Who Should I Start? Chase Brown or Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Sunday, December 22, 11:03 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown ran for 91 yards off 18 carries in Sunday's win over the Browns. He added three catches for 18 yards. Although Brown didn't find the end zone, fantasy managers were likely satisfied with his performance. With Cincinnati still in the playoff hunt, the Bengals will look for a win over the Broncos in Week 17. The Denver defense has allowed a fifth-best 18.7 points per game during the 2024-25 campaign. While Brown will likely have a tougher time getting it done for managers, he remains a must-start in all fantasy formats.

Friday, December 13, 5:30 PM

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will look to claim the No. 2 role behind Brian Robinson Jr. this weekend but is not a viable option in standard formats facing the New Orleans Saints. In Week 13 with Austin Ekeler (concussion) sitting out, Rodriguez logged seven more carries than the presumed No. 2 option Jeremy McNichols. Rodriguez performed very well, averaging just over 7.0 yards per carry in that contest and even added a late goal-line touchdown. While Rodriguez could see opportunities late in the game if the Commanders have a sizeable lead, fantasy managers should only view the 24-year-old as a high-risk flex option in deep 14-plus-team formats, as Robinson will see most of the work on the afternoon.