Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine had five carries for 14 yards and a touchdown in the 17-10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The veteran running back scored on a two-yard in the fourth quarter to give the Chiefs the lead. Perine had the second-most carries out of the backfield for Kansas City and averaged 2.8 yards per carry. Despite his receiving prowess, Perine did not have a single target in this contest. Perine ceded receiving work to Kareem Hunt, who had three targets against the Chargers. With the addition of Kareem Hunt and the eventual return of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, there will not be enough touches to go around in the Kansas City backfield. Perine will try to hold onto his secondary role against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. If Steele redeems himself in the eyes of the coaches, Perine may be the odd back out. Despite the uncertainty at the position, the Saints are a good matchup for running backs. The Saints have allowed the fifth-most yards per carry to opposing offenses this season, so Perine should have decent running lanes. The Chiefs backfield is too crowded to know who to start, but there should be more clarity following next week's contest. Perine is a good stash candidate but is best left on benches until we know where he sits in the hierarchy.
Sep 30, 2024 4:37 AM EST
Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine is likely to see an increased workload during the Week 3 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Chiefs are expected to go with a running back by committee approach with Isiah Pacheco (leg) sidelined. The assumption is that rookie Carson Steele is going to be the primary back, but Perine should mixed in as well. The veteran back will probably take over the receiving duties in the backfield, which could be good news for fantasy managers in PPR formats. However, it's unknown exactly how the Chiefs plan to split up the workload on Sunday. That being said, Perine shouldn't be trusted as anything more than a low-end flex option in PPR formats.
Sep 22, 2024 10:08 AM EST
Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine is expected to fill the void left behind by Jerick McKinnon's departure, head coach Andy Reid said. Specifically, this means that Perine will primarily get involved as a pass-catcher and blocker. Reid also noted that Perine is an intelligent player who runs well. Last year, the veteran running back tallied 238 rushing yards, 455 receiving yards, and one touchdown. Given that he is a trusted pass-catcher in one of the NFL's best offenses, Perine could sneak into the RB3/FLEX tier in PPR leagues this year. However, he can be left on the bench in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Sep 5, 2024 12:14 AM EST
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that he expects running back Samaje Perine, who was just signed this week after being released by the division-rival Denver Broncos, to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship. Although Perine will eventually have an opportunity to carve out a nice role on third downs for KC, the Chiefs won't overload him in the season opener, and he's currently listed as the RB4 on the depth chart behind starter Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and rookie Carson Steele. Perine's signing with the defending Super Bowl champions immediately gave him more upside in deep PPR leagues, but he's still only worth a bench stash, at best. Perine's addition to KC's backfield should also slightly worry Pacheco's fantasy managers.
Sep 1, 2024 1:43 PM EST
Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine received praise from his new head coach on Friday afternoon about his potential as a third-down back. According to Adam Teicher of ESPN, Reid expressed, "He's been a phenomenal third down back. The opportunity to have a guy in here that can do the run game and the pass game . . . That is a great addition." The 28-year-old running back signed with Kansas City earlier this week after being released by the Denver Broncos. Last season in Denver, Perine saw a career-high 50 receptions and 455 receiving yards, with an added 238 on the ground. With these recent comments, fantasy managers should expect Perine to serve in a similar role with the Chiefs, primarily entering the game in passing situations. However, Isiah Pacheco will still likely see the vast majority of backfield touches this upcoming season.
Aug 30, 2024 2:27 PM EST
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said on Thursday he hopes newly signed running back Samaje Perine will be able to play in the regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens next Thursday. It sounds like the Chiefs want to put Perine on a crash course to learning their offense in time for Week 1, despite the tailback just signing with the team on Wednesday. The 28-year-old veteran power back was one of the more coveted RBs discarded to the scrap heap earlier during cutdown week, and he'll have a real opportunity to carve out a meaningful role in KC's backfield after piling up a whopping 6.7 yards per touch across 103 touches with the Denver Broncos a year ago. Lead back Isiah Pacheco remains a trusted workhorse starter, but the incumbent Clyde Edwards-Helaire could be relegated to RB3 duties when Perine acclimates to his new surroundings.
Aug 29, 2024 2:26 PM EST
The Kansas City Chiefs are signing veteran running back Samaje Perine to their active roster on Wednesday, according to sources. Perine quickly lands on his feet after he was cut by the division-rival Denver Broncos on Tuesday. The 28-year-old veteran will slot in as the RB4 for KC behind Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and rookie Carson Steele, but he could have the opportunity to find a bigger role as the season progresses. It's certainly an upgrade for Perine due to the offense alone, but the former fourth-rounder in 2017 out of Oklahoma is still probably no better than a late-round flier in very deep point-per-reception leagues at the moment. In his only year in Denver in 2023, he handled 53 carries for 238 yards and one touchdown on the ground while adding a career-high 50 receptions for 455 yards in 17 games.
Aug 28, 2024 1:39 PM EST
Running back Samaje Perine was officially released by the Denver Broncos on Tuesday. Perine was previously reported as a cut candidate if the Broncos could not find a trade partner. The Broncos are moving forward with a younger running back group featuring Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime. Perine was a productive back with Denver in 2023 after several solid years with Cincinnati. He finished the season with 238 rushing yards and a touchdown on 4.5 yards per carry. More importantly, Perine caught 50 passes for 455 yards. That kind of production is sure to land Perine a job in 2024. His release opens up more opportunities for McLaughlin in the Denver offense. McLaughlin will now jump up to the No. 2 running back spot behind Williams.
Aug 27, 2024 6:55 PM EST
The Denver Broncos are expected to move on from veteran running back Samaje Perine, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The organization is engaged in trade conversations, but if they do not reach a deal before Tuesday's 4 p.m. EDT roster cutdown deadline, he could be released. This move was expected by many following the acquisition of former Notre Dame running back Audric Estime in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Denver backfield is crowded with Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Estime, so Perine has been viewed as the odd man out. Although Perine is unlikely to have a ton of fantasy value somewhere else, he could affect another running back and negatively impact their standing on the depth chart.
Aug 26, 2024 4:58 PM EST
ESPN's Mike Clay believes that Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine could become available before the regular season begins. Perine is currently a part of a crowded backfield in Denver alongside starter Javonte Williams and change-of-pace backs Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime. With an expiring contract and no obvious future with the Broncos, Perine is a potential cap casualty for this summer ahead of roster cuts in late August. The veteran power back did quietly make a big impact a year ago, however, turning in the second-most yards per touch (6.7) over 103 touches and most yards per route run (2.04) across 223 routes among qualifiers at his position, so he could be a valuable asset to another team needing backfield reinforcements.
Aug 13, 2024 3:14 PM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine could be one of the players released or traded by the team this offseason, according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. Kosmider notes that "it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the Broncos moved on from Perine" given that releasing him would create roughly $3 million in cap space. That's a very reasonable outcome for Denver as they look for extra money and find ways to win with younger players. Perine, 28, broke free for 238 rushing and 455 receiving yards in 2023. He should be rostered as a decent RB4 option in most fantasy leagues.
May 30, 2024 2:05 AM EST
Denver Broncos running backs Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin "will face a challenging battle to maintain their roles this offseason," according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. He notes that the same is true for Javonte Williams. It appears as though all three holdover running backs in Denver have reduced job security after the team drafted Audric Estime and signed Blake Watson. There will be plenty of competition throughout the offseason as the Broncos work to determine which running backs are worthy of key volume in 2024. However, as of now, it appears there's at least some favor for Estime and Watson while the three returners may need to do a little extra to prove themselves. From a fantasy perspective, Williams and Estime seem like the most intriguing names, but Perine and Watson (and even McLaughlin) benefit from their pass-catching skills.
May 24, 2024 12:07 AM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine (knee) was on the Week 15 injury report but has since been cleared and will play on Saturday evening against the Detroit Lions. Outside of maybe the deepest PPR setups, Perine is probably worth avoiding, especially against a Lions team that has allowed only 48 receptions on the year and zero receiving touchdowns to RBs. But although Perine was passed by rookie Jaleel McLaughlin around the midpoint of the season for the RB2 role in Denver, he has made a comeback and is once again the Broncos' preferred back on passing downs, catching all 15 of his targets for 112 yards (7.47 yards per reception) in the last four games. He's also added 11 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown. If the Broncos find themselves trailing big early, Perine could be more involved in the passing attack.
Dec 16, 2023 10:54 AM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine (knee) did not practice on Wednesday after logging a full practice on Tuesday as his team continues preparing to face the Detroit Lions on Saturday. Perine's downgrade on Wednesday comes as a concern, although the Broncos may be just managing his knee issue heading into Saturday. Perine's practice status on Thursday will be worth monitoring. Rookie Jaleel McLaughlin would take on a larger role behind Javonte Williams if Perine doesn't play on Saturday.
Dec 13, 2023 9:57 PM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine came into the Week 14 contest versus the Los Angeles Chargers as questionable with a knee injury, but he managed to suit up and had a team-high five receptions on five targets for 36 yards as a pass-catcher in the 24-7 victory. Perine was far less involved on the ground, seeing just two carries for eight yards. But after getting more involved in Weeks 11 and 12, Perine was back at it again on Sunday. His five targets were second on the team behind Jerry Jeudy's six, and his 36 receiving yards were second to Courtland Sutton's 62. However, the 28-year-old isn't going to have much flex appeal outside of extremely deep PPR leagues as long as lead back Javonte Williams sees 20-plus touches per game, which has been the case in four of the team's last six contests.
Dec 11, 2023 12:09 AM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine (knee) is officially active for Week 14 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Despite missing practice Friday and being listed as questionable, the expectation as that Perine would play. Indeed, the veteran will suit up, using his pass-catching skills to rank as a high-end RB4 in PPR leagues.
Dec 10, 2023 3:24 PM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine (knee) is expected to suit up versus the Chargers in Week 14. The former Bengal practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday. However, he missed Friday's session because of a knee injury, resulting in a questionable designation. At any rate, Perine hasn't been a consistent part of the Broncos' offensive plans for most of the season, meaning his fantasy outlook isn't favorable by any means.
Dec 10, 2023 1:54 AM EST
The Denver Broncos listed running back Samaje Perine (knee) as questionable to play this Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers. Perine was a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday before he was held out of practice on Friday. It sounds as though Perine suffered a setback, which usually is a bad sign heading into Sunday's action. The 28-year-old suddenly resurfaced for 16 touches, 133 yards and a touchdown in Weeks 11 and 12 before being granted only three touches for six yards in last week's loss to the Houston Texans. Even if his injury isn't all that serious and he's able to play in Week 14, Perine will most likely handle a small role alongside rookie Jaleel McLaughlin behind lead back Javonte Williams against the Bolts. If Perine is out, McLaughlin will be afforded a larger change-of-pace role behind Williams.
Dec 8, 2023 6:51 PM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine began the year as Denver's "lead back" with Javonte Williams being eased in due to a knee injury he suffered the year prior. Perine then lost the No. 2 role to rookie Jaleel McLaughlin midway through the year. However, in the last two games, Perine has re-emerged, catching seven passes for 60 yards in Week 11 and carrying the ball seven times for 55 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Cleveland Browns. The 28-year-old's TD plunge last Sunday came when Williams was being evaluated for an injury, though, so fantasy managers probably shouldn't put too much stock in it. Against the Houston Texans in Week 13, Perine will be battling for touches with McLaughlin behind Williams, making him more of an RB4/flex in the deepest of fantasy leagues.
Dec 2, 2023 1:41 PM EST
Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine surprisingly worked as the No. 2 RB behind Javonte Williams over rookie Jaleel McLaughlin in the 29-12 win on Sunday over the visiting Cleveland Browns in Week 12 and even found the end zone for the first time this season. Perine had seven carries (his most since the season opener) for 55 yards (7.9 yards per tote) and a rushing touchdown (his first of the year) while adding one catch on his only target for a gain of 11 yards. The 28-year-old took advantage of Williams leaving the game early on with a neck injury to score the Broncos' first touchdown of the game. Perine has now gone over 60 total yards in each of the last two games and is suddenly challenging McLaughlin (two carries for four yards) for a bigger role behind Williams. However, the role isn't going to lead to much (if any) standalone fantasy value as long as the Broncos continue to feed Williams 20-plus touches a game.
Nov 27, 2023 12:44 AM EST