3 players the Cleveland Browns can't lose to injury in 2023

2. Nick Chubb, Browns RB

If Browns running back Nick Chubb was sidelined for any length of time this season, it would really put a wrinkle in the team's plans to make it to the playoffs. There's a percentage of analysts and the Cleveland fanbase that might feel differently because they don't believe running backs mean much in the grand scheme of things when we are talking about a pass-happy NFL.

However, we're talking about Chubb, who is climbing the leaderboard of all-time Browns running back legends. Chubb makes a huge difference for the Cleveland offense and even with franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson flinging the football all over the field, good teams still need to have a reliable running back.

If one goes back, the last time the Browns managed without Chubb in the lineup due to an injury was in 2020 when the team escaped with a 2-2 record. Chubb was absent for four games in this stretch and the Browns relied on their other stars at the team to pull off the wins they had.

In their win against the Indianapolis Colts, Kareem Hunt had a good game and scored a touchdown. But it was really the defense that stepped up and made several big plays to help the team win 32-23. One of those plays included an interception returned for a touchdown by safety Ronnie Harrison Jr.

In their other win, Baker Mayfield threw five touchdowns in a comeback 37-34 win against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, who were 1-4 coming into that game.

Cleveland lost the other two games to the Pittsburgh Steelers 38-7 and to the Las Vegas Raiders 16-6. When Chubb returned in Week 10 they went on a four-game win streak and only lost two games the rest of the way — and even made the playoffs.