Who Should I Start? D'Andre Swift or Chase Brown

Saturday, August 30, 6:18 PM

Dan Wiederer of The Athletic believes Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift could surpass 1,500 yards from scrimmage this season. While that mark may not be realistic, there are more than a few reasons to believe Swift might be in line for his best year to date. Ben Johnson, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator and new Bears head coach, was instrumental in the success of Jamaal Williams, David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs. With Johnson "devoted" to the run and the Bears lacking proven depth in the backfield, the door is open for Swift to thrive. The 26-year-old has bounced around the National Football League since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In 73 regular-season contests with the Lions, Eagles, and Bears, he's accumulated 3,688 yards and 29 touchdowns off 846 carries, adding eight more scores as a pass-catcher. Quarterback Caleb Williams will certainly get his opportunities to run in 2025. However, Swift should remain atop the depth chart as long as he's productive. If not, rookie Kyle Monangai could be the favorite to take over in the backfield.

Saturday, August 30, 9:13 AM

The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. predicts that Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown's workload "won't be too far off" from the 23.6 touches he averaged per game between Week 9 and Week 17 of the 2024 season. Dehner Jr. writes that the team "restructured the run game specifically around (Brown's) skillset" and is "utilizing him more split out wide." During the eight-game stretch last season referenced above, Brown gained 930 yards from scrimmage and scored six touchdowns. As long as Cincinnati's offense is again one of the league's most prolific, Brown should be in line for a monster season. He's a low-end fantasy RB1, and could finish even higher in full-PPR scoring formats.