There’s a point in the career of most star professional athletes where the name on the back of the jersey is more valuable than the production being added to the back of the trading card.
Are we there with Nick Chubb, or does a win-now team like the Texans’ investment suggest there is some gas left in the tank that costs fantasy football managers next to nothing?
Should You Draft Nick Chubb in Fantasy?
Let’s dismiss something right off the hop: the old version of Chubb isn’t coming back.
I’m intrigued with the idea of adding Nick Chubb to the Houston Texans offense.
He’s an All-Decade level talent and can probably be maximized at 29 in Houston sharing a workload with Joe Mixon.
Even last year post-ACL tear, there were some nice flashes from Chubb #HTownMade pic.twitter.com/1fUn9foWia
— John Crumpler (@JohnCrumplerMD) June 9, 2025
I loved peak Chubb as much as anyone, but Father Time has already taken a pound of flesh from the veteran in a significant way. After shredding his knee in Week 2 of 2023 (torn ACL, meniscus, and medial capsule), his 2024 season and, consequently, his career with the Browns, ended in Week 15 with a broken foot. He’s appeared in just 10 games over the past two seasons, and with north of 1,500 touches for his career, the days of consistent work are long gone.
MORE: Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Per our Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator, Chubb is an afterthought in drafts, and that feels a bit extreme.
At the very least, why not invest now and see where things go heading into the season? Last season, 82.5% of his rushing yards came after being contacted, a rate that suggests he’s still a tough tackle. Tack on the fact that he’s behind another 29-year-old back with significant wear on his tires in Joe Mixon, and there’s a path for Chubb to have a window of relevancy in 2025.
Don’t take that to mean that I’m prioritizing Chubb in any sort of meaningful way. I’m not. I’m more pumped up about him as a reasonable strategic play. Houston has a light schedule in terms of opposing defenses to open the year (Rams, Bucs, Jags, and Titans), so why not draft Chubb with your last pick, instead of a defense that you’re going to be streaming anyway, and see where camp goes?
Worst case, he’s an afterthought, and you know who you’re cutting for your best defense. Best case, he gains value for one reason or another, and you’ve gotten some ADP value.
Mason LeBeau’s Nick Chubb Fantasy Projection
Let your league mates take this big name late in drafts and just wait for him to hit waivers midseason if you really need someone in your FLEX to maybe score a touchdown. This is a pretty hopeless situation, and it’s sad to be in this spot for a legend like Nick Chubb. Without even getting into the Texans’ horrendous offensive line, Chubb shouldn’t be expected to be anything more than a TD-dependent bet.
Would you be excited about drafting Jerome Ford? Well, last year, both were given the same amount of carries (102 vs 104 for Ford), and Ford outrushed him by 233 yards, or 2.1 yards per carry. Chubb’s receiving usage was never his strength, but it evaporated last year with just five catches. His floor as an efficient runner is gone.
Now, is there a chance that he’s superhuman and his price of free (RB47) might be worth a shot? Sure, if Joe Mixon missed extended time, the Texans’ line improves dramatically, and they run the “Tush Push” with Chubb. There’s no reason to use a roster spot on Chubb or to burn a late pick on him. Take a shot on a younger guy who could break into playing time like Bayshul Tuten, Trey Benson, or Dylan Sampson.
