RADIO
Jerome Ford start 'em, sit 'em fantasy football picks for Week 1 of 2025. Should you start or sit Jerome Ford for fantasy football lineups in Week 1?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 10+ team leagues
POSITIONAL VALUE: High-floor RB3/FLEX
ANALYSIS: Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford has been productive when put in a starting role. Last season, Ford opened the season as the team's starting running back and was productive at times. During the first five weeks, he averaged 11.9 PPR points per game. During this stretch, Ford saw 9.6 rushing attempts and 4.6 targets per game.
However, once Nick Chubb returned to action, Ford reverted to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
During the offseason, Ford was slated to once again separate as the team's No. 2 option as the Browns selected top running back Quinshon Judkins in the second round out of Ohio State. However, Judkins was arrested for domestic assault shortly before training camp and has yet to sign his rookie contract.
As a result, Ford and Day 3 rookie, Dylan Sampson, have been operating as the 1A/1B in the backfield during training camp. During the preseason, both running backs have had opportunities to play with the first-team offense.
While Judkins is reportedly nearing a return to the team and could potentially take over the starting job, for the time being, fantasy managers should expect Ford and Sampson to share RB1 duties at the start of the season. Facing a high-scoring Cincinnati Bengals team in Week 1, Ford's receiving upside pushes him into high-floor RB3 status.
Given his ability to catch passes and experience in the offense, fantasy managers should expect him to be given the slight edge in playing time over Sampson in Week 1. In fact, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com noted that the team views their veteran back as the "lead" option in their season opener. He is worth starting as a flex option in all 12-team PPR leagues.
Jerome Ford to be Workhorse in Week 1? https://t.co/6H2iuArSgi
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 1, 2025
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Jerome Ford. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Jerome Ford. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Jerome Ford compared to others:
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