Best Ball Guy said to hammer Chase Brown in the third round of best-ball drafts because the pathway to a full breakout is staring drafters in the face. Brown is still going four picks after ADP even though he looked “very, very good” last season, is only entering year two, and faces no meaningful competition—Zach Moss was dismissed as “not a factor.” BBG loves the environment: the Bengals have a high-powered offense paired with a bad defense, so Brown should get plenty of red-zone touches and shoot-out scripts. He boiled the thesis down to its simplest form—“starting running back on a really good offense”—and cannot understand why the market lets that profile slide into Round 3.

Jon Warner acknowledged Zach Moss leaving is "huge for Chase Brown’s floor" but warned drafters not to assume Brown keeps last year’s 90-percent snap, four-catch per-game workloads. Warner pointed out that Cincinnati specifically signed Samaje Perine to reprise the trusty third-down role he thrived in before the Brown era, and history shows the staff trusts Perine in two-minute and trailing scripts. That change, Warner argued, removes Brown’s easiest path to week-winning receptions while still preserving Perine’s red-zone snaps if the Bengals fall behind. He’s still willing to draft Brown as an RB2, just not counting on the spike-week reception totals that boosted Brown’s 2023 best-ball advance rate.

Peter Overzet said the Bengals backfield finally "got so much cleaner" for Chase Brown once Zach Moss was shipped out of town. Without Moss siphoning early-down and goal-line carries, Overzet expects Brown to open the year as the uncontested 1A and views his current late-6th/early-7th-round ADP as a steal. He also likes pairing Brown with rookie Taj Brooks in the 18th as insurance, arguing that Brooks now slots into a true handcuff role instead of being part of a three-man mess. Overzet’s bottom line: the only real threat to Brown’s weekly ceiling is Samaje Perine on obvious passing downs, but Perine was already baked into price; Moss’s departure was not. That delta makes Brown one of his favorite upside RB2 bets in Best Ball streets right now.

Shawn Siegele said he feels "more comfort and confidence" drafting Chase Brown at the 2.12 turn than any of the similarly priced backs. Brown’s combination of long-speed and friendly Bengals game scripts gives him both a solid weekly floor and the wiggle room to smash ADP if he repeats—or builds on—his 2024 zero-RB breakout. Siegele acknowledged the historical danger of blindly chasing last year’s waiver-wire heroes but noted Brown’s situation differs from typical one-year wonders: Joe Burrow’s offense sustains red-zone visits, Brown is the unquestioned early-down hammer after Joe Mixon’s departure, and his 4.3 yards after contact clip ranks top-five among returning starters. With a workload projection hovering near 270 touches and a proven explosive-play profile, Siegele views Brown as a rare “safe yet still ceiling” play at the Round-2/3 turn.

Andy Holloway urged fantasy managers to buy Chase Brown before his price spikes. Cincinnati’s new offensive coordinator compared Brown directly to Austin Ekeler, saying the sophomore "can do everything Ekeler did" and hinting at triple-digit target upside. Holloway highlighted Brown’s second-half usage last year—heavy two-minute work and 30 receptions over the final seven games—as evidence the Bengals already trust him in the passing game. Despite that profile, Brown is being drafted behind veterans like Josh Jacobs, Kyren Williams and Bucky Irving. Holloway said he would happily flip a name-brand back (Gibbs, Henry or even Jacobs) plus a sweetener in keeper or dynasty formats to secure Brown and ride the coming tier jump.

Ryan Heath argued Chase Brown is the final true difference-making running back available in early round three and should be treated as an A-plus pick. From Week 9 on last season, Brown averaged 22.4 expected fantasy points per game—higher than any year-long workload Fantasy Points Data has tracked for a back. He drew four targets per game even on first and second down, signaling built-in PPR insulation if the Bengals follow Mike Clay’s projection of being the league’s pass-heaviest team. Heath dismissed Zach Moss as a possible cut candidate and labeled Samaje Perine a "meat-shield" who will soak up low-value snaps without jeopardizing Brown’s money touches. With Cincinnati’s offense expected to be "insane," Heath put a top-10 seasonal finish firmly in Brown’s range of outcomes and prefers him over the fading wide-receiver tier or Trey McBride at the 3-4 turn in both Season-Long and Best Ball formats.

Whalen highlighted Chase Brown’s 2024 breakout – by Week 4 he seized the job permanently and ranked as PPR RB7 the rest of the way. Brown caught 54 passes and was the third-most targeted RB in the red zone behind only Aaron Jones and Devon Achane. That passing-game role plus every-down snaps keep Brown squarely inside Tier 3.

Pat Kerrane explained why, when you already have Joe Burrow and JaMarr Chase, you should add Chase Brown instead of Tee Higgins. He pointed out that Higgins and Chase have finished as top-10 fantasy wideouts in the SAME week only once or twice in their entire careers, a sub-1% weekly hit rate. By contrast, a running back and a WR can score together because the RB racks up rushing TDs and receptions while the alpha WR soaks up targets. Kerrane therefore prefers the Burrow-Chase-Brown stack, arguing it offers positive correlation without cannibalizing ceiling outcomes, and it costs far less ADP than cramming in all three premium pass-catchers.

Shawn Siegele called Chase Brown “absolutely fantastic” at his early-third-round price. Even if last year’s post-bye workload gets dialed back, Brown’s straight-line speed puts him in the Jahmyr Gibbs tier for big-play ability. Siegele noted Brown surprisingly crushed heavy-box looks as a rookie—rare for a satellite-type profile—suggesting further upside as confidence and reps grow. With only a rookie behind him and a massive ADP gap to that challenger, Brown owns one of the widest workload moats in the round-three RB tier while carrying league-winning explosive upside.

Evan Silva confirmed he has Chase Brown ranked as a borderline RB5-RB6 overall in his current Best Ball ranks. Greg Brainos added the coach-speak that is driving the bullish stance: OC Dan Pitcher called Brown a “top-10 back in the league,” and HC Zac Taylor said the second-year runner has "forced our hand" to get him more touches. With defenses focusing on Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Silva expects lighter boxes, a condensed touch tree, and plenty of scoring chances in a Bengals offense he describes as pass-heavy but predictable in where the ball goes. Cincinnati’s shaky defense should keep game scripts aggressive, raising Brown’s touch ceiling and making him a premium Best Ball target.

Nick Holz touted Chase Brown as the screaming value of 2025 drafts, available outside the top-10 RBs despite RB1 usage down the stretch. Once Zach Moss went down, Brown averaged 23 touches over Cincinnati’s final eight games and finished fifth among running backs in receptions. From Week 8 on he never dipped below double-digit PPR points and sat as the overall RB6. Holz expects him to obliterate last year’s 1,350 total yards because the Bengals retained both Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, keeping defensive attention off the run game. DraftKings lists Brown at 875.5 rushing yards (−110 both sides); Holz loves the over, projecting a workload closer to 275 touches in a top-five scoring offense.

Ian Hartitz argued that if Chase Brown simply maintains the 80% backfield share he owned down the stretch, he will repeat as a top-six fantasy running back. Hartitz conceded Zack Moss and Samaje Perine could prevent another 95% touch monopoly but emphasized Brown’s role is still massive relative to ADP. Cincinnati’s shaky defense should force Joe Burrow into weekly shootouts, and the Bengals already consolidate volume around a narrow core (Brown, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins). That combination of game script, snap dominance, and red-zone access makes Brown a screaming buy in both Best Ball tournaments and traditional drafts, where he’s currently going outside the first round.

Pat Mayo said Chase Brown is the ultimate boom-or-bust swing in Round 2–3 drafts. Mayo reminded listeners that Brown logged over 90 percent of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps during the final three weeks of 2024—a usage level shared only by Christian McCaffrey and Kyren Williams—and averaged 23.7 PPR points across that span. If the Bengals roll out that same every-down role, Mayo believes Brown immediately becomes a top-five fantasy running back. The sticking point is uncertainty: rumors persist that Samaje Perine could reclaim two-minute work and free-agent addition Zach Moss might siphon 8–12 early-down touches. Mayo advised drafters to treat Week 1 snap data as an early referendum—if Brown clears 70 percent you have a league-winner, but if a committee shows up you should be ready to pivot. High upside, volatile floor, perfect for best-ball tournaments but worth careful management in season-long formats.

Nez called Chase Brown "the best pick in a vacuum" at his current ADP, emphasizing that months of glowing coach-speak out of Cincinnati have confirmed Brown as the Bengals’ clear lead back. Brown’s one-cut style fits perfectly in their zone-run system, and Nez projects a hefty workload so long as the rookie stays healthy. He contrasted Brown’s situation with other backs on the board who need multiple things to break right, noting Brown only needs health to deliver RB1-level volume. Greg Brainos backed him up, labeling Brown an "absolute smash" and expecting plenty of touches in a top-tier offense. Both advised loading up on Brown shares in Best Ball Mania drafts.

Mike Wright called Chase Brown "one of my favorite picks in all of fantasy football" at his current RB12 ADP in the early third round. Wright highlighted Brown’s eight-game stretch as the starter after Zack Moss was injured: RB5 in total fantasy points, an 86 percent catch rate on a 93-target season-long pace, and only Saquon Barkley logged more combined carries plus targets during that span. Cincinnati added no meaningful backfield competition—Moss returns as a pure depth piece and veteran Samaje Perine plus late-round rookie Corey Brooks are merely insurance. Wright emphasized that receiving work is the cheat code for elite fantasy backs and noted Burrow peppered Brown with check-downs while the team rattled off wins down the stretch. With the Bengals’ offense projected to remain top-10 in pace and points, Wright believes Brown carries legitimate RB1 overall upside and should be drafted ahead of several early-down grinders in season-long formats.

Jason Moore stunned the room by grabbing Chase Brown in the third round and calling him a "true PPR cheat code." Moore reminded listeners that once Brown displaced Joe Mixon late last year he was on pace for 93 targets—an Alvin-Kamara-level receiving workload. Brown’s 2.02 yards per route run ranked top-five among backs with 50-plus routes, and he caught 87% of his passes. Cincinnati upgraded two offensive-line spots with better pass blockers and plans more shotgun looks, a configuration that funnels dump-offs to the running back. Moore projects 70+ receptions and every third-down snap, arguing you’re buying upside RB1 production at an RB2 price any time Brown slips past pick 30 in full-PPR drafts.

JSU doubled down on his earlier Chase Brown enthusiasm after the Bengals re-signed veteran Samaje Perine. He called Perine "dust" at this stage of his career and said the move only guarantees some third-down snaps—nothing that threatens Brown’s early-down or goal-line touches. With Zack Moss also dismissed as "done," JSU sees Brown’s path to 17-plus touches per game unchanged. He reminded listeners that Cincinnati’s offense projects among the league leaders in red-zone trips with Joe Burrow healthy, keeping Brown’s touchdown ceiling firmly intact at his mid-round ADP.

JSU argued that Chase Brown has already "solidified himself as an RB1" for the Bengals and remains one of the best value picks in mid-rounds. Cincinnati returns every key skill player, and first-round rookie Amarius Mims shores up the lone weakness on the interior offensive line, giving Brown clearer lanes than he saw last season. JSU compared Brown’s all-purpose skill set to a more between-the-tackles version of Austin Ekeler, noting his 4.43 speed and 43-catch senior season at Illinois as evidence he can stay on the field in all situations. With Joe Burrow healthy and defenses forced to respect Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, JSU expects light boxes and 17-20 touches per game for Brown, calling him a live bet to crash the top-12 running-back ranks while still going outside the first three rounds of Best Ball drafts.

Erickson liked scooping Chase Brown near the 3-4 turn, calling the sophomore back a strong best-ball bet for 2024. Cincinnati talked up Brown all spring, saying they envision him as their first- and second-down workload guy and made no significant draft-capital investment at the position. With the Bengals offense projected to score often and little backfield competition beyond passing-downs specialists, Erickson expects Brown to handle the bulk of carries and short-yardage work—ideal spike-week fuel.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound noted that Chase Brown’s current ADP around pick 30 is exactly where he should have been all along. Brown was already going near pick 40 in the Big Board, and drafters there were correctly baking in the risk that Cincinnati might add another back. With the Bengals passing on serious running-back competition in the NFL Draft, Pat feels earlier exposure is now validated—drafters assumed significant upside without having to pay today’s higher cost. He views Brown as appropriately priced and a fine selection in the late-third/early-fourth round of BBM6.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound reiterated that he wants zero Chase Brown even after the draft. Brown’s price only crept up about one round—from the 27-28 turn in the Big Board to the same range in Eliminator—so drafters who loaded him earlier took all the risk with no real ADP reward. Pat pointed out that Cincinnati still kicked the tires on three of the top five rookie running backs during pre-draft visits, which tells him the coaching staff is not completely sold on Brown as a workhorse. With Zach Moss waiting in the wings and Joe Burrow unlikely to hand over red-zone carries, Pat believes Brown offers limited ceiling and a scary floor in a format where one dud week can end your tournament life.

Pete Overzet said fantasy drafters should keep hammering Chase Brown at his current mid-third-round price because he believes that window will slam shut once projection models hit the market. Brown has already inched up every time Pete streams a draft and he expects the Bengals’ new feature back to settle near the 2-3 turn by the heart of the summer, jumping players such as DJ Moore and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Overzet argued the rookie-contract runner will project as a top-10 back in both season-long ranks and DFS ("think $7,500 on DraftKings") thanks to a three-down workload in a Joe Burrow offense that routinely finishes top-10 in points per drive. Locking Brown in now creates early CLV and a potential structural edge versus drafters who wait until the market corrects.

Pat Kerrane said he is actively adding Chase Brown exposure despite the back’s rising third-round ADP. Brown posted +67 rush yards over expected as a part-time player last year and now steps into Joe Burrow’s offense with minimal competition—Zach Moss and Samaje Perine are projected to siphon only specialty snaps. Kerrane likes the profile: third-year back, elite scoring environment, and almost no target competition outside Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He conceded Brown can hurt roster flexibility because selecting him early limits WR depth in the top five rounds, yet believes the ceiling—bell-cow usage tied to a top-five offense—outweighs that structural tax. Brown is currently ranked ahead of the veteran RB cluster (Henry, Kamara, Jacobs) in Kerrane’s personal board.

Erik Beimfohr warned that Chase Brown’s ballooning ADP—he expects the market to settle around the Round-2/3 turn—ignores several red flags. Brown was only a fifth-round pick and his 2024 breakout came when the Bengals were down to a single healthy running back. Cincinnati quietly restructured Zach Moss’s deal and brought back Samaje Perine, a coaching-staff favorite who has siphoned third-down and two-minute work everywhere he has landed. Beimfohr argued that if Perine reprises that pass-pro role, Brown could lose 40-plus targets and most of the high-value hurry-up snaps fantasy managers are baking in. He compared Brown’s profile to the 2020 Kenyon Drake trap: a solid but unspectacular talent thrust up the board because of vacancy rather than proven elite playmaking. With Chuba Hubbard and Joe Mixon available two rounds later, Beimfohr believes Brown is the riskiest of the so-called ‘projectable-volume’ backs and is comfortable fading him at cost in Best Ball tournaments.

Tyler Knaeble said now is the time to scoop Chase Brown in early-summer best-ball drafts because he expects the Bengals back’s ADP to rise to the Alvin Kamara / D’Andre Swift / Jaylen Wright tier once training-camp buzz hits. His reasoning: every report out of Cincinnati has been favorable, the club declined to sign any established veteran runners, and the remaining free-agent market is bare, leaving Brown a clear path to the No. 2—or even lead—role. Knaeble views Brown as one of the few mid-to-late-round picks with real closing-line value and league-winning upside if the depth chart breaks his way.

Nez Badge Bros said he cannot pass on Chase Brown at current ADP, even if it means skipping Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson. Brown emerged from the draft with no added competition and is now the clear 1B—if not outright successor—to Joe Mixon after flashing 4.43 speed and 2.96 yards after contact last December. Nez argued that Eliminator’s weekly one-on-one format values bankable RB touches more than quarterback ceiling, and the opportunity cost of taking a onesie early is brutal. In his words, "taking Hurts over Chase Brown would be very hard for me," because Brown’s combination of workload floor and post-draft momentum can carry lineups through the high-attrition early rounds.

Eric Luttrell called Chase Brown his "horse" for the mid-double-digit rounds after Cincinnati passed on every big-name rookie back. He admitted fading Brown in early spring when mock drafts had the Bengals linked to multiple Day-2 runners, but now views the sophomore as a massive winner. Brown posted 4.9 yards per touch and a 14% target share in limited rookie action, and Eric expects Lou Anarumo’s improved defense to create more positive game scripts—and thus more neutral-to-run plays—for the backfield. With hand-wringers focused on Zack Moss, Eric sees Brown’s ADP rebounding quickly once beat writers confirm he is opening camp atop the depth chart.

Davis Mattek said he would be "stunned" if Cincinnati spends a Day-2 pick on a running back, arguing the Bengals have too many other roster holes to burn premium capital at the position. Because of that, Mattek views Chase Brown’s hold on the lead-back job as far safer than the market assumes and is comfortable drafting him ahead of late-Round-6 cost until the draft closes the uncertainty loop. He reminded listeners that Brown already leap-frogged veterans down the stretch last season and that Cincinnati’s wide-open depth chart offers a legitimate 225-touch path if the team merely adds a Day-3 depth body. Mattek’s plan is to pound Brown shares now, noting the ADP could jump multiple rounds if Friday night ends without the Bengals selecting a back.

Davis Mattek said drafters who faded Chase Brown during the pre-draft process "got punished" because Cincinnati declined to add meaningful back-field competition. Mattek argued Brown belongs at the 2–3 turn alongside Devon Achane-type profiles. His case: 1) Zack Moss is a low-ceiling placeholder with poor yards-per-carry and success-rate numbers, giving Brown a clear runway to 65-plus percent of the touches. 2) Joe Burrow historically funnels targets to his backs when pressured (23 percent check-down rate in 2023), and Brown already flashed pass-game chops with 14 receptions on only 143 snaps last year. 3) The Bengals project for a top-10 scoring offense; if they find themselves in a must-win stretch, "he’s going to be on the field" for every high-leverage snap because the coaching staff trusts him in protection. Mattek compared the ceiling outcome to Achane’s 2023 stretch—explosive chunk plays plus goal-line work—but at a multi-round discount the market has not corrected.

Jason Moore called Chase Brown a "big-time fantasy winner" after Cincinnati ignored premium skill talent in the draft, waiting until Round 6 to select change-of-pace back Tars Brooks and taking zero wide receivers. Brown already flashed juice when he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 2.9 yards after contact over the final five games of 2024, and Moore believes the front office’s inaction cements him as the unquestioned starter. The Bengals retained Zack Moss strictly as depth, giving Brown a realistic path to 60 percent of snaps and the lion’s share of inside-the-five carries in an offense that ranked seventh in red-zone trips. Moore emphasized organizational stability—same HC, OC and offensive line—as another reason to bank on Brown for 250 touches. He projected a mid-RB2 finish and advised snatching Brown in the sixth round of early best-ball/redraft drafts before preseason hype spikes the ADP.

Davis Mattek insisted Chase Brown’s backfield path looks clearer than the market thinks because Cincinnati is highly unlikely to spend Day-2 draft capital on another running back. Mattek argued the Bengals have too many roster holes—he called the depth chart "so bad" at multiple positions—to invest a premium pick at RB after allowing Joe Mixon to walk. He said he would be "stunned" if the front office added meaningful competition on Friday and invited listeners to "come back and roast me" if it happens. Assuming the team keeps its picks for offensive line and defense, Brown’s only competition would be Trayveon Williams and late-round or UDFA types, setting the stage for a 60-65% snap share and low-end RB2 floor at his current double-digit ADP in Best Ball drafts. Mattek plans to stay overweight on Brown until the draft concludes, then expects his cost to rise a full round once drafters realize Cincinnati passed on the RB class.

Jason Moore advised Dynasty managers to shop Chase Brown immediately, citing data that 71 % of teams conducting two or more Top‑30 visits with running backs take one in the first four rounds. Cincinnati has already logged multiple RB visits, and Brown was only a Day‑3 pick himself. Moore reminded listeners that a newly drafted runner would nuke Brown’s perceived workhorse role—one currently propping his top‑12 Dynasty price. He compared the situation to 2024 Kyren Williams, whose value cratered when the Rams added Blake Corum. Even if Brown keeps the job, Moore argued you can capture peak market value now; if the Bengals invest early‑round capital, Brown’s trade worth could "go poof" overnight.

Andy Holloway said Chase Brown currently sits inside their early top‑15 running backs because Cincinnati has yet to add meaningful backfield competition. Brown flashed explosive speed and tackle‑breaking ability in limited work last year and profiles as the clear lead back if the depth chart remains unchanged. Holloway warned, however, that the Bengals have hosted several running backs, including Travion Henderson, on Top‑30 visits. If Cincinnati spends real draft capital on a back, Brown would fall out of the top 15 immediately. Fantasy managers should monitor the draft closely—Brown is a fringe RB1/RB2 in season‑long leagues right now but turns into a sell or late‑round flyer the moment the Bengals invest in another runner.