The Bengals have been a target for fantasy managers ever since the pairing of Ja’Marr Chase with Joe Burrow, and this season is no different. The passing game gets the shine, but the running game behind Chase Brown might actually be where the value sits this draft season.
Chase Brown Is a Steal at Pick 2.07 in 12-Team Fantasy Football Drafts
Brown in the middle of Round 2 projects well as you’re paying for a mean outcome while leaving the door open for a strong return on investment should this offense stay healthy. You should be thrilled about the opportunity to land this profile at this cost: it sets you up for success at the highest of levels this winter.
In a recent mock draft from Jason Katz, Brown landed at the tail end of a six-running back sprint that opened with De’Von Achane, Saquon Barkley, Omarion Hampton, Derrick Henry, and Jeremiyah Love. Being the last name called in that group isn’t a knock, nor is it an outlier.
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I think he’s got a better chance at finishing at the front of that line, however, not the back.
Start with the receiving profile, because that’s where Brown adds the most value. He’s cleared 50 catches in back-to-back seasons, and those catches haven’t been empty volume. Nine touchdowns on 123 receptions over that stretch says the Bengals are targeting him in spots that matter, not just checking down to keep the chains moving, a luxury that only a handful of RBs have.
Now pair that with the more traditional workload. Brown has topped 225 carries in consecutive seasons and broke 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in 2025. That’s a great profile as it is, and he did it in an offense that was operating with training wheels for stretches because of Joe Burrow’s health. A back who produces a 1,000-yard, 50-catch season in a limited offense is gold in this era of splits and committees, and you should feel lucky to have the opportunity to roster him at this cost.
The results back it up. Brown posted seven top-12 finishes at the position last season in an offense that will likely fall short in terms of upside compared to what the 2026 version of the Bengals has.
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That’s not a ceiling built on luck. That’s a role generating weekly RB1 outcomes even when the passing game around him wasn’t operating at full strength, thus opening the door to a truly special season should Burrow stay on the field.
The Bengals Stack Nobody Should Be Scared Of
Brown isn’t the only reason to like this offense, of couse, and he shouldn’t be the only Bengal circled on your cheatsheet. Burrow is a QB I’m ranking well ahead of consensus this draft season, and Tee Higgins keeps showing up as a target in Round 3 for me.
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The instinct to avoid rostering multiple players from the same team dies hard, but it doesn’t hold up here. A Burrow stack with a pass catcher works in your favor more often than not. When Burrow’s game goes well, one of his star receivers is coming along for the ride, often both.
As for a Brown/Higgins situation, I don’t hate it. Sure, no single play helps every asset attached to that offense at once. But leaning into Cincinnati this year by way of Brown is a bet that the Bengals flirt with a top-five scoring offense, and if that bet lands, Brown and Higgins are both likely to return value on their draft day cost, so why not bet twice on the same take?
That’s the frame for draft season. Brown at 2.07 gets the volume and touchdown equity of a workhorse back entering his age-26 season, in an offense that should be healthier and more aggressive than the one that already produced a 1,000-yard year. Katz is right to have loved getting a piece of this Bengals offense where he did and, if I was drafting from that slot, there’s a chance that there is more Black and Orange in my future.
