A lot of Browns fans wanted the team to select Saquon Barkley at No. 1 overall, then take a quarterback at No. 4. The Browns instead went withquarterback, Barkley went to the Giants, and Cleveland selected Nick Chubb in the second round. Chubb isn't as exciting a prospect as Barkley, but there's some fantasy appeal if he wins the starting job -- which he might.
Cleveland signed Carlos Hyde, of course, but Hyde has generally been a disappointing pro. ESPN's Browns reporter believes Chubb could win the starting job in camp.
Even if he does, though, he'll lose all passing downs work to Duke Johnson Jr. And Hyde is being paid decent money, so he'll likely have a role as well. Chubb makes sense as a first- or early second-round rookie pick in dynasty drafts (I've seen him go everywhere from 3rd to 10th), but not a safe choice for 2018 value.
Since 2000, nine second-round running backs have gone over 1,000 total yards as rookies. But there haven't been any the last two years. The best was Joe Mixon a year ago, with a relatively disappointing 913 total yards and 4 TDs. The best rookie in 2016 from the second round was Derrick Henry, and he totaled just 627 yards and 5 TDs. (Another unremarkable pick was Hyde himself in 2014.)
| SECOND-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, 2000-2017 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Pick | Player | Run | Rec | Total | TD |
| 2002 | 51 | Clinton Portis, Den. | 1508 | 364 | 1872 | 17 |
| 2008 | 44 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 1238 | 477 | 1715 | 12 |
| 2013 | 61 | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 1178 | 257 | 1435 | 11 |
| 2006 | 60 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | 941 | 436 | 1377 | 16 |
| 2001 | 38 | Anthony Thomas, Chi. | 1183 | 178 | 1361 | 7 |
| 2014 | 55 | Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 1124 | 215 | 1339 | 9 |
| 2013 | 48 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 860 | 399 | 1259 | 8 |
| 2013 | 37 | Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 695 | 514 | 1209 | 8 |
| 2015 | 36 | T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 740 | 279 | 1019 | 3 |
| 2009 | 53 | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 637 | 308 | 945 | 4 |
| 2004 | 43 | Julius Jones, Dall. | 819 | 107 | 926 | 7 |
| 2017 | 48 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 626 | 287 | 913 | 4 |
| 2001 | 58 | Travis Henry, Buff. | 729 | 179 | 908 | 4 |
| 2015 | 54 | Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 597 | 183 | 780 | 3 |
| 2008 | 55 | Ray Rice, Balt. | 454 | 273 | 727 | 0 |
| 2013 | 58 | Montee Ball, Den. | 559 | 145 | 704 | 4 |
| 2014 | 54 | Bishop Sankey, Tenn. | 569 | 133 | 702 | 2 |
| 2011 | 62 | Daniel Thomas, Mia. | 581 | 72 | 653 | 1 |
| 2016 | 45 | Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 490 | 137 | 627 | 5 |
| 2005 | 44 | J.J. Arrington, Ariz. | 370 | 139 | 509 | 2 |
| 2010 | 51 | Toby Gerhart, Minn. | 322 | 167 | 489 | 1 |
| 2004 | 41 | Tatum Bell, Den. | 396 | 80 | 476 | 3 |
| 2002 | 56 | Ladell Betts, Wash. | 307 | 154 | 461 | 1 |
| 2017 | 41 | Dalvin Cook, Minn. | 354 | 90 | 444 | 2 |
| 2014 | 57 | Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 333 | 68 | 401 | 4 |
| 2007 | 63 | Brandon Jackson, G.B. | 267 | 130 | 397 | 1 |
| 2001 | 49 | LaMont Jordan, NYJ | 292 | 44 | 336 | 2 |
| 2006 | 45 | LenDale White, Tenn. | 244 | 60 | 304 | 0 |
| 2002 | 54 | Maurice Morris, Sea. | 153 | 25 | 178 | 1 |
| 2004 | 55 | Greg Jones, Jac. | 162 | 13 | 175 | 3 |
| 2007 | 50 | Chris Henry, Tenn. | 119 | 53 | 172 | 2 |
| 2012 | 61 | LaMichael James, S.F. | 125 | 29 | 154 | 0 |
| 2013 | 62 | Christine Michael, Sea. | 79 | 0 | 79 | 0 |
| 2012 | 50 | Isaiah Pead, St.L. | 54 | 16 | 70 | 0 |
| 2011 | 56 | Shane Vereen, N.E. | 57 | 0 | 57 | 1 |
| 2011 | 57 | Mikel Leshoure, Det. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 38 | Ryan Williams, Ariz. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 58 | Ben Tate, Hou. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 59 | Montario Hardesty, Clev. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 49 | Kenny Irons, Cin. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 54 | Eric Shelton, Car. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 34 | DeShaun Foster, Car. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The standout season of recent years was 2013, which produced three backs who put up at least 1,200 total yards: LeVeon Bell, Giovani Bernard and Eddie Lacy. But most of the best second-rounders came from a decade or so ago, guys like Clinton Portis, Matt Forte and Maurice Jones-Drew.
This year's second-rounders were Chubb, Ronald Jones, Kerryon Johnson and Derrius Guice. At least a couple of those guys might be immediate starters; it's a good rookie class. But they'll be bucking recent odds if they do make a big impact in 2018.
--Andy Richardson