Samaje Perine
Running Back #34
Samaje Perine News
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.
Oct 2, 2026 12:24 PM EST
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.
Sep 25, 2026 12:25 PM EST
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.
Sep 22, 2026 11:12 AM EST
Samaje Perine Ready For Sunday After Dealing With An Illness
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine was listed on the team's injury report this week with an illness. The illness prevented Perine from practicing Thursday and Friday, but his absence from the final injury report suggests he's ready for the game. The veteran rusher manned the RB2 role in the Bengals offense against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. Perine handled five carries for 20 yards and caught three passes for 30 yards in the 33-27 win. Perine's role as the understudy to RB1 Chase Brown is valuable in its own right, but it will only be truly noteworthy if something prevents Brown from taking the field. For now, it seems like Perine is not in danger of missing Sunday's contest. Perine is ranked RB50 in our RotoBaller Week 2 PPR rankings, making him nothing more than a desperation flex option if he is active in Week 2.
Sep 18, 2026 12:30 PM EST
Samaje Perine Is a Must-Stash Option
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had a strong Week 1 against the Buccaneers, serving as the top backup behind Chase Brown. Perine had five carries for 20 rushing yards and three catches for 30 receiving yards. His eight touches come on just 18 plays (28%), but he clearly would be the next running back to step in if Brown deals with any kind of injury, which would make Perine a must-start in all formats. Even with Brown healthy, Perine gets enough work as a change-of-pace option to be worth considering in a FLEX spot in an emergency situation, a favorable matchup, or a bye-week roster squeeze. Without many depth options at running back emerging in Week 1, Perine is a key stash option from the waiver wire and should be on a roster in almost all leagues due to his potential upside.
Sep 15, 2026 5:49 AM EST
Samaje Perine Opens Season As Bengals RB2 Against Tampa Bay
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine will operate as the team's RB2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. Chase Brown is the clear RB1 of the team, but that does not mean that he will take all of the opportunities out of the backfield. Perine will get the opportunity to mix in, especially on passing downs. Over the past five years, Perine has been one of the most efficient running backs on a per-target basis so it stands to reason that Cincinnati will want to get him involved in the passing game. There could be a lot of passing involved in the game against the Buccaneers this Sunday. With a 50.5-point over/under, Vegas is projecting a lot of scoring to take place in Cincinnati this weekend. Perine is ranked RB52 in our RotoBaller Week 1 PPR rankings, so he would have to be a desperation flex option for deep leagues only but his contingent upside is among the highest of all RB2s. If Brown goes down with an injury, Perine will step into one of the most valuable roles in the NFL. For now, Perine is likely best served warming the bench for fantasy managers.
Sep 11, 2026 11:16 AM EST
Samaje Perine Worth a Look in Deep Leagues
After rushing for 382 yards and three touchdowns on a 4.5-yard-per-carry average a year ago, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine appears poised to enter his 10th season as the primary backup to Chase Brown. With little in-game information to go off of, proactive fantasy managers with the luxury of deep benches should be looking to churn through the backs of their rosters, targeting players whose waiver value would see the greatest jump as the result of a Week 1 injury ahead of them, and Perine fits that bill. 2025 sixth-round pick Tahj Brooks, who carried the ball 16 times for only 45 yards as a rookie, is the only other running back on the Bengals' 53-man roster, making Perine a potentially valuable handcuff to roster who can easily be moved on from as more obvious waiver candidates emerge after Week 1.
Sep 8, 2026 9:12 AM EST
Samaje Perine a Fine Handcuff with Receiving Upside
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine isn't expected to have a very consistent role out of the backfield behind Chase Brown. However, we should see him get involved on some passing downs, and he's also a decent handcuff option for managers who are already planning to draft Brown. Last year in Cincy, the veteran running back tallied 382 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and three touchdowns across 15 games, ranking as the RB57 in PPR leagues. It was an interesting year for the 30-year-old, who posted his second-highest rushing yard total since 2017 but his lowest receiving yard total since 2020. Last year seemed like an outlier season for Perine, who is well established as a pass-catching option out of the backfield. He should see his receptions and receiving yards increase this year, but whether he'll have any standalone value remains uncertain. The Bengals gave Brown 17.7 touches per game last year, and that includes games where the offense was struggling with Joe Burrow sidelined. This is clearly Brown's backfield, so anyone looking to draft Perine in fantasy football should wait until the last couple of rounds.
Aug 28, 2026 5:29 PM EST
Samaje Perine's Redraft Case Has a Little More Life
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine is still mostly tied to Chase Brown's health for fantasy, but his summer role is a little more interesting than that sounds. Perine mixed in with the starters in the preseason opener, catching two passes for 12 yards and taking his only carry for seven. Cincinnati has also been leaning into more two-back looks, with Perine staying in the backfield while Brown moves around the formation. That matters. Perine ran for 382 yards and three touchdowns on 84 carries last season, and he showed against the Jets that he can still do something with extra work, going for 94 yards and a score on nine carries. Brown isn't losing the job after 1,456 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025, so this isn't some backfield battle. Perine just has a little more going on than a pure bench stash. He's still an insurance back first, but Cincinnati may give him enough snaps to stay involved even when Brown is healthy.
Aug 20, 2026 9:38 AM EST
Samaje Perine Offers Little Standalone Redraft Value
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine still has a clear job in this backfield, but most of his fantasy appeal starts with Chase Brown. Perine played 15 games last season and ran 84 times for 382 yards and three touchdowns, adding 17 catches for 87 yards. He flashed when Cincinnati gave him a little more room, ripping off 94 yards and a score on only nine carries against the Jets. The Bengals haven't forgotten that. Their own offseason preview has Perine set to lead the group behind Brown again in 2026. Brown, however, played all 17 games last year and topped 1,000 rushing yards, and Cincinnati expects him to remain the lead back. Perine was on the field for just over 31% of the offensive snaps in 2025. RotoBaller ranks him 196th overall and RB58. There is still a place for the 240-pound veteran on a fantasy bench, especially for Brown managers, but weekly value will be hard to find unless his workload grows.
Aug 9, 2026 10:44 AM EST
Samaje Perine an Underrated Insurance Back in 2026
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine will turn 31 years old in September, but he has shown few signs of slowing down. In his return to the Bengals in 2025, he carried the ball 84 times, his most attempts since 2022, and while maintaining a 4.5-yard per carry average, he scored a career-high three rushing touchdowns. Fourth-year player Chase Brown has developed into a true bell cow back, averaging more than 19.6 opportunities per game across his last 30 outings, making Perine's insurance role behind him a potentially important one for fantasy. Rounding out the Bengals' backfield is 2025 sixth-round pick Tahj Brooks, and there's an expectation that should Brown miss time, the second-year player could help to lighten the load rather than turning full control over to Perine. Still, the 10th-year veteran remains an underrated handcuff option and one that would undoubtedly garner attention on the waiver wire in the unfortunate event of injury.
Jul 25, 2026 5:54 AM EST
Samaje Perine's Handcuff Appeal Undervalued by Current Redraft ADP?
Across 15 games in 2025, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine recorded 469 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 101 touches. As he enters his age-31 season, Perine has established himself as a reliable third-down back who can also handle RB2 duties as a rusher. Entering 2026, Perine profiles as the clear backup in Cincinnati behind star Bengals running back Chase Brown. As long as Brown stays healthy, Perine's fantasy appeal is limited. Brown is entering his age-26 season and has largely avoided injury to this point in his career. Still, Brown has played in 33 games and amassed 584 touches over the past two seasons. If he goes down, Perine has a three-down skill set and could take over as the primary back in Cincinnati. At his current redraft ADP of RB75, Perine's handcuff appeal may be undervalued ahead of 2026.
Jul 10, 2026 7:02 AM EST
Samaje Perine's Fantasy Upside Remains Limited Across All Formats
Across 15 games in 2025, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine recorded 469 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 101 touches. The veteran back has established himself as a quality pass-blocker and capable RB2 over the course of his nine-year NFL career. That's the role Perine played alongside Bengals RB1 Chase Brown in 2025, and with both backs under contract for 2026, Cincinnati appears likely to run it back next season. Without an injury to Brown, Perine carries limited fantasy upside. Even if Brown were to miss time, it's possible the Bengals would look to bring in a more dynamic rusher and keep Perine in a secondary role. While Perine has recorded at least 400 scrimmage yards in five straight seasons, he hasn't topped the 700-yard mark since his rookie year in 2017 and has logged just 19 touchdowns in 125 career NFL games. Perine's fantasy ceiling is uninspiring as he hits the late stages of his career.
Feb 21, 2026 10:39 AM EST
Samaje Perine a Top Waiver Priority for Week 18
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine has finished as a low-end RB2 in each of the past two weeks without cracking a 40% snap share. If the Bengals opt to rest or limit their starters, including the surging Chase Brown, Perine could be in line for a solid workload in a Week 18 matchup against the Browns with nothing but divisional pride on the line. Even if Perine maintains only his usual change of pace and mop-up duties, he has enough of a floor to keep him in consideration for a flex role against a Cleveland defense that just allowed 131 yards on the ground to a Steelers offense with no threat of a passing attack. Readily available on most waiver wires, Perine should be a top priority in any league with a Week 18 title game.
Dec 30, 2025 2:11 PM EST
Samaje Perine in the Flex Conversation in Week 17?
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine scored a touchdown in the 45-21 win over the Miami Dolphins. While Chase Brown remains the No. 1 option out of the backfield, as expected, Perine has stayed involved by logging double-digit carries in two of his previous four appearances. With a favorable matchup against a weak, injury-plagued Cardinals defense on the horizon, everyone on the offensive side of the ball could benefit from a statistical standpoint. However, despite a higher ceiling than usual, Perine shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a deep-league desperation option in Week 17.
Dec 27, 2025 11:25 AM EST
Samaje Perine Working Toward Fantasy Viability
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine has garnered a greater role in the offense since returning from an ankle injury a few weeks back, absorbing at least seven touches in four straight outings. Backfield mate Chase Brown has still operated as Cincinnati's clear lead back. However, Perine has begun eating into the former's workload on the ground, handling 14 carries in two of the last four contests. Over that four-game sample, the veteran has nearly doubled his rushing production on the season, while seeing eight opportunities in the red zone -- a stark contrast to the four he accrued through the campaign's first 12 weeks. As it stands, Brown is the best bet for fantasy production in the backfield, but Perine has evolved into one of the higher-end handcuffs in the league, offering some standalone flex appeal. He'll be a solid play against a Cardinals' defense that's yielded the second-most fantasy points per game to RBs (26.95).
Dec 25, 2025 3:12 PM EST
Samaje Perine Offers Standalone Value with Built-In Upside
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine remains an appealing deep league option despite playing second fiddle to lead rusher Chase Brown in the team's ground attack. Perine posted another solid outing in Cincinnati's 45-21 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins, racking up 25 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and another 16 more on 2-of-3 receiving. It was the veteran's second rushing score of the campaign, as he continues to enjoy an elevated workload in the back half of the season. In four games since returning from an ankle injury, Perine has hovered around 40% of the Bengals' snaps, while averaging 12 opportunities per appearance. Even with Brown boasting a majority of the backfield touches, fantasy managers can turn to the 30-year-old as a sound flex asset, or in a pinch in shallower formats. They'll get a porous Cardinals' rush defense in Week 17.
Dec 22, 2025 11:29 AM EST
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
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