RADIO
Chase Brown Losing Value Amid Backfield Split in Cincinnati
Across five games so far in 2026, Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has recorded 370 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 95 touches. The 26-year-old has seen at least 15 touches in every game this year. However, Brown has struggled with efficiency, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. In Cincinnati's most recent game against the Miami Dolphins before its Week 6 bye, the team may have signaled that it is moving in a different direction in the backfield. While Brown still logged 16 touches against the Dolphins, fellow Cincinnati back Samaje Perine recorded 14 catches and two receptions. Perine was more effective than Brown as well, collecting 78 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. If the Bengals continue to split work evenly in their backfield coming out of the bye, Brown's fantasy value could continue to fall.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samaje Perine Looking to Pick Up Where He Left Off
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine totaled 14 carries, 68 rushing yards, two catches, 10 receiving yards, and one touchdown in the team's most recent game prior to the bye week. Now that the Bengals are returning to action in Week 7, he'll look to pick up where he left off with a similar role and volume share. It was surprising to see Perine pull ahead of Chase Brown in terms of workload, and while a similar outcome seems somewhat improbable for Week 7, momentum is certainly on Perine's side. The 31-year-old is averaging more than 4.0 yards per carry this season, and he has historically been a key contributor in the passing game. Perine doesn't need to have an every-down role to get on the fantasy radar, either. He played 51% of the snaps in Week 5 and was still able to produce 15.8 fantasy points in PPR leagues. He certainly has a lower floor than some of the other players in the RB3/flex range, but he has a chance to solidify himself as a weekly fantasy starter with another productive performance this week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samaje Perine's Pre-Bye Week Performance Worth Remembering
Prior to the team's Week 6 bye, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had his most productive game in nearly a calendar year, carrying the ball 14 times for 68 yards, while adding two catches and a touchdown. Given the timing of Cincinnati's down week, the veteran is still readily available on many waiver wires and is worthy of consideration with the possibility of an expanded role. Much like he did to begin the 2025 season, Chase Brown has struggled with efficiency, and it was Perine who led the team with a 51.9% running back rush share in Week 5. As a low-cost waiver add, the 31-year-old runner is well worth a pickup and stash to see if his expanded usage extends beyond the bye week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samaje Perine Worth a Look Despite Bengals' Bye
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine is worth waiver-wire consideration ahead of Week 6, despite his team's bye week. Perine put together a productive rushing line (14/68) in Cincinnati's win against the Dolphins last Sunday. In fact, he was more involved in the Bengals' ground attack than backfield mate Chase Brown (13/39), and pushed the latter to below a 70% snap share (60%) for the first time all season. While the role reversal is likely a one-off, Brown has been somewhat underwhelming as a rusher over five weeks. He'll likely keep his stellar role in the passing game, but if the veteran continues to outshine him in efficiency, Perine could carve out a bigger workload. The 31-year-old is a nice deep-league stash through Cincinnati's bye.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Chase Brown's Workload to Shrink in Bengals' Offense?
The Cincinnati Bengals shifted to a higher rate of shotgun, downhill runs in the Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. The shotgun formation fits backup running back Samaje Perine's skill set better, and his powerful running style resulted in 4.9 yards per carry on 14 attempts. Perine's 57.1% success rate tied for the most of any back in the NFL last weekend. Brown, meanwhile, saw 13 carries for only 39 yards (3.0 yards per attempt) while catching three of his four targets for 21 yards as a receiver. Perine had one more carry than he had in the first four games combined, and he had one more rushing attempt than Brown. There have been 182 runs of at least 14 yards in the NFL so far this year, but the Bengals are the only team without one. "I think we'll continually assess how that touch share between (Perine) and Chase Brown should play out," offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. "Every game's different." Brown will continue to have a major role in Cincy's backfield, but how opponents play the Bengals could determine how the Bengals dictate the usage of Perine versus Brown. He should continue to be a must-start in all fantasy lineups, especially when considering that his 24 catches are the second-most of any RB in the NFL through five weeks.
Source: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
Source: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
Samaje Perine a Deep League Waiver-Wire Target Following Week 5
Across five games so far in 2026, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine has recorded 171 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 34 touches. The veteran back has largely operated as the clear RB2 in Cincinnati behind Bengals RB1 Chase Brown. However, Perine played a much larger role in the Cincinnati offense in Week 4, logging 78 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 16 touches. At 31 years old and now in his 10th NFL season, Perine may not offer fantasy managers much high-end upside. Still, Brown is currently averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and has logged just one touchdown through five games. If the Bengals start to shift more work onto Perine's plate, he could have some standalone appeal in the right matchups while playing within Cincinnati's explosive offense. In deeper fantasy league formats, Perine could be worth targeting on the waiver wire coming out of Week 5.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chase Brown Struggles, Gets Outpaced by Backup
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown was unable to find much success during Sunday's Week 5 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Brown carried the ball 13 times for 39 yards, while hauling in three passes for 21 yards in the victory. He also lost a fumble during this game, which didn't help his case. Backup Samaje Perine actually did better with 68 rushing yards on 14 carries in this one. Normally, Perine doesn't see much action, but they likely decided to give him a bigger role because of Brown's struggles. The Bengals are heading into a bye now, so we'll see if Brown has a reduced role during the Week 7 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Chase Brown Should Be In Line For A Heavy Workload In Miami
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown should be ready to get a large volume of touches as the Bengals head to Miami to face the Dolphins. Brown had an inefficient day on the ground last week, rushing nine times for just 10 yards in the 17-22 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The back salvaged his fantasy day with elite usage through the air, catching 11 passes for 71 yards on 11 targets. Things should be easier for him as the Bengals take on one of the league's worst defenses in Week 5. The Dolphins defense has not been able to stop anyone on the ground or through the air so, it should be smooth sailing for Brown this weekend. Brown could also benefit from the absence of Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins due to injury, opening up more opportunities for fantasy success. Brown is ranked RB5 in our RotoBaller Week 5 PPR rankings, making him a strong start at the position. Fantasy managers should start Brown with confidence this week despite his slow start to the season.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Chase Brown's Receiving Role Could Grow Amid Bengals Injuries
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has struggled to get much going on the ground this season, but his receiving work is becoming an increasingly important part of his fantasy value. Brown caught all 11 of his targets for 71 yards against Jacksonville in Week 4, setting a career high in receptions after totaling 10 catches over his first three games. He managed only 10 rushing yards on nine carries, but the receiving production gave him a productive afternoon for PPR managers. There could be more opportunities coming, too. Ja'Marr Chase remains in concussion protocol, while Tee Higgins is dealing with groin and neck injuries. Both missed Wednesday's practice, and Cincinnati is already without Andrei Iosivas (thumb), who is on injured reserve. Brown now has 21 receptions on 24 targets through four games, giving Joe Burrow another option if the Bengals remain short-handed. Cincinnati threw 54 passes Sunday, so that kind of receiving volume isn't something Brown can count on every week. Still, his involvement as a pass-catcher gives his fantasy value another way to climb while the running game continues to struggle.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chase Brown's Lack of Receiving is Holding Him Back in 2026
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has gotten off to a slow start to the 2026 season despite heavy usage. In three games, Brown has 49 carries for 197 yards and a touchdown, plus 10 receptions for 32 yards, averaging 11.3 half-PPR fantasy points per game. Brown has played 70% of the snaps so far this season, which ranks among the best among NFL running backs. However, his receiving role hasn't been as much of a factor, averaging just 10.7 yards per game through the air. He's relying more on his rushing ability, but that could be hard to come by in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which allowed the fewest fantasy points in 2025 and has allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards so far this season. While Brown is likely to bounce back, his receiving role will need to improve for him to be the low-end RB1 fantasy managers drafted him to be.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samaje Perine More Of A Stash Than A Start In Week 4
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at home in Week 4. After getting eight touches on offense in the season opener, Perine has yet to touch the ball more than four times in any game. The veteran back put up just 14 total yards on four touches in last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, marking his worst fantasy performance of the year. Perine will look to bounce back in a high-scoring game against the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. The Jaguars defense could be a difficult matchup for Perine given their strong play so far this season and his limited role in the offense. Perine will not have a lot of chances to make an impact in this week's contest and the Jaguars may be able to stifle any opportunities he does get. Perine is ranked RB55 in our RotoBaller Week 4 PPR rankings, making him a very low-end option at running back this week. Fantasy managers should view Perine as more of a handcuff/stash candidate rather than a start-worthy back.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Chase Brown Could Struggle Again In Week 4
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown will face a tough Jacksonville Jaguars defense at home in Week 4. Brown opened the season with a strong performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it has been downhill ever since mostly due to touchdowns. The Bengals RB1 has not eclipsed 82 total yards in any contest this year and scored his lone touchdown back in Week 1. Despite strong utilization on the ground and in the pass game, Brown has not been able to translate it into fantasy production. In Brown's defense, he faced the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers in his last two games. Both of those teams have better run defenses than pass defenses, leaving Brown to take a backseat to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The bad news is Brown will face another tough run defense in the Jaguars. Brown will likely get volume again, but it remains to be seen if he can put up better results. Brown is ranked RB13 in our RotoBaller Week 4 PPR rankings, making him a low-end RB1/RB2 heading into the weekend. Fantasy managers should be excited for the potential of this game to be high-scoring, but Brown could be the odd man out in the Bengals offense this week.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Samaje Perine To Play Valuable Backup Role In Week 3
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 3. The veteran back's opportunities dropped from eight in Week 1 to just three last week, but he's been efficient with those touches. Despite only getting one target in last week's win over the Houston Texans, Perine ranked third on the team in receiving yards. Perine has been especially effective in the passing game, turning four catches into 46 yards this season. While his upside is capped in the RB2 role, it is encouraging to see him produce when given the chance. He could have more chances to produce this week against a Steelers offense that has given up the sixth-most rushing yards this season. Perine is ranked RB61 in our RotoBaller Week 3 PPR rankings, meaning that he's best viewed as a bench stash rather than a start-worthy option. Fantasy managers should hold onto Perine because his value would skyrocket should anything happen to Bengals RB1 Chase Brown.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Chase Brown Could Feast In Week 3
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown rushed 20 times for 80 yards and caught three passes for two yards in the 20-6 victory over the Houston Texans last week. Despite mediocre production, Brown received a monster workload which should pay off against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. The Steelers defense has been stingy against the pass, but has allowed the ninth-most rushing yards in 2026. With 16 carries in Week 1 and 20 carries in Week 2, it's clear that the Bengals trust Brown to execute their offensive game plan on the ground. Given that volume of opportunities against this Steelers' defense, Brown may be able to produce his first game with 100+ rushing yards this season. The Bengals workhorse back also failed to find the end zone last week, so he could be in for a score this Sunday. Brown is ranked RB10 in our RotoBaller Week 3 PPR rankings, making him an RB1 this week. Fantasy managers should be excited about starting Brown this week because all signs point to him having his best fantasy performance yet.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Samaje Perine Offers More Insurance Than Standalone Value
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine is not seeing enough work to help fantasy lineups while Chase Brown is healthy, and Week 2 made that pretty clear. Perine carried twice for six yards and caught one pass for 16 yards against Houston after getting eight touches in the opener. Through two games, he has seven carries for 26 yards and four catches for 46 yards while playing 34.2% of the offensive snaps. Brown, meanwhile, has 36 carries and eight receptions and owns a 70.7% snap share. Perine's value is tied much more to what would happen if Brown missed time. Tahj Brooks has yet to push him out of the No. 2 spot, and Perine has enough receiving experience to take on more work if needed. RotoBaller lists him among its secondary Week 3 running back options and also places him in the pure handcuff group. He is a bench stash for managers looking for backfield insurance, not someone to start while Brown is handling this much of the offense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
