Who Should I Start? Chase Brown or Jaxson Dart

Saturday, October 11, 11:34 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown hasn't played well this season. After scoring a touchdown in the Bengals' Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns, the 25-year-old hasn't visited the end zone since then. He only had eight carries for 27 yards in Week 5 versus the Lions. Fortunately, Brown made up for it by catching seven of his eight targets for 21 yards. Cincinnati won the first two games of the 2025 campaign. Unfortunately, the Bengals have lost their last three contests, so the team is desperately looking for a win in Week 6 against Green Bay. Joe Flacco, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Browns, will get the start under center for that one. However, Flacco's knowledge of the playbook will presumably be limited, meaning Brown may see more touches than normal while potentially getting an uptick in short passes out of the backfield. With that said, the Packers defense has been a challenge for opposing offenses throughout the year, which isn't good news for Brown, Flacco, Ja'Marr Chase (illness), and Tee Higgins. Still, the 2023 No. 163 overall pick remains worthy of a start in all fantasy formats based on his upside alone, especially for managers with limited options at the running back position.

Tuesday, October 14, 10:39 AM

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has helped his team to two big home wins over the Chargers and Eagles in his three games since taking over as starting QB, but he also lost a game on the road to the Saints. In Week 6, he threw for 195 yards and a touchdown in New York's Thursday Night Football upset of the Eagles and added 58 yards and a rushing score to help him be one of the highest scoring quarterbacks of the week. His rushing potential makes him a good fantasy play in almost any matchup since he brings both a high ceiling and a high floor. This week, he faces a very tough matchup, though, against the Broncos, who just shut down Jalen Hurts and Justin Fields to win their last two games. The game will also be in Denver, which will surely be a hostile environment for the rookie. Dart has shown enough to be worth a look as a second QB or bye-week fill-in off the waiver wire, even in this tough matchup. Looking further ahead, he'll have a tough rematch with the Eagles on the road in Week 8 before matchups with the 49ers and Bears that look a little more favorable. Even if he isn't an elite play in those matchups, his rushing production is enough to keep him as a viable fantasy option in most formats.