Who Should I Start? Damien Harris or Chase Brown

Monday, March 25, 9:07 PM

Former New England Patriots running back Damien Harris announced his retirement from professional football on Monday at age 27. The Patriots selected Harris in the third round (87th overall) in the 2019 NFL draft out of Alabama, and he had 449 rushing attempts for 2,094 yards and 20 touchdowns in his four years in New England in 38 regular-season games (34 starts) while adding 40 receptions on 51 targets for an additional 281 receiving yards. Harris spent the 2023 campaign with the Buffalo Bills but played in only six games before suffering a season-ending concussion/neck injury that saw him be taken off the field in an ambulance. He'll end his NFL career after just five seasons, recording 2,188 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 427 carries with the Pats and Bills.

Saturday, December 6, 4:12 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown is coming off a strong showing, finishing with 15 attempts for 78 yards in the Week 13 win over the Baltimore Ravens. With Tee Higgins (concussion) sidelined for that one, Brown was more involved on the receiving end, catching all seven targets for 35 yards. Samaje Perine was more included than usual on the offensive end, amassing 39 yards off 14 carries. However, he averaged an ugly 2.8 yards per carry. Higgins' return for Sunday's meeting with the Buffalo Bills could mean Brown won't see as many receiving opportunities, although that still may not matter, considering he is usually involved as a pass-catcher. With that said, Perine's uptick in work in Week 13 isn't a reason to panic. Fantasy managers should keep Brown rolling in any format, with a slight bump for those starting him in PPR setups.