While Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown’s fantasy football outlook for 2024 is a bit muddled, there is a path to which Brown can provide value to your squad in 2024.
Brown is entering his second season in the NFL after getting drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and No. 163 overall.
Below, I’ll examine Brown’s fantasy value as he enters this season as perhaps a direct backup on the Bengals depth chart. You’ll also find out whether I think he’s a good pick or not.
Chase Brown’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
A popular fantasy football strategy is the zero-RB route, which involves taking running backs in later rounds with lower ADP and hoping for some to “pop” in value.
In PPR leagues, Brown is getting drafted as the RB39, which makes him an RB4 and fringe RB3 in 12-team leagues.
The Bengals said goodbye to Joe Mixon this offseason, and while that should mean good news for Brown, the Bengals also brought in former Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss, who’s likely the No. 1 back on the depth chart.
Last season, Moss had 183 carries for 794 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. He also added 27 catches on 37 targets for 192 yards and two scores.
Brown was hardly used, racking up 44 carries for 179 yards. According to TruMedia, 40 of his 44 carries came in the first or second quarter.
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Brown was a workhorse at Illinois during college, rushing 328 times in 2022 for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns.
While Moss is the more accomplished of the two, Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati reported on July 26 that Brown “continues to take the majority of reps at RB with the 1s.”
Is Brown a Good Fantasy Pick?
Brown was excellent in college and had very little run in 2024. The report from Clifford is encouraging, but the Bengals signed Moss to a two-year deal worth $8 million. That may not sound like a lot of money, but in the land of running backs, Moss is earning the 18th most in 2024 across all running backs in the NFL.
That said, Moss will get a chance to be the guy. He was the RB29 in PPR leagues last year, and before Jonathan Taylor came back in Week 6, Moss was the RB6.
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Brown had limited usage as a receiver in college, but he managed 27 receptions in his final season. He had 58 across five college seasons.
As the current RB39, Brown is going ahead of players like Blake Corum, J.K. Dobbins, Jaylen Wright, and others. While there aren’t many names I’d strongly prefer over Brown, this range is about right.
If you draft him, he lands in a territory where, if a waiver wire darling pops, he could be one of the first players I’d consider cutting to acquire that player.
For Brown to emerge, an injury to Moss would likely need to happen, and his PPR upside is a bit of a mystery.
Don’t pass on Brown, but also don’t reach for him.