Who Should I Start? Chase Brown or Omarion Hampton

Friday, January 2, 1:26 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (illness) returned to practice on Friday and will play on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Cleveland Browns, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Brown's availability for this weekend was in question after he missed the first two practices of the week due to illness. The 25-year-old will be ready to roll on Sunday, though, as he seeks the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. He heads into the final weekend of the regular season with 219 carries for 947 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, adding a career-high 65 catches on 82 targets for 419 yards and four more touchdowns. Brown has been money for fantasy managers down the stretch and needs to remain in all starting lineups against Cleveland. In the season opener against the Browns, Brown had 21 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Friday, January 9, 3:00 PM

Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle), who will reportedly carry a questionable tag into Sunday night's Wild-Card matchup with the Patriots, told reporters on Friday that he plans to play. Along with most of the team's starters, Hampton sat out of the team's Week 18 loss to the Broncos, but he did not practice in the week leading up to that game, and he has been listed as a DNP for the first two practices heading into Wild Card Weekend. Managers participating in fantasy playoff leagues will need to monitor Friday's injury report to see if Hampton can log at least a limited session. The Patriots' run defense struggled down the stretch after a dominant start to the season, but with Milton Williams (ankle) back in the lineup following a five-game absence, the team held Miami to 2.5 yards per carry in a dominant Week 18 showing. With leading tackler Robert Spillane also expected to be available for the playoffs, Hampton could face tough sledding in his first career playoff game.