Who Should I Start? Cam Akers or Chase Brown

Tuesday, September 16, 5:25 PM

The Minnesota Vikings signed running back Cam Akers to their practice squad on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) was also placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, so the Vikings are bringing back a familiar face to serve as RB depth behind Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott heading into a Week 3 tilt against the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be Akers' third different stint with the organization, and he could surpass Scott on the RB depth chart sooner than later. The 26-year-old spent training camp with the New Orleans Saints but was unable to make their 53-man roster. He had a healthy 4.3 yards per carry on 104 rushing attempts for 444 yards and two touchdowns while adding 14 catches for 68 yards and three TDs as a pass-catcher last year with the Houston Texans and Vikings. Akers is worth a look for RB depth in deep leagues if you just lost Jones.

Saturday, September 13, 12:17 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had only 43 yards off 21 carries in the Week 1 win over Cleveland. His 2.0 yards per carry was a tough pill to swallow for fantasy managers. Still, he at least found the end zone, so the afternoon wasn't a total flop. The same can't be said for the rest of the Bengals offense, with Joe Burrow throwing for 113 yards and one touchdown. To make matters worse, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for five receptions. Despite the subpar offensive showing, Cincinnati managed to pull off a narrow one-point victory. With a win in the books, Brown and company will host the Jaguars in Week 2. Without question, the Bengals have struggled to begin the season in the last few years. However, Brown and company have a great chance of turning things around. Although he sometimes struggles picking up yards on the ground, his versatility as a pass-catching back makes a difference. Sunday's game is expected to be one of the highest-scoring contests on the schedule, so both offenses may be clicking on all cylinders. All things considered, Brown should be more productive in Week 2, especially if Burrow can get the offense into the Red Zone more than he did against Cleveland. Keep Brown rolling in all fantasy lineups.