Samaje Perine

Cincinnati Bengals
Running Back #34
Cincinnati Bengals
Running Back #34

Samaje Perine News RotoBaller

Samaje Perine: Priority Handcuff Option with Deep-League Flex Appeal

Since returning in Week 13 from an ankle injury that caused him to miss two games, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine has recorded 135 scrimmage yards on 38 touches across three contests. While Bengals back Chase Brown remains the lead rusher in Cincinnati, Perine plays a third-down role that has led to a consistent snap share this season. He's played at least 37% of Cincinnati's offensive snaps in every game since returning from injury, giving him a chance at standalone fantasy value every week. Still, Perine's main utility for fantasy managers is as a handcuff option to Brown. If Brown were to go down over the final weeks of the season, Perine would likely dominate backfield snaps in Cincinnati. In fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams, Perine is worth targeting on the waiver wire and stashing in a bench spot.

Dec 16, 2025 11:37 AM EST


Samaje Perine Not a Safe Fantasy Option Against Baltimore

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had 14 attempts in the Week 13 win over the Baltimore Ravens. He also logged a season-high 33 offensive snaps. As a result, many assumed the 30-year-old would continue to have more of a role in the recent loss to the Buffalo Bills. However, that didn't happen, with Perine ending the day with 31 yards off six carries. All things considered, Perine should remain in the mix in the Week 15 rematch with Baltimore, although he'll likely receive the residual touches left over by Chase Brown. That's not to say he can't or won't find the end zone, but the odds aren't in his favor.

Dec 13, 2025 1:31 PM EST



Samaje Perine Gaining Standalone Value?

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine has had a meaningful role in the offense over the past two weeks, playing 38.5% of the snaps while handling 20 carries for 70 yards with three receptions (three targets) for 20 yards. However, he's been firmly behind starter Chase Brown, who has played 62.9% of the snaps with 27 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown while adding 10 catches for 47 yards and another touchdown on 11 targets. Perine is a trusted veteran in pass protection and has familiarity with the Bengals offense, so he should maintain a healthy role behind Brown. His usage would tick up if Brown were to miss time, but his current value is just limited to deeper formats as a handcuff.

Dec 9, 2025 11:13 AM EST


Samaje Perine Back as the Bengals RB2

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine missed two games due to an ankle injury, but he returned in the Thanksgiving night win over the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday and had one fewer carry than starter Chase Brown in the 32-14 victory. Perine surprisingly had a season-high 14 rushing attempts in his return from injury, but he didn't do much with the additional opportunities, gaining just 39 yards on the ground (2.8 yards per carry) while also losing his second fumble of the year. The 30-year-old veteran added two receptions for 15 yards. Now that he's back to full health, Perine should continue to work as Cincy's RB2 behind Brown, but fantasy managers can't bank on him seeing double-digit carries again as the Bengals head into a Week 14 date with the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. At best, Perine is a handcuff for Brown in deeper fantasy football leagues.

Dec 4, 2025 1:11 PM EST


Samaje Perine a Valuable Insurance Back

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine returned to action on Thanksgiving after missing two games with an ankle injury, and he was given his largest workload of the season, carrying the ball 14 times and earning an additional two targets. While he ended the day with only 54 total yards and a fumble, his role in a rare positive game script against the Ravens was notable. With Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow back under center and looking like himself following a nine-game absence, the salting away of late leads could become more commonplace for Cincinnati. While Perine's standalone value is likely not enough to warrant flex consideration, he is a trusted veteran who can handle a heavy workload and would become a must-start should Chase Brown miss any time down the stretch.

Dec 2, 2025 2:29 PM EST



Samaje Perine Trending Toward a Return in Week 13

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, but he was listed as a full participant on Monday's estimated practice report, per SI.com's Jay Morrison. It's notable since rookie Tahj Brooks was already ruled out for Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game against the Baltimore Ravens due to a concussion he suffered in Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots. As long as Perine doesn't suffer a setback with his ankle on Tuesday or Wednesday, he figures to be active in Week 13 to serve as the Bengals' No. 2 RB behind starter Chase Brown. The 30-year-old doesn't have standalone fantasy football value in a depth role, though. In 32 rushing attempts in 2025, Perine has 198 rushing yards and one score on the ground, adding 30 receiving yards.

Nov 24, 2025 5:31 PM EST


Samaje Perine Missing Second Straight Game in Week 12

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle), who was listed as doubtful for Sunday's game, is officially out in Week 12 versus the visiting New England Patriots. Perine will be missing a second straight game. The 30-year-old veteran's absence will mean more change-of-pace work for rookie Tahj Brooks behind starter Chase Brown, but it won't be enough to make Brooks a standalone option in fantasy lineups this weekend in a tough matchup. It's unclear if Perine will be ready to return on a quick turnaround next week when the team squares off against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving Day on Thursday. Perine hasn't been anything more than a deep-league PPR handcuff for those who have Brown rostered. In nine games in 2025, he has 198 rushing yards and one touchdown on 32 carries, adding seven receptions for another 30 yards.

Nov 23, 2025 11:51 AM EST


Samaje Perine Doubtful for Week 12 With Sprained Ankle

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) is doubtful to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots as he continues to battle through a sprained ankle, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Perine suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears and was unable coming out of the bye to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. The 30-year-old veteran is on track to miss a second straight game. It remains to be seen if Perine will be able to return for a big Week 13 divisional matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving Day, but on a short week, it might be unlikely. With Perine out in last Sunday's loss to the Steelers, Tahj Brooks played only seven offensive snaps behind starter Chase Brown, carrying the ball once for a gain of five yards. Brown should see the vast majority of backfield work again this weekend against the Pats.

Nov 19, 2025 5:19 PM EST


Samaje Perine Ruled Out for Week 11

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) didn't practice at all this week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 11 contest on Sunday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Perine is still banged up coming out of the team's bye, and his next chance to return will come in Week 12 against the New England Patriots. Chase Browns will continue to see most of the backfield touches for the Bengals this weekend, with rookie Tahj Brooks set to serve in the RB2 role. If Cincy wants more depth behind those two, they can elevate one of Gary Brightwell or Kendall Milton from their practice squad for Sunday's game. The 30-year-old Perine is merely a deep-league handcuff in point-per-reception formats if you have Brown rostered. He has 32 carries for 198 yards and a touchdown while adding seven catches for 30 yards in his nine games played in 2025.

Nov 14, 2025 7:33 PM EST


Will Samaje Perine Return in Week 11?

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) had the Week 10 bye to rest the high-ankle sprain suffered in the team's Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears. Head coach Zac Taylor said that Perine would be out a couple of weeks, which puts his status in doubt for Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 30-year-old had been solid in the primary backup role behind Chase Brown, handling 32 carries for 198 yards and a touchdown to go with seven catches on nine targets for 30 yards as a receiver. While it's a small sample size, his 6.2 yards per carry is easily the best of his career and leads all running backs with at least 30 carries this season. Perine is a trusted veteran for his strength in pass protection, and if he's unable to go in Week 11, rookie Tahj Brooks will be expected to fill in as the No.2 behind Brown.

Nov 12, 2025 12:30 AM EST


Samaje Perine to Miss a Couple Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that running back Samaje Perine (ankle) will "be out a couple weeks" with a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in the Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, per Jay Morrison of SI.com. The good news is that the Bengals are on bye in Week 10, but the 30-year-old veteran still might not be ready to go when the team plays the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 on Sunday, Nov. 16. Before getting injured on Sunday, Perine had just one rushing attempt for five yards after seeing a combined 16 carries the previous two weeks. Chase Brown remains the Bengals' No. 1 running back, but Perine was starting to take on an increased role as the No. 2 before his high-ankle sprain. If Perine is unable to return coming out of the bye week, look for rookie Tahj Brooks to be elevated into the RB2 role.

Nov 3, 2025 3:21 PM EST


Samaje Perine Downgraded to Out in Week 9

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Chicago Bears. He had initially been listed as doubtful before being downgraded to out. Perine exited in the second quarter with just five rushing yards on his stat line. Tahj Brooks will take over as the backup running back behind Chase Brown. With the Bengals on bye in Week 10, Perine will have 14 days to get healthy before his next game.

Nov 2, 2025 3:30 PM EST


Samaje Perine Doubtful to Return in Week 9 Due to Ankle Injury

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) is doubtful to return to his team's Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears due to an ankle injury. Perine recorded five rushing yards on one carry before being forced to exit the game. If Perine is unable to return, Bengals back Chase Brown would likely see the vast majority of the team's backfield work for the remainder of Week 9. Rookie running back Tahj Brooks could see his role in the team's offense increase as well. The severity of Perine's ankle injury is unclear, but it's not a great sign that he's initially being listed as doubtful to return in Week 9.

Nov 2, 2025 2:23 PM EST


Samaje Perine Set for Expanded Role Moving Forward?

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had easily his best game of the year in the Week 8 loss to the New York Jets, carrying the ball a season-high nine times for a season-high 94 rushing yards and his first touchdown of 2025. He also caught his only target for a six-yard gain. The 30-year-old veteran's touchdown came on a 32-yard scamper to put the Bengals up comfortably at the time in the third quarter. Perine also had seven carries in Week 7 for 31 yards, which at the time represented a high mark for the season. It was a nice showing for the veteran back this past Sunday, but Chase Brown also continued his upward trend with 108 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 15 touches. Brown will continue to be Cincy's RB1, though, making Perine nothing more than a deep-league handcuff. He is only rostered in 8% of Yahoo leagues.

Oct 29, 2025 11:31 PM EST


Samaje Perine Rushes for Nearly 100 Yards

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine posted his best game of the season during Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Perine rushed nine time for 94 yards and a touchdown in the loss. The 30-year-old remains the backup in Cincinnati, but has seen more work lately. In fact, Perine has seen his carries increase every game since Week 5. Chase Brown remains the starter, but Perine could be forcing more of a split backfield if he continues playing like this. Perine could be worth a stash for fantasy managers in need of running back depth.

Oct 27, 2025 9:47 PM EST


Samaje Perine Earning More Early-Down Work in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine recorded a season-high seven carries in his team's Week 7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran back has been eating into the workload of Bengals RB1 Chase Brown in recent weeks, as Perine has logged at least 28 offensive snaps in three straight games for Cincinnati. Perine's upside remains limited, as he's recorded just 123 yards from scrimmage on 28 touches across seven games so far this season. However, the Bengals get a favorable matchup in Week 8 against the New York Jets, which helps Perine's fantasy outlook. Still, expectations for what Perine's upside should remain limited. He's currently ranked as RB45 by RotoBaller in half-PPR scoring heading into Week 8.

Oct 24, 2025 10:51 AM EST


Samaje Perine Still Not a Practical Fantasy Option in Week 6

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had only 52 yards off nine carries in the first five games of the 2025 campaign, adding four receptions for eight yards. While most assumed Chase Brown would lead the way out of the backfield this season, fantasy managers are still disappointed with Perine's lack of involvement and production. The 30-year-old logged 29 snaps in the Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions, suggesting more involvement could be on the horizon for the Week 6 meeting with the Green Bay Packers. However, until Perine does something meaningful to benefit managers, it's best to leave him out of any fantasy lineup versus the Packers. That outlook likely won't change in the weeks ahead unless Brown goes down with an injury.

Oct 11, 2025 1:42 PM EST


Samaje Perine Avoids Serious Thumb Injury, Could Play in Week 4

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (thumb), who left the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday with a thumb injury, avoided a serious injury and has not been ruled out for next Monday night's matchup against the Denver Broncos, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. An MRI exam ruled out significant damage to Perine's thumb. The 30-year-old veteran could play against his former team, the Broncos, but he won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar if he does. Perine saw his first rushing work of the season in Sunday's 48-10 blowout loss in Minnesota, carrying the ball four times for 21 yards before getting hurt. He will continue to handle a change-of-pace role behind starter Chase Brown if he's active, but it's unlikely to result in much volume or production, especially with backup quarterback Jake Browning now running Cincy's offense.

Sep 22, 2025 3:34 PM EST


Samaje Perine Won't Return in Week 3

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (right thumb) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Week 3 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. He exited the contest late in the second quarter after fumbling the football. Cincinnati initially listed him as questionable before eventually downgrading him to out. He finishes Sunday's game with four carries, 21 rushing yards, four kick returns, 88 return yards, and the fumble. Tahj Brooks will operate as Chase Brown's backup until Perine is healthy again.

Sep 21, 2025 3:14 PM EST


Samaje Perine Remains No. 2 Back, Still Nowhere Near a Starting Fantasy Option

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine caught only two passes for six yards in the Week 1 win over the Browns. It's hard to play worse than that. However, that's exactly what happened in Week 2 versus Jacksonville, with Perine finishing without a blip in any statistical category. While the 30-year-old continues to serve as the backup to running back Chase Brown, he likely won't be given many opportunities to produce in the Week 3 meeting with the Minnesota Vikings, no matter if he logs more than the 20 snaps he had against the Jags. With Jake Browning under center in place of the injured Joe Burrow (toe), Perine's outlook remains the same. Keep him out of any fantasy lineup on Sunday.

Sep 20, 2025 5:18 PM EST