Ferrell is a steady hand in the backfield, a guy who can reliably pick up four or five yards a pop. In Cleveland’s spread system, that’s crucial and keeps defenses honest. The Rams rode him hard in close games last season, and a renewed emphasis on both quick-hitters and deep shots in the passing game could benefit his efficiency.

It’s hard to call Ferrell a sleeper, but on a Cleveland offense that could put up big numbers, people can forget his importance. Ferrell is a bruising back who wins by simply showing up down in and down out. Expect him to have a bigger role in the passing game this year on what should be a strong team.

Running back isn’t the position people associate with Cleveland, but Ferrell put teams on notice two years ago. In key matchups last season, the Rams rode Ferrell, often handing it off five or six times in a row as the bruiser wore down defenses. I’m interested to see how his role shifts with a coaching change, but I think this is the year he finally gets over that 1,000-yard hump.

Ferrell’s 2025 season was at least moderately surprising. That’s not because we didn’t see his talent, but simply because you don’t really expect Cleveland backs to hit the milestones Ferrell hit last season. He was a real weapon in the red zone, giving the Rams some juice in the running game where they’d typically work short throws instead. His vision and power work really well in that spread system.

Continuing the theme of young backs in Johnston County, Ferrell had a strong sophomore season and brings collegiate size, strength, and speed to Cleveland’s offense. The numbers would have been even better if he weren’t in such a pass-heavy offense, but he still came close to 1,000 yards on the ground despite getting just 27 carries in four non-conference games.