The dynasty fantasy football community learned a valuable lesson about second-year running backs when Kyren Williams enjoyed a breakout season out of nowhere after a lackluster rookie campaign.
The list of second-year backs who could potentially see an expanded role next season includes Tyjae Spears, Kendre Miller, and Roschon Johnson, just to name a few.
Is Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown an undervalued dynasty asset with breakout potential heading into the 2024 NFL season?
Chase Brown’s Dynasty Outlook
The role of rookie running backs heading into their first season behind a productive veteran option can be a bit tough to predict.
Brown’s rookie campaign got off to a tortoise-type start by seeing a total of five touches for 13 yards and no scores through the first 12 weeks.
#Bengals RB Chase Brown's 54-yard TD clocked in as the 2nd-fastest speed of the 2023 #NFL season, trailing only #Seahawks WR DK Metcalf. 💨
More from Cincy's win over the #Colts: https://t.co/PGyCYk2kiI#RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/dDK0BUWIKv
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 10, 2023
Brown’s lack of involvement in the offense through the first two months of his rookie year, working behind long-time starter Joe Mixon and an injury to quarterback Joe Burrow, made it easy for dynasty shareholders to simply write off his 2023 production.
However, Brown’s dynasty value has jumped a bit after his complementary role expanded significantly over the final six games of the year. He saw 10+ total touches in four of the last six contests and managed to catch a pass in five straight appearances to close out 2023.
Brown did flash some big-play ability with a 54-yard TD catch on a screen play against the Indianapolis Colts. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he topped 22.05 miles per hour on the play — the second-fastest mark by any ball carrier during the 2023 season.
At a minimum, dynasty managers should expect Brown to have a sizeable role in the passing game and as a change-of-pace back to the aging Mixon heading into 2024. This would still give him some standalone value in deeper leagues with some top-end handcuff upside in a high-powered offense.
However, if the Bengals decide to part ways with Mixon ahead of the upcoming season — which would save Cincinnati $5.75 million in cap space — Brown could be positioned to see a significant jump in fantasy value ahead of his second year in the NFL.
If that’s the case, Brown’s pass-catching floor should have you very excited. Mixon has managed to register consecutive 50+ reception seasons, and Cincinnati could be losing both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd to free agency.
Brown caught 41 passes over his last two years at Illinois and certainly flashed some of his quality receiving chops at moments throughout his rookie campaign. The outlook isn’t exactly easy to pinpoint for him heading into the offseason, yet he feels like a role player who could see a bigger jump in volume than many expect when we arrive at the start of the season.
Brown’s Dynasty Ranking
Where does Brown land in the dynasty RB landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Tate’s latest dynasty rankings, featuring where Brown lands in comparison to other top names at the position.
1) Bijan Robinson | ATL
2) Breece Hall | NYJ
3) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
4) Christian McCaffrey | SF
5) Jonathan Taylor | IND
6) Kyren Williams | LAR
7) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX
8) Saquon Barkley | NYG
9) Rachaad White | TB
10) Isiah Pacheco | KC
11) James Cook | BUF
12) De’Von Achane | MIA
13) Kenneth Walker III | SEA
14) Alvin Kamara | NO
15) Javonte Williams | DEN
16) Tyjae Spears | TEN
17) Josh Jacobs | LV
18) Austin Ekeler | LAC
19) D’Andre Swift | PHI
20) Tony Pollard | DAL
21) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS
22) Najee Harris | PIT
23) Jaylen Warren | PIT
24) Joe Mixon | CIN
25) David Montgomery | DET
26) Zach Charbonnet | SEA
27) Zamir White | LV
28) Nick Chubb | CLE
29) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
30) Derrick Henry | TEN
31) Kendre Miller | NO
32) Chase Brown | CIN
33) Keaton Mitchell | BAL
34) Roschon Johnson | CHI
35) Jerome Ford | CLE
36) Aaron Jones | GB
37) James Conner | ARI
38) Tyler Allgeier | ATL
39) Khalil Herbert | CHI
40) Ty Chandler | MIN
Should You Trade Brown in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading Brown? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trade offer to make in seconds!
Brown finds himself in an odd situation where a dynasty manager can easily make a case either for or against him heading into his second year in the pros.
He’s a young and talented player in a high-scoring offense set up to succeed over the foreseeable future but is currently a complementary contributor at best with how the Bengals’ roster is currently constructed.
Brown dynasty shareholders may have a tough time parting ways with him because of his potential upside if Mixon leaves this offseason.
On the flip side, selling Brown at this moment is difficult because he’s currently behind Mixon on the depth chart, which makes it hard to demand a price point that makes you feel like you’re being appropriately compensated for his potential fantasy ceiling.
If you were to put him into the 2024 rookie pool, Brown would likely be a second or third-round pick while Mixon is atop the depth chart.
Ultimately, he’s a nice prospect to have on your dynasty roster but has certain roadblocks to realizing his fantasy potential this upcoming year, which prevents him from demanding significant compensation in a dynasty trade.
MORE: PFN’s Consensus Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings
Given his current situation, I would much rather be trying to acquire shares of Brown as opposed to trading away an unknown commodity ahead of the 2024 NFL offseason.
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