Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or Chase Brown

Tuesday, September 16, 3:09 PM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith struggled in prime time in the 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. Smith got off to a bad start in this one, throwing an interception on the first play of the game and failing to lead the Raiders to a single touchdown all night against a suffocating Chargers defense. All in all, the 34-year-old veteran went 24-for-43 for 180 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions. He ran the ball five times for 20 yards and took three sacks. It was a very disappointing performance after Smith threw for 362 yards in a Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. While fantasy managers shouldn't be writing Smith off for the rest of the year, it's a reminder of why he's more of a matchup-based QB. Smith will get a better matchup in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders.

Saturday, September 13, 12:17 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had only 43 yards off 21 carries in the Week 1 win over Cleveland. His 2.0 yards per carry was a tough pill to swallow for fantasy managers. Still, he at least found the end zone, so the afternoon wasn't a total flop. The same can't be said for the rest of the Bengals offense, with Joe Burrow throwing for 113 yards and one touchdown. To make matters worse, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for five receptions. Despite the subpar offensive showing, Cincinnati managed to pull off a narrow one-point victory. With a win in the books, Brown and company will host the Jaguars in Week 2. Without question, the Bengals have struggled to begin the season in the last few years. However, Brown and company have a great chance of turning things around. Although he sometimes struggles picking up yards on the ground, his versatility as a pass-catching back makes a difference. Sunday's game is expected to be one of the highest-scoring contests on the schedule, so both offenses may be clicking on all cylinders. All things considered, Brown should be more productive in Week 2, especially if Burrow can get the offense into the Red Zone more than he did against Cleveland. Keep Brown rolling in all fantasy lineups.