The Cincinnati Bengals have been on an emotional roller coaster. At the start of the season, it was QB Joe Burrow and his calf — Burrow’s inability to move around in the pocket was hindered by the injury, and the offense became limited, too. The Bengals lost their first two games, and fans were pronouncing them dead. The Bengals won three of their next four, and the team, Burrow, and their fantasy football options looked rejuvenated.
Unfortunately, that did not last. In Week 11, Burrow went down with a wrist injury, and it was later revealed that he had a torn ligament in his right wrist and would go on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season. The Bengals were forced to move to backup QB Jake Browning, who had a rough start but came into his own last week. Browning suffered a thumb injury and had to leave the game briefly on Sunday, but he did return.
Should Chase Brown Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 15?
With the emergence of Browning has come the emergence of backup RB Chase Brown. Joe Mixon continues to lead the backfield, but Brown is an intriguing option moving forward that must be considered. All offseason, besides talent, the big allure for drafting Joe Mixon was that we knew he would be the main person in the backfield.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Over the last two weeks, we have seen a slight shift in the backfield. Before Week 13, Brown’s highest share of RB carries was 8% in Week 6 against Seattle. However, in Week 13, Brown had 32% of the RB carries, and in Week 14, he had 28%. Therefore, Mixon’s usage has decreased. Mixon is — and will still be — the RB1 in Cincinnati, but Brown looks like a startable RB2.
I believe this is a combination of the team wanting to give Mixon a little rest, especially in an offense concentrating more on the run game with Browing under center, with the fact that Brown is showing his talent and deserves more playing time. This week, Brown had eight rushes for 25 yards and three receptions for 80 yards, seemingly taking over the Samaje Perrine pass-catching role in Cincinnati.
Brown should be a waiver wire target heading into Week 15. A healthy, startable RB is worth their weight in gold this season, even if they are an RB2. The matchup next week against the Minnesota Vikings could be better, but the Bengals play Pittsburgh in Week 16, who have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season.
Brown also has the opportunity to get more work as the season progresses. Brown would slide right in if Mixon went down, and there also exists a world where the Bengals fall out of playoff contention and the team decides to see what they have in the rookie.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!