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Joe Mixon is out of Cincinnati. And with his departure, 309 touches are up for grabs.
Opposite of the rest of the Zac Taylor era, there won't be one primary runner in the Bengals' backfield. Sophomore Chase Brown and free-agent addition Zack Moss are slated to split duties. Will either runner take the lion's share of opportunities? That's the question all fantasy managers want to know.
Below, we dive into Brown's fantasy football outlook and determine where you should select the Cincinnati running back in 2024 drafts.
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Chase Brown 2024 Fantasy Outlook
Chase Brown's 2023 stat line was far from inspiring: 44 carries for 179 yards, 14 receptions for 156 yards, and one total touchdown. But he flashed breakaway speed on more than one occasion, something he's carried over into his second professional training camp.
Big run for Chase Brown in 11 on 11s.
Orlando Brown Jr. & Co. textbook up front on this one. pic.twitter.com/Vi8r3TdZkE
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) August 1, 2024
Brown registered a 34.1% rushing success rate during his rookie season, albeit on the small sample size. He dominated running backs in yards (4.46) and targets per route run (42.9%), again in limited work. At worst, he'll be a pass-game threat out of the backfield.
His competition for early-down touches is former Bills and Colts player Zack Moss. The veteran is one offseason removed from a career-best year, filling in for Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis. A strong four-game stretch early in 2023 is likely why the Bengals brought him in. He was a cheap addition because of the larger, mediocre body of work across his professional career.
Like other backup-turned-starters of fantasy football past (Mike Davis, Chase Edmonds, Alexander Mattison, etc.), Moss isn't being drafted for talent, but rather the opportunity. But Brown, as reported in camp, is getting the most reps with the first-team offense.
Which Round Should You Draft Chase Brown In Fantasy Football?
Brown and Moss should be viewed as high-ceiling RB3s in fantasy because of the uncertain division of labor and involvement on the high-powered, Joe Burrow-led offense. If Brown consistently shows that he's learned the finer details of pass protection, he could see the field more often than his counterpart.
Chase Brown is the clear RB1 right now in Cincinnati.
He is pure speed, but watch him pick up the blitz to give Burrow enough time to get to Higgins….
That will be massive this season. Love it! pic.twitter.com/XvxA2lgu1S
— Patrick Carey (@PatCareySports) August 11, 2024
Moss is being selected first in fantasy drafts in the middle of the seventh round, according to ADP. Brown is a few rounds behind, but the gap between them will shrink if reports of Brown taking the majority of first-team snaps continue. That was the case in the first preseason game, although Moss was held out due to an illness. Keep a close eye on how the Bengals deploy the duo in the next tune-up game. If Brown leads the way, his ADP could, rightfully so, move into the middle rounds.
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