	16	17	16.0
17. Saquon Barkley, NYG		18	20	17	15	10	16.0
18. Ezekiel Elliott, Dal		14	17	20	20	21	18.4
19. Antonio Gibson, Wsh		19	21	15	22	20	19.4
20. Josh Jacobs, LV		20	18	21	21	22	20.4
21. Breece Hall, NYJ		22	23	23	19	16	20.6
22. J.K. Dobbins, BalQ		25	22	19	18	23	21.4
23. Travis Etienne Jr., JaxQ		21	19	24	25	19	21.6
24. Elijah Mitchell, SF		23	24	22	23	26	23.6
25. Miles Sanders, Phi		28	25	27	24	27	26.2
26. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC		24	29	29	29	25	27.2
27. AJ Dillon, GB		32	27	25	32	24	28.0
28. Damien Harris, NE		29	28	26	30	28	28.2
29. Devin Singletary, Buf		26	31	30	27	35	29.8
30. Cordarrelle Patterson, Atl		35	26	33	26	30	30.0
31. Kareem Hunt, Cle		27	32	32	28	31	30.0
32. Chase Edmonds, Mia		31	30	28	35	33	31.4
33. Tony Pollard, Dal		38	33	34	31	29	33.0
34. Rashaad Penny, Sea		34	36	31	36	34	34.2
35. Melvin Gordon III, Den		30	34	36	40	37	35.4
36. Kenneth Walker III, Sea		39	39	37	37	32	36.8
37. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE		40	37	38	33	36	36.8
38. Michael Carter, NYJ		37	35	35	38	41	37.2
39. James Robinson, JaxQ		33	40	44	34	45	39.2
40. James Cook, Buf		41	43	41	39	38	40.4
41. Ronald Jones, KC		36	41	39	46	44	41.2
42. J.D. McKissic, Wsh		43	38	42	42	47	42.4
43. Nyheim Hines, Ind		42	45	46	41	39	42.6
44. Raheem Mostert, Mia		45	42	43	43	NR	44.8
45. Alexander Mattison, Min		50	NR	40	48	43	46.4
46. Isaiah Spiller, LAC		46	NR	NR	47	40	47.0
47. Dameon Pierce, Hou		47	NR	NR	45	42	47.2
48. Marlon Mack, Hou		48	44	NR	44	NR	47.6
49. Darrell Henderson Jr., LAR		NR	46	45	50	48	48.0
50. Jamaal Williams, Det

Kareem Hunt’s Fantasy Football Outlook

Unfortunately for Kareem Hunt, he isn’t the same guy as he was in his Kansas City days anymore.

In 2017-2018 with the Chiefs, Hunt logged 19 explosive runs (10 or more yards). Over the past two seasons with the Browns, he has just 5 of those types of runs. Even though he’s played more snaps, it’s important to note that Chubb has 35 explosive runs during that same time period.

Last year, Hunt was hurt for nine games of the season. In the two years prior, his yards per carry dropped to 4.2 after being up near 5 for most of his tenure in Kansas City.

In the end, the Browns seemed to be fully prepared to move off of Kareem Hunt after this season, and it’s hard to see him becoming the impact fantasy football player he once ever again.

If Hunt truly decides to sit out regular season games (or gets traded), perhaps Nick Chubb becomes a more clear back-end option in the first round of fantasy football drafts.

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