Matt LaMarca advised sticking with Chase Brown in cash games at $6,800, stressing that no other Bengal logged a carry in Week 1 while Brown handled 21 rushes and maintained a 14% target share. Although he mustered only 43 rushing yards against Cleveland, Brown’s 85% snap rate down the 2024 stretch and continued bell-cow usage in what LaMarca calls an "elite Bengals offense" makes his current tag far too low for the touchdown chances that usually accompany Cincinnati drives.

Craig Ellenport backed Cincinnati to cover the -3.5 number in their Week 2 home opener against Jacksonville. Ellenport acknowledged every red flag that bettors are citing: the Bengals have dropped three straight home openers and five of their last six, Joe Burrow’s offense managed only 17 points and was scoreless after halftime in Week 1, and the franchise has not started 2-0 since 2018. Even so, he is "still on the Bengals bandwagon," believing the defense that stifled Cleveland will keep Trevor Lawrence in check and that Burrow’s attack will bounce back in front of a home crowd eager to end the streak. The pick leans on historical regression—Ellenport expects the negative opener trend to flip—and the modest 3.5-point spread that only asks Cincinnati to win by more than a field goal.

Bartel joked that he "got Zac Taylor’d again" after another ugly Week 1, but believes Cincinnati’s annual early flop is baked into the market. Calling Jacksonville "a less-talented version of that same conundrum," he expects the Bengals to look competent at home and is comfortable laying –3.5. He paired the side with Over 48.5, reasoning that both mistake-prone offenses are capable of trading big plays once they settle in.

James Boutros likes Ja'Marr Chase to soar past 87.5 receiving yards (-113) in a game with a 49.5 total. Chase managed only 5 targets, 2 grabs, and 26 yards in Week 1, a stat line Boutros called a classic springboard for elite receivers. Jacksonville’s secondary is far more exploitable than last week’s opponent, and Cincinnati is expected to rebound offensively, forcing additional volume. Boutros expects Joe Burrow to pepper Chase on the boundary and intermediate crossers, calling 100 yards a realistic ceiling in this projected shootout.

Matt Bowen advised laying the 3.5 with Cincinnati. He conceded that Joe Burrow threw for only 113 yards and the Chase-Higgins duo combined for just 59 yards in the narrow Week-1 win over Cleveland, but pointed out that Jacksonville’s perimeter coverages (split-safety and single-high zone) are exactly the looks Burrow has historically diced. Bowen expects Zac Taylor to script answers that get the star receivers loose and believes the Bengals’ defense is sound enough to keep Trevor Lawrence from trading punches. In his view, a cleaner offensive rhythm plus home field makes this a good buy-low number.

DFS Army prefers Chase Brown over De’Von Achan this week, noting Brown handled "almost 100 percent of the work" for Cincinnati yet failed to post a headline score, which should keep ownership depressed. The Bengals are solid home favorites against Jacksonville—exactly the game script DFS Army chases for running backs. With a big carry share, goal-line equity, and a projected positive script, Brown rates as a core play who can leverage the field’s Achan interest while delivering similar or better upside.

JDBetsHQ said to hammer the over on Ja'Marr Chase’s 84.5-yard receiving line for Week 1 in Cleveland. Chase averaged just over 100 receiving yards per game last season and now gets Joe Burrow fully healthy again. The Bengals are 4.5-point favorites, and the tout expects a shoot-out, pointing out that the spread would probably be Bengals ‑7 if the game were in Cincinnati. Chase managed 97 receiving yards in his first meeting with the Browns last year and is still the clear first read in a pass-centric offense. JDBetsHQ does not trust the Browns offense to keep pace but believes Cincinnati will throw enough for Chase to clear the number comfortably.

JDBetsHQ locked in the over on Ja'Marr Chase’s receiving yards (listed at 84.5) despite Cleveland’s respectable secondary. He noted Chase has averaged 113 yards over his past five contests and an even 100 across the entire 2024 season, clearing this Week 1 line in six straight outings. The underlying fantasy pipeline of Joe Burrow to Chase remains intact, and with a 47.5 total and the Bengals installed as 4.5-point road favorites, the tout expects a pass-leaning script. Last year Chase still posted 97 yards in one of two meetings with the Browns, and JDBetsHQ believes Cincinnati projects for frequent shootouts in 2025, making the mid-80s number too low relative to Chase’s demonstrated ceiling and median.

Bill Harrelson Picks urged bettors to grab Ja'Marr Chase to score a touchdown against Cleveland. He pointed to Chase’s ridiculous finishing stretch—17 TDs in his last 15 games and cashing the anytime score in 7 of the past 10. The Browns leaked league-high production to wide receivers, allowing 1.4 WR TDs per game, and although Denzel Ward is elite, Cleveland cannot shadow Chase on every snap. Chase found the end zone in both head-to-head meetings last season, and Harrelson expects Cincinnati to start fast in 2025 rather than dig another 0-1 hole, making their star wideout the focal point near the goal line.

Joyner stamped his highest Week 1 mark (8 confidence SU, 6 ATS at ‑5.5) on Cincinnati because Zac Taylor ended the club’s slow-start curse by giving Joe Burrow heavy preseason snaps. Burrow shredded exhibition defenses and now faces three Browns defensive backs graded green (highly favorable) in Joyner’s Paydirt system. Cleveland’s offense, piloted by a conservative scheme, is ill-suited for shootouts, and new DC Al Golden has spent the off-season designing ways to avoid them. Joyner expects the Bengals to dictate tempo and cover comfortably.

Brent Sobleski laid Bengals –5.5, emphasizing that—for the first time since 2020—Joe Burrow enters Week 1 without a medical limitation (no knee rehab, appendicitis, calf strain, or wrist recovery). He doubts a Flacco-quarterbacked Browns offense can trade scores with a fully operational trio of Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Sobleski acknowledged Cleveland’s typical rivalry juice but believes pace and talent discrepancies make a touchdown-plus victory the likelier outcome.

Although the Bengals have burned bettors in recent openers, Everett is laying 5.5 on the road. He simply views Cleveland as one of the league’s weakest rosters on paper and expects Joe Burrow’s group to buck its Week 1 trend this time around.

Knapp swallowed the –240 juice on Cincinnati, stating that although the Bengals’ defense might limit Joe Burrow in tougher spots, it won’t matter against what he simply called the “woeful” Browns. He offers a straight fade of Cleveland’s roster quality as the chief rationale.

Prisco laid 5.5 with Cincinnati, calling Joe Burrow versus Joe Flacco "a big edge" in the Battle of Ohio. He expects the Bengals offense to pick up where it left off in 2024, piling up yards even if Lou Anarumo’s defense still has questions. With Cleveland unlikely to match scores, Prisco projected a 30-27 final and recommended Cincinnati before bettors push the line to six or more.

Historically a September fade, Cincinnati played its starters in the 2025 preseason for the first time in years, and MacMillan believes that flips the script. He laid -5.5, arguing the extra live reps will keep Joe Burrow’s offense "firing on all cylinders" against a Browns squad he labeled "low" entering Week 1.

Ross Kelly relayed that SportsLine's 10,000-simulation model made Bengals ‑5.5 one of its strongest Week 1 bets. The model expects a double-digit Cincinnati win because Joe Burrow is coming off a league-leading 4,918 yards and 43 TDs season with fewer than 10 interceptions, and the front office kept the NFL’s No. 1 passing attack intact by extending Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. On the other side, Cleveland finished 32nd in scoring in 2024, ranked last on third downs, committed the second-most turnovers, and landed bottom-five in rushing and red-zone efficiency. Its once-dominant defense also cratered to 27th in points allowed. Given that mismatch, the simulations have Cincinnati covering in well over half of outcomes.

Kristopher Knox recommended taking Cincinnati -5.5 in Week 1, pointing out that the Bengals covered at least a touchdown in both meetings with Cleveland last season. While the Browns' defense traditionally bothers Joe Burrow and new starter Joe Flacco is an upgrade from last year's quarterback carousel, Knox believes Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins headline a passing attack that is 'virtually impossible to contain.' Cincinnati played its starters extensively in the preseason to avoid its usual slow September starts, and Knox expects that extra prep to minimize mistakes and stave off any Week 1 upset bid.

Polzin dubbed Joe Burrow the simplest quarterback plug-in for Week 1, especially if stacking with Ja'Marr Chase. Unlike last season’s no-camp ramp-up that led to a slow start, Burrow logged preseason reps and should be in rhythm for the opener in Cleveland. Polzin noted Burrow still managed 22 DK points in the rematch last year and believes a healthier launch means a safer ceiling-plus-floor combo for both cash and single-entry lineups.

Joe Pisapia said he was adding Joe Burrow at 50-1 to his futures card for Offensive Player of the Year. He reminded listeners that voters have repeatedly handed the same player both MVP and OPOY—Tom Brady in 2007, Patrick Mahomes in 2018, Matt Ryan in 2016, Cam Newton in 2015, even Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson in their award seasons—so there is a clear historical path. With Cincinnati expected to post video-game passing numbers, Pisapia thinks the price is simply too long and worth a sprinkle.

Joe Pisapia fired on Ja'Marr Chase at +900 for Offensive Player of the Year, reasoning that a "big year for Burrow means a bigger year for Chase." He values the 9-1 payout on a receiver who already owns a 1,800-yard season and leads the league in end-zone targets. Pisapia framed it as a simple correlation bet—the Bengals’ MVP narrative will funnel production through Chase, and a $100 stake returns roughly $1,000 if it hits.

Warren Sharp felt the Bengals were mis-priced this deep in the win-total draft. While acknowledging concerns he has highlighted in his annual book, he still prefers Cincinnati to Pittsburgh and liked the value created by board position. Sharp reminded listeners to grab the in-season package that will feature Week 1 start/sit advice, underscoring that he expects the Bengals to remain fantasy-relevant immediately – an indirect vote of confidence in the roster’s overall health.

Jim Coventry bumped Chase Brown to RB7 because Cincinnati’s staff is rebuilding the run game around his outside-zone skill set after tailoring last year’s attack to Zack Moss. With defenses forced to honor Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins deep, Brown should see light boxes and free lanes. Coventry added that Joe Burrow historically checks down when plays break down, forecasting as many as 70 receptions for Brown. Combined with a high-octane Bengals red-zone offense, Coventry sees a multi-category fantasy profile that could smash ADP.

Marcas Grant dismissed Mitchell Tinsley’s 5-catch, 73-yard, 2-TD revenge game against Washington as a classic preseason mirage. Zac Taylor’s postgame "baller" comment was laced with coachspeak about work ethic and locker-room respect, and Grant reminded readers the Bengals’ pecking order is locked: Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on top, followed by Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton, and Charlie Jones. Even if Tinsley makes the 53-man roster, he sits several injuries away from meaningful targets, so Grant sees no reason to spend a draft pick or early waiver claim on the UDFA wideout.

Davis Mattek reversed his early-offseason stance and now targets Joe Burrow around picks 48-49 whenever he begins a Bengals stack. He cited Mike Clay’s projection of 627 attempts, 4,647 yards and 34 touchdowns—numbers that already assume regression—and argued Cincinnati will “throw the absolute air out of the ball” because the defense can’t carry games. Mattek noted drafters often reach for Burrow at pick 31, so he is willing to pay the mid-fourth to complete a Chase-Higgins stack rather than miss out. He believes his earlier hesitation relied on historical QB win-rate data that doesn’t apply to Burrow’s 2025 environment and calls the new cost a clear positive EV decision in DraftKings Best Ball contests.

Davis Mattek said selecting Ja'Marr Chase first overall is the sharp move in 2025 drafts. Mattek expects Cincinnati to be one of the league’s most pass-heavy teams because its defense is “absolutely brutal” and the roster lacks a power runner, forcing Joe Burrow to chase shoot-outs. Chase already delivered a WR1 overall season and, in Mattek’s words, “outscored Justin Jefferson by over 100 points” under DraftKings 2024 scoring. With no true third weapon added—Mattek dismissed the Noah Fant signing as irrelevant—Chase should keep an elite target share while offering the highest weekly ceiling in the player pool. Mattek therefore prefers him over Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and CeeDee Lamb despite acknowledging the occasional down week.

Just A Bet Outside said Joe Burrow is his favorite MVP futures play at +650 on DraftKings. He acknowledged Cincinnati’s shaky defense could cost wins but argued it will also force extra pass volume, padding Burrow’s counting stats. Burrow comes in healthy after throwing for 4,913 yards, 43 TDs and only 9 INTs last season, with both Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins now paid and an upgraded line that adds first-round tackle Amarius Mims. The host pointed to Burrow’s 1-9 career record in Weeks 1-2 as the one red flag but noted the staff is giving him more preseason snaps to fix the slow-start issue. If the new defensive coordinator can get the unit to league average and the Bengals avoid another September hole, the host believes voters will reward a top-three QB at better than 6-to-1 odds.

Larry Hartstein recommended betting Ja'Marr Chase at +950 to win Offensive Player of the Year. Hartstein pointed out that Chase won the receiving triple crown last season but lost the award to Saquon Barkley’s historic campaign. Chase remains Joe Burrow’s first read—evidenced by catching all five preseason targets for roughly 80 yards—and Cincinnati’s leaky defense should force shootout scripts that inflate volume. Hartstein sees no reason Chase cannot repeat or exceed last year’s production and claims the +950 price understates that possibility.

Matthew Freedman bumped Chase Brown from RB10 to RB8 after studying both last year’s split-sample production and this summer’s usage. In eight 2024 games without Zack Moss, Brown ripped off 930 rushing yards, 6 TDs, and posted a position-best 95 Utilization Score on 151 carries and 44 targets. Pre-season snaps have shown the Bengals treating him like a true every-down back, reinforcing the expectation that he will open 2025 as a volume hog. Freedman sees Brown’s combination of backfield monopoly and passing-game involvement as worth a back-end RB1 draft slot in all season-long formats.

Ian Hartitz said Chase Brown belongs firmly in the Round-2 conversation because his role is already elite and nothing in Cincinnati threatens it. From Week 9 on, Brown averaged 23.6 touches and 20.6 fantasy points, a workload topped only by Christian McCaffrey and Kyren Williams. The stretch coincided with the offense giving him every high-value snap: goal-line, two-minute and most of the routes. With Zack Moss gone and only Samaje Perine/Todd Brooks flashing as preseason depth, Hartitz sees no credible competition. He expects the Bengals’ shaky defense to force shoot-outs, boosting play volume, and notes that drafting out of the 1.01/1.02 slot lets managers pair Brown with an elite first-round pick for a massive structural edge. He ranks Brown alongside Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving and Josh Jacobs but would often take Brown first due to clearer volume on a better offense.

Tom Strachan grabbed Tee Higgins in the third round, citing the 18-19 fantasy points per game he averaged once he returned from injury last season. With Ja’Marr Chase commanding defensive attention, Higgins continues to offer spike-week upside, and Strachan believes that profile is underpriced where he’s typically the WR15-18 off boards.

Middlekauff advised fading Cincinnati in title futures, likening them to a high-powered college offense that cannot stop anyone. He cited a stat showing Trey Hendrickson produced 48 % of the Bengals’ sacks last season—roughly 15 percentage points higher dependency than any other NFL pass-rusher—leaving the defense "below average" if Hendrickson regresses or misses time. He quipped Washington would hang "500 yards" on them if both sides played hard, and sees a 9- or 10-win ceiling that is insufficient for deep playoff runs despite Joe Burrow’s brilliance.

Tony Farmer doubled down on Joe Burrow, backing him at +550 to lead the league in touchdown passes. Beyond Cincinnati’s leaky defense forcing high-volume passing, Farmer highlighted that Burrow doesn’t siphon touchdowns with his legs the way Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, or Josh Allen do. Those quarterbacks “cannibalize themselves” with rushing scores, whereas Burrow funnels virtually every Bengals red-zone TD through the air.

Tony Farmer likes Joe Burrow at +500 to lead the NFL in passing yards. He normally hunts longer shots but believes the Bengals’ "so bad" defense will keep Burrow in shootouts all season, pushing his attempt volume past competitors. With health no longer a question coming out of camp, Farmer views the 5-to-1 number as fair value for Burrow to pace the league.

Mattek yanked Chase Brown up almost three full rounds, arguing preseason usage shows a path to feature-back touches. Taj Brooks played deep into the fourth quarter of Cincinnati’s first exhibition while Samaje Perine handled predictable third-down work, confirming Brown’s claim on the early-down and goal-line snaps. Mattek compared Brown’s projected workload to Devon Achane’s and concluded their expected fantasy points are ‘really close’ even though Achane is the more explosive talent. Because the market prices Achane 50-plus spots higher, Mattek views Brown as a screaming value worth reaching for in Best Ball drafts.

Ben Gretch called Chase Brown’s meteoric rise to pick 2.03 “probably aggressive.” Gretch and Siegele were scooping Brown at 3.10 only weeks ago, gaining value and structural uniqueness. Now that drafters are paying a mid-second premium, Brown no longer offers either. Passing on Tier-1 wideouts to chase the steam, in Gretch’s view, erodes expected win rate. His guidance: fade Brown at his new second-round cost and wait for running-back value later in the draft.

Kyle Hewitt explained that best-ball drafts are won and lost on correlated week-17 explosions. If you open a draft by selecting Ja'Marr Chase, he said you must be willing to spend early capital on Joe Burrow to lock in the Bengals stack rather than hoping Burrow makes it back at ADP. Hewitt added that savvy drafters will often "snipe" Burrow specifically to block the stack and lower your lineup’s ceiling, so reaching a round ahead is justified. His reasoning: Burrow-Chase posted the second-highest combined single-game score in 2024 (73.4 DK points) and Cincinnati closes 2025 at home against a Pittsburgh defense that allowed 8.1 yards per attempt after their bye. That matchup-driven correlation plus historical spike-week data makes chasing the stack worth the opportunity cost.

Chris Allen said Brown offers the exact three traits he wants in an early-round running back—early-down volume, goal-line carries, and passing-game involvement—and backed it up with hard numbers from Weeks 4-17 of 2024. Brown handled 77.4 % of Cincinnati’s first-down rushes and ranked top-12 in both rushing success rate and forced-missed-tackle rate on those plays. He averaged 3.4 adjusted yards after contact per attempt (12th) and tied for third among all backs with 20 touches inside the five, converting nine total touchdowns (second-most). Allen added that Zac Taylor even targeted him four times inside the five and that his 19 % targets per route run (11th) and top-four yards per route run prove real pass-game juice. With preseason reps showing growing chemistry with the QB, Allen is drafting Brown as a first-round caliber back despite a consensus ADP of 24.6.

Gladys Louise Tyler flagged Demetrius Knight as a priority sleeper because Germaine Pratt’s departure leaves a full-time job next to Logan Wilson. Cincinnati spent a 2025 second-rounder (49th overall) on Knight, and in the Bengals’ first preseason game he played 100% of the defensive snaps with the starters. Coming out of South Carolina he registered an 85.4 PFF run-defense grade, and Trevor Sikkema called him the best positional fit of the entire Bengals draft class. Tyler noted that playing beside Wilson will funnel tackles Knight’s way and expects the rookie to smash his current LB49 ADP, giving drafters a cheap path to triple-digit stops.

Ronis reminded drafters that when Tee Higgins was healthy last year he ranked third among wide receivers in PPR points per game. Cincinnati leans aggressively pass-heavy, and Higgins remains a focal point opposite JaMarr Chase. Even though injuries have marred the last two seasons, Ronis views Higgins as a weekly upside WR2 who can win weeks in best-ball builds tied to Joe Burrow’s high drop-back rate.

Jerry Donabedian said Chase Brown is a glaring value on ESPN where he sits at default rank 32 while his averaged NFFC/Drafters ADP is 22.2. With Zack Moss recently waived and rookie Tahj Brooks stuck with the second team, Donabedian expects Brown to reprise last year’s late-season feature role, ceding only obvious passing downs to Samaje Perine. Brown averaged 20.9 PPR points over his final eight 2024 games; even a 15 % drop still pays off at a late–Round-2 price. High-stakes drafters have adjusted, but ESPN managers have not, letting you draft a likely 20-touch back at the 2⁄3 turn.

McFarland argued Brown is undervalued as the 12th back off the board (ADP 25.3). After Zack Moss’ neck injury he averaged 20.9 PPG with an 85% snap share across eight games. Receiving efficiency was only RB2-ish (19% TPRR, 1.06 YPRR) and Cincinnati signed Samaje Perine to handle some passing downs, but the Bengals led the NFL in pass rate over expected (+8%) and field one of the league’s worst run-blocking lines, making route share the key. Preseason Week 1 usage—73% snaps and 60% routes with starters—convinced McFarland that Perine will not be a real threat. If Brown can maintain 60-65% route participation he has high-end RB1 potential even without elite big-play numbers (10% explosive rushes).

Mike Wright labeled Chase Brown his top “My Guy,” saying he would happily take Brown in the late-second or early-third round and make him his RB1. Wright reminded listeners that after taking over for the injured Zack Moss last season Brown finished as the overall RB11 and was the RB5 from Week 9 forward, a stretch in which he was on a 17-game pace for 414 touches, 54 catches, 360 receiving yards and four receiving TDs. During that span Brown led all running backs in routes, ranked second in receptions and third in scrimmage yards. New OC Dan Pitcher reportedly told the media Brown will be a “household name” by year’s end, and Wright likened the trajectory to Austin Ekeler’s rise from day-three pick to fantasy star. The current depth chart (late-round rookie Tahj Brooks and veteran Samaje Perine) offers little threat, and the Bengals’ pass-heavy, Burrow-led goal-line philosophy funnels high-value targets to backs. Historically, 12 of the last 18 RBs who scored 15+ PPR points per game in Year 2 (Brown did) kept that pace the next year—names like McCaffrey, Kamara and Chubb. Coupled with Brown’s 96th-percentile athletic profile, Wright sees minimal downside at ADP and massive three-down upside, urging drafters to “take him everywhere.”

Pat Mayo warned drafters not to pay Joe Burrow’s current market cost. Mayo’s Top-150 ranks slot Burrow at 58th overall—late fifth or early sixth round—but ESPN and Sleeper ADP push him into the 40s, a 30-plus-pick premium over where Mayo is comfortable. He prefers to secure one of the four dual-threat "alien" QBs (Hurts, Allen, Jackson, Daniels) or wait until rounds 11-14 and double-tap upside passers such as Drake Maye, Jordan Love or Justin Fields. Mayo noted that pocket-passer archetypes like Burrow historically underperform their draft cost unless scoring is dramatically weighted toward passing TDs, making the opportunity cost of a fourth-round Burrow pick far too steep compared to still-available RB and WR starters.

Ian Hartitz argued that Chase Brown should be drafted aggressively after Cincinnati lost Zach Moss to season-ending neck surgery and added only Day-3 pick Taj Brooks behind him. Hartitz reminded listeners that Brown was a top-six fantasy back from Week 5 forward last year and that the Bengals have repeatedly shown a willingness to leave one runner on the field for 90-plus percent of snaps. With Samaje Perine limited to scattered long-down work, Hartitz projected Brown for a 70-80% snap share plus every goal-line carry in the league's most fantasy-friendly scoring environment, calling the situation "not something to overthink."

Ted Chmyz believes Chase Brown’s NFFC ADP of 18 overall (RB8) is too aggressive versus a consensus ADP of 26 (RB12). Brown averaged 20.6 PPR points from Week 9 on after Zack Moss’ season-ending injury, third-best among running backs, but that production came with virtually every Bengals touch. Cincinnati has since released Moss, leaving only sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks and veteran Samaje Perine behind Brown, so another heavy workload is possible. Still, Chmyz warns of two downside paths: the Bengals could scale back his usage for durability reasons, or Brown could break down under 25-touch weekly volume. Given those risks, he prefers taking similarly ranked backs such as Bucky Irving, Jonathan Taylor or Josh Jacobs at their cheaper tags, or pivoting to elite players at other positions like A.J. Brown, Lamar Jackson or Trey McBride in the same draft range.

Tom Strachan said he is scooping up Chase Brown in the late-2nd because the Bengal back showed true bell-cow traits after Week 10 last season. Brown averaged "over 20 touches" and "over 23 fantasy points" during that stretch and, in Strachan’s view, the front office did not add anyone capable of challenging that workload. In a hero-WR build Strachan expects Brown to finish as a top-5 running back, making the pick well worth the slight ADP reach in Best-Ball tournaments.

Tom Strachan called Ja'Marr Chase the premier hero-WR target, reminding listeners that he finished 2024 as fantasy’s overall WR1 with 117 catches, 1,612 yards and 16 TDs – two PPR points clear of the next-best receiver. Strachan demolished the old split narrative by noting Chase actually averaged more points (24.7) in games where Tee Higgins played than when Higgins was inactive (21.3). With the Bengals defense still projected to struggle, Strachan expects another pass-heavy season from Joe Burrow and labeled Chase the ‘safest elite pick’ on the board.

Tom Strachan said drafters should smash Ja'Marr Chase at pick 1.02 if he slips, calling him the safest play on the board. Chase’s 2024 line of 117 catches, 1,612 yards and 16 touchdowns made him the overall WR1 and two full PPR points per game better than every other receiver. Strachan shot down the idea that Chase only explodes when Tee Higgins is absent, noting Chase actually averaged 24.7 PPR points with Higgins active versus 21.3 without him. With Cincinnati’s defense still 'really shaky,' Strachan expects another pass-heavy year from Joe Burrow and forecasts another monster, league-winning season for Chase.

Frank Ammirante warned that Mike Gesicki’s lingering hamstring injury could quietly cost him snaps even if he suits up for Week 1. The Bengals added Noah Fant this offseason, giving them "much better depth" at tight end. Ammirante said any missed practice time by Gesicki would allow Fant to carve out a bigger early-season role, urging fantasy managers to monitor participation reports and be ready to pivot if the injury lingers.