After Perine left Week 9 due to injury, Tahj Brooks only handled one carry.
Chase Brown set a season-high with 96-percent snap share and handled his most touches since Week 1. Brown caught 8 passes for 75 yards on 14 targets while carrying the ball 11 times for a mere 37 yards.
Over the last two weeks, the Bengals have averaged 40 points– and Chase Brown has been a Top-10 RB both weeks. Brown’s three best RB finishes for fantasy have been with Joe Flacco at QB this season.
While Week 10 is the Bengals bye, if Perine were to miss Week 11 against Pittsburgh, expect Chase Brown to project as a Top-10 RB yet again.
Author: Bradley Stalder (@FFStalder)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown is looking to ...
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (ankle) was ...
Bengals beat writer Geoff Hobson gets the sense that the ...
It appears the Bengals are ready to give the lion’s share of the work to running back Chase Brown
According to Bengals OC Dan Pitcher, the team is going to make Chase Brown one of the “focal points” in the 2025 season. From weeks 4-18, Brown averaged 18.4 fantasy points per game with a rushing line of 229-990-7 while adding 54 catches and four scores through the air. The Bengals did bring back a familiar face in Samaje Perine and drafted Tahj Brooks in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Perine could potentially be a thorn in the side of Brown and vulture a few touchdowns, but heading into training camp, all signs point to a bigger workload and role for the second-year player.
After finishing the season 9-8 and missing the playoffs, the Bengals replaced their OL coach, drafted a rookie in the third round, and also signed offensive lineman Lucas Patrick. Cincinnati finished the season ranked 30th in rushing attempts per game and 29th in overall run blocking. Brown recorded a 14.8% broken tackle rate and a below-average positive run rate. On a team that ranked second in dropbacks per game last season, increasing the rushing attempts will cause fits for opposing teams and hopefully enable Brown to score as a high-end RB1.
For fantasy managers, the news of Ontario-born Brown appearing to get the bulk of the work is as sweet as Canadian Maple Syrup, eh? Finishing as RB12 last season in 0.5 point-per-reception (PPR) leagues, Brown is currently being drafted as RB11 with an ADP of 27 on Underdog. With this news being dropped today, it appears Brown could bring value at his current cost.
Author: Dane Madoche (@FF_DaMaddog)
After a rather uneventful NFL Draft for the Bengals skill position players, Chase Brown emerges as a winner in dynasty.
The NFL Draft had plenty of fireworks that had risers and fallers in dynasty. One unexpected winner that has emerged is Bengals running back Chase Brown.
The Bengals were expected to add running back talent early in the draft. Having had visits with Ohio State running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, it came as a surprise when the Bengals only ended up with Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks in the 6th round.
While Brooks is a capable back who will help with depth, this is excellent signal for Chase Brown as his stock in dynasty remains safe and is rising. Being able to decipher which players will remain safe after the NFL Draft is an enviable skill that the best dynasty managers have. Fantasy gamers who held on through the draft will be rewarded in 2025.
Author: Jeremiah Retzlaff (@coachretzlaff1)
The Cincinnati Bengals steal running back Tahj Brooks in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft
Samaje Perine and Zack Moss will turn 30 and 28, respectively, during the 2025 season. The Cincinnati Bengals sat on their hands for five rounds before taking advantage of this year’s running back class. They secured some backfield future when they struck gold at No. 193 with Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks.
On the surface, this appears to be a depth pick. However, the similarities between he and Moss are undeniable: Both are listed at 5-foot-9 and within a few pounds of 210. Each lacks breakaway speed but profiles as a punishing runner on the inside capable of gaining tough yards. On top of that, Brooks can also do most things that Perine is known for. For a stout running back, Brooks excels at catching the ball and is a monster in pass protection. If the Bengals needed a three-down workhorse (they don’t), Brooks would fit the bill.
For a sixth-round selection, the Texas native had a wildly good combine. He slots in as the No. 16 running back in terms of production (score: 72), seventh in athleticism (82), and 12th in overall RB evaluation score (75). He’s not running away from fleet-footed corners and safeties but will be a reliable battering ram between the tackles and at the goal line.
Brooks carried the ball an outrageous 576 times on the ground in his last two seasons and finished his career hitting the 100-yard mark in 19 of his last 22 games. All told, Brooks put together career totals of 879 carries, 4,557 yards rushing, and 102 receptions. He went over 1,500 yards on the ground in each of 2023 and 2024.
The fact that Cincinnati waited for a running back means Chase Brown’s gig as the main attraction is likely safe. The same cannot be said for the other backs on the roster. The total package of production and pass protection will make it extremely difficult to keep the Texas Tech product off the field in some capacity. In another running back class, Tahj Brooks would be a slam-dunk early-third-round pick.
Author: Sam Schneider (@BuyAndSellYou)
Quinshon Judkins poses a serious threat to Chase Brown’s fantasy value and has major upside based on the teams meeting with him ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Judkins has already met with the Texans and is also scheduled to meet with the Broncos. The Bengals have six picks in the 2025 Draft, including the 17th, 49th, and 81st pick.
While the Broncos pose the most clear-cut landing spot for Judkins to assume an immediate bell cow role, the Texans and Bengals offensive attacks would be solid landing spots for a top-5 running back in this class like Judkins.
Cincinnati meeting with Judkins indicates they see running back as a position of need. While Chase Brown performed admirably in 2024, he’s undersized for an every-down role and his 5th round draft capital increases his chances of not being “the guy” for the Bengals long term. Drafting Brown at his current top-40 ADP is a risky game, and fantasy managers should explore cashing in on his current value before it takes a hit in the 2025 draft.
Author: Jonny Tooma (@FantasyPicasso)
The Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to terms with Samaje Perine on a two-year contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Earlier reports wrongly stated Perine would be signing a lucrative deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though those reports were quickly disproven. Instead, he’s signed a two-year deal worth up to $3.8 million to play for the Bengals.
Perine initially joined the Bengals in 2019, and now he’s back in Cincinnati after spending the last two seasons in Denver and Kansas City. During his first run with the Bengals, Perine amassed 941 rushing yards and 549 receiving yards in 48 games. At the time, Perine operated as a relief option for star running back Joe Mixon. He’ll now look to find a role for himself in a running back room that primarily consists of second-year breakout Chase Brown and veteran journeyman Zack Moss. Brown seemingly holds a firm grip on the starting job right now, and Perine will likely look to battle with Moss during training camp for the backup role.
Author: Trey Kroll (@TreyK_FB)
