Chase Brown

Chase Brown opened the 2024 season playing second fiddle to Zack Moss, with only 17 carries, 5 receptions and zero touchdowns in his first three games. After that, game over. The job was his. He should do better as the clear starter and approach 300 touches. Undervalued. 

He is a versatile running back on one of the best offenses in the league. Scoring opportunities should be plentiful. Another Top-10 season is possible. 

The Bengals’ minimal investment in their backfield this offseason shows their trust in Brown, who finished as RB8 from Week 9 forward. With a clear path to dual-threat volume in a strong offense, he’s set up for more of the same in 2025.

Brown had a career year, but I expect the Bengals want a bigger back to keep Brown from earning a massive workload and wearing down. Think Tony Pollard, who earned 301 touches in 2024, but the Titans want a more even three-back split in 2025. 

Brown offers a big-play component as an early-down back and his receiving skills could elevate him beyond the projection above into Austin Ekeler territory. Either way, Brown is a solid RB2 for fantasy GMs. 

Any questions about usage have been addressed, if passing game development clicks he can finish atop the position. 

He has solid size at 209 pounds. He proved he could carry the load in college, handling 355 touches in his final collegiate season and turning them into 1,883 total yards. And he's a phenomenal athlete who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash and posted a 40" vertical and a 10'07" broad jump. He broke out last season, ranking 13th in opportunities per game (18.4), 21st in total yards per game (84.4), and sixth in both running back targets (65) and receptions (54). He's a dynamic dual-threat workhorse in one of the best fantasy offenses in football.

Even with some added backfield competition, Brown should maintain a stranglehold on the high-value touches in a great Bengals’ offense.

The Bengals have tried to strengthen the running back room behind Chase Brown. Although the overall volume from last season will likely regress, the receving production should keep him in the fringe-RB1 conversation weekly. 

Brown is the lead back on a team with a fantastic offense and a questionable defense.