Who Should I Start? Chase Brown or Kaleb Johnson


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
16.3 60.8 0.4 3.7 25.1 0.2

Chase Brown News

Chase Brown Locked In As Bengals' RB1 In Preseason Opener

Friday, August 14, 8:08 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown handled five carries for 16 yards in the 16-14 victory over the Detroit Lions in the preseason opener on Friday night. Brown didn't catch a pass in this game, but it's well established that his pass-catching ability is a key part of the Bengals' offense. Backup running back Samaje Perine mixed in for one carry and two catches, but he only played about 30.8% of the snaps compared to Brown's 69.2%. The 26-year-old back is fresh off a season with over 1,000 rushing yards and six touchdowns, along with 69 receptions and five receiving scores. Brown is one of the most dynamic running backs in one of the league's most friendly offensive environments and should be considered a strong RB1 for the 2026 season. Brown will look to keep his momentum going in next week's preseason game against the Chicago Bears.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.8 5.1 0.0 0.1 0.8 0.0

Kaleb Johnson News

Kaleb Johnson Gets Little Work in Preseason Opener

Thursday, August 13, 7:51 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson handled just two carries for three yards in Thursday night's preseason win over the Green Bay Packers. Johnson, a third-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, doesn't appear to have won over Pittsburgh's new coaching staff just yet, as he didn't enter the contest until late in the third quarter. Although he was listed as the team's RB3 on the updated depth chart released earlier this week, Johnson played behind veterans Travis Homer and Lew Nichols and was out-touched by rookie running back Eli Heidenreich in the second half. Johnson could see an uptick in opportunities as the preseason continues, but it's becoming increasingly unlikely that he will have a meaningful role in the offense this season behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. While he remains worth stashing in deeper dynasty formats, Johnson is off the fantasy radar for redraft purposes.


Chase Brown vs. Kaleb Johnson

Still trying to decide between Brown and Johnson? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Chase Brown is projected to score 16.3 points this week while Kaleb Johnson is projected to score 0.8 points.